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Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 2, 1 March–6 May 1845

1 March 1845 • Saturday, continued Page 1 4 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 32 11 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 77 18 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 131 22 March 1845 • Saturday Page 181 25 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 231 5 April 1845 • Saturday Page 266 11 April 1845 • Friday Page 267 15 April 1845 • Tuesday Page 327 22 April 1845 • Tuesday Page 349 29 April 1845 • Tuesday Page 355 6 May 1845 • Tuesday Page 361

Source Note

See source note under Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845.

Historical Introduction

See historical introduction under Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845.

Page [114]

become invested, and the largest City in the
State

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

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has grown up, numbering about 20.000 inhabitants.
169

Many of the numbers in this paragraph were exaggerated, including the number of Latter-day Saints forced from Missouri or living in Nauvoo. (See Black, “How Large Was the Population of Nauvoo?,” 91–94.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Black, Susan Easton. “How Large Was the Population of Nauvoo?” BYU Studies 35, no. 2 (1995): 91–94.

But, Sir, the startling attitude recently assumed by the state of
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

More Info
forbids us to think that her designs are any less vindictive than those of
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

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. She has already used the military of the state, with the Executive at their head, to coerce and surrender up our best men to unparrallelled murder, and that too under the most sacred pledges of protection and safety.
170

On 22 June 1844 Illinois governor Thomas Ford guaranteed the safety of JS and other Latter-day Saints who came to Carthage, Illinois, either as defendants or as witnesses in the trials of those who had been accused of participating in the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor. (Thomas Ford, Carthage, IL, to JS et al., Nauvoo, IL, 22 June 1844, JS Collection, CHL.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155.

As a Salvo for such unearthly perfidy and guilt, she told us through her highest
Executive officer

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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, that the laws should be magnified, and the murderers brought to justice;
171

The morning following the murders of JS and Hyrum Smith, Thomas Ford met with Willard Richards in Carthage and stated that their deaths “should be investigated.” Over the next several months Ford’s correspondence with Richards and other church leaders offered advice on how to proceed with the prosecution of leaders of the mob. In his public report to the Illinois legislature in December 1844, Ford expressed support for prosecuting those who participated in the murders. However, he also stated that “although I was determined from the first, for the honor of the State, that this murder should be fully enquired into; and some of the guilty brought to trial; yet, I was never anxious to proceed with the full rigor of the law.” (Richards, Journal, 28 June 1844; Thomas Ford, Quincy, IL, to William W. Phelps, Nauvoo, IL, 22 July 1844; Thomas Ford, Springfield, IL, to Willard Richards and William W. Phelps, Nauvoo, IL, 8 Sept. 1844, Willard Richards, Papers, CHL; Message of the Governor of the State of Illinois, 19–20.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490.

Message of the Governor of the State of Illinois, in Relation to the Disturbances in Hancock County, December, 21, 1844. Springfield, IL: Walters and Weber, 1844.

but the blood of her innocent victims had not been wholly wiped from the floor of the awful arena, where the citizens of a sovreign state pounced upon two [p. [114]]
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Source Note

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Page [114]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 2, 1 March–6 May 1845
ID #
11602
Total Pages
385
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Clayton

Footnotes

  1. [169]

    Many of the numbers in this paragraph were exaggerated, including the number of Latter-day Saints forced from Missouri or living in Nauvoo. (See Black, “How Large Was the Population of Nauvoo?,” 91–94.)

    Black, Susan Easton. “How Large Was the Population of Nauvoo?” BYU Studies 35, no. 2 (1995): 91–94.

  2. [170]

    On 22 June 1844 Illinois governor Thomas Ford guaranteed the safety of JS and other Latter-day Saints who came to Carthage, Illinois, either as defendants or as witnesses in the trials of those who had been accused of participating in the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor. (Thomas Ford, Carthage, IL, to JS et al., Nauvoo, IL, 22 June 1844, JS Collection, CHL.)

    Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155.

  3. [171]

    The morning following the murders of JS and Hyrum Smith, Thomas Ford met with Willard Richards in Carthage and stated that their deaths “should be investigated.” Over the next several months Ford’s correspondence with Richards and other church leaders offered advice on how to proceed with the prosecution of leaders of the mob. In his public report to the Illinois legislature in December 1844, Ford expressed support for prosecuting those who participated in the murders. However, he also stated that “although I was determined from the first, for the honor of the State, that this murder should be fully enquired into; and some of the guilty brought to trial; yet, I was never anxious to proceed with the full rigor of the law.” (Richards, Journal, 28 June 1844; Thomas Ford, Quincy, IL, to William W. Phelps, Nauvoo, IL, 22 July 1844; Thomas Ford, Springfield, IL, to Willard Richards and William W. Phelps, Nauvoo, IL, 8 Sept. 1844, Willard Richards, Papers, CHL; Message of the Governor of the State of Illinois, 19–20.)

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490.

    Message of the Governor of the State of Illinois, in Relation to the Disturbances in Hancock County, December, 21, 1844. Springfield, IL: Walters and Weber, 1844.

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