To the Right Honorable, and Honorable, The President of the United States.

    The Petition of Lyman Wight most humbly sheweth That Petitioner removed from the State of Ohio to the State of Missouri, in the year 1832, where I hoped to live in Peace, but after toiling and undergoing all the hardships of a new Country for two years, and suffering many privations of the Comforts of Live, I was assailed by a lawless Mob, and was driven from my House in Jackson County, to Clay County, my Crops and all other property I possessed were taken from me, except a small part of house hold Furniture. I staid in Clay County for upwards of two years, when I was again assailed by a Mob, who said, I must deny my sentiments of Religion or move from that County, but rather than deny my Religion, or be put to Death, I disposed of my Property at a low value, and removed my Family to Davis County, located myself on Grand River, made an Improvement, gained to myself a preemption right, on which a small Town was laid off, it was then worth to me at least Ten Thousand Dollars, but some time in the Month of September last I was ordered to leave my possessions again, and this by a Mob, which was got up by Sashel Wood, (a Presbyterian Preacher) and Doctor Craven, (who have since entered my Land) without any other consideration than to get me chained up in Prison, and drive my Family from the State, without Food and Raiment to make them Comfortable, then kept me in Prison for six Months, until they succeeded in driving every Man Woman and Child (who professed the same Religion that I do) out of the State, except those whom they murdered in the State, although they have never been able to substantiate the first accusation against me, yet my suffering for seven years had been more severe than Tongue can tell, or Pen write, I have seen, (in this the worst of all persecutions) [page 2]
    Men fall victims of Death who were peaceably to work at Home, and innocent of any Crime. I have seen Women and Children in Jackson County, in the Month of November, crossing the burnt Prairie when you could have traced them by the Blood that flowed from their lacerated Feet, many of them being destitute of Shoes, the Men had been either killed or driven off. That when we were driven from the State by the Order of Governor Boggs, I cannot compare it to any thing with which it will so well agree, as with the Savages of Our land, Fifteen thousand Men were called for by the Governor Boggs, with special Orders to exterminate about Eight Hundred Men with their Wives and Children, or drive them from the State, from this Order they took the liberty of Shooting down Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Hogs, and knocking out the Brains of Men, Women, and Children, thus mingling their Blood with that of the Beasts of the Field, and strewing their Bodies upon the vast Plains, together alike Food for Ravens and the Fowls of Heaven, many were left without a Burial, their Friends being unlawfully imprisoned by this class of Beings who were worse than Demons, all who escaped alive are mostly in the State of Illinois, where they are treated with that humanity that is due from Man to his fellow Man, but I humbly Submit, what can they do with some Fie or Six Thousand Inhabitants, who in the first place traveled from five to ten hundred Miles, and paid out their Money for Lands, and then, instead of enjoying their Property &c Labour, were driven from place to place, and last of all forced out of the State, their Lands taken from them, their Goods taken from them or destroyed, and their Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Hogs left upon the Plains for the Vultures of Heaven. I most respectfully submit for your consideration, one example of their treatment in receiving and forwarding our Goods by Water, which may answer for the whole, a Man by the name of E. M. Green sent a Box of Good to be landed at Richmond Landing Store House, kept by Pomeroy & Harwood, and worked his passage through for himself and wife, but was driven back to Illinois by this gang of Ruffians, his Box was then sent back to Illinois, (as he supposed containing his Goods) the freight had [page 3] Amounted to Fifty Dollars, he immediately hired the Money, and agreed to work it out by the Month, eager now to grasp his all, he opened his Box, but instead of his Goods, found it filled up with old Shoes, Books &c. &c, and he left to work by the Month to pay the Debt, in fine It was not considered (even by Governor Boggs himself) a Crime to Plunder and Steal from the People called Mormons, and when they would no longer suffer their Houses to be either thrown down or burnt over their heads, He, Boggs, issued his exterminating Order, & between five and six thousand Men Women & Children were stript [sic] of their Effects, and then driven at the point of the Bayonet out of the State, in the dead of Winter, and in consequence of having to lye on the ground upon water, Ice, and Snow, several Hundreds have died.
    Honorable Sir, my Father was a Revolutionary Soldier, but such was not the liberty he gained for me and my Posterity. I do not ask of you to restore my Friends that are Dead, my Horses that have been stolen, or my household Furniture that has been broken in Pieces and carried off, for it would be unreasonable. I further state that notwithstanding I volunteered to defend my Country in the last war, and fought manfully at the Battle of Sackets harbour [sic], yet I cannot step my Foot in the State of Missouri without denying my Religion, Governor Boggs having encouraged the Mob that it is right to kill People of my Profession, I do not feel satisfied to live in such Bondage in what is called a free Government, and am desirous you should understand that the State of Missouri is governed by what People call Democracy, but if this is Democracy I think the Law of Democracy had disguised herself under a Cloak of Oligarchy or Monarchy, and I humbly submit, if such proceedings as those are tolerated, America cannot long boast of liberty, and her fair Sons and Daughters enjoy the privileges for which our Forefathers have Bled, for the Blood of our Fathers cry from the Ground for vengeance on these Rebels, who are worse than Cain. I trust that if you Honor hear me not on my own behalf, that you will listen to the cries of the many Widows, and Fatherless children whose Husbands and Fathers have been unhumanly [sic] Butchered, and they robbed of their wearing Apparel, and then turned out in the midst of Winter, and Driven before [page 4] a Lawless Mob, in gangs, like Cattle to the Slaughter, their Stain cannot be wiped from the character of Governor Boggs, neither from the Pages of History, but will ever remain like the Spots on the Sun, and will sink the Character of those that uphold it, into darkness, and bring down the hoary Frost upon their Heads, which will sting them to their Hearts, even in the summer heat of their Glory, and their boasted Democracy will fade like the beautiful Flower in a frosty morning.
    Petitioner believes that there is much virtue still left in the government of the United States therefore humbly appeals to your Honor as the presiding Officer of the United Stated, and Father or Guardian of the great Republic and Prays
    That you will correct those Miscreants, and Chastise them with a proper Rod and let them experience that the Character of the State of Missouri shall be preserved.
    That I may be restored to the rights and privileges which were guaranteed to me by the Blood of our Forefathers, and by the Great God who deals with all men according to their Crimes.
    And that Petitioner be restored to his Lands, and (his) other Property restored to him, or compensation for the same, and the case between petitioner and the State of Missouri fairly Tried, and those Who have murdered his Friends, be dealt with according to Law. And Petitioner As in Duty Bound Will Ever pray. Lyman Wight
    [Lyman Wight, Petition to President Martin VanBuren, [1839], photostat and typescript, Community of Christ Archives, Independence, Missouri, P13, f2315.]