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THE 
 
 MARTYRS; 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE LIVES AND A FULL ACCOUNT 
 OF THE ^MARTYRDOM OF 
 
 JOSEPH AND HYRUM SMITH, 
 
 TOGKTHKR WITH 
 
 igoncise geview of the ^ost ^lominent incidents Connected 
 with the persecutions of the faints, from the time the 
 iChurch was Organized up to the ^ear 1846. 
 
 B-5r L-5riv<r_A.Kr o. x^ittlbfielid. 
 
 JUVENILE INSTKUCTOR OFEICE, 
 
 Salt liake City, 
 
 1882. 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882, by George C. Lambert, 
 ill the ollice of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 O INCK the death of the Prophet and Patriarch, Joseph arid 
 Hyrum Smith, a new generation has sprang into existence. 
 Hosts of young people are growing up in the midst of the 
 Latter-day Saints, and still others have attained to manhood 
 and womanhood in the Church, who never saw those noble 
 martyrs whose lives were sacrificed in establishing the gospel 
 upon the earth. Thousands of others have also gathered under 
 the gospel banner from the various nations of the earth since 
 their death. While such persons may be devoted fol- 
 lowers of those early leaders, and may cherish a love and 
 veneration for their memory, they are forced to depend in great 
 part upon the verbal testimony of their parents or others who 
 had the pleasure of a personal acquaintance, for their knowledge 
 of the character, lives and tragic death of Joseph and Hyrum 
 Smith. True, much has been written and published at various 
 times in the Church upon this subject, but not in a concise and 
 authentic shape. The facts as published are scattered through 
 the various volumes of the Times and Seasons, MiHenmal 
 Star, Juvenile Instructor and other publication, which 
 few students have access to. 
 
 It is our intention to publish, in book form, as soon as possi- 
 ble, a detailed "History of Joseph Smith ;" in fact, the most 
 of the copy for it is already prepared. BeHeving, however, 
 
iv. PREFACE. 
 
 that a brief skctdi of the most iin])ortant scenes through 
 wliich he passed, and a full account of his martyrdom, 
 especially if written by one who was familiar with him while 
 living, would be acceptaljle to our friends, we have employed 
 Brother Littletield to write and compile the same. Perhaps 
 no person had better op]iortunities for learning the full particu- 
 lars of the Carthage tragedy than he, for he was in a position 
 at the time of the occurrence to get full and authentic infor- 
 mation in regard to it, and took pains to do so. 
 
 Of course, the limited size of this volume will not admit of 
 more than a brief allusion to many scenes of interest in the 
 early history of the Church, while very many others have 
 had to be omitted entirely. But many flicts are herein narrated 
 that have never before been published, while others have been 
 collected from various sources and here arranged in compact 
 form, for the use of those who may desire to learn something 
 of the interesting subjects upon which the work treats. 
 
 That a perusal of this brief volume may tend to inspire 
 those into whose hands it may Ml with a respect for and a 
 desire to emulate the virtues of the noble men whose lives and 
 death it commemorates, is the desire of 
 
 The Publisher. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Joseph Smith's Birth — His Family — Humble Circumstances 
 — Joseph and Hynim the Leading Spirits — Religious 
 Excitement — ^Joseph Appeals to God — His Prayer 
 Answered — Grod, the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, 
 Appear and Instruct Him — Persecution which Followed 
 the First Mention of This Vision— Visits From the 
 Angel Moroni — Sacred Records Shown — Instructions and 
 Predictions. Page 9. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Example Set by Joseph Smith — Predictions Fulfdled in 
 His Persecution — Proof that He Was Not a "False 
 Prophet" — Visit and View the Sacred Records Once A 
 Year — Obtain Possession of Them — Devices of His 
 Enemies to Secure Them — Removal to Pennsylvania — 
 Book of Mormon Translated and Published — Its Title 
 an Ancient One — Church Organized — Mobbed, Tarred 
 and Feathered— Preach to Mobbers— Child Dies — IMobs 
 in Ohio and Missouri — ^Religion Their Only Offense — 
 House Torn Down — Press Confiscated — Tarred and 
 Feathered — ^Driven to Prairies and Woods — Cross the 
 Missouri — Find Refiige. Page 17. 
 
VI. CONTENTS. 
 
 -^^^ CHAPTER III. 
 
 Settle in^Clay, Ray, Caldwell and Daviess Counties — Far West 
 — Hostilities Recommenced — Mob vVided by Militia — 
 Boggs' Order to Exterminate the Saints — Haun's Mill 
 Massacre and Other Outrages — Mob and Militia Forces 
 Concentrated at Far West — Formed in Battle Array — Mob 
 Outnumber, the Saints Twenty-three Fold — Threatened 
 Massacre — Hinkle's Treachery — Leading Saints Taken 
 Prisoners— Court Martial— Sentenced to be Shot in Pres- 
 ence of Their Families— Doniphan's Noble Action— Pris- 
 oners Taken to Independence — Sympathy for Them — 
 Confined in Jail, Heavily Ironed — A Prison Scene — 
 Dignity in Chains — Prisoners Enter Liberty Jail — (Ti^'en 
 Poison and Human Flesh to Eat — The Escape. 
 
 Page 27. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Saints Take Refuge in Illinois — Commerce Selected as a 
 Gathering Place — Congress and Van Buren Appealed to 
 for Redress of Wrongs— Van Buren' s Disgraceful Reply 
 — Nauvoo Incorporated — Hyrum Smith Made Patriarch— 
 Josej)h Smith Again Arrested— Tried Before Stephen A. 
 Douglass— Discharged— A Prophecy— Boggs' Affidavit- 
 Avoids Arrest — Kidnapped at Dixon— Brutal Treatment 
 by Reynolds and Wilson— Scene at Pawpaw (jrove— 
 Friends in Nauvoo Aroused— Scour the Country in Search 
 of Joseph— Find Him and Return to Nauvoo— An Ova- 
 tion — Kidnappers Entertained as Guests— Further Efibrts 
 of Reynolds and Wilson to Cause Trouble. Page 36. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Review of Joseph Smith's Character— A Candidate for the 
 Presidency of the U. S. —"Expositor" Issued— Declared 
 a Nuisance— Abated by Ortler of the City Council- 
 Efforts to take Joseph Smith to Carthage for Trial on a 
 Charge of Riot— His Objections to Going There— Impres- 
 sion that He would be Murdered— The Governor Insists 
 Upon it— Joseph Submits. Page 48. 
 
CONTENTS. Vll. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The Prophet's Last Public Speech— Start for Carthage- 
 Remarks on Passing the Temple and Leaving 'Squire 
 Wells — Order from the Governor to Deliver up the State 
 Arms— Return to Nauvoo to Have the Order Comphed 
 With— Reach Carthage at Midnight— The Governor 
 Pledges the Faith of the State for Their Protection— 
 The Prisoners Exhibited Before the Troops— Joseph's 
 Remarks to Officers who Visit Him. Page 59. 
 
 CAAPTER VII. 
 
 Committed to Jail— Mob Despair of Convicting the Prison- 
 ers by Legal Process, and Determine to Effect Their 
 Purpose by Powder and Ball — Governor Promises to 
 Take Them to Nauvoo with Him — Sends Marshal 
 Greene to Nauvoo to Keep Order During His Visit — 
 Governor Ford Goes to Nauvoo, Leaving the Prisoners 
 to then- Fate— A Mob with Painted Faces Surround 
 the Jail and Murder Joseph and Hyrum Smith and 
 Wound John Taylor — News of the Massacre Sent to 
 Nauvoo— Grief-stricken Community— Alarm of the Mobo- 
 crats — Arrival of the Bodies of the Martyrs. 
 
 Page 65. 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 Account of the Massacre by One who was Among the Mob 
 —Probable Fate of This Informer— How He Happened 
 to be With the Mob Party— Details of the Massacre- 
 Reflections on the Horrible Deed— Return to His Home 
 —A Dream— Determine to Do What He Could to Bring 
 the Murderers to Justice — Visit to Nauvoo and Quincy 
 Hush-money Offered Him — He Joins the Church — 
 Efforts to Put Him Out of the Way— Before the Grand 
 Jury as a Witness— Nine Persons Indicted— Murderers 
 Allowed to Go Free. Page 70. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Letter From the Man Who Attempted to Cut Joseph 
 Smith's Head Off— Corroborative of the Statement of 
 Daniels. Page 87. 
 
VllL CONTEKTS. 
 
 CHjVPTEE X. 
 
 Ford's Flight From Nauvoo on Hearing the Signal that the 
 Murder Had Been Committed — Prevents the News from 
 Being Can-ied to Nauvoo — His Advice to the People of 
 Carthage to Flee — Elder Taylor's Beturn to Nauvoo — 
 His Own Account of it — The Governor's Alarm — Jonas 
 and Fellows Sent by Him to Nauvoo — Besolutions of 
 City Council — People of Warsaw Befuse to Support the 
 Grovernor — Insolent Letter From Ford. Page 90. 
 
 CHAPTEB XI. 
 
 Sidney Bigdon's Claim to Leadership — The Saints Convinced 
 that President Young was the INIan — ^Work on the 
 Temple Crowded — Persecution Continued — Bemoval to 
 Bocky Mountains Predicted— Suggestion From Governor 
 Ford— A Song. Page 96. 
 
 CHAPTEB XII. 
 
 Further Outrages— Men Whipped— Others Kidnapped— Fed 
 With Poison and Set up for Targets, but Finally 
 Beleased— One-sided Court— Assassin Bule— Outrages 
 Unbearable— Bemoval Westward Commenced — Nauvoo 
 Besieaed, and Bemaining Saints Forcibly Driven Out. 
 
 Page 101. 
 
 ' CHAPTEB XIII. 
 
 Joseph Smith Arraigned on Criminal Charge Fifty Times, 
 and Invariably Acquitted— Bespect for Civil Law 
 Enjoined by Bevelation— The Saints a Loyal People. 
 
 Page 100. 
 
 CHAPTEB XIV. 
 
 Betributive Justice. Page 109. 
 
 CHAPTEB XV. 
 
 Concluding Bemarks. Page 113. 
 
THE MARTYRS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 JOSEPH smith's birth — HIS FAMILY — HUMBLE CIRCUMSTAN- 
 CES — JOSEPH AND HYRUM THE LEADING SPIRITS — RELI- 
 GIOUS EXCITEMENT — JOSEPH APPEALS TO GOD — HIS 
 PRAYER ANSWERED — GOD THE FATHER AND HIS SON 
 JESUS CHRIST APPEAR AND INSTRUCT HIM — PERSECU- 
 TION WHICH FOLLOWED THE FIRST MENTION OF THIS 
 VISION — VISITS FROM THE ANGEL MORONI — SACRED 
 RECORDS SHOWN — INSTRUCTIONS AND PREDICTIONS. 
 
 JOSEPH SMITH was born in the town of Sharon, Windsor 
 J County, Vermont, on the 23rd of December, 1805. 
 
 His brother, Hyrum Smith, was nearly six years his senior, 
 having been born February 9, 1800, in Tunbridge, Orange 
 County, Vermont. 
 
 These brothers were martyred for their rehgion, at Carthage, 
 Hancock County, lUinois, when in the prime of life and the 
 bloom of manhood, but not before they had accomplished a 
 work and left a record that will cause their names to be revered 
 and their memories to be cherished while time shall last. 
 
 Some of the prominent incidents in the lives of these illustri- 
 ous men, and the causes which led to their death, by violence, 
 will be carefully set forth in this work and established by abun- 
 dant documentary evidence, now within the reach of the 
 author. 
 
 Joseph being the prominent actor in that which will be 
 related, it will be proper to follow him more closely than his 
 brother Hyrum in this narrative. Their lives were closely 
 interwoven. No brothers ever loved each other more devo- 
 tedly, or were more harmonious in their feelings, and that which 
 
10 THE .AlARTYRS. 
 
 relates to one may be connidered almost equally applicable to 
 the other. 
 
 Without unnecessary circumlocution, let us briefly but can- 
 didly and plainly review the public career of these remarkable 
 men. 
 
 When Joseph was ten years old, his parents removed to Pal- 
 myra, in the State of New York. In this place, and in the 
 neighboring town of Manchester, the family resided for about 
 eleven years. By occuj^ation, his father was a farmer, and, 
 being poor, he was unable to provide his children oi)portunities 
 for acijuiring any other education than the common schools of 
 the countiy afforded. The family was large, consisting of eleven 
 souls, namely — Joseph Smith, Sen., Lucy Smith (the mother), 
 Alvin, HjTum, Joseph, Jr., Samuel Harrison, Wilh am, Don 
 Carlos, Sophronia, Catherine and Lucy. Both parents and 
 children were naturally moral and inchned to religion. The 
 mother, the son Samuel Harrison, and the daughter Sojihro- 
 nia, were united with the Presbyterian church. 
 
 Hj-rum Smith was naturally devotional, and, at a time 
 of religious excitement which prevailed in the region where they 
 lived in the year 1 820, he also became a Presbjierian. Joseph, 
 however, coidd not feel satisfied with the doctrines taught by any 
 of the jarring religious sects of the day. He meditated much 
 upon the subject of religion, but could derive no satisfaction 
 from the teachings of those who professed to be the followers 
 of Christ. Their creeds were contradictory. Every one was in 
 opposition to the others. 
 
 Though young and unlearned, he liad the good sense to 
 understand that religious systems which clashed with each 
 other were inconsistent with reason and sound judgment. He 
 discarded the whole of these discordant elements, turned away 
 from them dissatisfied, and appealed to God. For light to 
 guide him in the right way, he began diligently to search the 
 scriptures. In the Epistle of James (i. 5) he read: "If anj' 
 of 3'ou lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men 
 liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."' This 
 passage gave him great satisfaction ; it filled him with joy. 
 There was a definite promise of help from the Almighty to all 
 who would ask of Him. 
 
JOSEPH smith's first VISION. 11 
 
 He determined to act according to the injunction of James, 
 and with an honest heart and pure motives, set about the 
 dehghtful task. 
 
 The coui-se immediately taken by him and tlie result of tlie 
 same will best be understood from the following extract from 
 "Kemarkable Visions." by Apostle Orson Pratt^ 
 
 "He, therefore, retired to a secret place, in a grove, but a 
 short distance from his father's house, and knelt down and 
 began to call upon the Lord. At first, he was severelv tempted 
 by the powers ot darkness, which endeavored to overcome him, 
 but he continued to seek for deliverance, until darkness gave 
 way Iroiii his mind, and he was enabled to pray in fervency of 
 the spirit, andm feith ; and while thus pourins- out his soul, 
 anxiously desiring an answer from God, he saw a very brieht 
 and glorious light in the heavens above, which at lirst seemed 
 to be at a considerable distance. He continued pravin?, while 
 the light appeared to be gradually descending towards him ; 
 and, as it drew nearer, it increased in brightness and mairni- 
 tude, so that by the time that it reached the tops of the trees, 
 the whole wilderness, for some distance around, was illumi- 
 nated m a most glorious and brilliant manner. He expected to 
 have seen the leaves and boughs of the trees con.sumed, as 
 soon as the light came m contact with them; but, perceivin"- 
 that it did not produce that effect, he was encouraged with the 
 hope ot being able to endure its presence. It continued de- 
 scending slowly until it rested upon the earth, and he was envel- 
 oped in the midst of it. When it first came upon him, it pro- 
 duced a pecuhar sensation throughout his whole svstem • and 
 immediatelv. his mind was caught awav from "the natural 
 objects with which he was surrounded, and he was enwrapped 
 in a heavenly \nsion, and saw two glorious personao-es, who 
 exactly resembled each other in their features or likeness He 
 was inhDrmed that his sins were forgiven. He was also informed 
 upon tlie subjects which had for some time previously a^ritated 
 his mind, namely, that all religious denominations were believ- 
 ing in incoiTect doctrines; and, consequentlv, that none of 
 them was acknowledged of God as His church and kingdom 
 And he was expressly commanded to go not after them' • and 
 he received a promise that the truedoctrine— the fullness of the 
 gospel—should, at some future time, be made known to him • 
 alter which, the vision withdrew, leaving his mind in a state of 
 calmness and peace indescribable. ' ' 
 
 From the foregoing we learn how promptly the Lord answered 
 the sincere petition of this honest-hearted boy, untutored by 
 the learning of men, and unbiased as he was by the sophistry 
 
12 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 and vain theories which were promulgated for the doctrines of 
 Christ. 
 
 Although visitations from heavenly beings should neither 
 surprise nor seem unreasonable to Bible believers, (inasmuch 
 as they were formerly common, according to scripture state- 
 ments), Joseph Smith had no sooner made known the fact of 
 his having been so fovored, than he was beset by ridicule, 
 hatred and bitter persecution from those he had formerly 
 thought to be his friends. In his own writings upon this point, 
 he said : 
 
 "Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in 
 company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very 
 active in the before-mentioned religious excitement, and, con- 
 versing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to " 
 give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was 
 greatly surprised at his behavior ; he treated my communica- 
 tion not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying, it was 
 all of the devil' that there were no such things as visions or rev- 
 elations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the 
 Apostles and that there never would be any more of them. I 
 soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a 
 great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, 
 and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to 
 increase, and though I was an obscure boy, only between four- 
 teen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such 
 as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of 
 high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public 
 mind against me, and create a hot persecution ; and this was 
 common among all the sects— all united to j^ersecute me. 
 
 "It caused me serious reflection then, and often has since, how 
 very strange it was that an obscure boy. of a little over four- 
 teen years of age, and one, too, who was_ doomed to the necessity 
 of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be 
 thought a character of sufficient imjiortance to attract the atten- 
 tion of the great ones of the most po])nlar sects of the day, so 
 as to create in them a si)irit of the hottest persecution and 
 reviling. But strange; or not, so it was, and was often cause of 
 great sorrow to myself However, it was nevertheless a^ fact 
 that I had had a vision. ^ * * I had actually seen a light, 
 and in the midst of that light I saw two personages, and they 
 did in reality speak unto nie, or one of them did ; and though 
 I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, 
 yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling 
 me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so 
 saying, I was led to say in my heart, why persecute for telling 
 
PERSECUTION OF JOSEPH AFTER HIS VISION. 13 
 
 the trath? I have actuallj^ seen a vision and "who am I that 
 I can withstand God?" or why does the world think to make 
 me deny what I have actually seen ? for I had seen a vision; 
 I knew it and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny 
 it, neither dare I do it; at least, I knew that by so doing I 
 would offend God, and come under condemnation. ' ' 
 
 For three years after seeing the vision mentioned, Joseph 
 Smith continued to endure persecution from all quarters, with- 
 out receiving any other divine manifestations. On the 2] st of 
 September, 1823, however, after he had retired to rest, he 
 besought the Lord, in fervent prayer, to send some kind mes- 
 senger to commune with him and again make known His will 
 to him. While thus praying, a bright hght appeared in the 
 room and in the midst of it was a personage whose "counte- 
 nance was as lightning, yet it was of a pleasing, innocent and 
 glorious appearance; so much so that every fear was banished 
 from the heart, and nothing but calmness pentad ed the soul." 
 He "declared himself to be an angel of God, (Moroni) sent 
 forth by commandment, to communicate to him that his sins 
 were forgiven, and that his prayers were heard ; and also to 
 bring the joyful tidings, that the covenant which God made 
 with ancient Israel concerning their posterity was at hand to be 
 ftilfilled— that the great preparatory work for the second com- 
 ing of the Messiah was speedily to commence— that the time 
 was at hand for the gospel, in its fullness, to be preached in 
 power unto all nations, that a people might be prepared with 
 faith and righteousness for the millennial reign of universal peace 
 and joy." 
 
