History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844]

<​May 2.​> belief the day and year above written before me,

<​May 3.​> give you wisdom if you will seek to him; and you shall prosper in your printing.

<​May 12​> of Matthew, and give it a literal rendering and reading; and when it is rightly understood it will be edifying. (He then read and translated it from the German.) I thought the very oddity of its rendering would be edifying any how. ‘And it will preached be, the Gospel of the Kingdom in the whole world, to a witness over all people, and then will the end come.’ I will now read it in German; (which he did, and many Germans who were present said he translated it correctly.) The Savior said, when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man, who should be a witness over the whole world; [HC 6:363] the Keys of Knowledge, power, and revelations, should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world. It has always been my province to dig up hidden mysteries — new things— for my hearers. Just at the time when some men think that I have no right to the Keys of the Priesthood— just at that time I have the greatest right. The Germans are an exalted people; the old German translators are the most correct— most honest of any of the translators, and therefore I get testimony to bear me out in the revelations that I have preached for the last fourteen years. The old German, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew translations all say it is true; they cannot be impeached, and therefore I am in good company. All the testimony is, that the Lord in the last days would commit the Keys of the Priesthood to a witness over all people. Has the Gospel of the Kingdom commenced in the last days? and will God take it from the man until he takes him himself? I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ. John the Revelator saw an angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth. The scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments &c., are ready to be poured out on the inhabitants of the earth. John saw the angel having the holy priesthood who should preach the everlasting gospel to all nations. God had an Angel— a special Messenger— ordained and prepared [p. 17]

<​May 12.​> for that purpose in the last days. Woe! Woe! be to that man or set of men, who lift up their hands against God and his witness in these last days; for they shall deceive almost the very chosen ones. My enemies say that I have been a true prophet; why I had rather be a fallen true prophet than a false prophet. When a man goes about prophesying, and commands men to obey his teachings, he must be either a true or false prophet; false prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets, and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones. The doctrine of eternal judgments belong<​s​> to the first principles of the gospel in the last days. In relation to the Kingdom of God, the devil always sets up his Kingdom at the very same time in opposition to God. Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world, was ordained to that very purpose in the grand council of Heaven before this world was. I suppose that I was ordained to this very office in that grand council. It is the testimony that I want that I am God’s servant, and this people his people. The Ancient Prophets declared in the last days the God of heaven shall <​should​> set up a Kingdom, which should never be destroyed, nor left to other people; and the very time that was calculated on, this people were struggling to bring it out. He that arms himself with gun, sword, or pistol, except in the [HC 6:364] defence of truth, will some time be sorry for it. I never carry any weapon with me bigger than my penknife; when I was dragged before the cannon and muskets in , I was unarmed. God will always protect me until my mission is fulfilled. I calculate to be one of the instruments of setting up the Kingdom of Daniel by the word of the Lord, and I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. I once offered my life to the Mob as a sacrifice for my people, and here I am. It will not be by sword or gun that this Kingdom will roll on; the power of truth is such that all nations will be under the necessity of obeying the gospel. The prediction is that army will be against army; [p. 18]

<​May 12​> it may be that the saints will have to beat their ploughs into swords, for it will not do for men to sit down and see their women and children destroyed patiently. My text is on the resurrection of the dead, which you will find in the 14th ch. of John. “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” It should be, “in my Father’s Kingdom are many Kingdoms”, in order that ye may be heirs of God and joint heirs with me. I do not believe the Methodist doctrine of sending honest men, and noble minded men to hell, along with the murderer and adulterer; they may hurl all their hell and fiery billows upon me, for they will roll off me as fast as they come on. But I have an order of things to save the poor fellows at any rate, and get them saved; for I will send men to preach to them in prison, and save them if I can. There are mansions for those who obey a celestial law, and there are other mansions for those who come short of that law; every man in his own order. There is baptism &c for those to exercise who are alive, and baptism for the dead who died without the knowledge of the gospel. I am going on in my progress for eternal life; it is not only necessary that you should be baptized for your dead, but you will have to go through all the ordinances for them, same as you have gone through to save yourselves; there will be 144,000 Saviors on Mount Zion, and with them an innumerable host, that no man can number. Oh! I beseech you to go forward, and make your calling and your election sure; and if any man preach any other gospel than that which I have preached, he shall be cursed, and some of you who now hear me shall see it, and know that I testify the truth concerning them. In regard to the law of the Priesthood, there should be a place where all nations shall come up from time to time to receive their endowments; and the Lord has said, this shall be the place for the baptism for the dead. Every man that has been baptized and belongs to the Kingdom, has a right to be baptized for those who are gone before; and, as soon as the law of the gospel is obeyed here by their friends who act as proxy for them, the [p. 19]

