Petition, 13 June 1844 [State of Illinois v. H. Smith et al. on Habeas Corpus]

To the Honorable Municipal Court of the City of

The undersigned your Petitioners most respectfully represent that they are now under arrest <​in the City of ​> and in the Coustody of one a constable in and for the county of <​in​> State of — That they are held by Virtue of a Warrant <​a copy of Which was before the Court​> issued by as Justice of the Peace in and for the & aforesaid— upon the oath of chargeing your Petitioners with having commited a riot in the said county of on the 10th Inst by unlawfully burning & destroying the printing press Type & fixtures of the Nauvoo Expositor Your Petitioners further aver that the proceedigs against them in this prosecution have been instituted through malice, private pique and corruption— and with a design not to promote the Ends of Justic but to gratify feelings of revenge, produce Excitement and bring your Petitioners into collission with them that they may have some pretext for carrying out their designs to bring strife, discord & confusion [p. [1]] in our beautiful an peaceful and also to bring if possible a mob ruthless Mob into this for the hellish purpose of satiating their bloody thirsty feelings against the peacable citizens of —

Your Petitioners further aver that they are not guilty of the charge prefered against them they are therefore anxious for a trial upon— said <​a writ of ​>to be issued by your honorable body— and your Petitioners will ever pray

Subs

Sworn to and Subscribed before this 13d day of Jun 1844 befor me