 He was further informed that he was called and chosen to be 
 an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His 
 mai-velous purposes in this dispensation. 
 
 "It was also made manifest to him that the American Indi- 
 ans were a remnant of Israel; that when they first emigrated 
 to America they were an enlightened people, possessing a 
 knowledge of the true God, enjoying His favor and peculiar 
 blessings from His hand ; that the prophets and inspired wri- 
 ters among them, were required to keep a sacred history- of the 
 most important events transpiring among them, which history 
 was handed down for many generations, till at length they fell 
 into great wickedness. The greatest part of them were de- 
 stroyed, and the records (by commandment of God to one of 
 
14 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 the last prophets among them,) were safel.y deposited to pre- 
 serve them from tlie hands of the wicked who sought to de- 
 stroy them. He was informed that these records contained 
 many sacred revelations pertaining to the gosj^el of the king- 
 ^lom, as well as prophecies relating to the great events of the 
 last days ; and that to fulfill Ilis promises to the ancients, who 
 wrote the records, and to accomplish His purposes, in the resti- 
 tution of their children, etc., they were to come forth to the 
 knowledge of the people. If faithful, he w^as to he the instru- 
 ment who should he thus highly favored in bringing these sacred 
 tilings to light; at the same time being expressly informed, 
 that it must be done with an eye single to the glory of (lod, 
 tliat no one could be entrusted with those sacred writings, who 
 should endeavor to aggrandize himself, by converting sacred 
 things to speculative purposes. After giving him many instruc- 
 tions concerning things past and to come, which would be for- 
 eign to our purpose to mention here, he disappeared, and the 
 light and glory of (lod withdrew, leaving his mind in perfect 
 peace, white a calmness and serenity indescribable pervaded the 
 soul. But before morning, the vision was twice renewed, 
 instructing him further and still furtlier concerniiig the great 
 work of (n)d about to be performed on the earth. In the 
 morning he went out to his work as usual, but soon the vision 
 was renewed — the angel again appeared, and, having been 
 informed by the previous visions of the night, concerning the 
 l)lace where those records were deposited, he was instructed to 
 go immediately and view them." 
 
 Accordingly, says Joseph, "I left the field, and went to the 
 I (lace where the messenger had told me the plates were depos- 
 ited ; and owing to the distinctness of the vision which 1 had 
 iiad concerning it, I knew the place the instant that I arrived 
 t here. (V)iivenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario County, 
 New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the mcjst ele- 
 vated of any in the neighborhood. On the west side of this 
 hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, 
 lay the plates, dei>()sited in a stone l)ox. This stone Avas thick 
 and rounding in the middle on the upper side, and thinner 
 towards the edges, so that the middle part of it was visible 
 above tlu; ground, but the edge all round was covered with 
 earth. Having removed the earth and obtainc^d a lever, which 
 T got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exer- 
 tion raised it up. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold 
 tiie plates, the llrini and Thummim, and the breasti)late, as 
 stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay, was 
 formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In 
 the bottoTii of the box, were laid two stones crossways of the box, 
 and on these stones lay the i)lates and the other things with 
 them. I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden 
 
JOSEPH'S FIRST VISIT TO THE HILL CUMORAH. 15 
 
 by the messenger, and was again informed that the time for 
 bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would, until 
 four years from that time; but he told me that I should come 
 to that place precisely in one year from that time, and that he 
 would there meet with me, and that I should continue to do so 
 until the time should come for obtaining the plates." 
 
 As Joseph stood by the sacred deposit "gazing and admiring, 
 the angel said, 'Look!' And as he thus spake, he beheld the 
 Prince of Darkness, surrounded by his innumerable train of 
 associates. All this passed before him, and the heavenly 
 messenger said, 'All this is shown, the good and the evil, the 
 holy and impure, the glory of Clod, and the power of darkness, 
 that you may know hereafter the two powers, and never be 
 influenced or overcome by the wicked one. Behold, whatso- 
 e^'er enticeth and leadeth to good and to do good is of God, 
 and whatsoever doth not is of that wicked one. It is he that 
 filleth the hearts of men with evil, to walk in darkness and 
 blaspheme God ; and you may learn from henceforth that his 
 ways are to destruction, but the way of holiness is peace and 
 rest. You cannot, at this time, obtain this record, for the com- 
 mandment of God is strict, and if ever these sacred things arc 
 obtained, they must be bv praver and faithfulness in obejang 
 the Lord.' " 
 
 Many other principles were revealed to Joseph by the angel, 
 who then made the following prophetic declarations : 
 
 "I give unto you another sign, and when it comes to pass, 
 then know that the Lord is God, and that He will fulfill His pur- 
 poses, and that the knowledge which this record contains will 
 go to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people under 
 the whole heaven.^ This is the sign: when these things begin 
 to be known, that is, when it is known that the Lord has shown 
 you these things, the workers of iniquity will seek your over- 
 throw. They will circulate falsehoods to destroy your reputa- 
 tion, and also will seek to take your life ; but remember this, if 
 you are faithful and shall hereafter continue to keep the com- 
 mandments of the Lord, you shall be preserved to bring 
 these things forth ; for in due time He will give you a com- 
 mandment to come and take them. When they are interprete<i 
 the Lord will give the holy priesthood to some, and they shall 
 begin to proclaim this gospel and baptize by water, and after 
 that they shall have power to give the Holy Ghost by the lay- 
 ing on of their hands. Then will persecution rage more and 
 more; for the iniquities of men shall be revealed, and those 
 v.'ho are not built upon the Kock will seek to overthrow the 
 church; but it will increase the more opposed, and spread far- 
 ther and farther, increasing in knowledge till they shall be 
 sanctified, and receive an inheritance where the glory of God 
 
16 THE ^rARTlTlS. 
 
 will rest upon them; and when this takes place, and all things 
 are prepared, the ten tribes of Israel will be revealed in the 
 north c'ountrj', whither they have been for a long season ; and 
 when this is fulfilled will be brought to pass that sajang of the 
 prophet, — 'And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto 
 them that turn from trangression in Jacob, saith the Lord. ' 
 But notwithstanding tlie workers of iniquity shall seek your 
 destruction, the arm of the Lord will be extended, and you will 
 be borne oif conqueror if you keep all His commandments. 
 Your name shall be known among the nations, for the work 
 which the Lord will perform by your hands shall cause the 
 righteous to rejoice and the wicked to rage; with the one it 
 shall be had in honor, and with the other in reproach ; yet, 
 with these it shall be a terror, because of the great and mar- 
 velous work which shall follow the coming forth of this fullness 
 of the gospel. Now, go thy way, remembering what the Lord 
 hath done for thee, and be dihgent in keeping His command- 
 ments, and He will deliver thee from temptations and all the 
 arts and devices of the wicked one. Forget not to pray, that 
 thy mind may become strong, that when He shall manifest unto 
 thee thou mayest have power to escape the evil and obtain 
 these precious things. 
 
 After this vision, Joseph, in consequence of the poor circum- 
 stances of his father, left home and obtained employment from 
 a Mr. Josiah Stoal, of Chenango County, New York. While 
 employed by this gentleman, he became acquainted with Miss 
 Emma Hale, daughter of Isaac Hale. This acquaintance 
 resulted in the marriage of the two on the 27th of Januarj^, 
 1827. Miss Hale's parents were, at first, much opposed to the 
 match, on account of the strong prejudice against Joseph, 
 resulting from his having seen a vision ; but they finally became 
 reconciled. 
 
Isaiah's prophecy concerning the last days. 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE EX^VMPLE set BY JOSEPH SMITH — PREDICTIONS FUL- 
 FILLED IN HIS PERSECUTION — PROOF THAT HE WAS NOT 
 A "false prophet" — VISIT AND VIEW THE SACRED 
 RECORDS ONCE A YEAR— OBTAIN POSSESSION OF THEM— 
 DEVICES OF HIS ENEMIES TO SECURE THEM — REMOVAL 
 TO PENNSYLVANIA — BOOK OF MORMON TRANSLATED 
 AND PUBLISHED — ITS TITLE AN ANCIENT ONE— CHURCH 
 ORGANIZED — MOBBED, TARRED AND FEATHERED — 
 PREACH TO MOBBERS — CHILD DIES— MOBS IN OHIO AND 
 mSSOURI— RELIGION THEIR ONLY OFFENSE— HOUSE TORN 
 j)OWN — PRESS CONFISCATED— TARRED AND FEATHERED 
 —DRIVEN TO PRAIRIES AND WOODS — CROSS THE mS- 
 SOURI — FIND REFUGE. 
 
 THE reader will bear in mind that all the manifestations and 
 revelations mentioned in the foregoing quotations, were 
 given to Joseph from earlj^ in the spring of 1820, up to the 
 21st of September, 1823. 
 
 These precious blessings were bestowed upon him through 
 the channel which the Lord has ordained by which a 
 knowledge of Himself, together with the doctrines of salvation, 
 are to flow to the children of men. These blessings were given 
 in answer to the prayer of faith, rendered to Him from a sin- 
 cere and honest heart. And these things took place at a time 
 when "darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the minds 
 of the people. {Isaiah xxix. 13-14.) "Wherefore the Lord 
 said. Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, 
 and with their hps do honor me, but have removed their heart 
 far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the pre- 
 cepts of men : therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a mar- 
 velous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a 
 wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the 
 understanding of their pi-udent shall be hid. 
 
18 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 To be sure, people prayed in those days ; they offered long 
 prayers, to be seen and heard of men, in public places, (as 
 many do now), that they might get praise. But here was 
 a youth who was honest-hearted. Beared to follow his 
 father's plow, he imbibed inspirations of humility from 
 the rural walks of life — amidst fields and woods, the hills and 
 and waving grain, and, like David of old. among the lowing 
 herds. His niind was untainted by the conflict of opinions that 
 jan-ed the sects and turned their feet from the old paths where 
 apostles and prophets were wont to tread. He looked in vain 
 to the existing creeds. In his honest soul there was a void 
 they could not fill ; a longing for certainties they could not pro- 
 duce. Turning from them all, retreating from the gaze of 
 men, he sought seclusion in the silent woods, where no eyes 
 could behold and no ears hear him but those of God and His 
 angels. "He that asketh in secret shall be rewarded openly," 
 is a promise made by the Savior Himself, agreeing with that of 
 James, already quoted; and, by acting in accordance with 
 these, Joseph Smith proved himself worthy of, and actually 
 did receive, the promised blessing. 
 
 Yet when he told what he had seen and heard, he was 
 mocked, abused, and shunned by the wicked ; and professors 
 of religion declared it could not be true that he had been 
 favored with a xhum ; that he had not heard the voices of the 
 Father and the Son ; that he had not seen an holy angel and 
 listened to insi)ired words from his lips; for, said they, these 
 things all ceased with the ancients; they are all done away, 
 and God will never more appcsar to men in the flesh or send 
 angels to reveal His will. 
 
 It is ardently hoi)ed that the rising generation, the \oLiug 
 especially among the Latter-day Saints, will use this great key 
 to which reference is here made and follow the example of the 
 prophet Joseph in his boyhood, that none of them may longer 
 say they believe the gospel is true because father and mother 
 say so; but that they may learn from God, by the manifesta- 
 tions of His Spirit to them, that the gospel is true; that God 
 lives and His kingdom is being established upon the earth to 
 stand forever. 
 
PREDICTIONS FULFILLED IN JOSEPH S PERSECLTIONS. 19 
 
 This knowledge is within their reach. Ask and receive; 
 inquire and you will not be turned away empty ; but you can 
 hiow of these things for "yourselves and not for another." 
 It is, in part, for the benefit of the youth, the thousands who 
 have been born since the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyruni 
 Smith, as well as the multitudes of people who have since come 
 from the nations of the earth and the islands of the sea, that 
 the writer has undertaken to collate and print some of the lead- 
 ing facts connected with the rise of this Church and the mar- 
 tyrdom of these first and leading champions of the w^ork of 
 God upon the earth. 
 
 But the oldest living members of the Church; those who 
 have stood side by side with these noble martyrs ; those who 
 were with them in prison ; those who offered their lives to save 
 that of the Prophet, and were the guards and protectors of his 
 person ; those who have passed through mobs and seen the 
 ])lood of the imiocent shed without provocation; those who 
 have been deprived of liberty and driven into exile, and whose 
 forms are bent wdth exposure and whose heads are white with 
 the frosts of time — they, too, may derive some consolation by 
 perusing this brief narrati^'e of past incidents in which they were 
 honored to take a part. 
 
 Special attention should be gi\ en to the latter portion of the 
 angefs message, which foretold the persecutions in store for 
 Joseph, and not for him alone, but for all those who should 
 thereafter receive the Priesthood and take a part in the min- 
 istry. Throughout the whole of Joseph Smith's Hfe, from 
 that time up to his tragic death, as will be seen from the inci- 
 dents herein narrated, the words of the angel were literally 
 fulfilled, and they have, also, up to the present day, been 
 proved tiiie in the case of those who accepted the testimony of 
 J oseph and obeyed the gospel he taught. These things were thus 
 declared in the veiy beginning, and marked out as being among 
 the characteristic features of the people of God. until the Prince 
 of Darkness shall be overthrown. 
 
 Thus was Joseph Smith given to understand, in the very 
 commencemet of his public career, what he might expect as a 
 consequence of his obedience to the requirements of the 
 Almighty ; and had he not been a noble spirit and inspired for 
 
20 THE MARTYl^S. 
 
 the work, he must certainly have shrunk from the task. The 
 fact of his making known these predictions of the angel, and 
 thus warning his followers of what they must undergo, is a 
 strong proof that he was not the "false prophet" that many 
 have declared him to be, and that he had no ulterior motives 
 in asking people to accept the doctrines ho taught. A false 
 prophet, establishing a delusion, would have offered a more 
 tempting picture than this to those he wished to ensnare. 
 
 Once in each year, after the interview with the angel, before 
 referred to, in 1823, Joseph repaired to the hill where the 
 plates were still deposited, where he, each time, met with this 
 same heavenly messenger and received much further instruc- 
 tion, until the time had fully arrived when the plates were to be 
 delivered into his hands, which took place on the 22nd of Sep- 
 tember, 1827. And so true were the words of the angel as to 
 the persecutions that were to befall Joseph, when he should 
 come in possession of these sacred records, that while he was 
 returning home, with them in his possession, he was waylaid by 
 two men who had secreted themselves purposely to rob him. 
 He was struck with a club; but finally succeeded in eluding 
 them and reached his father's house in safety. 
 
 False rumors and misrepresentations, as to his character, 
 were put in circulation. "The house was frequently beset by 
 mobs nnd evil designing persons. Several times he was shot 
 at and verj' narrowly escaped. Every device was used to get 
 the plates away from him. And being continually in danger 
 of his life from a gang of abandoned wretches, he at length con- 
 cluded to leave the place and go to Pennsylvania ; and accord- 
 ingly packed up his goods, putting the plates in a barrel of 
 beans, and proceeded upon his journe.y. He had not gone far 
 before he was overtaken by an officer with a search-warrant, 
 who flattered himself with the idea that he should surely 
 obtain the plates. After searching very diligently, he was sadly 
 disappointed at not finding them. Joseph drove on, but before 
 he got to his journey's end he was again overtaken by an offi- 
 cer on the same business, and after ransacking the wagon very 
 carefully, he went his way as much chagrinned as the first, at 
 not being able to discover the object of his research. Without 
 any further molestation he pursued his journey until he came 
 
TRANSLATION OF THE RECORDS. 21 
 
 into the northern part of Pennsylvania, near the Susquehannah 
 river, in which part his flither-in-law resided." 
 
 As soon as he provided himself with a home, he began the 
 translation of the plates, by the gift and power of Grod, through 
 the means of the Urim and Thummim. This he continued, 
 having for his scribe, most of the time, Oliver Cowdery, until 
 the records upon the plates were all translated with the excep- 
 tion of some which were sealed, and which the angel informed 
 him were not then to be translated. The portion translated 
 was finally printed in the fore part of the year 1830, the 
 means to defray the expense of the same being furnished by 
 Martin Harris. 
 
 In relation to the title of the book, Joseph says, in his his- 
 tory : 
 
 "I wish to mention here, that the title page of the Book of 
 Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, 
 on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which 
 contained the record which has been translated, the language 
 of the whole running the same as all Hebrew writing in general ; 
 and that said title page is n'ot by any means a modern compo- 
 sition, either of mine or any other man's who has lived or does 
 live in this generation. Therefore, in order to correct an error 
 which generally exists concerning it, I give below that part of 
 the title page of the English version of the Book of Mormon 
 which is a genuine and literal translation of the title page of the 
 original book of Mormon, as recorded on the plates — 
 
 THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 An account icritten hy the hand of Mormon, upon Plates, taken 
 from the Plates of NepM.''' 
 
 In the meantime the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 
 Saints had been organized. This organization was the result 
 of revelations to Joseph Smith, and occurred at the house of 
 Peter Whitmer, Sen., in Fayette, Seneca County, State of 
 New York, on the sixth day of April, A. D. , eighteen hundred 
 and thirty. Joseph had also received many visits from heav- 
 enly beings conferring keys upon him which they had held in 
 former dispensations — the keys of the Aaronic and Melchise- 
 dek Priesthoods, etc. 
 
 The principal theme dwelt upon in this little volume, is, in 
 some respects, an unpleasant one. It is not agreeable to dwell 
 
I'l THE 3IARTYRS. 
 
 Upon topics which rend the heart and shock sensibihty ; but 
 when deeds of violence have been committed and the innocent 
 phmged into conditions of unmerited suffering, it is but the 
 performance of duty to vindicate the injured. When the hon- 
 est and meek in heart are mahgned and their best and noblest 
 motives construed for evil, it is but the work of justice that the 
 pen should wield its potent influence in their defense. When 
 the high-minded are sought to be debased, and the patriotic 
 and loyal have their truest acts of allegiance given the coloring 
 of treason, by unprincipled religious partizans, it should be the 
 privilege of any who choose, to champion their just cause. It 
 is painful to reflect that deeds partaking of barbaric cruelty, 
 like the ones still to be refeiTcd to, have really transpired in 
 our beloved America, the land of boasted political liberty and 
 freedom of conscience. 
 
