Mormon Appeals to Congress: Seeking Justice in 1839-1840
After violent expulsion from Missouri, Joseph Smith and other Latter-day Saint leaders petitioned the U.S. Congress for federal intervention and redress.
- Mormon leaders, led by Joseph Smith, appealed to Congress in 1839-1840 after being violently driven from Missouri.
- They sought federal intervention, protection, and compensation for lost property and lives.
- President Martin Van Buren and Congress denied relief, citing states' rights and lack of federal jurisdiction.
- The appeals' failure reinforced Mormon self-reliance and shaped their future migration west.
The Mormon appeals to Congress in 1839-1840 were a series of petitions and direct pleas made by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the U.S. federal government. Following their forced expulsion from Missouri under Governor Lilburn Boggs's "Extermination Order" in late 1838, Church leaders sought federal intervention, protection, and financial compensation for the extensive losses and suffering endured by their community.
The Plea for Federal Intervention
After being driven from their homes in Missouri, thousands of Latter-day Saints, penniless and many destitute, sought refuge in Illinois. Believing the state of Missouri had violated their constitutional rights and failed to protect them, Church leaders felt their only recourse was to appeal to the highest authority: the federal government. In late 1839, a delegation including Joseph Smith, the Church's founder, Sidney Rigdon, and Elias Higbee traveled to Washington D.C. to present their case.
Their primary arguments centered on the federal government's responsibility to protect its citizens when a state government acted in defiance of the Constitution. They presented extensive documentation of property destruction, violence, and the unlawful confiscation of land. They asked Congress to either compel Missouri to restore their rights and property or provide financial compensation for their losses.
The Federal Response and Its Implications
The delegation met with President Martin Van Buren, who famously told Joseph Smith, "Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you." Van Buren expressed sympathy but explained that the federal government could not intervene in what he considered a state matter, citing the principle of states' rights. He feared setting a precedent that could empower the federal government to override state sovereignty, particularly concerning the contentious issue of slavery.
The appeals to Congress faced similar resistance. While some sympathetic senators and representatives debated the issue, committees ultimately concluded that Congress lacked the constitutional authority to grant the requested relief or to intervene in Missouri's internal affairs. The petitions were dismissed, leaving the Latter-day Saints without federal redress or protection.
The failure of these appeals was a pivotal moment. It demonstrated to the Latter-day Saints that they could not rely on the federal government for protection against state-sponsored persecution. This experience deeply shaped their communal identity, fostering a sense of self-reliance and contributing to their eventual decision to seek refuge and establish self-governing communities further west, beyond the direct reach of established state authority. It also highlighted the inherent tensions in early American federalism regarding minority rights and state sovereignty.
Sources
- Bushman, Richard Lyman. *Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling*. Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
- Brodie, Fawn M. *No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith*. Alfred A. Knopf, 1945.
- Church History in the Fulness of Times, Chapter 20, The Saints in Missouri (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2003).
