Chapter XXIV

ATTEMPTS TO DRAFT SAINTS INTO MOB SERVICE AGAINST NAUVOO--THREATENED INVASION FROM MISSOURI--JAMES A. BENNETT URGED TO COME TO NAUVOO.

_Wednesday, June 19, 1844.--_The Legion assembled on the parade-ground. A company of the Legion came in from Green Plains about 11 a.m. I met them at the front of the Mansion, and an escort came down from the parade-ground below the Temple and escorted them to the ground.

At 1 p.m. a company of volunteers arrived from Iowa and were also escorted to the parade-ground.

[Sidenote: Effort to Draft Chester Loveland into Mob Service.]

On Sunday, the 16th, a committee of the mob, headed by James Charles, a constable of Hancock county, went to the house of Captain Chester Loveland, who lives four miles southeast of Warsaw, and required him to call out his company to join the _posse_ of David Bettisworth to go to Nauvoo and arrest me and the City Council. He peremptorily refused to comply with their request. The same _posse_ returned on the 17th with an order, as they stated, from the Governor, which Loveland believed (and no doubt correctly) to be a forgery, and therefore still refused to go on any terms. The _posse_ then reported his refusal to Colonel Williams, who appointed a committee of twelve to lynch, tar and feather Captain Loveland on the 18th; which committee went that evening and arrived about midnight.

Loveland, who had been informed of Williams' order, prepared himself for defense and kept watch. As soon as they came and he saw their number, and that they were {505} provided with tar bucket, bag of feathers and a bundle of withes, in addition to their fire-arms, he blew out his light and placed himself in a suitable position to defend the door (which he had fastened) and the window. They went around his house several times, tried his door, rapped, called him by name, and consulted together. Some were for breaking the door; others thought it too dangerous. They knew he must be in there, for they were near his door when the light was blown out. Finally their courage failed; and notifying him to leave the country immediately, they took their departure. During this trying time Loveland did not speak.

[Sidenote: Roads Leading into Nauvoo Picketed.]

In the afternoon I gave orders to General Dunham to have a picket-guard under Col. Markham, posted on all the roads leading out of the city; also an inner guard, under Major Jesse P. Harmon, posted in all the streets and alleys in the city, and also on the river bank. I also gave orders to have all the powder and lead in the city secured, and to see that all the arms were in use, and that all unclaimed arms be put in the hands of those who could use them.

I insert the affidavit of Anson Call, David Evans and William E. Horner:

_Affidavit: Call, Evans and Horner--Treatment of Nauvoo Committee
by Levi Williams, et al_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

CITY OF NAUVOO, ss.

HANCOCK COUNTY, June 19, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, justice of the peace
of said county, Anson Call, David Evans and William E. Horner, of
Hancock county and state aforesaid; and being duly sworn, depose
and say that on Monday, the 17th instant, we started for Rocky Run
precinct, and arrived yesterday. We then went to Col. Williams' of
that place, and there soon assembled twenty or thirty men. We were
informed that Col. Williams had gone to Lima to get the colonel
there to bring on his regiment. We then informed them that we were
delegated on behalf of the people of Nauvoo to transact business
with them. {506} They informed us they had a committee set apart to
do their business, and that one was absent, and the other two would
shortly be here. That while a person was seeking the two men, we
observed to the people that General Smith was willing to be tried
in any state, for any crime of supposed crime that he had ever
committed, except in the state of Missouri.

One of the persons objected to General Smith being tried by the
Municipal Court in Nauvoo, and declared that nothing else would do
but for him to be taken upon the old writ, and by the same person
who took him in custody before, and tried at the place where the
writ was issued.

It was then observed that Judge Thomas had advised General Smith
to enter into bonds to be tried before the Circuit Court, and this
would allay all the excited feelings of the people.

It was then moved by one of their company, and sanctioned by the
people, that a committee should wait on the Judge who gave General
Smith this advice, and give him a coat of tar and feathers; when
one John Elliott, of notoriety, agreed to find the tar and feathers
for that purpose.