 The rage, malice and wicked feeling that existed in the 
 hearts of the ungodly against Joseph and Hyrum Smith were 
 not just fanned into a blaze during the last few months of their 
 citizenship in Illinois. As alread\^' shown, this cruel and unre- 
 lenting spirit of mobocracy was inaugurated from the very day 
 and hour that Joseph was charged with the Divine trust and 
 became the chosen mouthpiece of God to man. And, not 
 Joseph and Hyrum Smith only, but, after the Church was 
 organized and the Priesthood was conferred upon others and 
 they began to preach the gospel and to baptize by immersion 
 in water, and they held the power to confer the Holy Ghost by 
 the laying on of hands, then, as the angel foretold, did ''perse- 
 cution rage more and more." All who took a part in the min- 
 istry in those early times, and those who have done go from 
 that day to the present, have had to contend with the powers 
 and machinations of the Prince of Darkness. 
 
 An account of the mobbing which took place (March 25th, 
 1832,) at Hiram, where Joseph lived, at the time, with ''Father 
 Johnson, " ' is thus related by Joseph : 
 
 "On the 2r)th of March, the twins before mentioned, which 
 had been sick of the measles for some time, caused us to be 
 broken of our rest in taking care of them, especially my wife. 
 In the evening I told her she had better retire to rest with one 
 of the children, and I would watch with the sickest child. In 
 
THE MOBBING AT HIRAM. -i.i 
 
 the night she told me I had better lay down on the trundle bed, 
 and 1 did so, and was soon after awoke by her screainnig wwr- 
 (ler! when 1 found myself going out of the door, ni the hands 
 of about a dozen men ; son^ie of whose hands were in my hair,^ 
 and some hold of mv shirt, drawers and limbs. The foot ot 
 the trundle ])ed was towards the door, leaving only room enough 
 for the door to swing. .My wife heard a gentle tapping on the 
 windows, which she then took no particular notice ol, (but which 
 was unquestionablv designed for ascertaining whether we were 
 all asleep, j and soon after the mob burst open the door and 
 surrounded the bed in an instant, and, as i said, the first 1 
 knew 1 was going out of the door in the hands of an infuriated 
 mob. 1 made a desperate struggle, as i was forced out. to 
 extricate mvself, but only cleared one leg, with which I rnade a 
 pass at onenian, and he fell on the door steps. I was imme- 
 diateh' confined again; and they swore by G^od, they would 
 kill me if I did not be still, which quieted me. As they passed 
 around the house with me, the fellow that I kicked came to me 
 and thrust his hand into my face, all covered with blood, (tor 1 
 hit him on the nose, ) and with an exulting horse laugh, mut- 
 tered; 'ge, gee, G—d damn ye, I'll fix ye.' 
 
 ^•Then they seized me by the throat, and held on till I lost my 
 breath. After I came to. as they passed along with me, about 
 thirtv rods from the house, I saw Elder lligdon stretched out 
 on the ground, whither they had dragged him by the heels. 1 
 supposed he was dead. 
 
 ' 'I began to plead with them, saying, \you will have mercy, and 
 spare mv life, I hope. ' To which they replied, ' G—d damn ye, 
 call on yer God for help, well show ye no mercy ;^ and the 
 people beo-an to show themselves in every direction ; one com- 
 ing from "the orchard had a plank, and I expected they would 
 kin me, and carry me off on the plank. They then turned to 
 the risht, and went on about thirty rods farther, about sixty 
 rods from the house, and thirty from where I saw Elder Kig- 
 don, into the meadow, where they stopped, and one said, 
 'Simonds, Simonds" (meaning, I supposed, Simonds Kider,) 
 'pull up his drawers, pull up his drawers, he wiU take cold.' 
 Another replied: 'aint ye going to kilVimf aint ye going to 
 kill 'imf when a group of mobbers collected a little way oft, 
 and said: -Simonds. Simonds. come here;' and Simonds 
 charged those who had hold of me to keep me from touching the 
 ground, (as thev had done all the time) lest I should get a 
 spring upon them. They went and held a council, and as I 
 could occasionally overhear a word, I supposed it was to know 
 whether it was best to kill me. They returned, after a while, 
 when 1 learned that they had concluded not to kill me, but 
 pound and scratch me well, tear oft" my shirt and drawers, and 
 leave me naked: one cried, 'Simonds, Simonds, ivheres the tar 
 
24 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 bucJcetf ^I doiit know,' answered one, ''where 'tis; Elis left 
 it. ' They ran back and fetched the bucket of tar, when one 
 exclaimed, ''G — d damn it, let us tar up his mouth f and they 
 tried to force the tar-paddle into my mouth ; I twisted my head 
 around, so that they could not; and they cried out, ^G — d 
 damn ye, hold up yer head, and let us give ye som,e tar. ' _ They 
 then tried to force a vial into my mouth, and broke it in my 
 teeth. All my clothes were torn off me except my shirt collar; 
 and one man fell on me and scratched my body with his nails 
 like a mad cat, and then muttered out : ' G — d damn ye, that's 
 the way the Holy Ghost falls on folks.' 
 
 "Thej^ then left me, and I attempted to arise, but fell again; 1 
 pulled the tar away from my lips, etc. , so that I could breathe 
 more freely, and after awhile I began to recover, and raised 
 myself up, wdien I saw two lights. I made my way towards 
 one of them, and found it was Father Johnson's. When I had 
 come to the door, I w^as naked, and the tar made me look as 
 though I had been covered wdth blood, and when my wife saw 
 me she thought I was all mashed to pieces, and fainted. Dur- 
 ing the affray abroad, the sisters of the neighborhood had col- 
 lected at my room. I called for a blanket ; they threw me one 
 and shut the door ; I wrapped it around me and went in. ' ' 
 
 In this inhuman onslaught, Sidney Rigdon was dragged by 
 his heels over the frozen ground until his head was badly las- 
 cerated, which rendered him delirious for several days. "Father 
 Johnson' ' was also roughly handled. Joseph' s friends spent the 
 remainder of the night in removing the tar and washing and 
 cleansing his body, so that he could be clothed again. The 
 next day was Sunday, and, true to his mission, and agreeably 
 with his determined purpose to do the will of heaven, he w^ent 
 to meeting, with his "fiesh all scarified and defaced," and 
 preached to a congregation, among whom were the identical 
 mobbers who had thus invaded his home, dragged him from 
 his imploring wife and sick children, and abused him in a man- 
 ner disgraceful even to the character of savages. 
 
 Owing to the exposure to which the sick children were sub- 
 jected through this sudden and cruel demonstration, one of 
 them received a severe cold and died soon afterwards. 
 
 The mobbers were mostly, if not entirely, professors of reli- 
 gion. Simonds llider, the leader of the mob, was a Campbellite 
 preacher. Not satisfied with the cruelties inflicted, they kept 
 up their aggressive demonstrations around "Father Johnson's" 
 for some time afterwards. 
 
INDUSTRY OF THE SAINTS. 25 
 
 The spirit ofmobocracy also prevailed, at that time, in Kirt- 
 land, (Ohio,) and, more or less, all through that region of 
 country the Saints were much opposed and persecuted. And 
 it was not confined to that locality. 
 
 In Missouri, at Independence, Jackson County, where a 
 colony or settlement of some twelve or fifteen hundred Latter- 
 day Saints were located, great troubles and perplexities existed. 
 It is regretted that the limits of these pages will not admit 
 of giving a more lengthy account of these difficulties. But let 
 us glance at a few of their leading features. 
 
 The Saints in Jackson County were generally poor as to this 
 world's goods ; yet, by their industry, they had provided them- 
 selves generally with homes and purchased extensive tracts of 
 land. A printing press had been established and a paper was 
 printed monthly, entitled The Evening and Morning Star, 
 edited by W. W. Phelps. Sidney A. G-ilbert was conducting 
 quite a thriving mercantile business, and several mechanical 
 industries engaged the attention of their enterprising artizans ; 
 but ^agriculture was their most common pursuit. 
 
 Their religion taught them to respect the laws of the State, 
 which they studiously observed; but theiv union and con- 
 scientious convictions of the true and living Grod, stood out m 
 plain contradistinction to the conflicting sentiments and confused 
 ideas of the religionists of that region, and herein was the bona 
 fide cause of their off"ending. For this their neighbors should 
 not have felt agrieved, as the religion taught by our people was 
 the true religion of the Bible, which was ever>-where held up as 
 the foundation for Christian belief Faith in God and in His 
 Son Jesus Christ, repentance and baptism for the remission of 
 sins, and the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy 
 Ghost, by those holding the Priesthood, were among the lead- 
 ing doctrines. But they said the Saints were presumptuous 
 and believed in prophets, in apostles, in gifts of healing, in 
 speaking in unknown tongues, in dreams and visions, in the 
 ministration of angels, and in revelations from God to the 
 children of men. The Saints plead guilty to all these charges, 
 and announced many glorious things besides as being among 
 their belief, and which were in accordance with scriptural evi- 
 dence and the prophetic declarations of the long list of ancient 
 
 1* 
 
26 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 prophets who left their -testimonies upon the sacred pages of 
 holy writ. But that they were peace-breakers, disloyal, op- 
 posed to the laws of the State and Constitution of the United 
 States, they plainly denied. 
 
 This hatred against the Jackson County Saints eventuated 
 in the most bitter hostility : 
 
 "On the 2()th of July, 1833, a mob collected [at Indepen- 
 dence] and demanded the discontinuance of the printing in 
 Jackson County^the closing of the store — and the cessation of 
 all mechanical labors. The brethren refused compliance, and 
 the consequence was. that the house of W. W. Phelps, which 
 contained the printing establishment, was thrown down, the 
 materials taken possession of by the mob, many papers 
 destroyed, and the family and furniture thrown out of doors. 
 
 The mob then proceeded to violence towards Edward Par- 
 tridge, the Bishop of the Church. They strij^ped him ot his hat, 
 coat and vest, and daubed him with tar from head to foot. 
 Charles Allen was treated in the same ruthless manner, all 
 because they would not agree to leave the country, or deny 
 "Mormonism. J' 
 
 On the morning of the 23rd of July; on the nights of the 
 31st of October and the 1st of November, and also on the 4th 
 of November, mobbing parties gathered in the different set- 
 tlements of the brethren about the Blue river, and Indepen- 
 dence, and committed many acts of barbarism, really shocking 
 to humanitj^ Houses were demolished ; the Saints were shot 
 at and beaten with guns, sticks, etc. , and women and children 
 fled for their lives to the prairies and woods. On the nights of 
 November 5th and 6th, women and children continued to flee 
 before the relentless mob. 
 
 On the 7th of November, 1833, the banks of the- Missouri 
 river began to be thronged with homeless outcasts — the Saints 
 of the living God— and the ferrymen were using their best 
 energies to convey them to the Clay County shore, where they 
 found temporary refuge from their infuriated assailants. 
 
SAINTS SETTLE IN CLAY, AND OTHER COUNTIES. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 SETTLE IN CLAY, RAY CALDWELL AND DA VIES COUNTIES — 
 FAR WEST — HOSTILITIES RECOMMENCED — MOB AIDED BY 
 MILITLl — BOGGS' ORDER TO EXTERMINATE THE SAINTS 
 — HAUN'S mill MASSACRE AND OTHER OUTRAGES— MOB 
 AND MILITIA FORCES CONCENTRATED AT FAR WEST — 
 FORMED IN BATTLE ARRAY — MOB OUTNUMBER SAINTS 
 TWENTY-THREE FOLD — THREATENED MASSACRE — IIIN- 
 KLE's TREACHERY — LEADING SAINTS TAKEN PRISONERS 
 — COURT 3IARTIAL— SENTENCED TO BE SHOT IN PRESENCE 
 
 OF THEIR FA3IILIES— Doniphan's noble action— pris- 
 oners TAKEN TO independence— SYMPATHY FOR TE[EM 
 — CONFINED IN JAIL, HEAVILY IRONED— A PRISON SCENE 
 — DIGNITY IN CHAINS — PRISONERS ENTER LIBERTY JAIL 
 — GIVEN POISON AND HUMAN FLESH TO EAT — THE ESCAPE. 
 
 pOPt some time after the expulsion of the Saints from Jack- 
 ^ son County, they were permitted to dwell in comparative 
 peace in Clay and Pay Counties. Finally they commenced to 
 remove into the Counties of Caldwell and Davis, which were 
 newly organized, and where much of the land was still the 
 property of the government, to which titles could be secured 
 under the laws of pre-emption. In Caldwell they surveyed off 
 and built up the well known city of Far West. 
 
 This place is located about fifty miles east of the Missouri 
 River, and sixty miles from Independence, upon a high rolling 
 prairie. Its elevation commands a convenient view for miles 
 around. The face of the country is undulating, and interspersed 
 with lines of timber that skirt the margins of several small 
 but living streams. At no very great distance, heavier bodies 
 of timber break the monotony of the prairie scene. Ever}^- 
 thing conspires to make the situation delightful. The soil is a 
 dark loam, rich and productive. It soon became a place of 
 considerable business. Several dry-goods stores and a variety 
 
28 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 of mechanical pursuits were conducted. Comfortable dwel- 
 lings were erected and the ground excavated for the foundation 
 of a temple. 
 
 As a result of their habitual industry and thrift, farms were 
 opened, grain was abundantly raised, and the faints found 
 themselves once more in the enjoyment of all necessary tem- 
 poral comforts. 
 
 Soon their prosperity, coupled with union.- excited the envy 
 and jealousy of the citizens of the adjacent Counties, and the 
 old Jackson County mob spirit began to be rekindled in their 
 bosoms. In CaiToll and Saline Counties, in particular, public 
 :neetings were held by the citizens to consider what could be 
 done with the ' Olormons. ' ' They went so far as to pass reso- 
 lutions declaring their intentions to do all in their power to 
 • "drive the citizens belonging to the Church from their Counties, 
 and, if possible, from the State." 
 
 As a kind of auxiliary force, to act in sympathy with these 
 treasonable movements, a company of one thousand men were 
 marched into Davies County, and served thirty days, under the 
 command of Major General Atchison and Brigader Generals 
 Parks and Doniphan. At least, this force did not seem to use 
 itvS energies to guard the liberties and rights of the people, 
 except in the immediate vicinity of their encampment, as the 
 mob forces were allowed to roam at will and bui-n and plunder 
 without restraint. 
 
 Soon after, the notorious mobocrat, Lilbum W. Boggs — then 
 governor of the State — issued his cruel and unjustifiable 
 exterminating order, and called out a force of ten thousand 
 men, under the command of General Clark, to enforce its 
 execution. The express orders were to exterminate the "Mor- 
 mons," or drive them from the State. 
 
 In addition to Clark's force, another one of three or four 
 thousand strong, under Major General D. Lucas and Brig- 
 adier General Moses Wilson, made up chiefly of the old Jack- 
 S(jn County mobocrats, preceded the anival of General Clark, 
 to the city of Far West. 
 
 In the meantime, the citizens of Caldwell and Davis had 
 not been idle. Everything in their power had been done to 
 present their liberties and the lives of their wives and chil- 
 
MOBBED AND MASSACRED. 29 
 
 dren. Many of the outer settlements were vacated by them and 
 then- corn fields were trodden down by the horses of these mth- 
 less brigands. Numbers of the inhabitants fled to Far West 
 for protection. The notorious Cornelius Gillum, with a band 
 of desperadoes, painted as Indian warriors, had made raids 
 through the settlements, plundering and committing murders. 
 Another company from Carroll County had murdered some 
 eighteen or twenty men. women and children at Haun's 
 Mill. 
 
 These forces swelled the ranks of Lucas, at Goose Creek, as 
 that General first began to menace Far West. 
 
 The combined forces of Clark, Lucas. Gillum. etc. , numbered 
 some sixteen thousand, perhaps more. 
 
 The force of militia at Far West did not number more than 
 about six or seven hundred. 
 
 Xot much more than one mile separated the two forces. 
 
 What was to be done ? This was a momentous question, and 
 one which must be decided without delay. 
 
 A white flag was sent out by each party. They met between 
 the armies. The message from the assailants was : ' "We want 
 three persons out of the city before we massacre the rest. 
 
 Our people on learning that this formidable force were acting 
 by the orders of the governor, came to the conclusion not to 
 oppose any properly authorized force, but to submit to their 
 demands, however unjust they might be. 
 
 Not to be tedious, it need only be said here that the result 
 was, that, by the treacheiy of Colonel George M. Hinkle, 
 Messrs. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, H\Tum Smith. L^Tnan 
 Wight. George Robinson and Parley P. Pratt were delivered 
 up to the enemy, tmder the ' 'assurance that as soon as peace- 
 able arrangements could be entered into,'" they should be 
 released. 
 
 But brief allusions have herein been made to the causes 
 which led to the Missouri troubles and the final surrender of 
 these men. Nor have a himdredth part of the cruelties 
 inflicted upon an innocent people for their rehgion been stated. 
 By referring to the ""Histor}- of Joseph Smith"" and the 
 '"Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt," the reader can find full 
 and detailed accoimts of these things. Neither is there space 
 
30 THE IVIARTYRS. 
 
 in this volume to record fully the historj' of their cruel treat- 
 ment while held as prisoners. 
 
 The very first night they were taken into custody a council 
 of the officers, or court martial, sentenced them to be shot, 
 notwithstanding Lucas' assurance of protection and liberty as 
 soon as peaceable arrangements could be entered into. This was to 
 take place the following morning at eight o'clock, in the public 
 square at Far West. It was, however, prevented by Brigadier 
 General ])oniphan, who was in the council, and threatened to 
 withdraw his command if they did not retract. Said he: "It 
 is cold blooded murder, and I wash my hands of it." 
 
 They were allowed to take a hurried leave of their heart- 
 broken families and were forced away by their relentless captors 
 to Indedendence, Jackson County, where they "were paraded 
 in martial triumph through the principal streets, the bugles 
 sounding a blast of triumphant jo}'." 
 
 It is strange that in that hot-bed of mobocracy, where in 
 1832-3, the people raged and imagined vain things; in that 
 County where the abodes of peace and industry were torn down 
 and committed to the devouring element ; where women and 
 children, dismayed, fled to the woods and cheerless prairies for 
 safety, while frosts and piercing winds chilled their scantily-clad 
 forms ; where conscientious worshipers were driven from the 
 sacred altars where thej^ offered their devotions ; where Ameri- 
 can citizens were driven from their lands and denie^^the sacred 
 rights of citizenship; yes, it is indeed strange, that in such a 
 locality, such a people could be touched with the sanctifying 
 emotions of sympathy and kindness towards the noble prisoners 
 in their midst — and these prisoners the earthly head of that 
 religion which they spurned and the devotees of which they 
 had so relentlessly driven from their borders. Yet their feelings 
 were touched and their hearts softened, as may be seen by the 
 following from the writings of Parley P. Pratt, a fellow 
 prisoner with the Prophet : 
 
 "A vacant house was prepared for our reception, into which 
 we were ushered through the crowd of spectators which 
 thronged every avenue. 
 