<​May 12.​> Lord has administrators there to set them free. [HC 6:365] A man may act as proxy for his own relatives; the ordinances of the Gospel which were laid out before the foundation of the world, have been thus fulfilled by them, and we may be baptized for those whom we have much friendship for; but it must be first revealed to the man of God lest we should run too far. ‘As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive’; all shall be raised from the dead. The Lamb of God hath brought to pass the resurrection, so that all shall rise from the dead. God Almighty himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire. Our God is a consuming fire. When our flesh is quickened by the Spirit, there will be no blood in the tabernacle. Some dwell in higher glory than others. Those who have done wrong always have that wrong gnawing them. Immortality dwells in everlasting burnings. I will from time to time reveal to you the subjects that are revealed by the Holy Ghost to me. All the lies that are <​now​> hatched up against me are of the devil, and all the influence of the devil and his servants will be used against the Kingdom of God. The Servants of God teach nothing but the principles of eternal life; by their works ye shall know them. A good man will speak good things and holy principles, and an evil man evil things. I feel in the name of the Lord to rebuke all such bad principles, liars &c, and I warn all of you to look out who you are going after. I exhort you to give heed to all the virtue and the teachings which I have given you. All men who are immortal dwell in everlasting burnings. You cannot go anywhere but where God can find you out. All men <​are born to​> die and all men must rise; all must enter eternity. In order for you to receive your children to yourself, you must have a promise— some ordinance— some blessing— in order to ascend above principalities, or else it may be an angel. They must rise just as they died; we can <​then​> hail our lovely infants with the same glory, the same loveliness in the celestial glory where they all enjoy alike; they differ in stature, in size: the same glorious spirit gives them the likeness of glory and bloom; the old man with his [p. 20]

<​May 12​> silvery hairs will glory in bloom and beauty; no man can describe it to you— no man can write it. When did I ever teach any thing wrong from this ? When was I ever confounded? I want to triumph in Israel before I depart hence and am no more seen. I never told you I was perfect; but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught; must I then be thrown away as a thing of naught? I enjoin for your consideration, add to your faith virtue, love &c. I say in the name of the Lord, if these things are in you, you shall be [HC 6:366] fruitful. I testify that no man has power to reveal it but myself— things in heaven, in earth, and hell; and all shut your mouths for the future. I commend you all to God, that you may inherit all things; and may God add his blessing. Amen.”

<​May 12​> effect would greatly benefit the nation in point of com[HC 6:367]merce and finance; and while he maintains, and philosophically shows, that our country is approaching a fearful crisis, which if not arrested, will end in disgrace to the country, and cause our national banner to hug its mast in disgust and shame, clearly points out the remedy.

<​May 13​> been before the Senate and referred to the committee on the Judiciary, and the report of said committee is not yet rendered; which is the cause of his delay in writing to you.

<​May 13​> to [HC 6:370] relinquish our rights in ; we have been forcibly driven from our homes, leaving our property and inheritances as spoil to the oppressor; and more or less in , we have been subject to the whims and chimeras of illiberal men, and to threats, to vexatious prosecutions and law suits.

<​May 13.​> upon that country; and that there is so much jealousy between them that they will probably pass no bill in relation to it. Now all these politicians rely upon the arm of our government to protect them there; and if government were to pass an act establishing a territorial government west of the , there would be at once a tremendous rush of emigration; but if government pass no act in relation to it, these men have not stamina or sufficient confidence in themselves and their own resources to hazard the enterprize. The northern whig members are almost to a man against and ; but should the present administration succeed in annexing , then all the whigs would turn round in favor of ; for if be admitted, slavery is extended to the south; then, free states must be added to the west to keep up a balance of power between the slave and the free states.

