10 SMITHS s REPLY.
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:. NAuvoo, II!.,) Jan. 2, 1874.


y SIR,-Your reply to my letter of last
November, concerning your rule of action
towards the Latter Day Saints if elected
=, President, is at hand and that you and
your friends of the same opinion, relative
toilie matter IN question, may not be dis
= appointed as TO me, or my mind, upon
so grave a subject, permit me as law
abiding man; as well wisher to the
Perpetuity Of constitutional rights aud
liberty, and as friend to the free wor-
ship of Almighty God, by all, according
10 the dictates of every PERSONS con.
science, to say / am Surprised that a
man, or men, in the highest station of
public life, should have made up such a
fragile 'view' of a case, than which there
is not one on the face Of the globe lraught
with so much consequence to the happi-
ness of men in this world, or the world
ito come. 10 be sure, the frs, para
graph of your letter appears very com
placent, and fair on white sheet Of pa
per, and who, that is ambitious for great
ness and power, would not have said the
the same thing! Your oath would bind
you TO support the constitution and the
laws, aud as all creeds and religions
are alike tolerated, they must, of course,
:, all be justified or condemned according
to merit or demerit-but why, tell me
why. are all the principle men, held up
for public stations, SO cautiously careful,
not TO publish to the world, that they
'cM judge righteous judgement-law or
no law; for law and opinions, like the
vanes of the steeples change with the
wind. One congress passes a law, and
another repeals it, and one statesman says
that the constitution means this, and ano-
ther that; and who does not know that
all may be wrong! The opinion and
pledge Therefore. IN the frs, paragraph of
your reply to my question, like the forced
steam from the engine of steam boat,
makes the show of bright cloud at first,
but when il comes in contact with a purer
atmosphere, dissolyes to common air
again.


Your second paragraph leaves you max
cd before yourself, like likeness in a
mirror, when you say that according TO
your riews, the federal governmen, is one
oflimited and specific powers and has
no jurisdiction in the case of the Nor.
mons. So then, State can a. any time,
expell any portion Of her c,.izes with i'm.
punisy, and in the language of Mr.. Van
BuEen, frosted over with your gracious