 ' ' The troops were then disbanded. In the meantime we were 
 kept under a small guard, and were treated with some degree 
 
SYMPATHY FOR THE PRISONERS. 31 
 
 of liunianity, while liimdreds flocked to sec us day after da3\ 
 We spent most of our time in preaching and conversation, explan- 
 atory of our doctrines and i)ractice. IMuch prejudice was re- 
 moved, and the feelings of the populace began to be in our 
 i'avor, notwithstanding their former wickedness and hatred. 
 Tn a day or two we were at liberty to w^alk the streets without 
 a guard. We were finally removed from our house of con- 
 finement to a hotel, where we boarded at the pubhc table, 
 and lodged on the iloor. with a block of wood for. a pillow. 
 ^^e no longer had any guard; we went out and came in 
 when we ])leased — a certain keeper being appointed merely 
 to watcli over us, and look to or wants. 
 
 "With him we walked out of town to the westward, and visited 
 the desolate lands of the Saints, and the place which, seven 
 years before, we had dedicated for the building of a Temple. 
 This was a beautiful rise of ground, about half a mile west of 
 Independence centre. _ When we saw it last it was a noble forest, 
 but our enemies liad since robbed it of every vestige of timber, 
 and it now lay desolate, or clothed with grass and weeds, 
 
 "0, how many feelings did this spot awaken in our bosoms! 
 Here we had often bowed the knee in prayer, in bygone years. 
 Here we had_ assembled with hundreds of happy Saints in the 
 sjjemn meeting, and offered our songs, and sacraments, and 
 orisons. But now all was solemn and lonely desolation. Not 
 a vestige remained to mark the spot where stood our former dwell- 
 ings. They had long since been consumed by fire, or removed 
 and converted to the uses of our enemies. 
 
 _-■ "While at Independence, we were once or twice invited to dine 
 with (leneral Wilson and some others, which we did. 
 
 While thus sojourning as prisoners at large, I arose one morn- 
 ing when it was very snowy, and passed silently and unmolested 
 out of the hotel, and, as no one seemed to notice me, or call me 
 in question, I thought I would try an experiment. I passed on 
 eastward through the town ; no one noticed me. I then took 
 into the fields, still unobseiyed. After traveling a mile I entered 
 a forest ; all was gloomy silence, none were near, the heavens 
 were darkened and obscured by falling snow, my track was covered 
 behind me, and I was free. I knew the way to the States east- 
 ward very well, and there seemed nothing to prevent m.y pursuing 
 my way thither; thoughts of freedom beat high in my bosom ; 
 wife, children, home, freedom, peace, and aland of law and order, 
 all arose in my mind; I could go to other States, send for my 
 family, make me a home, and be happ3\ 
 
 "On the other hand, I was a prisoner in a State where all law 
 was at an end. I was liable to be shot down at any time without 
 judge or jury. I was liable to be tried for my life by murderous 
 assassins, who had already broken every oath of office, and tram- 
 pled on every principle of honor or even humanity. Hands 
 
32 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 already drippiiiG: with the blood of aged sires, and of helpless 
 women and children, were reaching out for my destruction. The 
 battle of Crooked River had already been construed into murder 
 on the part of the brave patriots who there defended their lives 
 and rescued their fellow citizens from kidnappers and land pirates, 
 while the pirates themselves had been converted into loyal 
 militia. 
 
 "To go forward was freedom, to go backward was to be sent to 
 Gi-eneral Clark, and be accused of the highest crimes, with mur- 
 derers forjudge, jury, and executioners. 
 
 '"Go free!" whispered the tempter. 
 
 " 'No !' said I, 'never, while Josei)h and his fellows are in the 
 power of the enemy. What a storm of trouble, or even of death, 
 it might subject them to. ' 
 
 ' "I turned on my heel, retraced my steps, and entered the hotel 
 ere they had missed me. As I shook the snow off my clothes, 
 the keeper and also brother Joseph inquired where I had been. 
 I replied, just out for a little exercise. A walk for pleasure in 
 such a storm gave rise to some pleasantries on their part, and 
 there the matter ended. 
 
 ' 'There was one thing which buoyed up our spirits continually 
 during our, captivity : it was the remembrance of the word of the 
 Lord to brother Joseph, saying that our lives should all be given 
 us during this captivity, and not one of them should be lost. I 
 thought of this while in the wilderness vacillating whether to go or 
 stay, and the thought struck me : 'IlcthativiUseektosarehish'fe 
 shall lose it ; but he that will lose his life for my sake shall fiud 
 it again, even life eternal.' I could now make sure of my 
 part in the first resurrection, as I had so intensely desired when 
 about eleven years old. But 0, the path of life ! How was it 
 beset with trials ! 
 
 ' 'At length, after repeated demands, we were sent to General 
 Clark, at liichmond, Ray County. Generals Lucas and Wilson 
 had tried in vain for some days to get a guard to accomi)any us. 
 None would volunteer, and when drafted they would not obey 
 orders; for, in truth, they wished us to go at liberty. At last 
 a colonel and two or three officers started with us, with their 
 swords and pistols, which were intended more to protect us than 
 to keep us from escaping. On this journey some of us rode in 
 carriages and some on horseback. Sometimes we were sixty or 
 eighty rods in front or rear of our guards, who were drinking 
 hard out of bottles which they carried in their pockets. 
 
 "At night, having crossed the ]Missouri River, we put up at a 
 private house. Here our guards all got drunk, and went to bed 
 and to sleej). leaving us their pistols to defend ourselves in case 
 of any attack from without, as we were in a verj- hostile neigh- 
 borhood. ' ' 
 
A SCFNE IN RICHMOND JAIL. 33 
 
 Thus we see bow the Lord can work upon the hearts of the 
 children of men, and soften their feelings toward His chosen 
 servants and people, when thej>" are humble and ask in faith. 
 
 The prisoners were here received by Col. Sterling Price and 
 accompanjdng posse, who convej^ed them to Richmond, E ay- 
 County, where they underwent an ex 'parte examination before 
 Judge Austin A. King, which continued from the 11th to the 
 28th of November, and resulted in the committal of Joseph 
 Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney lligdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb 
 Baldwin and Alexander McEae to the jail of Clay County on 
 the charge of treason; and Morris Phelps, Lyman Gibbs, 
 Darwin Chase, Norman Shearer, and Parley P. Pratt, were 
 committed to the jail oT Richmond, Ray County, for the 
 alleged crime of murder, said to have been committed in the 
 act of dispersing the bandit, Bogart, and his gang. 
 
 The following eloquent extract is also taken from the writings 
 of Apostle P. P. Pratt. It describes a scene that took place in 
 the prison at Richmond, during their confinement there, and 
 illustrates one of the noble and fearless traits so often exhibited 
 in Joseph's character, when aroused with feelings of righteous 
 indignation : 
 
 "In one of those tedious nights, we had lain as if in sleep till 
 the hour of midnight had passed, and our ears and hearts had 
 been pained, while we had hstened for hours to the obscene 
 jests, the horrid oaths, the dreadful blasphemies and filthy lan- 
 guage of our guards. Colonel Price at their head, as they re- 
 counted to each other their deeds of rapine, murder, robbery, etc. , 
 which they had committed among the 'Mormons.' while at Far 
 West and vicinity. They even boasted of defiling by force, 
 wives, daughters, and vn-gins, and of shooting or dashing out 
 the brains of men, women, and children. 
 
 "I had Hstened till I became so disgusted, shocked, horrified, 
 and so filled with the spirit of indignant justice, that I could 
 scarcely refrain from rising upon my feet and rebuking the guards ; 
 but had said nothing to Joseph, or any one else, although I lay 
 next to him, and knew he was awake. On a sudden he arose 
 to his feet, and spoke in a voice of thunder, or as the roariiig 
 lion, uttering, as near as I can recollect the following words : 
 
 "' ^ SILENCE^ ye fiends of the infernal pit. In the name of 
 Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and commnnd you to he still ; I ivill 
 not live another minute and hear such language. Cease such 
 talk, or you or I die THIS INSTANT r 
 
34 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 "He cejised to speak. He stood erect in terrible majesty. 
 Chained, and without a weapon ; calm, unruffled, and dignified 
 as an angel, he looked upon the quailing guards, whose weapons 
 were lowered or dropped to tlTe ground; whose knees smote 
 together, and who, shrinking into a corner, or crouching at his 
 feet, begged his pardon, and remained quiet till a change of 
 guards. 
 
 "I have seen the ministers of justice, clothed in magisterial 
 robes, and criminals arraigned before them, while life ^yas sus- 
 pended on a breath, in the courts of England ; I have witnessed 
 a congress in solemn session to give laws to nations ; I have tried 
 to conceive of kings, of roj'al courts, of thrones and crowns, and 
 of emperors assembled to decide the fate of kingdoms ; but 
 dignity and majesty have I seen but o«ce, as it stood in .chains, 
 at midnight, in a dungeon, in an obscure village of Missouri. 
 
 The prisoners committed to the Clay County jail had irons 
 placed upon them. They were then ordered into a large 
 wagon and driven to Liberty, Clay County, and thrust into 
 prison. 
 
 The entrance of these noble prisoners into the town of Lib- 
 erty was witnessed by the writer. The wagon that contained 
 them had a large, high box, so that very little could be seen of 
 the occupants below their heads and shoulders. They passed 
 through the principal streets. Everybody, ladies and gentle- 
 men, freemen and slaves, whites, blacks and mulattoes, all 
 jostled together in an excitement to see the "Mormon Prophet." 
 They looked and gazed, and all expressed the same opinion : 
 "Well, they're fine looking men if they are Mormons.'' "The 
 Prophet looks like a gentleman. ' ' 
 
 After reaching the jail, the prisoners left the wagon, and, one 
 by one, ascended the steps to a landing or platform in front of 
 the entrance. Their steps were firm, and their forms erect, 
 notwithstanding irons had been put upon them when they took 
 the wagon at Richmond. Joseph was the last of them who 
 entered the jail, and, before doing so, he turned around and 
 surveyed the large crowd that had collected. He wore a suit of 
 black, and a cloak of dark color hung on his arm. He uncov- 
 ered his head, and, with stately dignity in his movement, as 
 his tall, manly form turned to enter the prison, said, "Good 
 afternoon, gentlemen," and the prison door was closed behind 
 him. 
 
HtT:MAN FLESH OFFERED TO THE PRISONERS. 35 
 
 This uiovement made the spectators very angry. They said 
 Joseph was defiant and did it for bravado. They declared 
 he meant, by the expression "good afternoon," to make his 
 escape that night. Joseph, being an eastern man, expressed 
 himself according to eastern custom. A western man might 
 have said, "good evening." And, for this slight discrepancy, 
 a few wished him immediately brought out, that they might 
 treat him with violence. The jailor prevented this ; and, after 
 the crowd had delivered many wicked oaths and gesticulated 
 their vengeance, they filed away from the jail, and the intrepid 
 and dauntless spirits bolted within its walls, were left to com- 
 mune in peace and solitude and seek the needed rest. 
 
 While confined there, they lay upon white oak logs that had 
 been hewn. Their food was very poor. They aver that 
 poison was administered to them three or four times, and even 
 human Jlesh was given them to eat. 
 
 After being confined there some time, Sidney Ptigdon was. 
 released on bail, and made his escape to Illinois. 
 
 Sometime in the following April, the other i)risoners were 
 taken to Davies County. They there got a change of venue to 
 Boone County, for which place they started ; but on the way 
 there the door was opened for their escape. Thej^ improved 
 their opportunity, and, in the course of nine or ten days, 
 arrived safely in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. 
 
 In that vicinity, they joined their families and found that, 
 in view of Boggs' order for their extermination or expulsion, 
 the majority of the Saints had already made their escape from 
 Missouri, and found refuge in diiferent localities in Illinois ; but 
 the main portion w^ere settled in Adams and adjacent Counties. 
 
 In a paper furnished by Hyrum Smith, is the following : 
 
 "Governor Boggs and Grenerals Clark, Lucas, Wilson and 
 Gillum, also Austin A. King, have committed treasonable 
 acts against the citizens of Missouri, and did violate the Consti- 
 tution of the United States, and also the Constitution and laws 
 of the State of Missouri, and did exile and expel, at the point 
 of the bayonet, some twelve or fourteen thousand inhabitants 
 of the State, and did murder some three or four hundred of 
 men, women and children in cold blood, in the most horrid 
 and cruel manner possible. And the whole of it was caused 
 
36 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 bj' religious bigotry and persecution, and because the '71/or- 
 mons dared to worship Almighty God according to the dictates 
 of their own conscience, and agreeably to His divine will, as 
 revealed in the scriptures of eternal truth. ' ' 
 
 Doubtless, all the murders that were committed in Jackson 
 County, and from that time until the final expulsion from the 
 State, are included in this estimate. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 SAINTS TAKE REFUGE IN ILLINOIS— COMMERCE SELECTED AS 
 A GATHERING PLACE — COP^GRESS AND VAN BUREN AP- 
 PEALED TO FOR REDRESS OF AVRONGS — VAN BUREN "s 
 DIS(JRACEFUL REPLY — NAUVOO INCORPORATED— HYRUM 
 SMITH J^IADE PATRIARCH — JOSEPH SMITH AGAIN AR- 
 RESTED — TRIED BEFORE STEPHEN A. DOUGLASS — DIS- 
 CHARGED—A PROPHECY — BOGGS' AFFIDAVIT — AVOIDS 
 ARREST — KIDNAPPED AT DIXON — BRUTAL TREATMENT BY 
 REYNOLDS AND WILSON — SCENE AT PAWPAW GROVE — 
 FRIENDS IN NAUVOO AROUSED — SCOUR THE COUNTRY 
 IN SEARCH OF JOSEPH — FIND HIM AND RETURN TO 
 NATTV'OO — AN OVATION — KIDNAPPERS ENTERTAINED AS 
 GUESTS — FURTHER EFFORTS OF REYNOLDS AND AVILSON 
 TO CAUSE TROUBLE. 
 
 THE desire to gather together, and not scatter abroad, has 
 existed in the bosoms of the Saints ever since the Church 
 was organized. The true doctrines of Christ tend to bind 
 together the hearts of His people, that they may live in 
 unision and be enabled, by a close proximity of dwelling, to 
 better appreciate each other's worth, and do the will of God. 
 
 Hence, those who are baptized for the remission of their 
 sins and receive the Holy Spirit b}^ the imposition of hands by 
 those holding authority, are impressed with a love for all the 
 human race, and more especially for those who are made par- 
 takers of "hke precious faith." When the Elders travel to 
 
SAINTS TAKE REFUGE IN ILLINOIS. 37 
 
 foreign climes and testify in the cottages of the humble, and carry 
 conviction to those who occupy the higher ranks of society, 
 whether they dwell upon the islands of the sea or where the 
 monarch's throne is panoplied with the insignias of imperial 
 sway, with one accord and by an involuntary impulse, that 
 infusion of the divine unction promptly lights within the minds 
 of the converts its taper of love, and turns their faces Zion- 
 
 ward. 
 
 When the Saints found themselves in Illinois, though grate- 
 ful for a temporary refuge from the scenes of rapine, chains 
 and death, which had fallen upon them like a desolating tem- 
 pest, they were necessarily in a scattered condition. But their 
 scattering was the result of those satanic machinations which 
 were first exerted in the spirit world when Christ was the 
 chosen champion to redeem fallen man, and which have been 
 ever exerted on the earth to forestall and nullify every effort 
 that has been made to establish that kingdom which Jehovah 
 decreed should come forth in the last days and stand forever. 
 When the great Prophet of the last days was permitted to 
 throw off his chains and step forth in freedom upon the soil of 
 Ilhnois, his inspired mind took in the situation at a glance. 
 The spirit that ever dictated him, now directed his course to 
 take those steps necessary to bind up the broken hearts, and 
 heal the wounded spirits, of the robbed and hunted and exiled 
 pilgrims, who had fled from the tyranny of Boggs and his 
 merciless coadj utors. 
 
 He sought for a place where they might obtain land and 
 gather together, in hopes that in Illinois, then so generous and 
 hospitable, the blessings guaranteed in the American Consti- 
 tution might be enjoyed by th;v;n unmole'Sted. 
 
 After a short season of enquiry and travel, he was enabled to 
 find and secure such a plase. Cammerce, Hancock County, 
 was the one selested. It wis situated on the eastern shore of 
 the Mississippi. For some distance back from the river the laud 
 was rather level, but finally quite a prominent but gradual rise 
 occurred ; and then an undulating stretch of country swept back 
 past a strip of woods, and out into the more rolling prairie, on 
 to Carthage, and still firther beyond. The Father of Waters 
 swept around the western limits of the city, with its broad 
 
38 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 silvery-like sheen bending to the southern edge, as if there, to 
 bid one last adieu before flowing onward through its picturesque 
 banks, down to its junction with the turbid Missouri, and from 
 thence still farther down, at last to lose its identity in ' 'the dark 
 blue sea. ' ' On the opposite shore was the village of Montrose, 
 and then the hills and prairie lands of Iowa stretched onward 
 towards the west, beautiful to behold when bedecked with the 
 diurnal gorgeousness of the setting sun. 
 
 Here a city was surveyed and thither flocked the joyful 
 Saints, once more to build homes and erect anew their altars of 
 
 worship. 
 
 In the beginning there were some hindrances to be encoun- 
 tered. One of these was that, for a season, the location proved 
 to be unhealthy. Much suff"ering was endured from ague and 
 fever. 
 
 A general Conference of the Church was held at Commerce, 
 on the 5th of October, 1839, at which that place was selected 
 as a Stake of Zion, and a place for the gathering of the Saints. 
 Also, Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Elias Higbee were 
 appointed to go to the city of Washington to lay before Con- 
 gress the wrongs which had been inflicted upon the Saints in 
 Missouri. They started on their mission the 29th of October, 
 accompanied by 0. P. Rockwell and Doctor Robert H. Foster. 
 
 The Prophet Joseph Smith and Brother Higbee arrived in 
 Washington the 2Sth of November, in advance of the other 
 three, who were detained a few days at Philadelphia, owing to 
 the sickness of Elder Rigdon. The next day they had an inter- 
 view with President Martin Van Buren. At a subsequent 
 interview, after Joseph had fully laid the matter of the griev- 
 ances of the Saints before his excellency. Van Buren answered : 
 '"'Gentlemen^ your cause is just, hut lean do notlung for you ; 
 if I take up for you^ I shall lose the vote of Missouri. 
 