After some further conversation, a man whom they called Lawyer
Stephens came in from Warsaw, and asked where Col. Williams was.
He was told that he had gone to Lima. They then observed to the
lawyer that we were delegates from Nauvoo, when he replied. "We are
expecting delegates, too, at Warsaw;" and he said the people were
talking of introducing them to the Mississippi river; and says he,
"Gentlemen, you can do with your delegates what you think proper."

A Mr. Crawford, one of the committee, observed that he went against
such proceedings, and advised them as a body to keep cool. They
then told the lawyer the advice that the Judge of the Circuit
Court had given to General Smith, when he said it was unlawful
advice, and it was a second time moved and assented to that a
committee should wait on Judge Thomas and give him a coat of tar
and feathers. The remainder of the committee having come in, they
stated to us that they had written to the Governor to obtain aid
from other counties; and if the Governor did not send them aid,
they were too weak to go themselves now, but were summoning all the
people that would come into the county until they got force enough
to come up and take Joseph Smith with the first warrant, and take
him to the place where the writ was first issued; and nothing less
than that would satisfy the people.

ANSON CALL,

DAVID EVANS,

WM. E. HORNER.

Sworn and subscribed to this 19th day of June, 1844.

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

{507} From the best information they could learn, there were two hundred armed men at Rocky Run precinct, two hundred at Warsaw, two hundred in Missouri, and the whole receiving constant additions.

At 9 p.m. I was at home. The city all quiet.

[Sidenote: Preparations for an Attack.]

_Thursday, 20.--_At daybreak I went with my staff and Major-General Dunham to the prairie, to view the situation of the ground, and to devise plans for the defense of the city, and select the proper locations to meet the mob, and made arrangements for provisions for the city, instructing my agent to pledge my farms for the purpose.

[Sidenote: Report of Dr. Southwick.]

At 10 a.m. Dr. Southwick from Louisiana arrived, and reported that there was not much excitement in St. Louis; that a cannon had arrived at Warsaw from Quincy, and that it had been reported to him that there was great excitement in Upper Missouri.

At 11, I reviewed the Legion facing the Mansion, and went to parade on the banks of the river.

I insert the affidavit of Carlos W. Lyon.

_Affidavit: Carlos W. Lyon_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

CITY OF NAUVOO, ss

On the 20th day of June, 1844, came before me, Willard Richards,
recorder of the city aforesaid, Carlos W. Lyon; and after being
duly sworn, deposeth and saith that while at St. Louis, Mo., on
Monday, the 17th instant, it was a common topic that they were
furnishing arms and ammunition to be sent by steamboat to Warsaw,
Illinois; and said if the people of Warsaw need five hundred men,
to give notice by the steamer _Boreas_, and the men should be sent
from St. Louis to Warsaw; and that your said affiant also saw a
cannon landed from the steamer_ Mermaid_ at Warsaw; and further he
saith not.

CARLOS W. LYON.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of June, 1844,

WILLARD RICHARDS,

Recorder of the City of Nauvoo.

{508} Wrote to John Tyler, President of the United States, as follows:

_An Appeal to President Tyler_.

CITY OF NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, June 20th, 1844.

SIR.--I have just enclosed to the Governor of the State of Illinois
copies of the enclosed affidavits and extra. I am sorry to say
that the State of Missouri, not contented with robbing, driving
and murdering many of the Latter-day Saints, are now joining the
mob of this state for the purpose of the "utter extermination" of
the Mormons, as they have resolved. And now, sir, as President
of the United States, will you render that protection which the
Constitution guarantees in case of "insurrection and rebellion,"
and save the innocent and oppressed from such horrid persecution?

With great respect, I have the honor to be your obedient servant,

JOSEPH SMITH, Mayor.

JOHN TYLER, President of the U. S., Washington, D. C.

I here insert affidavits of Hiram B. Mount and John Cunningham:

_Affidavit: Mount and Cunningham--Attempt to Draft them into the
Mob Service_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

HANCOCK COUNTY, ss.

