1st, For stirring up the enemy to persecute the brethren by urging on vexatious lawsuits and thus distressing the inocent.

2nd, For seeking to destroy{ing} the character of President Joseph Smith jr by falsly insinuating that he was guilty of adultry &c.

3rd For treating the Church with contempt by not attending meetings.

4th For virtually denying the faith by declaring that he would not be governed by any ecclesiastical authority nor Revelation whatever in his temporal affairs.

5th For selling his lands in Jackson County contrary to the Revelations.

6th For writing and sending an insulting letter to President T. B. Marsh while on the High Council, attending to the duties of his office, as President of the Council and by insulting the whole Council with the contents of said letter.

7th, For leaving the calling, in which God had appointed him, by Revelation, for the sake of filthy lucre, and turning to the practice of Law.

8th, For disgracing the Church by {Lieing} being connected in the 'Bogus' buisness as common report says.

9th For dishonestly Retaining notes after they had been paid and finally for leaving or forsaking the cause of God, and betaking himself to the beggerly elements of the world and neglecting his high and Holy Calling contrary to his profession.

Oliver's written response

Did sell his land

Bishop Partridge then read a letter from Oliver, dated that day. Oliver had hoped to talk things over with Joseph before the charges were brought before the council, but this not being the case, he responds to the 5th charge, acknowledging he sold his lands in Jackson. He believes most of the council have already made up their minds that this warrants disfellowshipment and has no reason they would change their minds.

an attempt to set up a kind of petty government, controlled and dictated by ecclesiastical influence, in the midst of this National and State Government. You will, no doubt say this is not correct; but the bare notice of those over which you assume a right to decide, is, in my opinion, a direct attempt to make the secular power subservient to Church dictation—to the correctness of which I cannot in conscience subscribe …

This attempt to controll me in my temporal interests, I conceive to be a disposition to take from me a portion of my Constitutional privileges and inherent rights. I only, respectfully, ask leave, therefore to withdraw from a society assuming they have such right.

So far as relates to the other seven charges, I shall lay them carefully away, and take such a course with regard to them, as I may feel bound by my honor, to answer to my rising posterity.

that he smelt a skunk (an enemy &c) and if he knew who it was he would put the screws to him, and … if he heard any guns fired in town to put the screws (i.e., the law) to him who done it) … and also went on to urge lawsuits as even to issue a writ on the Sabbath day also, that he heard him say that he intended to form a partnership with Donaphon who is a man of the world and a wicked man.

if he had ever confessed to him that he was guilty of adultery, when after a considerable winking &c. he said No. He then asked him if [167] he ever told him that he confessed to any body, when he answered No.

that he had come to the conclusion to get property and if he could not get it one way he would another, God or no God, Devil or no Devil, property he must have, and since that he has dealt dishonest with him, that he has taken a printing press and type from Kirtland, for which he was to give up some notes which he had against Joseph Smith jr and Sidney Rigdon, which he did not do, nor had to this day.

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