 "About four hundred and ninety-one persons held claims 
 against Missouri, which Joseph had presented to Congress. 
 These claims amounted, in all, to one million, three hundred 
 and eighty-one th(jusand and forty-four dollars and fifty-one 
 and a half cents. But they were not all. There was a multi- 
 tude of similar bills which were to be presented, and respecting 
 which Joseph said, 'if not settled immediately, they will ere 
 long amount to a handsome' sum, increasing by compound 
 interest.' " 
 
HYRITM SMITH APPOINTED PATRIARCH. 39 
 
 The name of Commerce was soon dropped and Nauvoo, 
 which sigifies "beautiful," was substituted in its stead. 
 
 On the 3rd, 4th and 5th of October, 1S40, a general Confer- 
 ence was held, at which it was resolved to build a House of the 
 Lord at Nauvoo. 
 
 "Joseph exerted himself to obtain a charter from the Legis- 
 lature of the State of Illinois for the city of Nauvoo. He had 
 a charter drawn up, which was, to use his own words, 'for the 
 salvation of the Church, and on principles so broad that every 
 honest man might dwell secure under its protective influence, 
 without distinction of sect or party.' The act incorporating 
 the city was passed by the Legislature, and took eflfect on the 
 first Monday in February, 1841." 
 
 "As Joseph's father had passed away, he being the Patri- 
 arch of the Church, it was necessary that another should fill 
 that office. Hyrum Smith, his eldest living son,_ accordingly 
 received the appointment and was ordained to act in that posi- 
 tion. This made a vacancy in the First Presidency, of which 
 quorum H3Tum was a member, and William Law was, by rev- 
 elation, appointed to the place." 
 
 "On the first of February the first election was held in Nau- 
 voo for members of the City Council, and on the third of the 
 same month the City Council was organized. John C. Ben- 
 nett was elected Mayor. Joseph was elected one of the Coun-- 
 cilors. He presented several bills to the Council, among the 
 rest one for an ordinance organizing the Nauvoo Legion, which 
 passed the same day. On the fourth, steps were taken to 
 organize the Legion, and Joseph was elected Lieutenant G-en- 
 eral of the Nauvoo Legion. The Legion, at its organization, 
 was comprised of six companies." 
 
 On. the sixth of April, 1S41, the corner stones for the Tem- 
 ple were laid. 
 
 Notwithstanding a considerable time had elapsed after the 
 Church had left Missouri, and, by their exit, had complied to 
 the utmost with her governor's wicked requirements, still that 
 blood-thirsty Nero was not content. Joseph and Hyrum Smith, * 
 and others, had been confined in her jails, endured the jeers 
 and menaces of the vulgar rabble, tasted poison, had human 
 flesh offered them to eat, arid worn the iron manacles for six 
 months ; yet it appeared that all this was not enough. 
 
 On June 5th, 1841, at a hotel in Bear Creek, twenty-eight 
 miles south of Nauvoo, Joseph was arrested by the sheriff of 
 Adams County, Thomas King, and Thomas Jasper, with an 
 
40 THE MARTYHS. 
 
 officer from Missouri. At Quincy, he obtained a writ of 
 hahcas corpus^ and came before Judge Stephen A. Douglass 
 for licaring, at Monmouth, Warren County, June 9th. Much 
 excitement prevailed at the commencement of the proceedings. 
 
 "A young lawyer from Missouri volunteered to plead against 
 Joseph, and he tried his best to convict him. He had not 
 spoken many minutes when he turned sick, requested to be 
 excused by the court, and went out of the house vomiting. 
 
 "His language was so violent that the judge was twice under 
 the necessity of ordering him to be silent. Joseph's lawyers 
 stood up manfully and honorably in his defense. They spoke 
 well, and 0. H. Browning, who was afterwards a member of 
 l*rosident Johnson's Cabinet as Secretary of the Interior, made 
 a powerful plea, in which he told what lie, himself, had seen at 
 Quincy, when the Saints were driven out of Missouri; and his 
 words were so touching that his listeners could not refrain from 
 tears, and even Judge Douglass and most of the officers wept. 
 
 "In the evening Brother Amasa Lyman preached a brilliant 
 discourse in the Court House, on the first principles of the 
 gospel, which very much changed the feelings of the people. 
 
 "The next morning, June 10th, Judge Douglass delivered 
 his opinion on the case. It was that Joseph should be liberated. 
 He was discharged that forenoon. This was a triumph for 
 liim, and he felt very thankful to the Lord that he had once 
 more been delivered from tlie clutches of his cruel persecutors. 
 He and his company, numbering about sixty men, reached 
 Nauvoo on the 11th, and he was received by the Saints with 
 great gladness. ' ' 
 
 On August 6th, 1842, Joseph delivered the following 
 prophecy, as recorded in his history : 
 
 "I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much 
 affliction, and would be driven to the Rocky JMountains; many 
 would ai)()statize, others would be i)ut to"death by our ])erse- 
 cutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, 
 and some of you will live to go and assist in making settle- 
 ments and building cities, and see the Saints become a mighty 
 ])eoi)le in the midst of the Kocky Mountains. ' ' 
 
 Boggs continued to thirst for the IVoDhct's blood, and on 
 his affidavit, that Joseph Smithy was "accessory before the 
 fiict to an assault" made upon him "with intent to kill," by 
 some person whom he supposed to be 0. V. Rockwell, a 
 requisition was sent by Governor Reynolds to Carlin, the 
 governor of Illinois, for Joseph's arrest, in connection with 
 that of 0. P. Rockwell. 
 
ELUDING ms PURSUERS. 41 
 
 Joseph knew that this was a scheme got up by Boggs and 
 his niobocratic associates to again deprive him of hberty and 
 get him into their clutches, that they miglit have the privilege 
 of accomplishing, by assassination, what they had failed to 
 effect by any form of law. 
 
 Consequently, he secluded himself, and kept from his pursuers 
 all knowledge of his whereabouts. However, sickness in his 
 family led him, upon one or two occasions, to visit his home, 
 wdiere he at one time only escaped those in pursuit, by passing 
 out of the back door as they entered the house in front. On 
 one occasion he went to the public congregation, where he 
 preached a powerful discourse, and then retired again to his 
 retreat. 
 
 About this time Governor Carlin"s term of office expired, and 
 Thomas Ford Avas inaugurated in his place. 
 
 "On the 9th of December, 1842, Willard Richards, Heber C. 
 Kimball, William Clayton and a number of other brethren, 
 started to Springfield, the capital of the State of Illinois, to 
 present testimony to the governor, that Joseph was in Illinois 
 at the time Boggs v>\as shot. As he was in Illinois at the time, 
 he could not be a fugitive from the justice of Missouri." 
 Ford being in doubt as to his right to interfere with the action 
 of his predecessor in the matter, "submitted the case and all 
 the papers relating thereto to six of the judges of the supreme 
 court. They Avere unanimous in the opinion that the requisition 
 from Missouri was illegal and insufficient to cause Joseph's 
 arrest. Ford, under the circumstances, declined to act in the 
 premises and advised Joseph to have a judicial investigation. 
 Accordingly, Joseph submitted to an arrest at Nauvoo, on the 
 26th of December. Joseph went immediately to Springfield, 
 and his trial was commenced before Judge Pope, January 4, 
 1843. The result was, that on the day following, Judge Pope 
 delivered his decision and Joseph was discharged. 
 
 While Joseph was at Springfield he mingled freely with the 
 people and the leading men of the State. His appearance and 
 teachings removed the prejudice which had previously existed, 
 and he was soon treated with the utmost respect. Eldei-s 
 Orson Hyde and John Taylor preached in the State House, 
 and their discourses, also, had a very pacific influence. 
 
42 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 All this did not discourage the old Missouri mobbers, nor 
 induce them to desist from their wicked persecutions against 
 the peace and life of this just and innocent man. 
 
 In the month of June following, Joseph and his wife, 
 Emma, were visiting her sister, Mrs. Wasson, near Dixon, 
 Lee County, Iowa. On the 23rd of that month, the following 
 disgraceful and brutal scene took place : 
 
 ''On the 23rd, two men were at Dixon trjnng to hire a man 
 and team. The}^ said the}^ were 'Mormon' Elders and wanted 
 to see the Prophet. They obtained the team an(l drove up 
 to Mr. Wasson" s while the family were at dinner. They told 
 the same story there: that they were 'Mormon' Elders and 
 wanted to see 'Brother Joseph.' Joseph was in the yard 
 going to the barn, when one of them stepped to the end of the 
 house and saw him. He spoke to Joseph in a very uncouth 
 and ungentlemanly manner, and the other one stepped up to 
 him and collared him. They lied when they said they were 
 'Mormon' Elders. One of th,em was Joseph H. Reynolds, 
 sheriff of Jackson County, Missouri, and the other was Con- 
 stable Harmon T. Wilson, of Carthage, Illinois. They pre- 
 sented their cocked pistols to Joseph's breast, and Reynolds 
 cried out with big oaths that if he stirred an inch he would 
 shoot him. Joseph inquired what the meaning of all this was. 
 No satisfactory answer was given ; but the oaths and threats were 
 repeated. Joseph told them 'I am not afraid of your shooting; 
 I am not afraid to die. ' He then bared his breast and told 
 them to shoot away. Said he, 'I have endured so much 
 oppression, I am weary of life ; and kill me if you please. I 
 am a strong man, however, and with my own natural weapons 
 could soon level both of you ; but if you have any legd process 
 to serve, I am at all times subject to law, and shall not offer 
 resistance. ' Reynolds swore again that if Joseph said another 
 word he would shoot him. To this Joseph replied that he 
 could shoot away, he was not afraid of his pistols. By this 
 time Brother Stephen Markham walked towards them. W'hen 
 they saw him coming, they turned their pistols from Joseph 
 to him, and threatened his life if he came any nearer. He 
 l)aid no attention to their threats ; but continued to advance 
 nearer. Seeing they could not stop him by their threats they 
 turned their pistols on Jose])h again. They jammed them 
 against his sides, and h(^lding their fingers on the triggers, 
 ordered ]>rother jMarkham to stand still, or thoy would shoot 
 Joseph through. As Brother Markham was advancing rapidly 
 towards them, Joseph said to him, 'you are not going to 
 resist the officers, are 3'ou, Brother ^Tarkham?' He replied, 
 'No, not if they are officers; 1 know the law too well for 
 that.'" 
 
KIDNAPPED. 43 
 
 It would be gratifying here to relate the circumstances, in 
 detail that followed this unceremonious and illegal arrest. The 
 want of room alone prevents their insertion. Suffice it to state 
 that the prisoner was persistently abused by his captors, who 
 attempted to run him into Missouri before he could obtain any 
 legal process for his benefit. They did not want to give 
 him time to procure a change of clothes or bid his wife good by. 
 
 They several times threatened to shoot Joseph, who asked 
 them why they did not shoot, if they wanted to, and not so 
 often threaten to do so. They punched him in his sides, with 
 their pistols, until his flesh was discolored for about eighteen 
 inches in circumference. They ordered fresh horses to expe- 
 dite their flight with him and get him out of Illinois. "But 
 Joseph saw a person, and he shouted to him through a win- 
 dow that he was fiilsely imprisoned, and wanted a lawyer. ' ' 
 
 Two lawyers came and the door was banged in their faces. 
 This occurred at Dixon, where several persons "gathered 
 around the hotel door and gave Reynolds to understand that if 
 that was their mode of doing business in Missouri, they had 
 another mode of doing it in Dixon. ' ' 
 
 A writ of habeas corpus was obtained, made returnable before 
 Judge John D. Caton of Ottawa. A writ was also sued out 
 against Reynolds and Wilson for private damage and false 
 imprisonment, claiming $10,000 damages. On their way to 
 Ottawa, they stopped for the night at Pawpaw Grove. The 
 landlord and others noticed the abuse practiced towards Joseph 
 by his captors. 
 
 Early next morning the room was filled with the citizens of 
 the place, anxious to see the "Mormon" Prophet and hear him 
 preach. Ilej^nolds could not stand this, and, pointing to Joseph 
 said : "I wish you to understand this man is my prisoner, and 
 I want 5^ou to disperse : you must not gather round here in this 
 way. ' ' 
 
 "Just as he said this a ]Mr. David Town, an aged gentleman, 
 who was lame and carried a large hickory walking stick, stepped 
 towards Reynolds, and bringing his stick down upon the floor, 
 cursed him, and said : 
 
 "We'll learn you to come here and interrupt gentlemen. Sit 
 down there (pointing to a very low chair,) and sit still. Don't 
 open your head till General Smith gets through talking. If 
 
44 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 you never learned mannei-s in Missouri, we'll teach you that 
 gentlemen are not to be imposed upon by a nigger-driver. You 
 can not kidna]) men here. There" '^ a committee in this grove 
 that will sit on your case ; and, sir, it is the highest tribunal in 
 the United States, nsfrointts decision there is no appeal.^ 
 
 "Ecynolds quietly sat doA\Ti, and Joseph addressed the assem- 
 bly for an hour-and-a-half on the subject of marriage. The 
 company requested that he should speak upon that subject." 
 
 "Learning that Judge Caton was on a visit to New York, 
 the company, among whoin were Joseph's three lawyers, 
 returned to Dixon. Here Joseph was again locked up in a 
 room and guarded. ' ' 
 
 In the meantime, William Clayton had taken passage 
 on the steamboat Amaranth down the Mississippi river 
 to Nauvoo, who conveyed to Hyrum Smith information of his 
 brother Joseph's situation. Hyrum acted with great prompt- 
 ness and energy, and forthwith a company of over three hun- 
 dred men volunteered, and from their number about one hun- 
 dred and seventy-five men were selected and started the same 
 evening, on horseback. 
 
 As soon afterwards as possible, other companies of horse- 
 men started in different directions through the State 
 to intercept any company of kidnappers that might 
 attempt to run him into Missouri. Also the Steamboat Maid 
 of Joiva, with Elder John Taylor, and others, on board, steamed 
 down the Mississippi and up the Illinois river to Peru, then 
 back to Nauvoo, to have an eye on steamboats and detect, if 
 possible, any move that might be made to take Joseph to 
 Missouri by such conveyance. 
 
 The absence of Judge Caton made it necessary that the 
 writ of habeas corpus which Joseph had obtained should be 
 renewed, which was done and made ' 'returnable before the 
 nearest tribunal in the Fifth Judicial District authorized to hear 
 and determine writs of habeas corj^us. This was served imme- 
 diately on lleynolds and Wilson by the sheriff of Lee County, 
 which made them his prisoners. 
 
 Afterwards, at the proper time, »Ioseph told his lawyers that 
 the JMunicipal Court of the City of Nauvoo was the nearest 
 tribunal to hear and determine writs of habeas corpus. Thej'' 
 examined the law and found he was correct. 
 
MEET FRIENDS. 45 
 
 Joseph started from Dixon on the 26th of June. When 
 about forty-five miles from that place, he began to meet the 
 advance of the companj^ from Nauvoo, when he said: "lam 
 not going to Missouri this time. These are my boys." The 
 joy that was felt by Joseph and his accompanying friends at 
 this meeting was beyond description; but his brutal captors 
 were seized with trembling. The company began to travel as 
 much as possible, in the direction of Nauvoo, which alarmed 
 Reynolds and Wilson, who swore "they would never goto Nau- 
 voo alive." The sheriff demanded their arms. They remon- 
 strated, but finally delivered them to the sheriff. 
 
 Some of the flicts as to Joseph's position and prospects for 
 reaching Nauvoo were expressed to that city, and, on the oOth 
 day of June, 1843 : 
 
 "The Nauvoo Brass and Martial Bands, and Joseph's wife — 
 who had proceeded to Nauvoo after his arrest — his brother 
 Hyrum, and a number of the principal inhabitants in carriages, 
 started to meet him. By the time the company met Josejjh it 
 had swelled to a considerable size, and with the company that 
 was with him (one hundred and forty men on horseback) the 
 procession became an imposing one. When the company from 
 the city came up, Joseph said he thought he would ride a little 
 easier, and he got out of the buggv in which he had been riding. 
 He embraced his wife and his brother Hyriim, who shed tears 
 of joy at his return ; and in this they were not alone, the most 
 of the great company did the same. Joseph mounted his favorite 
 horse, 'Old Charley,' which had been brought out to meet lii_m, 
 the band struck up 'Hail Columbia,' and the procession 
 marched towards the city. ' ' 
 
 Joseph was received by the Saints in Nauvoo with an ova- 
 tion. His entry to the city is described as follows: 
 
 ' 'His march was like that of a conqueror. The scene was an 
 exceedingly interesting one. As the procession neared the city 
 the streets were lined on both sides with the people, whose faces 
 beamed with joy at seeing their beloved Prophet and leader once 
 more safe. Amid their cheers, the firing of cannons and the 
 most intense enthusiasm Joseph marched into the city. So 
 great was the eagerness to see him and get close to him that it 
 required a number of men to keep the streets open for the 
 procession to pass. Joseph's mother was at his house awaiting 
 his an-ival, and tears of joy rolled down her aged cheeks as she 
 beheld and embraced her beloved son, and welcomed him once 
 more in safety fi'om the hands of his enemies. 
 
46 THE :MARTyRS. 
 
 Joseph madc.liis captors his guests. Many of his friends 
 were seated at his table, at the head of which were placed Rey- 
 nolds and Wilson, who were served by his wife, whom they 
 had cruelly refused to allow Joseph to see when they arrested 
 him. This was returning good for evil^"heaping coals of fire 
 on their heads"— and had the effect, no doubt, of presenting 
 a mirror before them in which they could see reflected their 
 own little meanness. While thus partaking of the hospitali- 
 ties of Joseph's table, the wiiter heard Wilson, in an under- 
 tone, remark to Reynolds: "I feel like we have got into the 
 rong pew. ' ' 
 
 A full hearing was had, July 1st, before the Municipal Court, 
 and Joseph was discharged. 
 
 Joseph's lawyers — Walker, Patrick, South wick and Back- 
 man— addressed the court and exhorted the Saints "to stand 
 for their rights— stand or fall, sink or swim, live or die." 
 
 Reynolds and Wilson hastened to Carthage and began to 
 incite the people to mobocracy. 
 