CITY OF NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, an acting justice of
the peace in and for the county of Hancock, Hiram B. Mount and John
Cunningham, who being duly sworn, depose and say that George Baker,
John Banks, Joseph Barber, and two others came to your deponents on
Saturday the 15th inst., at Morley Settlement, in said county, and
demanded our arms. We replied that we had none, when they required
of us to go with them to Nauvoo to take Joseph Smith and other
prisoners, and they promised to supply us with arms. Second, if we
would not do so, that we were required to leave our homes and go to
Nauvoo. We must either go against Smith, or take part with him.

They then told us they intended to go to Nauvoo to take Smith; and
if they could not take him, they would take some of the head men
of Smith's clan, and hold them under bonds of death until Smith
was delivered up to them. And your deponents further say that John
Banks {509} told them if they could not get volunteers enough, they
would get a force that would take him.

HIRAM B. MOUNT,

JOHN CUNNINGHAM, (x--his mark).

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of June, 1844, before me,

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

_Affidavit: Allen T. Wait--Attempt to Draft him into Mob Service_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

HANCOCK COUNTY, ss.

CITY OF NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, an acting justice
of the peace in and for said county, Allen T. Wait, of Morley
Settlement in said county; and being first duly sworn, deposeth and
saith that on Saturday morning he was at the house of Colonel Levi
Williams, when he told me that I must take up arms and go and fight
against Joseph Smith, or I must leave the place immediately, or
else I must give up my arms and stay at home.

He also said they would take Smith by law if they could; or if the
Governor would not grant a writ to take him they would take him
anyhow. He also said, if the people would not give Smith up, they
would lay the whole city of Nauvoo in ashes.

I inquired what they would do with those people of Nauvoo who would
not fight? He said they must make some signal, or else they must
share the same fate--they must all perish, men, women, and children.

I then left in order to go home, when Captain Harrison P. Crawford
overtook me, and told me if the Governor would not help them they
did not care for the Governor anyhow. He said Governor Ford was an
unconstitutional man; he had issued two illegal writs, and they
were done so on purpose: and any such man ought not to hold any
office whatever; and they intended to proceed against the Mormons
whether they got any authority from the Governor or not.

ALLAN T. WAIT.

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of June, 1844, before me,

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

Likewise the affidavit of Isaac Morley, Gardner Snow John Edmiston and Edmund Durfee.

{510} _Affidavit: Isaac Morley et al.--Attempt to Draft them into
Mob Service_,

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

HANCOCK COUNTY, ss.

CITY OF NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, an acting justice
of the peace in and for said county, Isaac Morley, Gardner Snow,
John Edmiston and Edmund Durfee, all of Hancock county aforesaid;
and being first duly sworn, depose and say that on Saturday, the
15th day of June, 1844, at Morley Settlement in said county,
certain persons--to wit., George Baker, farmer, John Banks, Esq.,
Luther Perry, constable, Joseph Barber, farmer; and another person
whose name we do not know, called upon your deponent, Isaac
Morley, when John Banks said they waited on him to make three
propositions--namely: first, that we were to take up arms, join
with, and go along with them to Nauvoo to arrest one Joseph Smith
and others, about seventeen in number, living in Nauvoo; second,
to remove our effects to Nauvoo; or third, to give up our arms to
them and remain neutral. And said Isaac Morley was required to
notify all the brethren in the neighborhood, and report to the said
committee, which of these propositions we accepted, by 8 o'clock on
Monday morning following; and that one of the above resolutions was
to be complied with within that time.

On the same day said Joseph Barber and Luther Perry went to where
your deponent, Edmund Durfee, was at work in a field in the same
neighborhood, and said they had come to notify him that said Durfee
must comply with one of the above propositions; if not that said
Durfee would smell thunder.

And all your deponents further depose and say that they have
been compelled to leave their homes and flee to Nauvoo for
protection. "For we were afraid to stay there on account of the
mobs threatening to utterly exterminate us," according to a _Warsaw
Signal_ extra of June, 14th, 1844, if we stayed at home; and
further your deponents say not.

