17th March 1848 I spent the day at home I attended a
council of much importance in the evening The captain of
the Policee with two others who were members of the Seventies
were brought before the Presidency of the Seventies for Assault
& Batterry & swearing There was present but three of the
Presidents of the Seventies, But the High Council was present Also
President Young & W Woodruff it was agreed by the parties to try
the case before the High Council, which was filled up And the charges
read, the defendants did not exactly plead guilty so the testimony
was heard on both sides & it was proven there was a fight between
them & swearing. The Plaintiff opened the subject called witne-
sses who testifyed The defendants spoke & bore their testimony the
Plaintiff then made his plea & also his councillor the defendants
then made their plea Also their councellor.
Then President
Young arose And addressed the council in an interesting manner
the following is an extract of the clerks munites of the Presidents
speech. If all parties are willing I will now make some remarks
there are a good many item pertaining to this case. 1st it was to be
brought before the President of the 70, But they did not pro
fess to have any Jurisdiction in the case ownly in the trial of
their membership but not as A peace officer. But the High
council can sit as a municipal court & try them for Church
fellowship and for a breach of duty as A Poliece officer is it supp-
osed that A public officer cannot do wrong wrong I do not
think so & when they do wrong they should be reproved as
well as any other person, I shall speak my mind without
any regard to parties favor or affection this I always calculate
to do whether I gain friends or foes I have plenty of enemies
But I dont ask any favors of them I will not be turned for
a moment out of the course of right & justice if it cuts my
throat. I shall tell the truth. some who have pled this cause dar[e]
not tell all the truth, if Mr Hill did tantilize the policee they had
no business to fall upon him & beat him. I have known Br Hill
for fifteen years He is given to rough uncouth conversation
and tantalizing mens feelings, And He wont Apostitize neither
Let me reason the case I am a teacher I often officiat in that
capacity. For instance Hosea Stout says that for 8 years He has
had A catalogue of names in his own mind of those who would
Apostitize and as yet he had not been mistakened If A man under-
stands the things of God, He knows well that every Saint of
God ifs followed up through life by the powers of Hell, of the devil
of temptation, & of evry snare that can be invented on the earth
to make him Apostitize, loose his glory & crown, this I understand
If I see a man doing wrong or is any way faltering If I take a course
to make him believe that he will fall does not that at once weake[n]
his faith & disarm him of power to stand? it does, dont I see things
as well as the Police I do And if I saw A man that I knew
would fall I would not tell him so but would try to save him
as well as I could that when he did go my garments would be
clear before God & he could not rise in Judgment against me
I am here to save both Br Hosea & Hill but not to destroy them
we are here to the policee as policee And to inquire into their
conduct as Elders. Has not Isaac Hill been afflicted and maimed
who sent Hosea Stout to take Isaac Hill as A Prisioner Nobody
~ Friday
17th March 1848 I spent the day at home I attended a
Council of much importance in the evening. The Captain of
the Policee with two others who were members of the Seventies
were brought before the Presidency of the Seventies for assault
& batterry & swearing. There was present but three of the
Presidents of the Seventies, but the High Council was present also
President Young & W Woodruff it was agreed by the parties to try
the case before the High Council, which was filled up and the charges
read, the defendants did not exactly plead guilty so the testimony
was heard on both sides & it was proven there was a fight between
them & swearing. The Plaintiff opened the subject called witnesses who testifyed. The defendants spoke & bore their testimony the
Plaintiff then made his plea & also his councillor the defendants
then made their plea also their Councellor.
Then President
Young arose and addressed the council in an interesting manner
the following is an extract of the Clerks munites of the President
speech. If all parties are willing I will now make some remarks
there are a good many item pertaining to this case. 1st it was to be
brought before the President of the 70, but they did not pro
fess to have any Jurisdiction in the case ownly in the trial of
their membership but not as a peace officer. But the High
council can sit as a municipal court & try them for Church
fellowship and for a breach of duty as a Policee officer is it supposed that a public officer cannot do wrong I do not
think so & when they do wrong they should be reproved as
well as any other person, I shall speak my mind without
any regard to parties favor or affection this I always calculate
to do whether I gain friends or foes I have plenty of enemies
But I dont ask any favors of them I will not be turned for
a moment out of the course of right & justice if it cuts my
throat. I shall tell the truths some who have pled this cause dare
not tell all the truth, if Mr Hill did tantilize the Policee they had
no business to fall upon him & beat him. I have known Br Hill
for fifteen years He is given to rough uncouth conversation
and tantalizing mens feelings, and he wont apostitize neither
Let me reason the case I am a teacher I often officiat in that
capacity. For instance Hosea Stout says that for 8 years he has
had a catalogue of names in his own mind of those who would
apostitize and as yet he had not been mistakened If a man understands the things of God, he knows well that every Saint of
God is followed up through life by the powers of Hell, of the devil
of temptation, & of evry snare that can be invented on the earth
to make him apostitize, loose his glory & crown, this I understand
If I see a man doing wrong or is any way faltering If I take a course
to make him believe that he will fall does not that at once weaken
his faith & disarm him of power to stand? it does, dont I see things
as well as the Policee I do and if I saw a man that I knew
would fall I would not tell him so but would try to save him
as well as I could that when he did go my garments would be
clear before God & he could not rise in Judgment against me
I am here to save both Br Hosea & Hill but not to destroy them
we are here to the Policee as policee and to inquire into their
conduct as Elders. Has not Isaac Hill been afflicted and maimed
who sent Hosea Stout to take Isaac Hill as a Prisioner Nobody
"Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853)," March 17, 1848, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed November 4, 2024, https://www.wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/0RnL