 "The lawyers mentioned made an affidavit to the effect 
 that no violence or threats had been made use of towards Rey- 
 nolds and Wilson either on the journey to or after their arrival 
 at Nauvoo, and that they came to Nauvoo voluntarily and were 
 in no danger of violence, etc. This affidavit was drawn up to 
 contradict the lies which Reynolds and Wilson had told to 
 excite prejudice against Joseph and the Saints and to make the 
 public believe that their prisoner had been taken from their 
 custody unftiirly, by threq^ts of violence. In fact, scarcely had 
 this affidavit been signed when word came to Nauvoo from 
 Carthage that these villainous men were stirring up the people 
 U) mobocracy, and were about to send a petition to Governor 
 Ford for a posse to retake Joseph. Reynolds and Wilson had 
 filed their affidavits that Col. Markham had, with armed force, 
 taken Joseph out of their hands. The citizens of Nauvoo 
 immediately made out a petition to the Governor, praying him 
 not to issue any more writs against Joseph; also a remonstrance 
 against the Carthage ])roceedings. A transcript of the trial 
 before the^ Municipal Court, and various other documents 
 thrownig light upon Joseph's case, were delivered to his law- 
 yers, with instructions to see Governor Ford immediately. ' ' 
 
 "Reynolds, when he was foiled in his scheme to carry Joseph 
 into Missouri, presented a petition to Governor Ford for a 
 detachment of militia to be detailed to assist him in retaking 
 Joseph. Ford, in the meantime, however, had received the 
 
REYNOLDS DEMAND REFUSED. 4< 
 
 remonstrance and affidavits of the people of Naiivoo and 
 Joseph's lawyers, which were all adverse to Reynolds' re((uest. 
 The lawyers were influential men, and Walker was a member 
 of the Whig party — Ford, himself, was a Democrat — and if he 
 did not act with some degree of fairness, they might expose 
 him, and damage him, politically. He did not dare, there- 
 fore, to grant Reynolds' petition without further investigation. 
 He sent a messenger — a Mr. Braman — to Nauvoo, for a copy 
 of all the testimony that was given in the case before the Muni- 
 cipal Court and affidavits concerning the expulsion of the Saints 
 from Missouri. Upon his report the Cxovernor decided to take 
 no action in response to Reynolds' demand. ' ' 
 
 Governor Ford's refusal to grant Reynolds' demand in the 
 matter of calling out a detachment of militia to assist in retak- 
 ing Joseph, was used by the Whig party as political capital, 
 in the campaign then in progress for members of Congress, and 
 those with mobocratic proclivities, in both parties, were much 
 disconcerted and incensed. 
 
 The mobocrats from Missouri, especially Reynolds, felt 
 mortified at being so signally defeated in the scheme to 
 carry Joseph back to Missouri as a prisoner. Considerable 
 censure, from that quarter, was attached to Ford's refusal to 
 comply with Reynolds' demand for militia, and in an explan- 
 atory letter written by him to the Governor of Missouri, Ford 
 
 "contended that the laws of the State of Illinois had 
 been fully exercised in the matter. A writ was issued for 
 Joseph's apprehension; he was apprehended, and duly deliv- 
 ered by the officer of the State of Illinois to the agent of the 
 State of Missouri appointed to receive him. No process, offi- 
 cer, or authority of Illinois had been resisted or interfered with. 
 Governor Ford said he had fully executed the duty which the 
 laws imposed upon him, and there had been no resistance either 
 in the writ issued for the arrest of Joseph or in the person of 
 the officer appointed to apprehend him. There had been no 
 warlike array in the proceedings of Joseph and his fi-iends, no 
 exhibition of arms, and no actual force of an illegal character. 
 Everything had been done on his part which the law warranted 
 him in doing ; and he ended by saying, that 'in no one aspect 
 of the case can I consider the present an extreme emergency, 
 warranting'a call for the militia, according to the provision of 
 the law of the State. ' ' ' 
 
 This utter failure to get Joseph into Missouri, also greatly 
 exasperated the mobbers of Hancock and adjacent Counties, 
 
48 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 and a meeting was held at Carthage, the iDth of August, 1833, 
 and a committee of six appointed to draft resohitions which 
 were presented to an adjourned meeting held on the 6th of 
 September. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 REVIEW OF JOSEPH SMITH'S CHARACTER— A CANDIDATE FOR 
 THE PRESIDENCY OF THE U. S. — "EXPOSITOR" ISSUED — 
 DECLARED A NUISANCE — ABATED BY ORDER OF CITY COUN- 
 CIL — EFFORTS TO TAKE JOSEPH SUlTll TO CARTHAGE FOR 
 TRIAL ON CHARGE OF RIOT — HIS OBJECTIONS TO GOING 
 THERE — IMPRESSION THAT HE AVOULD BE MURDERED^ 
 THE GOVERNOR INSISTS UPON IT— JOSEPH SUBMITS. 
 
 IN the preceding chapters reference has been made to some 
 of the more noted and prominent occurrences which have 
 marked the career of the remarkable man whose memory is, 
 to-day, cherished by thousands of devoted followers of the 
 doctrines he enunciated. 
 
 As has been seen, in every position he occupied before his 
 enemies, his attitudes and words were most fearlessly assumed. 
 As his stature was erect and commanding, so were his language 
 and doctrines bold and dignified. His words were vigorous 
 in rebuke, when addressed to the wicked rabble, who quailed 
 under their potency. But into the hearts of the meek and 
 humble they fell with gentleness, as night-dews are distilled 
 among the blooming flowers, to refresh and render them still 
 more beautiful as the effulgent morning darts thither the kisses 
 of its earliest sunbeams. 
 
 With a strong and manly hand he grappled with the oppres- 
 sor and tore away the subtlety of his covering. To the dema- 
 gogue he presented the mirror which reflected his deformity, 
 that he might behold himself in his true light. The politician 
 was, by him, pointed to a higher plane of constitutional attain- 
 ments than was before considered in his category. 
 
PROOFS OF Joseph's divine mission. 49 
 
 Priests stood as dumb mutes before him, or, for want of 
 argument, incited the populace to violence. That the Holy 
 Spirit does not permeate the dogmas and forms of religion 
 which the sectarian creeds inculcate, is rendered plain by com- 
 parison with the pure gospel which God commanded Joseph 
 Smith to proclaim. 
 
 The proofs of his sincerity are most convincing. They are 
 portrayed in the inclinations of his boyhood to seek for light 
 from the divine source whence it emanates in purity; and 
 later still in the fortitude with which he withstood priestcraft 
 when the truths of the gospel had made their inceptive impress 
 upon his young heart. They may be traced in the earnestness 
 with which he pushed forward his great mission to man. The}^ 
 are discerned in the evident unselfishness associated with his 
 every movement. They shine forth from prisons and are her- 
 alded in the rattling chains that deprived him of liberty. The 
 same quality is attested b}' the numerous acts of self-denial that 
 mark his pathway through life, as well as by the invincibilit}^ 
 of his doctrines. 
 
 Is it possible for him to have given any higher evidence that 
 his mission was divinely inspired ? Reader, follow him a little 
 farther to the culmination — where he towers to the zenith of 
 his greatness — and it will be plain that mortal man could not 
 do more. * 
 
 The Savior said, "Grreater love hath no man than this, that 
 a man lay down his life for his friends. ' ' Joseph and Hyrum 
 Smith gave this proof of their love. 
 
 All that remains to be enacted by Joseph Smith, the Prophet, 
 while in the flesh, will speedily be consummated. Feeble indeed 
 is the writer's pen to do justice to the fleeting moments of time 
 which remain. Therein will the unflinching integrity of the 
 man be brought to a test. Dearer than worldly fame and its 
 heights of power, were the inspired convictions of his soul, and 
 soon he lays them all upon the altar of sacrifice to be cemented 
 with his blood. 
 
 Let us enquire into a few more of the immediate causes which 
 led to this tragic issue. 
 
 Aside from the excitements and troubles that existed in Han- 
 cock County, there were powerful influences and jealousies 
 
 2* 
 
50 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 in the circle of some of the leading men at the capital of the 
 nation. On what grounds? They grew, in part, out of the 
 presidential canvass that was in progress during the early part 
 of the summer of 1844. Henry Clay, Martin Van Buren and 
 John C. Calhoun, were before the country as candidates for the 
 high office of chief executive. For important reasons, neither 
 of these distinguished gentlemen were acceptable to the Latter- 
 day Saints. 
 
 Van Buren had declared that the grievances of our people 
 were well founded, but said he could do nothing for us. 
 
 Calhoun declared the power of the federal government to be 
 so "limited" and "specific" that the wholesale robberies and 
 murders of mobocrats could not be brought within the scope of 
 its jurisdiction. 
 
 When Joseph addressed a letter of enquiry to Henry Clay, 
 asking: "What will be your rule of action relative to us as a 
 people, should fortune favor your ascension to the chief magis- 
 tracy ?" that gentleman's position was found to be entirely non- 
 committal. His political principles were not such as Joseph 
 and his friends could endorse. 
 
 There was not a man brought forward in that campaign that 
 could be acceptable to the Saints, for not one of them had the 
 courage or honest}^ to saj^ to them : There is power in the 
 American Congress; there is vitality in the country's laws; 
 there is patriotism in the people ; the federal government has 
 jurisdiction to see that the Constitution is preserved inviolate, 
 and the wrongs of which you complain shall be investigated. 
 
 Under these circumstances, the name of Joseph Smith was 
 placed in the Times and Seasom as a candidate for the office of 
 President of the United States, and that of Sidney Rigdon for 
 Vice l^resident. 
 
 This was considered a bold step, but the political exigencies 
 of the times seemed to require it. He was a native born citi- 
 zen of "the home of the free." His ancestors were among the 
 early patriots, whose valor achieved the American Indepen- 
 dence. The Constitution made him eligible for that posi- 
 tion, and his principles and aims were pre-eminently superior 
 to those of his opponents, as was made plain in his pub- 
 lished "Powers and Policy of the Government." 
 
JEALOUSY OF JOSEPH S ENEMIES. 51 
 
 His being a candidate was especially distasteful to Van Buren 
 and Benton ; so much so, that there were good grounds for the 
 belief that an understanding was had between thein and the 
 Governors of Missouri and Illinois, and from them down through 
 some of the State and County officers, that Joseph was getting 
 too much power and influence, and his career must come to a 
 close before the end of the campaign. The truth of this cannot 
 be positively vouched for by the writer, but it is believed. At 
 all events, something seemed to change the pacific policy of 
 Governor Ford, which is easily discerned by any who read his 
 letters and public documents of those times. It was said 
 that Benton promised the vote of Missouri to Van Buren upon 
 condition that he would wipe out the "Mormons," if elected. 
 
 Joseph's enemies in Nauvoo were also filled with enmity and 
 jealousy towards him because of this candidateship. They 
 began to see that his popularity was far greater, in diiferent 
 parts of the States, than they had anticipated. They feared he 
 might be successful at some subsequent time, if not then, and 
 they could not bear the thoughts that there should be any prob- 
 ability of his advancement to that or any other position of dis- 
 tinction in the Government. They dreaded his noble princi- 
 ples and independence of character, knowing that wherever he 
 might hold power, their own chances for preferment would be 
 hopeless, at least while they continued to be corrupt. 
 
 Of course, they affiliated with every element opposed to Joseph, 
 and, being rank apostates, resident there, they were the better 
 enabled to give direction to the plans concocted against him — 
 thus causing the envenomed arrows of the combined enemy to 
 be aimed with deadly purj^ose. 
 
 In addition to their viciousness of character, in many things 
 they calulated with some shrewdness and planned to make a 
 show of consistency in their movements. They knew the ele- 
 ment that composed the society of Hancock. They understood 
 the prestige conceded to the press by the American public. 
 They knew also Joseph's character, and that establishing a 
 libelous and venal newspaper in Nauvoo would not be 
 agreeable to him. Hence a paper of that class was started, 
 with the understanding that if Joseph and the local author- 
 ities opposed its continuance, their opposition might be used 
 
52 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 as a vety good pretext for the commencement of active move- 
 ments against Joseph's election as well as his hfe. 
 
 They issued their prosi)ect us about the 1 ( )th of May. Among 
 the things they proposed to advocate were : 
 
 "The unconditional repeal of the city charter of Nauvoo, 
 to restrain and correct the abuses of the Vnit power, to ward 
 ofi' the rod which is held over the devoted heads of the citi- 
 zens of Nauvoo and the surrounding country, to advocate 
 unmitigated disobedience to political revelation, to 
 advocate and exercise the freedom of speech in Nauvoo, inde- 
 pendent of the ordinance abridging the same — to give toleration 
 to ever}' man's religious sentiments and sustain all in worship- 
 ing their G-od according to the monitions of their consciences, 
 as guaranteed by the Constitution of our country, and to 
 oppose, with uncompromising hostility any union of church 
 and state or any preliminary steps tending to the same," 
 etc. 
 
 The Fxpositor was issued on June 7th. Its columns teemed 
 with vituperative abuse of Joseph and his friends. That it 
 was the fixed purpose of its managers to continue that defama- 
 tory course, was evident from the matter contained in its 
 columns and in their private admissions. They aimed to 
 attack the characters of many respectable citizens of both 
 sexes. The tone of the sheet was vulgar, scurrilous, and 
 untruthful. The people felt themselves outraged. 
 
 On the 10th of June, the city council investigated the mat- 
 ter thoroughly and declared the Expositor a nuisance, and, 
 with united vote, passed the following : 
 
 Bill for Removing of the Press of the ''Kauvoo 
 Expositor. ' 
 
 "Resolved by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, that 
 the printing office from whence issues the Nmicoo Expositor is 
 a public nuisance ; and also of said Nauvoo Expositors which 
 may be or exist in said establishment; and the mayor is 
 insti-ucted to cause said establishment and papers to be removed 
 without delay, in such manner as he shall direct. 
 
 "Passed June 10th, 1844. Geo. W. Haiuus, 
 "W. Richards, Recorder. President i)?*o tern.'' 
 
 "Higbee immediately went to Carthage and made a complaint 
 before the justice of the peace, swearing to an affidavit that 
 Joseph and seventeen other brethren had committed a riot, 
 alleging that, with force and violence, they had broken into 
 
AN ATTEMPT TO TAKE JOSEPH TO CARTHAGE. 53 
 
 tte Naiivoo Expodtor printing office and unlawf'ulh' burned 
 and destroyed the printing press, type and other property of 
 the same. The name of the justice before whom this complaint 
 was made, was Thomas Morrison, and he sent a constable 
 with a writ to Nauvoo, to arrest Joseph. The writ stated that 
 the officer was to bring the persons charged in it 'before me 
 (Morrison) or some other, justice of the peace, to answer .the 
 premises, and further to be dealt with according to law. ' 
 
 "When he had finished reading the writ, Joseph referred the 
 officer who bore it, to that clause, and said: 'We are ready to 
 go to trial before Esquire Johnson or any justice in Nauvoo.' 
 At this, the constable was very angry, and he swore he would 
 carry them to Carthage before Morrison, who had issued the 
 writ. Jose]3h asked him if he intended to break the law, and 
 called upon all present to witness that he then offered himself 
 to go immediately before the nearest -justice of the peace. 
 His brother Hyrum offered to do the same. Joseph felt so 
 indignant at the officer's abuse, that he was determined to 
 take out a habeas corpus^ and petitioned the municipal court 
 of the city of Nauvoo, to grant him the benefit of that writ, 
 and, on the afternoon of the same day, he appeared before 
 that court, and the case was examined. It was 'decided by 
 the court that Joseph Smith had acted under proper authority 
 in destroying the establishment of the Nauvoo Expositor, on 
 the 10th inst. ; that his orders were executed in an orderl3^ and 
 judicious manner, without noise or tumult; that this was a 
 malicious prosecution on the part of F. M. Higbee ; and that 
 said Higbee pay costs of suit, and that Joseph Smith be 
 honorably discharged from the accusations of the writ, and go 
 hence without delay. ' 
 
 "The other brethren were arrested the next day, and they 
 also petitioned for and obtained a writ of habeas corpus, and 
 were tried before the municipal court on that day ; and, after 
 witnesses had been examined as in the case of Joseph, they 
 were all honorably discharged from the accusations and arrests. 
 The court decided that Higbee pay the costs of the suits. ' ' 
 
 Joseph's enemies made all the capital they could in conse- 
 quence of this, by informing Grovernor Ford that he had 
 resisted the writ from the circuit court, etc. 
 
 Great excitement spread through Hancock and adjacent 
 Counties. Inflammatory speeches were made by designing 
 politicans and lawyers. The "Mormons," they said, had made 
 war upon the liberty of the press, and their leaders ought to be 
 killed and the others driven from the country. 
 
54 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 The press and office belonging to the Saints in Jackson 
 County was destroyed by a mob, and the mobocrats of 
 Missouri applauded the occurrence and the governor of that 
 State sanctioned it. And the mobocrats of Illinois, at the 
 time of these troubles, sanctioned it also, by their deeds, and 
 said it was ail right because that was a "Morinon" press. At 
 the same time they inflamed the public mind to the utmost of 
 their ability, because a legally constituted body had the manli- 
 ness to abate, as a nuisance, a press, the avowed object of 
 which was to take from the citizens of a city duly incorporated, 
 their chartered rights. 
 
 It has been said that "the press is the lever that 
 moves the world." Also, that "the pen is mightier than 
 the sword." Whether these assertions be fully true or 
 otherwise, every person of intelligence must acknowledge that 
 they are mighty agents whether employed either "for weal or 
 for woe. ' ' In the American society, by the popular will, the 
 career of the press and the pen, as well as speech, pursue their 
 various missions with but little restriction. This is right and 
 quite proper when the causes in which they are employed are 
 just, honest, lawful and patriotic. It is to be regretted that 
 this is not always the case. They often descend from their 
 legitimate elevations to the slums of vice and defamation, and, 
 in suits brought for libel, damages are sometimes awarded by 
 the courts. But notwithstanding there are provisions for 
 legal redress, the press and the pen too often combine their 
 influence for evil, and the honest citizen as well as States and 
 nations are abridged in the exercise of their just rights. 
 
 The case before us now, is one where the press was venal 
 and corrupt. Its owners and writers were wicked and vindic- 
 tive. They stooped from the height where they should have 
 watched the approach of the invading foe, and hurled their 
 envenomed darts at their neighbors and fellow citizens, for 
 whom they had for years made protestations of friendship, and 
 with whom they had even communed at the sacramental table. 
 And because those neighbors, whose homes and peace were 
 thus invaded, would not tamely brook their abuse, they sought 
 to inflame the popular mind with motives of violence, that 
 their homes might be committed to the flames, their liberties 
 
EFFORTS MADE TO MOB THE SAINTS. 55 
 
 taken from them and their Uves be given to the assassin. 
 This they accomplished. 
 
 "This paper was published on the Tth of June ; twenty 
 days afterwards, Joseph and Hyrum were cruelly murdered m 
 Carthaire Jail by a mob. It was through the schemes of these 
 wickedVen who made such pious pretentions, that the Prophet 
 Joseph and his brother Hyrum were brought there.^ and those 
 apostates were accessory to their murder. Within three weeks 
 after they wrote these plausible words, their garments were 
 dripping with the blood of innocence."' 
 
