Education - Contribution to History Rough Draft, 1 March 1843 - 31 December 1843
I had an Interview ^with several Pottowatamie chiefs, who came to see^ between Joseph Smith & the Potowatamie Chiefs
me during my absence, and remained until the present
written by W Woodruff
Note from W Woodruffs Journal
Sevaral of the potawatamie Chiefs came to Nauvoo for the purpose of
Having an interview with the Prophet Joseph Smith, at the time of their arival He
had gone to Dixon upon a visit, was kidnaped, while there, and efforts made to
run him to Missouri "The Indians Chiefs ^who^ remaind at Nauvoo untill the
prophet returned & had his trial during their stay thay had a conv talk with
Hiram Smith in the basement of the Nauvoo House. W. Woodruff & some others
were present they were not free to talk & did not wish to communicate
their feelings untill they could see the great ^Prophet^ propheit. At length on
the 2nd day of July 1843 President Joseph Smith ^& councellors & some of the 12^ met those Chiefs
in the chamber of his store ^Court room^ with about 20 of the Elders the following is a
synopsis of the conversation which took place as given by the interpeter who
accompanid them. The Indian Orator arose & asked the prophet if those ^the^ men
who were present were all his Friends. Answer yes. He then said "we as a
people have long been distressed and oppressd we have been driven from our lands
many times we have been wasted away by wars untill there is ^are^ but few of us left the
white man has hated us & shed our blood untill it has appeared as though their would
soon be no Indian Left. we have talked with the great spirit & the great spirit has
talked with us we have asked the great Spirit to save us & Let us live and the great
spirit has told us that he had raised us up a great Prophet aChief & Friend unto us
who woudld do us great good & tell us what to do and the great spirit has told us
that you are the man (Pointing to the Prophet Joseph) we have now come a great ways to see
you & to hear your words & to have you tell us what to do, Our Horses have become poor traveling & we are
hungry, we will now wait & hear your word," the spirit of God rested upon the Lamanits esspe[ci]ally
the Orator who spoke. Joseph was much eaffected & shed tears. He arose & said unto them "I have heard
your words they are true, the great spirit has told you the truth, I am your friend & Brother & I
wish to do you good your Fathers was ^were^ once a great people they worshipd the great spirit the Great
spirit done ^did^ them good He was their friend but they left the great spirit & would not hear his words or
-thumb.jpg)
