To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled

Your Memorialist a free born Citizen of these United States, respectfully sheweth, that from his infancy, his soul has been filled with the most intense and philanthropic interest for the wellfare of his native country; and being fired with an ardor which floods cannot quench, crowns cannot conquer, nor diplomatic intrigue corrupt, to see those principles, which emanated from the bosoms of the fathers of seventy six, and which cost the noblest talents, and richest blood of the nation, maintained inviolate, and perpetuated to future generations; and the proud Eagle of American freedom soar triumphant over every party prejudice, and local sinistry; and spread her golden pinions over every member of the human family, who shall stretch forth their hands for succor from the Lion’s paw, or the oppressors grasp; and firmly trusting in the God of Liberty, that he has designed Universal peace and good will Union and brotherly love to all the great family of Man;—

Your memorialist asks your honorable body to pass the following Ordinance. Bill <A Bill> An Ordinance for the Protection of the Citizens of the United States emigrating to the adjoining territories, and for the extension of the principles of Universal Liberty.

Preamble Whereas many of the Citizens of these United States have migrated, and are migrating to Texas, Oregon and other Lands contiguous to this nation: And whereas Texas has declared herself free and independent, without the necessary power to protect her rights and liberties: And whereas Oregon is without any organized government, and those who emigrate thither are exposed to foreign invasion and domestic feuds: And whereas the Oregon by Geographic location, and discovery, more rightfully belongs to these United States than to any other General Government: And whereas it is necessary that the emigrants of that newly settling territory should receive protection: And whereas the Texian Government has petitioned the United States to be received into our Union, but yet retains her national existence. And whereas the United States remember with gratitude, the seasonable support they received, in a like situation from a La Fayette: And whereas the United States desire to see the principles of her free institutions extended to all Men; especially where it can be done without the loss of blood and treasure to the nation: And whereas there is an almost boundless extent of Territory on the West and South of these United States, where exists little or no organization of protective government: And whereas the Lands thus unknown, unowned, or unoccupied are among some of the richest and most fertile of the Continent: And whereas many of the Inhabitants of the Union would gladly embrace the opportunity of extending their researches and acquirements, so soon as they can receive protection in their enterprize, thereby adding strength, durability and wealth to the nation: And whereas the Red Man, the Robber, and the Desperado have frequently interrupted such research and acquisition without justifiable cause: And whereas Joseph Smith has offered, and does hereby offer these United States: To shew his loyalty to our Confederate Union, and the Constitution of our Republic: To prevent quarrels and bloodshed on our frontier: To extend the arm of deliverance to Texas: To protect the Inhabitants of Oregon from foreign aggression, and domestic broils: To prevent the crowned nations, from encircling us, as a Nation, on our Western and Southern borders, and save the Eagle’s talon from the Lion’s paw: To still the tongue of Slander, and shew that a Republic can be and not be ungrateful: To open the vast regions of the unpeopled West and South to our enlightened and enterprising yeomanry: To protect them in their researches; To secure them in their locations, and thus strengthen the government and enlarge her borders: To extend her influence: To inspire the nations with the Spirit of freedom, and win them to her standard: To promote intelligence: To cultivate and establish peace among all with whom we may have intercourse as neighbors: To settle all existing difficulties among those not organized into an acknowledged government bordering upon the United States and Territories: To save the national revenue in the nation’s coffers: To supersede the necessity of a standing army on our Western and Southern frontier: To create and maintain the principles of peace, and suppress mobs, insurrections, and oppression in Oregon, and all lands bordering upon the United States, and not incorporated into any acknowledged national government: To explore the unexplored regions of our Continent: To open new fields for enterprize to our Citizens, and protect them therein: To search out the antiquities of the Land, and thereby promote the arts, and sciences, and general information: To amalgamate the feelings of all with whom he may have intercourse, on the principles of equity, liberty, justice, humanity and benevolence. To break down tyranny and oppression, and exalt the standard of Universal Peace: Provided he shall be protected in those rights and privileges which Constitutionally belong to every Citizen of this Republic:— Therefore that the said Memorialist may have the privilege; and that no Citizen of these United States shall obstruct, or attempt to obstruct or hinder, so good, so great, so noble an enterprize, to carry out those plans and principles, as set forth in this preamble, and be shielded from every opposition by evil and designing men.

Sec. 1. Be it ordained <enacted> by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that Joseph Smith of the City of Nauvoo, in the State of Illinois, is hereby authorized and empowered to raise a Company of one hundred thousand armed volunteers, in the United States and Territories at such times and places, and in such numbers, as he shall find necessary and convenient for the purposes of specified in the foregoing preamble; and to execute the same.

Sec. 2. And be it further ordained <enacted> that if any person or persons shall hinder or attempt to hinder or molest the said Joseph Smith, from executing his designs in raising said volunteers, and marching or transporting the same to the borders of the United States and territories, he or they so hindering, molesting, or offending, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars each, for every offence; or by hard labor on some public work not exceeding two years, or both, at the discretion of the nearest District Court of the United States where the hindrance or offence shall be committed. <having jurisdiction.>

Sec. 3. And be it further ordained the more fully to remove all obstructions and hindrances to the raising, enlisting, and marching the volunteers as aforesaid, the said Joseph Smith is hereby constituted a Member of the Army of the United States and is authorized to act as such in the United States and Territories, and on all lands bordering upon the United States and Territories for the purposes specified in the foregoing preamble, provided said land shall not be within the acknowledged jurisdiction of any acknowledged National Government

Sec 4. <3.> And be it further ordained <enacted> that nothing in this Ordinance <act> shall be so construed by any individual or nation, as to consider the Volunteers aforesaid, as constituting any part of the Army of the United States; neither shall the said Joseph Smith, as a Member of the United States Army disturb the peace of any nation or government, acknowledged as such: break the faith of treaties between the United States and any other Nation or violate any known law of nations, thereby endangering the peace of the United States

Sec. 5. And be it further ordained <enacted>, that the said Joseph Smith shall confine his operations to those principles of action specified in the Preamble to this Ordinance <act>, the perpetuity of which shall be commensurate with the circumstances and specifications which have originated it.

And your Memorialist, will ever pray &c Joseph Smith

City of Nauvoo, Illinois) March 26th. 1844) 28th Cong) 1. Sess)

Memorial of Joseph Smith, praying to be authorized to raise a body of armed volunteers for the protection of citizens of the United States emigrating to the adjoining Territories.

1844 May 6th. Referred to the Com: on Foreign Relations.

Mr [James] Semple.