Revised Minutes, 17 June 1844, as Published in Nauvoo Neighbor
Revised Minutes, 17 June 1844, as Published in Nauvoo Neighbor
Source Note
Source Note
Nauvoo City Council, Revised Minutes, , Hancock Co., IL, 17 June 1844. Version published in “For the Neighbor,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 19 June 1844, [2]–[3].
For the Neighbor.
Mr. :
In your last week’s paper I proposed giving your readers an account of the proceedings of the City Council, but time forbids any thing more than a brief SYNOPSIS of the PROCEEDINGS of the MUNICIPALITY of the City of , relative to the destruction of the press and fixtures of the “Nauvoo Expositor.”
City Council, Regular Session)
June 8th, 1844.)
In connection with other business, as stated in last weeks paper, the Mayor remarked that he believed it generally the case, that when a man goes to law, he has an unjust cause and wants to go before some one who wants business, and that he had very few cases on his docket, and referring to , editor of the Nauvoo Expositor, suggested the propriety of first purging the City Council; and referring to the character of the paper and proprietors, called up , a mechanic, who being sworn, said that the Laws, ( and ,) had brought Bogus Dies to him to fix;
Councillor , enquired what good , and his , and the Higbee’s, and Laws, had ever done; while his brother Joseph was under arrest, from the persecution, the Laws, and , would have been rode on a rail, if he had not stepped forward to prevent it, on account of their oppressing the poor.
Mayor said, while he was under arrest by writ from , , pursued him for $40,00 he was owing , and it took the last expense money he had to pay it.
Councillor , referred to ’s coming to this city, &c. Mayor said, , had offered , $500,00 to kill him.
Councillor, , continued, , told him, he (,) meant to have his daughter; and threatened him if he made any resistance. , related to him a dream; that Joseph and were opposed to him, but that he would execute his purposes; that , had laid a plan with four or five persons to kidnap his daughter, and threatened to shoot any one that should come near, after he had got her in the skiff; That , was engaged in trying to make Bogus, which was his principal business,—referred to the revelation, read to the of the , which has caused so much talk about a multiplicity of wives; that said Revelation was in answer to a question concerning things which transpired in former days, and had no reference to the present time. That when sick, , confessed to him that he had been “guilty of adultery,” and “was not fit to live,” and had “sinned against his own soul,” &c. and enquired, who was ? When he came here he had scarce two shirts to his back, but he had been dandled by the authorities of the , &c. and was now editor of the “Nauvoo Expositor,” and his right hand man , who had confessed to him that he had had the P * *.
Washington Peck, sworn, said soon after , came here, he came to witness to borrow money, which witness loaned him, and took some jewelry as security. Soon after a man from across the came after the jewelry,—, had stolen the jewelry from him. At another time wanted to get money of witness, asked witness if he would do any thing dishonorable, to get a living. Witness said he would not. , said witness was a damned fool, for he could get a living a deal easier than he was then doing by making Bogus, and some men high in the church, are engaged in the business. Witness asked if it was Joseph, No? said , I dare not tell it to Joseph, Witness understood him the Laws are engaged in it. said he would be the death of witness, if he ever went to Joseph or any one else to tell what he had said.
P. M.
Ordered by the council that, , be suspended until his case could be investigated for slandering the City Council, that the notify him of his suspension, and that his case would come up for investigation at the next regular session of the council. -[The order is in the hands of the .]-
Counciller , said that , helped to make the ordinances of the , and had never lifted his voice against them in the council, and was now trying to destroy the ordinances and the charter.
, sworn, said , told , that Bogus making was going on in the ;—but it was too damned small business. Wanted to help him to procure money, for the general, (Smith,) was afraid to go into it, and with $500 he could get an engraving for bills, on the bank of , and one on the state of , and could make money,—said many times, did not know him;—believed the General had been telling something. God damn him if he has I will kill him,—swore he would kill any man that should prove a trator to him. said if he could get a company of men to suit him, he would go into the frontiers and live by high way robbery, had got sick of the world.