<​May 13​> that Congress will pass no act in relation to that country, from the fact that the resolution requesting the to give notice to the British government for the discontinuance of the treaty of joint [HC 6:374] occupation of , was voted down with a rush; and this notice must be given before any action can be had unless Congress violates the treaty; at least so say the politicians here.

<​May 13​> efforts of a youthful Republic, when the gentle aspirations of the sons of liberty were, ‘we are one’.

<​May 13​> character, and conduct”, places you as a Kentuckian would pleasantly term it ‘in a bad fix’; but, sir, when the nation has sunk deeper and deeper in the mud at every turn of the great wheels of the union, while you have acted as one of the principle drivers, it becomes the bounden duty of the whole community, as one man, to whisper you on every point of government to uncover every act of your life, and enquire what mighty acts you have done to benefit the nation, how much you have tithed the mint to gratify your lust, and why the fragments of your raiment hang upon the thorns by the path as signals to beware!

<​May 15​> formed against him has prospered. One or two disaffected individuals have made an attempt to spread dissention, but it is like a tale that is nearly told, and will soon be forgotten. It was first represented as a monster calculated to spread desolation around, but we are credibly informed by a person who attended their first meeting, that there was much difficulty in raising a committee of seven, for there was some objection to Father [blank]; but as none could be found to fill the vacuum, he constituted one of the seven stars!!

<​May 16​> which might appear very gentlemanly in his mind, but to me it seemed as contemptible as the voice of a stupid ass, or the tongue of slander.

<​May 16​> and when a man is all the day long boasting of the rights and privileges guaranteed to every citizen of the under the Constitution and laws and at the same time is so prejudiced against one of the most peaceable citizens that ‘he does not know whether he can render him justice’in a court of equity, but would rather strengthen the hands of mobocrats and law breakers, the inference that one must naturally draw is, that such a man is either a consummate scoundrel and hypocrite, or that he is guilty of the most flagrant violation of the most sacred constitutional principles embraced in the fundamental doctrines of this Republic. I am happy, sir, to have evidence daily that no such corrupt prejudice exists in the heart of General Joseph Smith, nor in the community so far as I have been able to discover.

<​ May 16​> society; and this I can do without prejudice or animosity against any man or set of men. I believe in the broad principle of equal rights and privileges, so far as religion or politics are concerned; and while I seek to enjoy my religion according to the knowledge in me, I will interfere with the rights of no man, nor persecute because my neighbor does not think as I do.

<​May 17​> they represent, and also to send delegates to the Baltimore Convention.

<​May 21​> which was applauded by the assembly; his politial views as presented on that occasion seemed to please most of the people; at the close of the speech the congregation quietly dispersed. continued his journey ten miles, and held a meeting with the La Salle branch of 46 members, mostly emigrants from Norway. On the 18th. we arrived at Newark, and attended the Conference according to appointment. The following is a copy of the minutes, which we forward for publication:

<​May 21​> Norton Jacobs, and Moses Smith, arrived direct from on their way to .

<​May 25​> of , who has kindly offered his services to secure the Post Office to the General, he having been here and seen for himself the situation, and probably his letter to the department will arrive nearly as soon as this.

<​May 25.​> and wreak his vengeance, and gratify his revenge for his awful disappointments.” [HC 6:407]

<​May 26​> Such a one I am bound to obey any how. Said he, ‘I want a warrant against the man who stabbed brother Badham’; he said it was a man who boarded at Davis’s; he said it was Mr. Simpson— it answered his description. I said I had no jurisdiction out of the . He said the man must be arrested, or else he will go away. I told him, ‘you must go to Squire , , or .’ Mr. Lytle stepped up and said ‘I am a policeman’. I jumped into my carriage and away I went. When I came back I met . He said, ‘you did wrong in arresting Mr. Simpson’. I told him I did not do it. I went over and sat down, and related the circumstances. He turned round and said, ‘Mr.Smith, I have nothing against you; I am satisfied’. He went and supped with me. He declared in the presence of witnesses that he had nothing against me. I then said ‘I will go over to , and testify what the englishman told me’. I told him not to make out that I believe he is the man, but that I believe he is innocent. I don’t want to swear that he is the man. , , Hatfield, and were present. made one out in due form; and as I sat down in a bustle, the same as I do when one of the clerks brings a deed for [HC 6:409] me to sign, read it. I said ‘I can’t swear to that affidavit; I don’t believe it; tear up that paper’. Mr. Simpson agreed to come before Badham and make it up. I did not swear to it. After a while and others came in; they called me up to testify. I told it all the same as I do here. Mr. Simpson rode up, and asked, ‘do you believe now that I am the man who stabbed Mr. Badham?’ I replied, ‘no sir; I do not now, nor ever did; the magistrate says I did not swear to it’. He considered, and made a public declaration that he was satisfied with me. went before the Grand Jury, and swore that I did not swear to it, when goes and swears that I swore to it, and that he was in the room when he was not in. wanted me to stay and have a conversation. asked for the writ and affidavit; he handed them to who read them, and then threw them into the fire. I said, ‘, you ought not to have burned it, it was my paper’; goes to the Grand Jury and swears he did not burn only one; but I say he burnt both. This is a fair sample of the swearing that is going on against me.