ISAAC MORLEY,

GARDNER SNOW,

JOHN EDMISTON,

EDMUND DUFREE.

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of June, 1844, before me,

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

Also the affidavit of Solomon Hancock, William Garner, and John G. Lofton:

{511} _Affidavit: Hancock, Garner, Lofton--Attempt to Draft them
into Mob Service_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

HANCOCK COUNTY, ss.

CITY OF NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, an acting justice of
the peace, Solomon Hancock, William Garner and John G. Lofton, who
being first duly sworn, depose and say that on Saturday, the 15th
day of June, 1844, at Morley Settlement in said county, certain
persons,--to wit., John Clark, John Crawford, Jeremiah Bently, and
three others, all farmers, came to your deponents and made three
several propositions to them, to wit: first, that we were to take
up our arms and join with them in going to Nauvoo, to take Joseph
Smith and others prisoners; second, to remove with our effects to
Nauvoo immediately; or, third, to give up our arms to Col. Levi
Williams and remain neutral.

We were ordered to give in our decision on Monday then next by
8 o'clock in the morning; and if we would not agree to their
decision, we must abide the consequences. And in consequence of
mobs gathering in the neighborhood, we have been obliged to leave
our homes in order to save our lives, and are come to Nauvoo for
protection.

Solomon Hancock further deposeth and saith that said John Clark did
on Tuesday, 18th instant, inform your deponent that one of their
party had gone to St. Louis and had obtained three cannon, and were
expecting three companies of volunteers from St. Louis to join them
in going to Nauvoo to exterminate the Mormons; and further your
deponents say not.

SOLOMON HANCOCK,

WILLIAM GARNER,

JOHN G. LOFTON.

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of June 1844, before me,

AARON JOHNSON.

Also the affidavit of James Guyman:

_Affidavit: James Guyman--Threats of Invasion from Missouri_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

HANCOCK COUNTY. ss

CITY OF NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, an acting justice of
the peace in and for said county, James Guyman, of Green Plains
precinct in said county; and being first duly sworn deposeth
and saith that on Saturday morning, the 15th instant, he was at
Rocky Run precinct, {512} when one Captain Wyers, captain of an
"Independent Anti-Mormon Minute Men Company," came to a house where
your deponent was staying. He inquired for a drum. He wanted either
to borrow it or buy it until the affray with the Mormons was over.

I asked him how he was going to proceed to take Smith. He then said
Missouri had offered to send over two thousand men, to come over to
assist and take him.

I asked whether it was legal for them to come over here. He replied
when they came over the constables were going to summons them, and
also to summons every man who was in or would come into the county.

I asked if it was according to law to proceed that way, and he
replied it was, and he went in for the law and democracy. He said
they had sent two men to the Governor to order the militia out in
their favor to help to take those criminals: and if he would not
do just right, they would execute him by taking his head from his
shoulders.

I replied, "You said you were a democracy man, and went for the
law." I said, "Do you call that democracy or mobocracy?"

He said if they went that far, and if the Governor ordered the
militia against them instead of in favor of them, he would turn
mob, and the militia would join him, and they would take the
Governor's head from his shoulders. He repeated it two or three
times.

I enquired if it was law to go and drive those innocent Mormons who
were living in the neighborhood, or tyrannically compel them to do
things not agreeable to their will? He allowed that in this case it
was.

I asked what he was going to do with these old settlers who would
neither take up arms and fight against Smith nor in favor of him;
when he replied they must fight either for one side or the other,
or they must share the same fate as the Mormons.

Your deponent further saith that he is not a Mormon, and does not
belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and
further saith not.

JAMES GUYMAN.

