Who were the “freemen”?

Thomas R. Valletta

“Nephite citizens who ‘covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their religion by a free government’ and who favored the retention of Pahoran1 as chief judge (Alma 51:6; 67 B.C.). The freemen, also called the ‘people of liberty’ (Alma 51:7, 13) opposed the king-men, a Nephite faction who desired that the laws of the land be altered to establish a king. When Pahoran refused the petitions of the king-men to change the law, they were angry and sought his removal (Alma 51:3–4). To settle the contention between the two divisions (king-men and freemen), an appeal was made to the voice of the people, resulting in favor of Pahoran and the freemen” (Largey, Book of Mormon Reference Companion, 277).

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References