Sorry we killed ya back in 1844!

The Jurist reports that the House Representives for the State of Illinois passed a bill today apologizing for persecuting members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints and allowing the murder of their leader Joseph Smith in 1844.

For those who were asleep in History class, the Mormons moved to Nauvoo, IL, from New York by way of Ohio after they were driven from both states. They then settled in Nauvoo establishing, according to the bill, the tenth largest city in the US. Tensions grew from economic downturn, a perception among other citizens of the state that Smith's Nauvoo was a repressive autocracy, and general bigotry toward the Morman way. When Smith shutdown the local paper, the governor sent in the militia and jailed Joseph and Hiram Smith in a neighboring town. A couple days later, an angery mob murdered both Smiths in their jail cell. The violence escalated resulting in the Mormon's exodus to Utah, led by their new leader Brigham Young (a direct ancestor of QB Steve Young).

It's odd that after all these years Illinois has finally publicly apologized for the past. I can only imagine how it made it's way to the House floor for a vote.

State Rep. 1: Uh, Vern, you knows those Mormons who we pissed off back in 1844?

State Rep. 2: Which Mormons, Jessie?

State Rep. 1: You know the ones that we sicced the militia on, burning their crops, ravaging their homes, assassinating their leader?

State Rep. 2: Ohh, those Mormons. Yeah, so what?

State Rep. 1: Well, they're outside the capitol with pitchforks and baseball bats, and are mighty onery......

State Rep. 2: Hurry, Jes, get that college kid to draft us a bill. They must've heard that we finally got a Dem. as "govna" who won't send in the troops......

With bills like these, I guess the legislature of Illinois has finally solved its budget crisis. It must've been those $1,000 speeding tickets the governor introduced. Well done. (Another Link.)