<​May 26​> never had heard, or seen, or knew anything immoral or criminal against me. He testified [HC 6:410] under oath that he was my friend, and not the Brutus. There was a cogitation who was the Brutus. I had not prophesied against He swore under oath that he was satisfied that he was ready to lay down his life for me; and now he swears that I have committed adultery. I wish the Grand Jury would tell me who they are; whether it will be a curse or blessing to me. I am quite tired of the fools asking me. A man asked me whether the commandment was given that a man may have seven wives; and now the new prophet has charged me with adultery. I never had any fuss with these men until that Female Relief Society brought out the paper against adulterers and adulteresses. was invited into the Laws’ clique, and and the clique were dissatisfied with that document, and they rush away and leave the church; and conspire to take away my life; and because I will not countenance such wickedness, they proclaim that I have been a true prophet, but that I am now a fallen prophet.

<​May 29​> and giving further information to those who sought it. After tea, the Methodist priest was, by much persuasion, induced to preach; but, to the astonishment of all, he never once mentioned Mormonism. By the by<​e​> we had a beautiful specimen of treatment to the saints on board; while I was speaking, I referred to the <​many​> false statements which found their way to the public through the papers; a case in point was that of Joseph Smith having just discarded his wife. After I had finished speaking, and was standing on the guard of the Boat, a Missourian stepped up to me asking me if I wished to be understood that all who said Jo Smith had discarded his wife were liars . On my answering him in the affirmative, he drew his bowie knife on me; but some passengers, who had heard him threaten my life were watching, and caught him as he was in the act of striking, and I in the act of pitching him overboard; but they saved him, and I am glad of it. The whole affair turned much to my advantage; it was an occular demonstration to the crowd, of Missourians’ feeling towards the Church of Christ.

<​June 6​> trading in, said paper money, as all that was issued as genuine was redeemed; after the first officers who signed said bills retired, a new set of officers were appointed, and the vault of the institution was broken open and robbed of several hundred thousand dollars, the signatures forged upon the said stolen bills, and those bills are being slily bartered or had in trade for the purpose of wilful and malicious prosecution and collection. In the first place the bills are not collectable by law in an unchartered institution; in the second place they are spurious, the signatures being a forgery, and every person passing or trading a bill is guilty of passing counterfeit money, besides the barefaced act of swindling. And lastly, he that uses said bills in any way as a medium of trade, is guilty of fraud, and shows a wicked and corrupt determination to wilfully, maliciously, and feloniously rob the Latter Day Saints; and if the executors of the laws are as ready to mete out even handed justice to such [HC 6:429] men as to the Mormons, more indictments will indicate more honesty. Time will show.

<​June 8​> in my former letter. I have seen with my eyes, and heard with my ears, and I am satisfied with the result. I have seen the prophet and heard him speak. His actions have rendered him famous, his claims have made him known, his persecutions have made him an object of interest, but his own intrinsic merits have made him beloved by all who know him.

<​June 10​> they would break; and some of them drew up and voted for the very ordinances they are striving to use as a ‘scare crow’ to frighten the surrounding country in rebellion, mobbing and war; and whereas, while the blood of [HC 6:433] our brethren from wells, holes, and naked prairies, and the ravishment of female virtue from , and the smoke from the altars of infamy, prostituted by , and continued in the full tide of experiment and disgraceful damnation, by the very self called fragments of a body of degraded men that have got up a press in , to destroy the charter of the ; to destroy Mormonism, men, women, and children, as did, by force of arms; by fostering laws that emanate from corruption, and betray with a Kiss; wherefore to honor the State of , and those patriots who gave the charter, and for the benefit, convenience, health, and happiness of said :

<​June 10​> to pay it.

