"In debate, George A. Smith said imprisonment was better than hanging. I replied, I was opposed to hanging, even if a man kill another, I will shoot him, or cut off his head, spill his blood on the ground, and let the smoke thereof ascend up to God; and if ever I have the privilege of making a law on that subject, I will have it so.
[Source: History of the Church, by Joseph Smith, vol. 5, p. 296, in Mormon Bookshelf: Blood Atonement, http://mormonbookshelf.com/wiki/Blood_Atonement]
wrong year. should be 1843.
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