History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
Page 1736
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19 September 1843 • Tuesday
<​September 19​> Tuesday. 19. I was standing on the door steps at 7 a.m. and gave a Cod fish.
I directed to answer the letter recently received from the , and to enclose a copy of the resolutions passed at the meeting of the mobocracy at ; which he did.
Wrote a letter to .
<​A portion of​> The were present at a general muster of the Independent companies of ; saw a sham battle in which 35 brass cannon were discharged 7 times; one party was commanded by the Governor of ; and the other by the officer next in rank.
20 September 1843 • Wednesday
<​20​> Wednesday 20 Visited my accompanied by my brother .
The “Neighbor” has the following:
.— A few short months ago it was heralded through this , that was the individual who attempted to murder , of . It was confidently stated that Joseph Smith [HC 6:35] was ‘accessory before the fact;’ the thing was swallowed as a precious morsel, by the enemies of Mormonism; it was iterated, and reiterated by the public journals, and the general expression of a certain class was, that Mr Smith ought to be hung; there was no doubt of his guilt;— he was one of the most inhuman, diabolical, dangerous and malignant persons in the universe— and when a requisition was made for him by the of , it was considered worse than ‘arson’ or ‘treason,’ that he should be acquited by the legal authorities of this ; under : and afterwards when was taken, it was exultingly stated that they had got the scoundrel, and that he would now receive the due demerit of his crime. How stands the matter when it is investigated? investigated by a court. The following will show:
“The last Expositor says:— , the Mormon confined in our county jail, some time since, for the attempted assassination of , was indicted by our last grand jury, for escaping from our county jail some time since, and sent to for trial. Owing, however to some informality in the proceedings, he was remanded to this again for trial. There was not sufficient proof adduced against him, to predicate an indictment for shooting , and the grand jury therefore did not indict him for that offence.”— -[ New Era.
It appears then that after all the bluster, the hue and cry about Mormon outrages, Mormon intrigue, ‘blood,’ ‘arson’, and ‘murder,’ that ‘there was not sufficient proof adduced against him to predicate an indictment for shooting , and the grand jury therefore did not indict him forthat offence.’ This speaks for itself; it needs no comment. We are glad for the sake of suffering innocence, that stands clear in the eyes of the law. Thus it seems that after exerting all their malice and hellish rage to implicate the innocent, they can find no proof against him. But yet he must be again incarcerated without proof for another hearing. This is justice. If he was guilty of breaking jail, why not try and punish him for that before that court? Where is the necessity of remanding him to another county for another hearing? It is evident that they wish to immolate him, and by offering him as a sacrifice, glut their thirst for innocent blood”. [p. 1736]
19 September 1843 • Tuesday
September 19 Tuesday. 19.
I directed to answer the letter recently received from the , and to enclose a copy of the resolutions passed at the meeting of the mobocracy at ; which he did.
Wrote a letter to .
A portion of The were present at a general muster of the Independent companies of ; saw a sham battle in which 35 brass cannon were discharged 7 times; one party was commanded by the Governor of ; and the other by the officer next in rank.
20 September 1843 • Wednesday
20 Wednesday 20 Visited my accompanied by my brother .
The “Neighbor” has the following:
.— A few short months ago it was heralded through this , that was the individual who attempted to murder , of . It was confidently stated that Joseph Smith [HC 6:35] was ‘accessory before the fact;’ the thing was swallowed as a precious morsel, by the enemies of Mormonism; it was iterated, and reiterated by the public journals, and the general expression of a certain class was, that Mr Smith ought to be hung; there was no doubt of his guilt;— he was one of the most inhuman, diabolical, dangerous and malignant persons in the universe— and when a requisition was made for him by the of , it was considered worse than ‘arson’ or ‘treason,’ that he should be acquited by the legal authorities of this ; under : and afterwards when was taken, it was exultingly stated that they had got the scoundrel, and that he would now receive the due demerit of his crime. How stands the matter when it is investigated? investigated by a court. The following will show:
“The last Expositor says:— , the Mormon confined in our county jail, some time since, for the attempted assassination of , was indicted by our last grand jury, for escaping from our county jail some time since, and sent to for trial. Owing, however to some informality in the proceedings, he was remanded to this again for trial. There was not sufficient proof adduced against him, to predicate an indictment for shooting , and the grand jury therefore did not indict him for that offence.”— -[ New Era.
It appears then that after all the bluster, the hue and cry about Mormon outrages, Mormon intrigue, ‘blood,’ ‘arson’, and ‘murder,’ that ‘there was not sufficient proof adduced against him to predicate an indictment for shooting , and the grand jury therefore did not indict him forthat offence.’ This speaks for itself; it needs no comment. We are glad for the sake of suffering innocence, that stands clear in the eyes of the law. Thus it seems that after exerting all their malice and hellish rage to implicate the innocent, they can find no proof against him. But yet he must be again incarcerated without proof for another hearing. This is justice. If he was guilty of breaking jail, why not try and punish him for that before that court? Where is the necessity of remanding him to another county for another hearing? It is evident that they wish to immolate him, and by offering him as a sacrifice, glut their thirst for innocent blood”. [p. 1736]
Page 1736