<​June 10​> 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: [HC 6:436]

<​June 10​> 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.

<​June 10​> mentioned before; nothing said about . Was within hearing of the parties at the time conversation was going on.

<​June 10.​> dollars, which, on account of expenditure for the poor, he was not able to pay to within some 70 or 80 dollars, which they pressed him for as soon as they wanted it, although he offered them good property at considerable less than the market value; as was obliged to leave the city on church business for a little season. threatened and intimidated ’ family during his absence for the pay.

<​June 10​> required her to leave his house.

<​June 10​> said he was not; (Hundreds know this statement to be false); he also asked if he did not state before hundreds of people that he believed Joseph to be a prophet; ‘no’, said . They were under oath when they said it. (Many hundreds of people are witness to this perjury.)

<​June 10​> of that innocent female who had been seduced by the then Major General of the Nauvoo Legion, ? when yes!! resounded from every quarter of the house. He then referred to the tea plot at , and asked if anybody’s rights were taken away with that transaction; and are we offering, or have we offered to take away the rights of any one these two days? (No!!! resounded from every quarter.) He then referred also to ’s grinding the poor during the scarcity of grain, while the poor had noth[HC 6:447]ing but themselves to grind; and spoke at great length in support of active measures to put down iniquity, and suppress the spirit of mobocracy.

<​June 11​> enjoin it upon the Municipal Officers and Citizens of said , to use all honorable and lawful means in their power to assist me in maintaining the public peace and common quiet of said . As attempts have already been made to excite the jealousy and prejudice of the people of the surrounding country, by libels and slanderous articles upon the citizens and City Council, for the purpose of destroying the ‘Charter’ of said , and for the purpose of raising suspicion, wrath, and indignation among a certain class of the less honorable portion of mankind, to commit acts of violence upon the innocent and unsuspecting, in a certain newspaper called the ‘Nauvoo Expositor’, recently established for such purposes in said , and which has been destroyed as a nuisance according to the provisions of the Charter, I further call upon every Officer, authority, and citizen, to be vigilant in preventing by wisdom, the promulgation of false statements, libels, slanders, or any other malicious or evil designed concern that may be put in operation to excite and ferment the passions of men to rebel against the rights and privileges of the , Citizens, or laws of the land; to be ready to suppress the gathering of mobs; to repel, by gentle means and noble exertion, every foul scheme of unprincipled men, to disgrace and dishonor the , or , or any of their legally constituted authorities: and finally to keep the peace by being cool, considerate, virtuous, unoffending, manly, and patriotic, as the true sons of liberty ever have been; and honorably maintain the precious boon our illustrious fathers won:

<​June 11​> hands, thinking that he may act with more efficiency than the Mail.

<​June 12​> or some other Justice of the Peace to answer the premises, and further to be dealt with according to law. [HC 6:453]

<​June 12​> determined by your honorable body; and your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will every pray.

<​June 12.​> a malicious prosecution on the part of , and that said pay the costs of suit, and that Joseph Smith be honorably discharged from the accusations and of the writ, and go hence without d[el]ay.”

<​June 12.​> still my heart is large enough for all men, and my sensibilities keen enough to have compassion for every case when justice, mercy, virtue, or humanity, requires it; be pleased to accept my thanks for your very kind letter; study the bible, and as many of our books as you can get; pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, have faith in the promises made to the fathers, and your mind will be guided to the truth. An Elder shall be sent as soon as the ‘Twelve’ can make the necessary arrangements.

<​June 12​> own, and must be known henceforth and forever I suppose as the ‘Mormon order!’ The external layer of stone is dressed with considerable neatness, and each of the <​range of​> pilasters by which it is ornamented, bears upon it a sculptural representation of the crescent, with the profile of a man’s face in strong relief— much in the style of that edifying picture of the moon you may have been wont to admire as well as myself in the Primer when a boy! The effect of this image is semi-solemn, semi-laughable, and certainly more than semi-singular. In the workshop beside the structure, in which a large number of stone cutters are employed, may be seen divers other carvings on stone, designed for the holy edifice, still more novel than that I have named. Among them are suns, full moons, and half the constellations of the firmament, to say nothing of the human faces of expression weird enough for an Egyptian Obelisk. There are 75 or 100 of the fraternity zealously at work at the present time hewing stone or laying it for the , all other <​public​> improvements being in perfect abeyance that this greatest and holiest of all may advance.