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of June, 1844, before me,

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

Also the affidavit of Obadiah Bowen:

_Affidavit: Obadiah Bowen--Attempt to Draft him into Service of
Mob_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

HANCOCK COUNTY. ss

CITY OF NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, an acting justice
{513} of the peace, in and for said county, Obadiah Bowen, of
Morley Settlement, in said county; and being first duly sworn,
deposeth and saith that on Saturday the 15th instant, John Clark
rode up to where I was at work in Morley Settlement, and said he
was afraid the Mormons would come and destroy their property;
"and," said he, "if I have any destroyed by any person, I shall
make my resort upon the nearest Mormons, and take their property in
place of that which shall be taken away;" wherever he could find
it, so long as it was a Mormon's; and that on Tuesday, the 18th
instant, as I was coming from my house to the road leading to Lima,
a mob was at the forks of the road standing still and consulting
together; I came on the road about twenty rods ahead of them. In a
few moments Colonel Levi Williams, John Clark and five others rode
along the same road after me.

I heard them talking about shooting the Mormons, when Clark
said, "It is no disgrace to shoot a Mormon, anyhow," when they
all laughed. They overtook me, and Col. Williams asked me where
I lived. I replied in Morley Settlement. He asked me if I was a
Mormon, when Clark laid it was no odds--he is on their part.

Col. Williams then threatened me, and said I must be sure and be
at his house by nine o'clock in the morning; if not I must either
get out of Morley Settlement, or be served the same sauce as the
Mormons. He gave me to understand that they were going to make a
total destruction of Morley Settlement tomorrow, and I had better
get out of it.

He then talked about Joseph Smith, when I replied I understood
Joseph Smith had a fair trial and was bound over to the Supreme
Court. He said, "If he is not, we do not care, it is illegally
done;" and he should go ahead. He should gather the troops, and
there would be two thousand men landed tomorrow from Missouri. He
said they were volunteers. They should meet next day at Carthage,
and then go against Joseph Smith and demolish the city of Nauvoo,
for have him at any rate they would. He was in a very great
passion, and let out a great many oaths and [said] other things
that I have not mentioned.

In consequence of their threats, and to save our lives, we were
obliged to leave our homes in a very stormy night, and had to cross
a dangerous stream that was swollen by the rain, and was unable to
protect myself from great sufferings and hardships, and came to the
city of Nauvoo for protection.

OBADIAH BOWEN.

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of June, 1844, before me,

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

Also the affidavit of Alvah Tippitts:

{514} _Affidavit: Alvah Tippetts--Violence of John Williams Upon_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

HANCOCK COUNTY. ss

CITY OF NAUVOO. June 20th, 1844.

Personally appeared before me, Aaron Johnson, a justice of the
peace in and for the said county, Alvah Tippetts, of Warsaw, in
Hancock county and state aforesaid; and being first duly sworn,
deposeth and saith that on Wednesday, June 12th, at Green Plains,
one Col. Levi Williams came to your deponent about sunrise, and
ordered me out of the house that very day.

I replied he was very hasty. He again ordered me out of the house,
and said, if I spoke a word, he would put me out of the house
immediately.

I then took away part of my goods and left the house accordingly,
because I was afraid to stay there another night.

The next day I went back after the remainder of my property, and
called at the house of Col. Levi Williams for some things belonging
to me.

When I arrived there John Williams, the son of said Levi Williams,
aged about twenty-eight years, abused me for placing confidence
in Joseph Smith and the people of Nauvoo. He then took me by the
back of my neck and pushed me away, and said he would not have
such stuff in his house. The second time he pushed me by the neck,
and his foot to my back. He pushed me several times and kicked me.
Again, when in the street, he kept kicking and pushing me, and
abusing me with his tongue. I am sixty-one years old. I did not say
anything to him to cause this abuse; but it was all on account of
my believing that Joseph Smith and the people of Nauvoo would do
nothing but what was according to law.

ALVAH TIPPETTS.

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of June, 1844, before me,

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

[Sidenote: Reinforcement for Nauvoo from Ramus.]