Mayor suggested that the Council pass an ordinance to prevent misrepresentation and libelous publications, and conspiracies against the peace of the ; and referring to the reports that had set afloat, said he had never made any proposals to to come back to the church. proposed to come back; came to Mayor’s house and wanted a private interview; had some conversation with in the Hall, in presence of several gentlemen, on the 7th inst.; offered to meet him and have an interview in presence of friends, three or four to be selected by each party—which agreed to; and went to bring his friends for the interview, and the next notice he had of him was the following letter:
June 7th 1844
To Gen J. Smith,
Sir, I have consulted my friends in relation to your proposals of settlements, and they as well as myself are of the opinion that your conduct and that of your unworthy, unprincipled, clan is so base that it would be morally wrong & detract from the dignity of Gentlemen to hold any conference with you. the repeated insults, and abuses, I as well as my friends have suffered from your unlawful course towards us demands honorable resentment we are resolved to make this our motto, nothing on our part has been done to provoke your anger but have done all things as become men, you have trampled upon every thing we hold dear and sacred, you have set all law at defiance and profaned the name of the most high to carry out your damnable purposes—and I have nothing more to fear from you than you have already threatened, & I as well as my frie[n]ds will stay here & maintain and magnify the law as long as we stay—and we are resolved never to leave until we sell or exchange our property that we have here, the proposals made by your agent as well as the threats you sent to intimidate me, I disdain and despise as I do their unhallowed author, the right of my family and my friends, demand at my hand a refusal of all your offers, we are united in virtue and truth, and we set hell at defiance and all her agents adieu.
,
Gen. J. Smith
Mayor continued:—And when left his house, he went to a shoe shop on the hill and reported, that “Joseph said to him if he would come back he would give him ’s place in the church, and a hat full of specie.
, sworn, said that the conversation as stated by the Mayor was correct, was at the June 7th when rode up and enquired if Gen. Smith was at home,— went into the house— followed, was there, the Gen. and others looking at some specimens of penmanship, something was said respecting a conversation at that time, between the Gen. and —Gen. Smith observed to , if he had a conversation he would want others present. The said he would have a word with him by himself; and went into the Hall, went to the door, that he might see and hear what was passing. They still continued to talk on the subject of a conversation that they might have afterwards with others present, whom Mr. Smith might choose and might choose. left, and went for those that he said he wanted present, and would return soon with them—thinks he heard all the conversation, heard nothing about Gen. Smith’s making any offers to to settle, was present all the time. said he had seen and talked with him.
Mayor said he wished it distinctly understood that he knew nothing about going to see .
said he sent to , and Joseph knew nothing about it.
Councillor said came to him on the 7th inst. and said he had had an interview with , and thought he was about ready to come back, and a word from him to Joseph would bring it about.
Mayor said, the conduct of such men, and such papers are calculated to destroy the peace of the ; and it is not safe that such things should exist, on account of the mob spirit which they tend to produce; he had made the statements he had, and called the witnesses to prepare the council to act in the case.
was blackguarded out of , and dubbed with the title of judge (as he had understood from citizens of ) was poor, and Mayor helped him to cloth for a coat before he went away last fall, and he labored all winter to get the post office from , (as informed.)
Mayor referred to a writing from , showing that the Laws presented the communication from the ‘Female Relief Society’ in the Nauvoo Neighbor, to , as the bone of contention, and said, if God ever spake by any man, it will not be five years beforc this is in ashes and we in our graves, unless we go to , , or some other place, if the does not put down every thing which tends to mobocracy, and put down their murderers, bogus makers and scoundrels; all the sorrow he ever had in his family has arisen through the influence of .
C. spoke in relation to the Laws, Fosters, Higbees, of the Signal, &c., and of the importance of suppressing that spirit which has driven us from &c., that he would go in for an effective ordinance.
Mayor said, at the time was pursuing him with his writs, came to his house with a band of Missourians f[o]r the [p. [2]]
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