Joseph Smith Prophesies That the U.S. Government Would Not Redress the Saints' Grievances — Fulfilled in Washington

In November 1839, Joseph Smith traveled to Washington, D.C., to petition President Martin Van Buren for redress of the Saints' Missouri grievances — their expulsion, the murder of members at Haun's Mill, the loss of their lands, and the extermination order of Governor Boggs.

President Van Buren replied: "Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you."

Before the trip, Joseph had prophesied that the government would not redress their wrongs. Joseph wrote: "Thus we see that the chosen messenger of the people... has clearly manifested to the Saints... that the Government has no power... to redress their grievances."

On return, Joseph prophesied that because the United States government had failed to redress their wrongs, God would turn his hand against them in due time. This prophecy was connected to his Civil War prediction and his declaration that the U.S. Constitution would hang by a thread before being saved by the elders of the Church.

Fuller account of this event (as retold in Fulfilled Prophesies of Joseph Smith):

After dinner Judge Douglas requested President Smith to give him a history of the Missouri persecution, which he did in a very minute manner for about three hours. He also gave a relation of his journey to Washington city, and his application in behalf of the saints to Mr. Van Buren, the president of the United States, for redress, and Mr. Van Buren's pusillanimous reply--'Gentlemen, your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you;' and the cold, unfeeling manner in which he was treated by most of the senators and representatives in relation to the subject, Clay saying, 'You had better go to Oregon,' and Calhoun shaking his head solemnly, saying, 'It's a nice question--a critical question, but it will not do to agitate it.'

Fuller account of this event (as retold in Fulfilled Prophesies of Joseph Smith):

After dinner Judge Douglas requested President Smith to give him a history of the Missouri persecution, which he did in a very minute manner for about three hours. He also gave a relation of his journey to Washington city, and his application in behalf of the saints to Mr. Van Buren, the president of the United States, for redress, and Mr. Van Buren's pusillanimous reply--'Gentlemen, your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you;' and the cold, unfeeling manner in which he was treated by most of the senators and representatives in relation to the subject, Clay saying, 'You had better go to Oregon,' and Calhoun shaking his head solemnly, saying, 'It's a nice question--a critical question, but it will not do to agitate it.'