<​June 12​> on the opposite shore, and far away in the distance, blue along the Western horizon, the retreating, undulating hills of — all these objects are spread out like a map before the eye, at a coup doeil, from the walls of the ; and the scene is as grand as it is beautiful.”

<​June 13​> Precinct, , ; Saml. Williams, ; Elisha Worrell, Chili; Capt. Maddison, St. Mary’s; John M. Ferris, ; James Rice, Pilot Grove; John Carns, ; , ; Geo. Robinson, ; and Geo. Rockwell, , were appointed; said Committee.

<​June 14​> principles of law and good order, on the part of the authorities of this ; and if your is not satisfied, and shall not be satisfied, after reading the whole proceedings, which will be forthcoming soon, and shall demand an investigation of our Municipality before or any legal tribunal at the , you have only to write your wishes, and we will be forthcoming; we will not trouble you to file a writ or send an officer for us.

<​June 14​> intelligence which I received last evening from a person no way connected with the affair, and one of undoubted veracity, I must think to myself. This gentleman informs me that he has been in since Monday last at the land sales, and he heard threatenings by the persons assembled there, that if they could get into that they would murder indiscriminately, and those who wanted to escape must leave. This your will abhor as I do. The cititzens of this who do not reside in , and those of other counties, have indeed no interest of a personal kind at stake in this matter; there are no persons disturbing them nor a going to do so, and this great excitement does savor of something else to me than a regard for the laws. Why not let the parties, as in all other cases of the kind, settle their difficulties as the laws of the country in such cases have provided. Have the citizens of ever interfered with cases of difficulty existing in other parts of the , held public meetings to inflame the public mind in favor of one party, and prejudice it against the other party? Most assuredly they have not; why then must the citizens of this place be scourged with such attempts?

<​June 16.​> doctrines publicly, and always teach stronger doctrines in public than in private. John was one of the men, and the Apostles declare they were made Kings and Priests unto God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; it reads just so in the Revelations; hence the doctrine of a plurality of Gods is as prominent in the Bible as any other doctrine; it is all over the face of the Bible— it stands beyond the power of controversy— ‘a wayfaring man though a fool needs not err therein’. Paul says there are Gods many and Lords many— I want to set it forth in a plain and simple manner— but to us there is but one God— that is, pertaining to us— and He is in all and through all. But if Joseph Smith says there are Gods many and Lords many, they cry, ‘away with him— crucify him— crucify him’.

<​June 16.​> are damned for unbelief.

<​June 16​> which is after the order of the Son of God. It is in the order of Heavenly things that God should always send a [HC 6:478] new dispensation into the world, when men have apostatized from the truth and lost the Priesthood; but when men come out and build upon other men’s foundations, they do it on their own responsibility without authority from God; and when the floods come, and the winds blow, their foundations will be found to be sand, and their whole fabric will crumble to dust. Did I build on any other man’s foundation? I have got all the truth which the christian world possessed, and an independent revelation in the bargain, and God will bear me off triumphant. Iwill drop this subject; I wish I could speak for three or four hours, but it is not expedient on account of the rain. I will still go on, and shew you proof upon proofs; all the bible is as equal one part as another.”

<​June 16​> arms and remain quiet until the fuss is over. We have until Monday morning next to make up our minds; we have made up our minds that we shall not comply with any of these prospects <​proposals​> but stand in our own defence; we have no signature from the , or any official officer to accept of such wicked proposals.

<​June 17​> should come to to attack it unlawfully, and by mob force, a little annoyance upon the rear with some bold fellows would be a very good thing to weaken the ranks of an enemy. It is impossible to give you correct information what to do beforehand, but act according to the emergency of the case; but never give up your arms, but die first. The brethren will give you information of the conversation between us. We have sent to the , and are about to send again; and we want you to send affidavits and demand the attention of the , and request protection at his hand in common with the rest of us, that by our continual wearying, we may get him to come in and investigate the whole matter.