I had sent orders to Captain Almon W. Babbitt, commander of the company at Ramus, to come immediately with his company to Nauvoo, and help to defend the place; and this morning my brother-in-law, William McLeary, informs my that when the letter was read to the company, Babbitt refused to come, and said it was a foolish move, and {515} objected to any of the company coming. The company was marshaled into line, when Babbitt said, "If any of you go, not one will ever get to Nauvoo alive," when immediately my Uncle John Smith stepped in front of the line and said, "Every man that goes at the call of the Prophet shall go and return safe, and not a hair of his head shall be lost; and I bless you in the name of the Lord."

The company immediately threw the command upon Uriah B. Yager, who accepted of it, and started for Nauvoo, although many of them were destitute of boots or shoes. The company had not traveled five miles before they suddenly came upon double their number of the mob, who had two red flags flying, and who had paraded their company and taken a position in a wood that commanded the road. The company from Macedonia opened file about ten feet apart and marched past them within rifle shot, while the mob fired several guns at them, the balls whizzing past their heads. They came here at daybreak this morning, and I directed the quartermaster to furnish those who needed with shoes.

I wrote the following letter:

_Letter: Joseph Smith to Ballantyne and Slater--Advice on moving
into Nauvoo_.

NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

BROTHERS BALLANTYNE AND SLATER:--On information from you by J.
McIllrick, I would advise that your families remain where they
are and be quiet, as the mob will not be likely to disturb them;
but any amount of wheat or provisions you may have you had better
remove without delay to Nauvoo, as it will be better for you to
bring it here and have your pay than to leave it for the mob to
consume and destroy.

I remain your brother in Christ Jesus,

JOSEPH SMITH.

BALLANTYNE AND SLATER, Doyles Mills, near Plymouth, Ill.

I here insert the affidavit of John P. Greene and John M. Bernhisel:

{516} _Affidavit: Greene and Bernhisel--Threatened Invasion from
Missouri_.

STATE OF ILLINOIS,

COUNTY OF HANCOCK, ss.

CITY OF NAUVOO.

On the 20th day of June, 1844, personally appeared before me, Aaron
Johnson, a justice of the peace within and for said county, John
P. Greene, marshal of said city, and John M. Bernhisel; and after
being duly sworn, depose and say that a body of citizens, in a
mass meeting convened on the 13th instant at Carthage, resolved to
exterminate the Latter-day Saints of the said city of Nauvoo, and
for that purpose, according to the purport of the _Warsaw Signal_
extra, dated June 14, 1844, bodies of armed men are coming from
the State of Missouri, and also from the territory of Iowa, and
the cannon and ammunition are being transported from the state
of Missouri to Illinois for the purpose of utterly exterminating
the Latter-day Saints. And your affiants would further state that
these bodies of armed men, cannon, arms, and munitions of war are
transported in steamboats navigating the waters of the United
States, and that the name of one of these boats is the _Die Vernon_.

JOHN P. GREENE,

JOHN M. BERNHISEL.

[Seal]

Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 20th day of June, 1844.

AARON JOHNSON, J. P.

Dr. Richards wrote the following:

_Letter: Willard Richards to Jas Arlington Bennett--Affairs in
Nauvoo--Western Movement_.

MAYOR'S OFFICE, NAUVOO, June 20th, 1844.

DEAR GENERAL.--Yours of the 14th of April was received at a late
date. A multiplicity of business on account of the peculiar state
of affairs, has prevented a reply till now. Your views about
the nomination of General Smith for the Presidency are correct.
We will gain popularity and external influence. But this is not
all: we mean to elect him, and nothing shall be wanting on our
part to accomplish it; and why? Because we are satisfied, fully
satisfied, that this is the best or only method of saving our free
institutions from a total overthrow.

You will discover by this day's extra_ Nauvoo Neighbor,_ and
previous papers which I shall forward with this, that we are
already being surrounded by an armed mob; and, if we can believe
a hundredth part of {517} their statements we have no alternative
but to fight or die. All the horrors of Missouri's murders are
crowding thick upon us, and the citizens of this county declare in
mass-meetings, "No peace till the Mormons are utterly exterminated
from the earth." And for what?