 "Every effort was made by the enemies of the Saints, after 
 the Expositor was declared^ a nuisance, to fan the flames 
 of persecution and to form combinations to drive and exter- 
 minate them. In some parts, they threatend to drive or kill 
 every Latter-day Saint who did not deny the faith and cease to 
 believe that Joseph was a prophet of God. They also threatened 
 to use violence to those who were not Latter-day Saints, if they 
 did not take up arms to help them drive the Church out of the 
 countrv. Those whom they could not persuade to join them in 
 their schemes, thev tried to fi-ighten by their threats. They 
 told men of this class that they must join them, or leave the 
 countrv. or give their arms to them. One of the leading spirits 
 of this work of persecution was one Levi Williams, a colonel of 
 militia, and a Baptist preacher. With all his pretentions to reli- 
 gion, he was a great villain. Robbery, house-burning, murder, 
 and every other act of violence, he thought perfectly right, so 
 long as the Latter-day Saints were the victims. To accomphsh 
 the destruction of the Saints, he was willing to adopt any meas- 
 ure, however wicked or violent. There were many others who 
 were like him. They acted upon the idea that it was no disgrace 
 to shoot a 'Mormon;' that he had no rights which they should 
 respect. Where they had the power, they were very violent and 
 abusive ; but they were always careful to have the largest num- 
 ber on their side when they made an attack on any person or 
 settlement. They visited individuals and those who lived in small 
 settlements, because they were not afraid of meeting equal num- 
 bers to resist them. As soon as the help which they expected 
 from Missouri should arrive, they said they should march against 
 Joseph and the city of Nauvoo, capture him and destroy the city. 
 They expected about fifteen hundred or two thousand men from 
 Missouri to help them. 
 
 "Joseph was well informed respecting the movements of the 
 mob, and he counseled the brethren to keep cool and prepare 
 their arms for the defense of the city. He had guards posted 
 on all the roads leading out of the city, and, within the city, he 
 had other guards stationed in the streets and on the river bank. 
 This he did in his capacity as Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo 
 
56 • THE :nl\rtyrs. 
 
 Legion. He also issued orders to have all the powder and lead 
 in the city secured, and that all the arms should be brought into 
 use, and those \Yliich were not used by their owners be put into 
 the hands of those Avho could use them. Under the circum- 
 stances which then existed, these preparations were necessary, 
 for the mob were threatening to march upon the city, and they 
 could only be kept from doing so by the knowledge that the 
 Saints were prepared to give them a warm reception. Joseph, 
 in company with several officers of the Legion, visited the prairie 
 east of Nauvoo and arranged his plans for the defense of the 
 city, and selected the most suitable points at which to meet the 
 mob. He also made arrangements to secure provisions for the 
 city, giving his agent instructions to pledge his farms for that 
 purpose. On the 18th of June, he proclaimed the city of 
 Nauvoo under martial law, and issued the following proc- 
 lamation : 
 
 "To the Marshal of the City of Nauvoo, — 
 
 From the newspapers around us, and the current reports as 
 brought in from the surrounding country, I have good reason to 
 fear that a mob is organizing to come upon this city, and plunder 
 and destroy said city, as well as murder the citizens; and by- 
 virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor, and to preserve the 
 city and lives of the citizens, I do hereby declare the said city, 
 within the limits of its corporation, under martial law. The 
 officers, therefore, of the Nauvoo Legion, the police, as well as 
 all other-, will strictly see that no persons or property pass in or 
 out of the city without due orders. 
 
 Joseph Smith, Mayor." 
 
 "Two days previous to the proclamation of martial law, a 
 public meeting was held at which a number of delegates were 
 appointed to go to the different precincts throughout the County 
 to lay a true statement of the condition of affairs at Nauuoo 
 before the people, and to correct the many false reports which 
 had been put in circulation. Joseph, on the same day, iji his 
 capacity as Mayor, issued a proclamation, in which he explained, 
 at length, the causes which had led to the Expositor being 
 declared a nuisance and destroyed. He also wrote to Governor 
 Ford and sent his letter by the hands of Edward Hunter, Philip 
 B. Lewis and John Bills as messengers. In this letter, he 
 expressed his desire that the (xovernor would come to Nauvoo 
 in person, with his staff, and investigate the whole difficulty 
 without delay. This lie thought would be the best method of 
 restoring peace to the country. With the letter, he sent an 
 affidavit concerning the intentions of the mob. 
 
 "All this evidence had. however, but little weight with Governor 
 Ford. He lacked the firmness, decision of character and the 
 sense of justice necessary to maintain order and to enforce the 
 right. He became the tool of the mob, and they managed him, 
 
JOSEPirS I.KITKR TO fiOVERNOR FORD. 5/ 
 
 witliuut iiiibrming liim of all their i)laiis, to suit their purposes. 
 On the 21st of June, he came to Carthage, one of the places 
 where the mob had full sway, and sent an express into Nauvoo 
 to the mayor and city council, requesting them to send out to 
 him one or more well-informed, discreet persons, who could lay 
 before him the city councif s version of the difhculty. Elders John 
 Taylor, WillardllichardsandDr. John M. Bernhisel were selected 
 to go. J>rothers Taylor- and Bernhisel did go, taking with them 
 a number of aiii davits, which set forth in great plainness the 
 acts of the mob, and Brother Richards remained to prepare 
 additional documents. The next day, these documents were 
 sent by the hand of Lucien Woodworth, who went in the stead 
 of Dr. Richards. Joseph wrote another long letter to Governor 
 Ford, and sent by him, in which he made many explanations, 
 and repeated his rec^uest for the governor to come to Nauvoo. 
 If he would come there the mayor and city council could lay the 
 whole matter before him in its true colors and sustain their state- 
 ments by an abundance of testimony. But if they had to go 
 to Carthage to do this, they would expose themselves to the 
 power of a mob, filled with fury and a desire to shed blood, a 
 part of whom had already fired several times upon the Saints." 
 
 Joseph had been tried twice for abating the Expositor, once 
 by the Municipal Court where the case had been brought on 
 a writ of habeas corpus^ and, secondly, before Daniel H. 
 Wells, a Justice of the Peace. In the letter last referred to, 
 written by Joseph to the Governor at Carthage, he said : 
 
 "How it could be possible for them to be tried constitu- 
 tionally by the same magistrate who first issued the writ, they 
 could not see ; for the Constitution expressly says no man shall 
 twice be put in jeopardy of life and limb for the same offense. 
 But, notwithstanding this, he said, they would not hesitate to 
 stand another trial, according to his wish, were it not that they 
 were confident their lives would be in danger. He told Ford he 
 had promised them protection ; but, 'at the same time, ' said 
 he, 'you have expressed fears that you could not control the 
 mob, in which case we are left to the mercy of the merciless. ' 
 He told him further that writs were issued against them in 
 various parts of the country, so that the mob might have the 
 power to drag them from place to place and from court to court, 
 till some blood-thirsty villain could find an opportunity to shoot 
 them. Joseph closed his letter by saying that if anything wrong 
 had been done on the part of himself and others (yet he knew 
 of nothing, ) they would make all things right if the Government 
 would give them the opportunity. And he entreated the Gover- 
 nor to disperse the mob, and secure to himself and friends their 
 constitutional privileges, that their lives might not be endangered 
 when they were on trial. 
 
 3 
 
58 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 "But Governor Ford was deaf to all reason. He was surrounded 
 by apostates and the worst enemies of tlie Saints. On his amval 
 at Carthage, he had ordered the entire mob into service. He 
 heard their imprecations and their threats, and saw their violence 
 and outrageous conduct ; but instead of being disgusted with 
 them, they suited him. He adopted, as the truth, every lie and 
 misrepresentation that the mob circulated. The delegates, 
 whom he wished the Mayor and City Council of Nauvoo to send 
 to him, he treated with great rudeness. When they attempted 
 to make the necessary statements and explanations, he suffered 
 them to be interrupted and insulted by the vile crew who were 
 his companions. _ Even the communications which they brought 
 were read to him in the presence of these villains, who frequently 
 interrupted the reading by their cursing ! " 
 
 Governor Ford had taken his position at Carthage, and 
 could not be induced by all of Joseph's entreaties to come to 
 Nauvoo and investigate for himself, where Joseph's acts could 
 be fairly investigated. He seemed to be in the plot of the 
 mob to get Joseph dragged to Carthage at all hazards. Joseph 
 no doubt felt and saw that the times were momentous and 
 portended evil towards him. He knew it was his life they 
 sought. He could not with any confidence place himself in 
 their hands. He wantod his most reliable friends with him, 
 and wrote letters to the Twelve, then on missions, to return 
 home. "He was anxious to get Hyrum, his brother, out of 
 the way. Said he: 'I wish I could get HjTum out of the 
 way, so that he may live to avenge my blood ; and I will stay 
 with you and see it out. ' But Hyrum could not be moved. 
 If Joseph suffered and died, he was determined to suffer and 
 die with him. Said he to the Prophet : 'Joseph, I cannot leave 
 you.'" 
 
 ' 'Joseph remarked to Brother Stephen Markham that, if he 
 and Hyrum were ever taken again, they would be massacred, or 
 he was not a prophet of God. He added : 'I want Hyrum to 
 live to avenge my blood, but he is determiiied not to leave 
 me.'" 
 
 The governor seemed determined that Jose]:)h and Hyrum 
 and the other brethren charged with riot in the matter of the 
 Expositor should go to Cartljage for trial, notwithstanding 
 they had been tAvice tried already and acquitted. He sent word 
 that Joseph and Hyrum should be protected by the militia of 
 
JOSEPH smith's last SPEECH. 50 
 
 tlie State, and, on this assurance, they sent word to the 
 governor that they would come* to Carthage and submit to 
 another trial. 
 
 u 
 
 CHAPTER YI. ' 
 
 THE prophet's LAST PUBLIC SPEECH — START FOR CARTHAGE — 
 REMARKS ON PASSINCx THE TEMPLE AND LEAVING ' SQUIRE 
 WELLS — ORDER FROM THE GOVERNOR TO DELIVER UP 
 THE STATE ARMS — RETURN TO NAU\^00 TO HAVE 
 THE OJIDER COMPLIED WITH — REACH CARTHAGE AT MID- 
 NIGHT — THE GOVERNOR PLEDGES THE FAITH OF THE 
 STATE FOR THEIR PROTECTION — THE PRISONERS EXHIB- 
 ITED BEFORE THE TROOPS — JOSEPH'S REMARKS TO OFFI- 
 CERS WHO VISITED HIM. 
 
 NDER date of June 18, 1844, Joseph says in his history: 
 "About 2 p. m. , the Legion was drawn up in the street close 
 by the mansion. I stood in full uniform on the top of the frame 
 of a building. 
 
 "Judge Phelps read the Warsmv Signal extra of the ITih. 
 wherein all the 'old citizens' were called upon to assist the mob 
 in exterminating the leaders of the Saints and driving away 
 the people. 
 
 ' 'I addressed the Legion for about one-and-a-half hours. ' ' 
 
 The following s.^aiopsis of this address was compiled by 
 George A. Smith from the verbal reports of Joseph Gr. Hovey, 
 William G. Sterrett, Robert Campbell, and many others who 
 heard the Prophet on the occasion : 
 
 "It is thought by some that our enemies would be satisfied 
 with my destruction ; but I tell you that as soon as they have 
 shed my blood, they will thirst for the blood of every man in 
 whose heart dwells a single spark of the spirit of the fullness of 
 the gospel. The opposition of these men is moved by the spirit 
 of the adversary ol all righteousness. It is not only to destroy 
 me, but eveiy man and woman who dares believe the doctrines 
 that God hath inspired me to teach to this generation. 
 
 "We have never violated the laws of our country. We have 
 every right to live under their protection, and are entitled to all 
 the privileges guaranteed by our State and national Constitu- 
 
60 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 tions. Wc liave turned the barren, bleak prairies and swamps 
 of this State into beautiful towns, farms, and cities, by our 
 industry ; and the men who seek our destruction and cry thief, 
 treason^ riot, etc. , are those who themselves violate the laws, 
 steal and plunder from their neighbors, and seek to destroy the 
 innocent, heralding forth lies to screen themselves from the 
 just punishment of their crimes by bringing destruction upon 
 this innocent people. I call Grod, angels, itnd all men to wit- 
 ness that we are innocent of the charges which are heralded 
 forth through the public prints against us by our enemies ; and 
 while they assemble together in unlawful mobs to take away 
 our rights and destroy our lives, they think to shield them- 
 selves under the refuge of lies which they have thus wickedly 
 fabricated. 
 
 "We have forwarded a particular account of all our doings 
 to the Grovernor. We are ready to obey his commands, and 
 we expect that protection at his hands which we know to be 
 our just due. 
 
 "We have taken the counsel of Judge Thomas, and have 
 been tried before a civil magistrate on the charge of riot— not 
 that the law required it, but because the Judge advised it as 
 a precautionary measure, to alla\- all possible pretext for excite- 
 ment. We were legally acquitted by Esquire Wells, who is a 
 good judge of law. Had we been before^ the Circuit, the 
 Supre'me,"or any other court of law in this State or nation, we 
 should have been acquitted, for we have broken no law. 
 
 "Constable Bettisworth comes here with a writ requiring us 
 to go before Mr. Morrison, 'or some other justice of the peace 
 of the county, ' to answer to the charge of riot. We acknowl- 
 edged ourselves his prisoners, and were ready to go before any 
 magistrate in any precinct in this part of the County, or any- 
 where else where our lives could be protected from_ the mob 
 who have published the resolutions for our extermination which 
 you have just heard read. This is a privilege the law guaran- 
 tees to us, and which the writ itself allows. He breaks the 
 law, and refuses us this privilege, declaring that we shall go 
 before jMorrison in Carthage, and no one else, when he knew 
 that a numerous mob was collected there who are publicly 
 pledged to destroy our lives. 
 
 "It was under these circumstances that we availed ourselves 
 of the legal right of the ancient, high, and constitutional priv- 
 ilege of the writ oniahcas eoipu.s, and were brought before the 
 Municipal Court of this city, and discharged from the illegal 
 detention under which we were held by Constable Bettisworth. 
 All mob-men. priests, thieves, and bogus makers, apostates 
 and adulterers, who combined to destroy this peoi)le, now raise 
 the hue and cry throughout the State thai we resist the law, 
 in order to raise a pretext for calling together thousauds more 
 
JOSEPH SiMITH's last SPEECH. 61 
 
 of infuriated mob-men to mnrder, destro}^, plunder and ravish 
 the innocent. 
 
 "We are American citizens. We live upon a soil for the 
 liberties of which our fathers periled their lives and spilt their 
 blood upon the battle-field. Those rights, so dearly purchased, 
 shall not be disgracefully trodden under foot by lawless maraud- 
 ers 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 country, 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 Maine to the Eocky Mountains, 
 and from Mexico to British America, whose hearts thrill with 
 horror to behold the rights of freemen 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 oppressor's rod, loose the iron grasp of mobocracv, and 
 bring to condign punishment all those v/ho trample under foot 
 the principles of our glorious Constitution and the people's 
 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 m}^ body consigned to the silent tomb. While I 
 live, I will never tamely submit to the dominion of a ciirsed 
 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, annoy- 
 ance, 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 blood- 
 shed come down on those ungodly men who seek to destroy my 
 life and the lives of this innocent pcoi)le. 
 
 "I do not regard my own life. I am ready to be offered a sacri- 
 fice for this people; for what can 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 the truth will lose eternal life. Hold 
 out to the end, and we shall be resurrected, and become like 
 Grods, and reign in celestial kingdoms, principalities, and eter- 
 
0-5 THE ]\IARTYRS. 
 
 ]ial (lomiiiioiis, Avliilc this cursed mob will sink to hell, the por- 
 tion of nil those who shed innocent blood. 
 
 "God has tried you. You area good people; therefore I 
 love you with all my heart. Greater love hath no man than 
 that he should lay dovai his life for his friends. You have 
 stood by nie in the hour of trouble, and I am willing to sacri- 
 lice my life for your preservation. 
 
 "3Liy the Lord God of Israel bless you forever and ever. I 
 say it. in the nauuM)f Jesus of Nazareth, and in the authority 
 of the Holy Priesthood, which He hath conferred upon me." 
 
 The people said "Amen." 
 
 On the morning of June the 24th, 1S4-1:, Brother Joseph had 
 an interview with the officers of the Legion, with the leading 
 members of the City Council, and with the principal men of 
 the city. The officers were instructed to dismiss their men, 
 but to have them in a state of readiness to be called upon in 
 any emergency that might occur. 
 
 About half past six o'clock tlie members of the City Council, 
 the marshal. Brothers Joseph and Hyiiim, and a number of 
 others, started for Carthage on horseback. ' ' 
 
 On reaching the Temple, Joseph halted, and, looking admir- 
 ingly upon it and upon the city, he said: 
 
 ''This is the loveliest place and the best people under the 
 I'.eavens; little do they know the trials that await them." 
 
 He called on Brother Daniel H. Wells, who was sick, and 
 not then a member of tlie Church. On parting with him he 
 said: 
 
 '■'Squire Wells, I wish 3^ou to cherish my memory, and not 
 lliink me the worst man in the Avorld. either." 
 
 The same morning, after Hyrum had made ready to start, he 
 ic:\\ the following paragrai)h, near the close of the fifth chap- 
 ter of Ether, in the Book of Mormon, and turned down the 
 le.if upon it : 
 
 ''And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he 
 would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have 
 charity. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me, if 
 they have not charity, it mattereth not unto you, thou hast 
 been faithful ; wherefore thy garments are clean. And because 
 thou hast seen thy weakness, thou shait be made strong, even 
 unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in 
 
 tlie mansions of my Father. And now I bid farewell 
 
 unto the Gentiles; yea and also unto my brethren whom I love, 
 
JOSEPU AND IIVIIUM CIO TO CARTHAGE. 63 
 
 until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where 
 all men shall know that my garments arc not spotted with your 
 blood. ' ' 
 
 Before reaching Carthage, they met Captain Dunn on his way 
 to Nauvoo with an order from the governor for the "State 
 arms." It was then that Joseph said, "i am going like a 
 lamb to the slaughter ; hut lam calm as ((summer s morning ; 
 I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards 
 all men ; I shall die innocent.'' 
 
 When about to meet with this company Joseph said to the 
 brethren: 
 
 '"Do not be alarmed, brethren, for they cannot do more to 
 you than the enemies of truth did to the ancient saints— they 
 can only kill the body. 
 
 Joseph endorsed his acceptance on the governor's order for 
 the arms, and returned with the posse to Nauvoo to obtain 
 them ; after which they turned back to Carthage, where they 
 arrived a few minutes before twelve o'clock at night. 
 
 In the morning they had an interview with the governor and 
 he pledged the faith of the State that they should be pro- 
 tected. 
 
 Joseph and Hyrum were then arrested on a charge of trea- 
 son, upon a warrant founded on the oaths of H. 0. Norton and 
 Augustine Spencer. 
 
 The governor and General Demming afterwards conducted 
 them before the McDonough County troops, an account of 
 which is contained in the published history as follows : 
 
 "Carthage, June 25th, 184:4. 
 