<​June 17​> and forbid him; door was opened by , as witness thought; the press and fixtures were destroyed; some paper and a desk belonging to containing several thousand dollars of property, $4000 auditor’s warrants, and other valuable papers.

<​June 17​> except what was said in capacity of councilors and alderman,— was by the door all the time when the press and type, and things used in connexion with the press was destroyed. There was no other property taken from the building.

<​June 17​> saith that from the public papers, especially the papers, and from reports from the various precincts, a mob may be expected to make an immediate attack upon the citizens and City of , on account of the gatherings at the various precincts, and threats to exterminate the Latter day saints.

<​June 18.​> or property pass in or out of the without due orders.

<​June 18​> trodden underfoot by lawless marauders, without at least a noble effort on our part to sustain our liberties. Will you all stand by me to the death, and sustain at the peril of your lives the laws of our , and the liberties and privileges which our fathers have transmitted unto us, sealed with their sacred blood? (Aye, shouted thousands.) <​He then said “it is well; if you had not done it, I would have gone out there (pointing to the west), and would have raised up a mightier people.​> I call upon all men from to the , and from to British America, whose hearts thrill <​with horror​> to behold the rights of free men trampled under foot, to come to the deliverance of this people from the cruel hand of oppression, cruelty, anarchy, and misrule, to which they have been long made subject. Come all ye lovers of liberty, break the oppressors rod, loose the iron grasp of mobocracy, and bring to condign punishment all those who trample under foot the principles of our glorious Constitution, and the peoples rights. (Drawing his sword and presenting it to Heaven he said) I call God and Angels to witness, that I have unsheathed my sword with a firm and unalterable determination, that this people shall have their legal rights, and be protected from mob violence, or my blood shall be spilt upon the ground like water, and my body consigned to the silent tomb. While I live I will never tamely submit to the dominion of cursed mobocracy; I would welcome death rather than submit to this oppression, and it would be sweet,— oh sweet to rest in the grave rather than submit to this oppression, agitation, annoyance, confusion, and alarm upon alarm, any longer. I call upon all friends of truth and liberty to come to our assistance; and may the thunders of the Almighty, and the forked lightnings of heaven, and pestilence, and war, and bloodshed, come down on those ungodly [HC 6:499] men who seek to destroy my life, and the lives of this innocent people. I do not regard my own life— I am ready to be offered a sacrifice for this people; for what can they <​our enemies​> do? only kill the body, and their power is then at an end. Stand firm my friends— never flinch— do not seek to save your lives; for he that is afraid to die for this truth will lose eternal life. Hold out to the end, and we shall be resurrected, and become like Gods, and reign in Celestial Kingdoms, principalities, and eternal dominions, while this cursed mob will sink to hell, the portion of all those who shed innocent blood. God has tried you— you are a good people, therefore I love you with all my heart; greater love hath no man than that he shall lay down his life for his friends. You have stood by me in the hour of trouble, and I am willing to sacrifice my life for your preservation. May the Lord God of Israel bless you for ever and ever, I say it in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and in the authority of the Holy Priesthood which he hath conferred upon me.” The people said, Amen.

<​June 18​> and the other of , as reported, conversing together concerning incidents on the upper , when one said to the other— ‘if could have succeeded in getting an introduction for us to Jo Smith, Damn him, we would have gagged him and nabbed him, and damn him all hell could not have rescued him from our hands’. The next morning, got in conversation with the man before mentioned from who stated that he had been on the upper on business, that he stopped at on his way down with some twelve or fourteen other men, who laid a plan to kidnap Jo Smith, that some of the company queried about getting access to him, but one of them said he knew they could if he could find ; they called on in the evening to get an introduction to their great prophet, and went with them to the gate where they were stopped by the police, ‘and it was well for him that we did not succeed in getting an introduction to him’. said ‘did know your business?’ and he replied, “yes!” asked ‘what have you against Joseph Smith? did he ever injure you?’ the man replied, ‘no, but he has others’. Did you ever see him? ‘Yes, I was one who helped to run the Mormons from ’, and related many circumstances concerning the mob. said to the man he was acquainted with — considered he was an honorable man, and was led to doubt his being engaged with them in a conspiracy against Joseph Smith, he replied, ‘God damn you it is true whether you believe it or not’, and repeatedly affirmed it. did not believe the statements of the man from as mentioned above, until after hearing the recent developments before the City Council.

