TO PRESENDIA HUNTINGTON BUELL
1839 MARCH 15

Tr. Joseph Smith, Liberty, Missouri to Presendia H. Buell, Clay County, Missouri, 15 March 1839. The earliest-known source of this letter is a copy in Thomas Bullock's handwriting inserted at page 898 of volume C-1 in Joseph Smith's History of the Church, MS, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives. Bullock made this copy of the letter on 16 December 1854, from the original then still in the possession of Presendia Huntington (Historian's Office Journal, 16 December 1854).

On 25 January 1839, after petitioning to have their case heard on a plea of habeas corpus, Joseph Smith and those confined with him in Liberty Jail were brought before Judge Joel Turnham of Clay County. This hearing gave Sidney Rigdon his freedom, but the rest of the prisoners were returned to jail. Convinced that justice could not be obtained for them in that part of the state, they decided to try other ways to gain their freedom. The result was two abortive jailbreak attempts, one on 6 February and the other on 4 March.

To discourage further thoughts of unauthorized departure, security at the jail was tightened. Visitors were watched closely and in some instances denied entrance altogether. One who came to the jail about this time was Presendia Huntington Buell, whose brother William had been among the Mormon prisoners at Richmond. Presendia visited the jail twice, once in company with her father560 and once with Frederick G. Williams. The second time she was refused entrance. Knowledge of this prompted the following letter from Joseph Smith.

Liberty Jail March 15th 1839

Dear Sister

My heart rejoiced at the friendship you manifested in requesting to have conversation with us but the Jailer is a very Jealous man for fear some one will leave tools for us to get out with he is under the eye of the mob continually and his life is at Stake if he grants us any privileges he will not let us converse with any one alone Oh what joy it would be to us to see our friends it would have gladdened my heart to have the privilege of conversing with you but the hand of tyrany is upon us but thanks be to God it cannot last always and he that sitteth in the heavens will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh We feel Dear Sister that our bondage is not of long duration I trust that I shall have the chance to give such instructions as are communicated to us before long I suppose you wanted some instruction for yourself and also give us some information and administer consolation to us and to find out what is best for you to do I think that many of the brethren if they will be pretty still can stay in this country until the indignation is over and past but I think it would be better for brother Buel to leave and go with the rest of the Brethren if he keep the faith and at any rate for thus speaketh the Spirit concerning him I want him and you to know that I am your true friend I was glad to see you no tongue can cell what inexpressible Joy it gives a man to see the face of one who has been a friend after having been inclosed in the walls of a prison for five months it seems to me that my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before my heart bleeds continually when I contemplate the distress of the Church561 Oh that I could be with them I would not shrink at toil and hardship to render them comfort and consolation I want the blessing once more to lift my voice in the midst of the Saints I would pour out my soul to God for their instruction it has been the plan of the Devil to hamper me and distress me from the beginning to keep me from explaining myself to them and I never have had opportunity to give them the plan that God has revealed to me for many have run without being sent crying tidings my Lord and have done much injury to the Church giving the Devil more power over those that walk by sight and not by faith [But trials]562 will only give us that knowledge to understand the minds of the Ancients for my part I think I never could have felt as I now do if I had not suffered the wrongs that I have suffered aIl things shall work together for good to them that love God Beloved Sister we see that perilous times have truly come and the things which we have so long expected have at last began to usher in but when you see the fig tree begin to put forth its leaves you may know that the Summer is nigh at hand there will be a short work on the Earth it has now commenced I suppose there will soon be perplexity all over the Earth do not let our hearts faint when these things come upon us for they must come or the word cannot be fulfilled I know that something will soon take place to stir up this generation to see what they have been doing and that their fathers have inherited lies and they have been led captive by the Devil to no profit but they know not what they do do not have any feelings of enmity towards any Son or Daughter of Adam I believe I shall be let out of their hands some way or another and shall see good days we can not do any thing only stand still and see the Salvation of God he must do his own work or it must fall to the ground we must not take it in our hands to avenge our wrongs Vengeance is mine saith the Lord and I will repay I have no fears I shall stand unto death God being my helper I wanted to communicate something and I wrote this &c Write to us if you can

J. Smith Jr.

To Mrs. Norman Buel

Clay Co. Mo.