# Letter to Emma Smith, 21 March 1839
# Date: March 21, 1839 | Source: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-emma-smith-21-march-1839/1
# Scribal status: holograph (written from Liberty Jail; JSP source note: 'handwriting of JS')
# Spelling: original (Joseph Smith Papers verbatim transcript); deletions, editorial glosses/footnotes, and address panels removed

Liberty Jail Clay Co Mo 1839 March 21st
Affectionate Wife
I have sent an Epistle to the church directed to you because I wanted you to have the first reading of it and then I want Father and Mother to have a coppy of it keep the original yourself as I dectated the matter myself and shall send an other as soon as posible I want to be with you very much but the powers of mobocracy is to many for me at preasant I would ask if Judge cleaveland will be kind enough to let you and the children tarry there untill can learn somethng futher concerning my fate I will reward him well if he will and see that you do not suffer for any thing I shall have a little mony left when I come my Dear Emma I very well know your toils and simpathise with you if God will spare my life once more to have the privelege of takeing care of you I will ease your care and indeavour to cumfort your heart

I want you to take the best care of the family you can which I believe you will do all you can I was sorry to learn that Frederick was sick but I trust he is well again and that you are all well I want you to try to gain time and write to me a long letter and tell me all you can and even if old major is alive yet and what those little pratlers say that cling around your neck do you tell them I am in prison that their lives might be saved I want all the church to make out a bill of damages and apply to the united states Court as soon as possible howeveve they will find out what can be done themselves you expressed my feelings concerning the order and I blieve that there is a way to git redress for such things but God ruleth all things after the council of his own will my trust is in him the salvation of my soul is of the most importants to me for as much as I know for a certainty of Eternal things if the heveans linger it is nothing to me I must stear my bark safe which I intend to do I want you to do the same yours forever Joseph Smith Jr
Emma Smith

I want you to have the Epistole coppyed immedeately and let it go to the Bretheren first into the hands of Father for I want the production for my record if you lack for mony or for bread do let me know it as soon as possible my nerve trembles from long confinement but if you feel as I do you dont care for the imperfections of my writings for my part a word of consolation from any sourse is cordially recieved by me I feel like Joseph in Egyept doth my friends yet live if they live do they remember me have they regard for me if so let me know it in time of trouble my Dear Emma do you think that my being cast into prison by the mob renders me less worthy of your friendsship no I do not think so but when I was in prisen and ye viseted me inasmuch as you have don it to the least of these you have don it to me these shall enter into life Eternal but no more
your Husband J Smith Jr