A band of thieves, counterfeiters, bogus-makers, gamblers,
debauchers, murderers, and all that is vile, established a
printing-press in this city for the purpose of carrying on
all their hellish plans and overthrowing every principle of
righteousness; and after publishing one number, called the _Nauvoo
Expositor,_ filled on every column with lies and libel the most
dark and damnable it were possible for men or demons on the earth
or in the shades of Gehenna, calculated to destroy every chartered
right to our peaceful city, and constitutional principles to our
nation, being destitute of every vestige of truth, and without one
redeeming quality, either in the paper or the characters of its
publishers.

The City Council, on the 10th instant, ordered the press and
fixtures to be abated as a nuisance which order was executed by
the proper authorities without delay, without noise, tumult or
confusion.

The proprietors immediately evacuated their houses and the city,
and the night following fired one or more of their buildings, just
as they did in Missouri, thinking to raise a hue-and-cry that the
Mormons had done it, and by that means bring a mob on us without
a moment's delay; but our vigilant police discovered the fire and
abated that also.

Chagrined at their disappointment, and drunk with madness, they
next went to Carthage, the county seat and headquarters of
mobocracy, and swore that Joseph and about seventeen others had
committed a riot, and sent a warrant for their apprehension. They
offered to go before any magistrate in the vicinity and answer to
the charge. The officer would not consent, but would take them to
Carthage. They had threatened their lives at Carthage and did not
consider it safe to go thither, and prayed out a writ of _habeas
corpus_ from the Municipal Court, and were set free.

This only enraged the mob the more, and another writ was issued
by a county magistrate in the vicinity, not a Mormon, before whom
they were brought, and every exertion made to convict them, but the
magistrate discharged them.

This does not satisfy them. They are determined to have "Joe
Smith," brought before themselves for trial at the headquarters
of mobocracy swearing that all they want is to get him out of the
city; and they will shoot the "damned rascal."

Cannon, ammunition and men are passing over the Mississippi from
Missouri to Illinois, and the mob is collected by hundreds at
different points in the county swearing everlasting vengeance; and
when their oaths and writs will end, God knows.

{518} We have sent messengers to the Governor, but had no returns,
and shall dispatch messages to the President of the United States
next boat.

If the virtuous part of the community, the state, the nation,
will come to the rescue of innocence and the rights our fathers
bled to purchase, that our peace and happiness may be secured to
us in common with others, it is all we ask; but if they will not,
and the mob goes on, we say a dishonorable life is worse than an
honorable death, and we are ready for the onset; and we call upon
all patriots, far and near, to lend a helping hand to put down the
mob and restore peace.

If this is not done immediately, and the mob attempt to execute
their threats, you may soon have the opportunity of beholding that
glorious "vision in the west" you have sublimely contemplated in
your letter.

I write you at this time at the request of the Prophet, and I
invite you to come to our assistance with as many volunteers as you
can bring. And if the mob cannot be dispersed, and the Government
will not espouse our righteous cause, you may soon, very soon,
behold the second birth of our nation's freedom; for live without
the free exercise of thought, and the privilege of worshiping God
according to the dictates of our consciences, we will not! We will
die rather, and go where the wicked cease to trouble. But we firmly
believe there are virtuous men and patriots enough yet left to
sustain those principles which alone are worth living for. Will you
come?

Here is Oregon. Here is California. Where is your ambition?
Patriotism? Your "separate and independent empire," if you sit
calmly still and see the most virtuous and noble people that ever
trod upon the footstool of Jehovah ground to powder by a miscreant
mob and not stretch forth your potent arm for their defense in all
the majesty of a God? If you do not, your turn may come next; and
where will it cease?

Let the first blow be struck upon us from this hour, and this field
is open for every honest patriot from the east to the west sea, and
from the river Mississippi to the ends of the earth.

General, will you stand neutral? Come, and you will know for
yourself.

I close in haste, with good wishes to yourself and family.

W. RICHARDS.

GENERAL J. A. BENNETT,

Arlington House, N. Y.

{519}