<​June 19​> to the place where the writ was first issued, and nothing less than that would satisfy the people.

<​June 20​> not know, called upon your deponent, , when John Banks said they waited on him to make three propositions, viz; 1st, that we were to take up arms, join with, and go along with them to to arrest one Joseph Smith and others, about 17 in number living in ; 2nd, to remove our effects to ; or, 3rd, to give up our arms to them and remain neutral, and said 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, , was at work in a field in the same neighborhood, and said they had come to notify him that said must comply with one of the above propositions; if not that said would smell thunder. And all your deponents further depose and say, that they have been compelled to leave their homes and flee to 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 staid at home; and further your deponents say not.

<​June 20​> I must be sure and be at his house by nine o’clock in the morning, if not, I must either get out of , or be served the same sauce as the Mormons; he gave me to understand they were going to make a total destruction of 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 or is not, we do not care; it is illegally done, and he should go ahead— he should gather the troops, and there would be 2,000 men landed tomorrow from ; he said they were volunteers, they should meet next day at , and then go against Joseph Smith and demolish the City of ; for have him at any rate they would. He was in a very great passion, and let out a great many oaths and 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 for protection.

<​June 20​> fight or die. All the horrors of ’s murders are crowding thick upon us, and the citizens of this 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’s vile, established a printing press in this 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 to invent on the earth or in the shades of Gehenna, calculated to destroy every chartered right to our peaceful , 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 ins’t, 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 , and the night following fired one or more of their buildings, just as they did in , thinking to raise the hue and cry that 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 , the seat and head quarters 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 would not consent, but would take them to ; they had threatened their lives at , 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 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 ‘Jo Smith’ brought before themselves for trial at the Head Quarters of Mobocracy, swearing that all they want is to get him out of the , and they will shoot the ‘damned rascal’. Cannon, ammunition, and men are passing over the from to , and the mob is collected by hundreds at different points in the swearing everlasting vengeance, and when their oaths and writs will end, God knows. [HC 6:517] We have sent messengers to the , but had no returns, and shall dispatch messages to the of the next boat. If the virtuous part of <​the​> community, the , the , 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 attempts to execute their threats, you may soon have the opportunity of beholding that glorious ‘vision in the west’ you have so 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 to live without the free exercise of thought, and the privilege of worshipping 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 [p. 129]

<​June 20​> virtuous men and patriots enough yet left to sustain those principles which alone are worth living for. Will you come? Here is . Here is . 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 defence 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 the field is open for every honest patriot from the east to the west sea, and from the to the ends of the earth. , will you stand neutral? Come, and you will know for yourself.

<​June 22​> property which belongs to the Mr. Laws and others. There has been no property meddled with to my knowledge belonging to any person, except property we have purchased of the rightful owners. turned over some property to a Mr. Hicks to pay a debt. This I purchased of Mr. Hicks, and I am responsible to him for the [HC 6:526] amount. We have been especially careful to preserve the property of those who are exciting the public against us, inasmuch as we knew that every means would be used which could be invented to raise excitement, and we have appointed the police to watch this property, and see that no harm was done to it by any person as they had tried to fire their own building, and was detected in the act; the fire was extinguished by the policemen, and no property damaged.

<​June 22​> company of men about fifteen in number. Both parties then took the road towards the Big Mound; a part of the men were mounted, and a part were on foot; the mounted men were forward, and after passing my house, they wheeled and rode back to the footmen who were some little distance behind, and said to them, ‘there are some fellows on the Mound, you had better hurry on and we will take those fellows and carry them to ’; they used profane language. I watched them until they got near the Mound, and saw the guard on the Mound turn and run towards . After that the company went on to the Mound, and halted near the spot where the guard had run from. On the same evening about sundown there was a man by the name of Milton Hamilton came into my house, and told me he had come to tell me to arm and equip myself according to law, and stand in readiness; that the had demanded Joseph Smith according to law, and that he would not come it (meaning that Joseph Smith would not surrender); that the General issued orders for the Militia to be in readiness to take said Smith. I asked him what General, and he observed that he believed it was . I asked him if it was done by orders of the , and he said that was the understanding. He told me he acted under the orders of Capt. Mc. Auley; and further saith not.