 "Quarter past 9. The governor came and invited Joseph to 
 walk with him through the troops. Joseph solicited a few 
 moments' private conversation with him, which the governor 
 refused. 
 
 "While refusing, the governor looked down at his shoes, as 
 though he was ashamed. They then walked through the crowd, 
 with" Brigadier General Miner R. Demming, and Dr. Richards, 
 to General Demming' s quarters. The people appeared quiet 
 until a company of Carthage Greys flocked round the doors of 
 General Demming in an uproarious manner, of which notice 
 was sent to the governor. In the menatime the governor had 
 ordered the ^rcI)onough troops to be drawn up in line, for Joseph 
 and Hyrum to pass in front of them, they having requested 
 that they might have a clear view of the Generals Smith. 
 
CA TFIE MARTYRS. 
 
 Joseph had a coiivermtion with the governor for about ten 
 mmutas, lohen he again ijledged the faith of the State that he 
 and his friends shoidd be protected from violence. 
 
 ''Robinson, the postmaster, said, on report of martial law 
 being proclaimed in Nauvoo, lie had stopped the mail, and noti- 
 fied the post-master general of the state of things in Hancock 
 County. 
 
 ■ vFrom the general's quarters Joseph and Hyrum went in fi-ont 
 of the lines, in a hollow square of a cornpany of Carthage Greys. 
 At seven minutes before ten they arrived in front of the lines, 
 and passed before the whole, Joseph being on the right of General 
 Demming and Hyrum on his left. Elders Richards, Taylor and 
 Phelps following. Joseph and Hyrum were introduced by 
 Govornor Ford about twenty times along the line as General 
 Joseph Smith and General H\Tum Smith, the governor walking 
 in front on the left. The Carthage Greys refused to receive 
 them bj^ that introduction, and some of the officers threw up 
 their hats, drew their swords, and said they would introduce 
 themslves to the damned 'Mormons' in a different style. The 
 governor mildly entreated them not to act so rudely, but their 
 excitement increased; the governor, however,^ succeeded in 
 pacifj'ing them by making a speech, and promising them that 
 they should have 'full satisfaction. ' 
 
 ' 'A little later a number of officers of the troops visited Joseph 
 in his room. Joseph asked them if there was anything in his 
 appearance that indicated that he was the desperate character 
 that his enemies represented him to be ; and he requested them 
 to give him their honest opinion on the subject. The answer 
 was : 
 
 " 'No, sir, your appearance would indicate the very contrary, 
 General Smith ; but we cannot see what is in your heart, nei- 
 ther can we tell what are your intentions. ' 
 
 ''To which Joseph replied : 
 
 " 'Very true, gentlemen, you cannot see what is in my heart, 
 and you are therefore unable to judge me or my intentions ; but 
 I can see what is in your hearts, and will tell you what I see. I 
 can see you thirst for blood, and nothing but my l)lood will 
 satisfv you. It is not for crime of any description that I and 
 my brethren are thus continually persecuted and harassed by 
 (jur enemies, but there are other motives, and some of them I 
 have expressed, so far as relates to myself; and inasmuch as 
 you and the people thirst for blood, I prophesy, in the name of 
 the Lord, that you shall witness scenes of blood and sorrow to 
 your entire satisfaction. Your souls shall be perfectly satiated 
 with blood, and many of you who are now present shall have 
 an oi)portunity to face the cannon's mouth from sourci's you 
 think not of; and those i>eople that desire this great evil upon 
 
COMMITTED TO JAIL. 65 
 
 me and my brethren, shall be filled with regret and sorrow 
 because of the scenes of desolation and distress that await them. 
 They shall seek for peace, and shall not be able to find it. 
 Gentlemen, you will find what I have told you to be true.' " 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 COMMITED TO JAIL — MOB DESPAIR OF CONVICTING THE 
 PRISONERS BY LEGAL PROCESS AND DETERMINE TO 
 EFFECT THEIR PURPOSE BY POWDER AND BALL — GOV- 
 ERNOR PROMISES TO TAKE THEM TO NAUVOO WITH HIM — 
 SENDS MARSHAL GREENE TO NAUVOO TO KEEP ORDER 
 DURING HIS VISIT — GOVERNOR FORD GOES TO NAUVOO, 
 LEAVING THE PRISONERS TO THEIR. FATE — A MOB WITH 
 PAINTED FACES SURROUND THE JAIL AND MURDER 
 JOSEPH AND HYRUM SMITH AND WOUND JOHN TAYLOR 
 —NEWS OF THE JilASSACRE SENT TO NAUVOO — GRIEF- 
 STRICKEN COiMMUNITY— ALARM OF THE MOBOCRATS — 
 ARRIVAL OF THE BODIES OF THE MARTYRS. 
 
 The prisoners were committed to jail, June 25th. Soon 
 after, some of the counsel for the prosecution expressed a wish 
 that the prisoners should be brought out of jail for examination. 
 Joseph's counsel remonstrated, saying : "The prisoners had 
 already been committed, and that the justice and constable 
 had no further control of them ; and that if the prosecu- 
 tors wished the prisoners brought out of jail, they should 
 bring them out on a writ of habeas corpus or some other due 
 course of law. ' ' 
 
 Notwithstanding this, the justice made out an order to the 
 jailor which was given to a constable to execute, demanding 
 that the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum Smith be brought 
 forthwith from the jail, before him, for an examination on the 
 charge of treason. The prisoners having been committed to 
 the custody of the jailor until discharged by due course of 
 law, and he knowing that the order was illegal, refused to 
 deliver them to the constable; whereupon the governor's 
 
66 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 troops took them to the Court House, when the hearing 
 was continued to the 2yth, and they were returned to jail. It 
 then began to be rumored, ''that there icas nothing against 
 these men; the law could not reach t Item , hut powder a)id hall 
 would P^ 
 
 It should be here stated that Joseph had on two or three 
 occasions, since he arri^'ed in Carthage, informed the governor 
 that his life was not safe there, and if he (the governor) went 
 to Nauvoo he wished to go along, so that he might have his 
 protection. The governor gave him a promise, two or three 
 times rei)cated, that in the event of his going to Nauvoo, he 
 would take Joseph with him. 
 
 In conversation with the governor, Joseph said : "Further- 
 more, in relation to the press, you say that j^ou differ with me 
 in opinion. Be it so; the thing, after all, is only a legal 
 difficulty, and "the coui-ts, I should judge, are comi)etent to 
 decide on that matter. If our act was illegal, we are willing to 
 meet it. ' ' 
 
 But Joseph believed, that under the charter of the city of 
 Nauvoo, the municipal court had the legal right to abate the 
 Expositor as a nuisance. Still he acknowledged the jurisdiction 
 of the higher courts, and if, upon investigation, the case should 
 be decided against the city, he was ready to submit thereto and 
 abide by it. He, in substance, so expressed himself to Gover- 
 nor Ford. 
 
 On the morning of June 27, 1844, John P. Greene, the 
 City Marshal of Nauvoo, having been committed, in company 
 with Joseph and Hyrum Smith, on a charge of treason, and 
 confined in Carthage jail, was called out by the governor, and 
 sent to Nauvoo to have the police on duty, and see that there 
 were no riotous demonstrations on the part of the populace 
 when he, the governor, should come into the cit}", he having 
 concluded to visit Nauvoo that day. The marshal obtained a 
 promise from the governor, before leaving, that he would 
 bring Josejih and Hyrum Smith with him. 
 
 "The governor was made acquainted with the threats 
 that had been made against the lives of the prisoners, but on 
 the morning of the 27th, he disbanded the IVIcDonough 
 troops, and sent them home; took Captain Dunn's company of 
 
THE ]\rARTYRDOM OP JOSEPH AND IIYRUM. 67 
 
 cavalry and proceeded to Nauvoo, leaving these two men and 
 three or four friends, to be guarded by eight men at the jail; 
 and a company in town of sixty men, eighty or one hundred 
 rods from the jail, as a corps in reserve." 
 
 Says the Times and Seasons: "About six o'clock in the 
 afternoon (June l^Tth) the guard was surprised by an armed 
 mob of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty, 
 painted red, black and yellow, which surrounded the jail, 
 forced in — poured a shower of bullets into the room where these 
 unfortunate men were held, 'in durance vile,' to answer to the 
 laws of Illinois; midcr the solemn pledge of the faith of the 
 State, by Governor Ford, that they should he i>rotected! but 
 the moi) ruled ! ! They fell as martyrs amid this tornado of 
 lead, each receiving four bitllets ! John Taylor was wounded by 
 four bullets in his limbs. Thus perishes the hope of law ; thus 
 vanishes the plighted faith of the State ; thus the blood of 
 innocence stains the constituted authorities of the United 
 States, and thus have two among the most noble martyrs since 
 the slaughter of Abel, sealed the truth of their divine mission, 
 by being shot by a mob for their religion. ' ' 
 
 While this bloody tragedy was being enacted at Carthage, 
 Governor Ford, instead of protecting liis prisoners as he had 
 pledged his honor to do, was at Nauvoo. He stood upon the 
 very frame of a building where Joseph, for the last time, had 
 addressed the Legion, five or six days previously. He was 
 speaking to a large assemblage of people, and, among other 
 insulting things, gave utterance to the following : 
 
 "A great crime has been done by destroying the Expositor 
 press and placing the city under martial law, and a severe atone- 
 ment must he made^ so prepare your minds for the emergency. 
 Another cause of excitement is the fact of your having so many 
 firearms ; the public are afraid that you are going to use them 
 to usurp the government. I know there is a great prejudice 
 against j^ou on account of your peculiar religion, but ,you ought 
 to be praying Saints, not military Saints. Depend upon it, a 
 little more misbehavior on the part of the citizens, and the 
 torch which is now already lighted, will be applied ; the city 
 may be reduced to ashes, and extermination would inevitably 
 follow ; and it gave me great pain to think that there was dan- 
 ger of so many innocent women and children being extermin- 
 ated. If anything of a serious character should befall the lives 
 or property of the persons who are prosecuting your leaders, 
 you will be held responsible. ' ' 
 
 News of the massacre was forthwith sent to Nauvoo, but the 
 messengers did not arrive there until early next morning. They 
 
68 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 brought a letter signed by Willard Richards, John Taylor and 
 Samuel H. Smith, stating that the governor had just arrived in 
 Carthage, who stated that "all things shall be inquired into, 
 and all right measures taken." 
 
 This letter contained the following items: "I say to all the 
 citizens of Nauvoo, my brethren, be still, and know that God 
 reigns. Dont rush out of the city — don't rush to Carthage ; 
 stay at home and be prepared for an attack from Missouri 
 mobbers. 
 
 ' 'We will prepare to move the bodies as soon as possible. 
 
 "The people of the County are greatly excited, and fear the 
 'Mormons' will come and take vengeance. I have pledged my 
 word the 'Mormons' will stay at home as soon as they can be 
 informed, and no violence will be used on their part. ' ' 
 
 To this letter is appended this note : 
 
 "Defend yourselves until protection can be furnished 
 necessary. June 27th, 1844. 
 "Thomas Ford, 
 
 "Grovcrnor and Commander in Chief" 
 
 And also the following : 
 
 ''"3Ir. Orson Spencer, 
 
 "Dear Sir: — Please deliberate on this matter; 
 prudence may obviate material destruction. I was at my resi- 
 dence when this horrible crime was committed. It will be 
 condemned by three-fourths of the citizens of the County — be 
 quiet or you will be attacked from Missouri. 
 
 "M. K Deming." 
 
 The Times and Secisons further remarks : 
 
 "The governor as well as the citizens of Carthage, were 
 thunderstruck ! and fled. 
 
 ' 'The Legion in Nauvoo was called out at ten a. m. , and 
 addressed by Judge Phelps, Colonel Buckmaster, of Alton, 
 the governor's aid, and others; and all excitement and fury 
 allayed, and preparations were made to receive the bodies of 
 the noble martyrs. About three o'clock the.y were met by a 
 great assemblage of people east of the Temple on Mulholland 
 Street, under the direction of the City Marshal, followed by 
 Samuel H. Smith, the brother of the deceased, Dr. Kichards 
 and Mr. Hamilton, of Carthage. The wagons were guarded 
 by eight men. The procession that followed in Nauvoo, was 
 the City Council, the Lieutenant-General's statF, Major-General 
 
THE MARTYRS LYING IN STATE. 69 
 
 and staff, the Brigadier General and staff, commanders and 
 officers of the Legion and citizens generallj-, which numbered 
 several thousands, amid the most solemn lamentations and 
 wailings that ever ascended into the ears of the Lord of hosts 
 to be avenged of our enemies. 
 
 "When the procession arrived, the bodies were both taken 
 into the Xauvoo Mansion. The scene at the Mansion cannot 
 be described. The audience was addressed bj' Dr. Richards, 
 Judge Phelps, Woods and Eeed, Esquires, of Iowa, and 
 Colonel 3Iarkham. It was a vast assemblage of some eight or 
 ten thousand persons, and Avith one united voice they resolved 
 to trust to the law for a remedj' of such a high-handed assassi- 
 nation, and when that failed, to call upon Grod to avenge them 
 of their wrongs! Oh! vvidows and orphans! Oh! Ameri- 
 cans weep ! for the glor\^ of freedom has departed ! ' ' 
 
 After the bodies of the honored dead were dressed and fully- 
 prepared, they were placed in coffins and lay in state, in the 
 large dining room, where many thousands of people passed 
 through, two by two, and newed, for the last time, their earthly 
 remains. 
 
 That scene was one of great solemnit}^ Language is too 
 feeble to draw an adequate picture. The deep and pungent 
 emotions that are ingenerate in the bosom, cannot be declared 
 in words, when thus stirred to their inmost depths. The lacer- 
 ated heart must feel the extent of its own woes, and with that 
 be content. Words are far too impotent to transmit it to the 
 full understanding of another. 
 
 Death, in any form, is an unwelcome visitant, and casts a 
 shadow over us, that oppresses with its gloominess. But when 
 the good, the generous, the i3hilanthopist, the towering patriot 
 and champion of equal rights, is cut down in the prime of man- 
 hood and in the midst of usefulness, by a ruthless hand, then, 
 indeed, is the grief intensified and made uncontrollable, even to 
 the most philosophic mind. 
 
 These were the devoted leaders of a great people. They 
 were the favored of heaven, the commissioned of the Great 
 Eternal One. They were the chosen delegates to move the 
 cause of righteousness among the nations, preparatory to the 
 coming of the Son of Man. They testified of peace and good-wi^l, 
 but the fary of the wicked encompassed them with the tempest 
 of passion, and Carthage prison and the State escutcheon were 
 crimsoned with their innocent blood. 
 
70 TIIE MARTYRS. 
 
 Tliey liiid becu humble and patient, yet persevering in pushing 
 forward their mission of love. Through perils they had passed 
 undismayed. The menace of mobs could not awe them into 
 silence. In prison they stood erect in dignity, as a tyrant's 
 chains hung upon them. Tliey loved their country's laws 
 because, if properly executed, they were calculated to shelter 
 the honest sons of toil under the shadow of the tree of 
 liberty. 
 
 High-minded and honorable, j'et kind and gentle in deport- 
 ment, they won the love, esteem and confidence of all who knew 
 them best. To them the widow and fatherless looked for 
 encouragement, and the down-trodden and oppressed turned to 
 them for protection. 
 
 But, alas! the tragedy had been enacted! Assassination 
 had fired the deadly volley and their perforated forms lay 
 motionless in the embrace of death. It was so. Words are 
 useless now. 
 
 CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 account of the massacre by one who was among the 
 mob— probable fate of this imformer — how he 
 happened to be with the mob party — details of 
 the massacre— reflections on the horrible deed 
 — return to his home — a dreaivi — determination to 
 do what he could to bring the murderers to 
 justice — visit to nata^oo and quincy — hush-money 
 offered him — he joins the church — efforts to 
 put him out of tiie way — before tiie grand jury 
 as a witness — nine persons indicted — murderers 
 allowp:d to go free. 
 
 AT ANY of the facts connected with the murder of Joseph 
 ^^^ and Hyrum Smith have now been related. But the ques- 
 tions arise : AVho committed the deed? In what manner was 
 it accomplished? 
 
DANIELS' ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE. 71 
 
 T(i I'liUy ])resciit this phase of the cruel butchery, the follow- 
 ing statements of an eye-witness are introduced. It is an 
 account given by Wni. M. Daniels, which was written out care- 
 fully by the author of this vohmie, and printed in a i)aniphlet, 
 at Nauvoo. 
 
 Mr. Daniels, for some time after the murder, resided in 
 Nauvoo, where he joined the Church. In justice to him it 
 should be here stated that he evinced the fullest sincerity while 
 relating the incidents of his narrative. As regards the flash of 
 light described by him, which is illustrated in our engraving, 
 he averred most emphatically that it occurred as related. Even 
 before the court, when the murderers were arraigned for exam- 
 ination as to their complicity in the bloody deed, he was con- 
 fronted by the law^-ers for the mob party, and there stated that 
 all he had told was the truth. 
 
 As to the correctness of this strange exhibition of light, the 
 author knows nothing personally ; but it is given as Daniels' 
 testimony, among the other incidents, and he leaves the reader 
 to draw such conclusions as may seem reasonable. 
 
 The whereabouts of Mr. Daniels has been unknown to the 
 writer since 1846. It is not at all unlikely that some of the 
 parties implicated in the tragedy at Carthage assassinated him 
 for exposing them. They swore they would do so, and were 
 hunting for him previous to the exodus of the Saints from 
 Nauvoo. On the steamboat Ocean lFai;e a party of them tried 
 to get some information, as to where Daniels might be found, 
 from, and also laid a cunning plan to entrap, the writer when the 
 boat should land at Yf arsaw, for the part he took in the publi- 
 cation — but they failed. 
 
 The follo^^^ng is the statement of Daniels : 
 
 1 resided in Augusta, Hancock County, 111., eighteen miles 
 from Carthage. On the 16th day of June, I left my home with 
 the intention of going to St. Louis. When I arrived at Bear 
 Creek, I found the country in a great state of excitement, in 
 relation to the "Mormons." I was told it would be dangerous 
 for me to proceed farther on my way to Warsaw, as the inter- 
 mediate country was mostly settled by "Mormons," who \yould, 
 in all probability, intercept me by violence. I knew nothing of 
 the character and disposition of the^ "Mormon" people, never 
 having been personally acquainted with them as a community, 
 
72 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 The tales ol'villiimy tliat were related concern iiig them, were so 
 horrid and shocking that I yielded to the entreaties of my 
 advisers, and abandoned, for that day. at least, my intention of 
 proceedmg farther on my journey. I lodged that night with a 
 Mr. Scott. 
 
 The next morning a company of men were going from that 
 place to Carthage, for the purpose, as they said, of assisting the 
 militia to drive the ' 'JMormons' ' out of the countr}^ Out of curi- 
 osity, as I had no particular way to sjiend my time, and the creeks 
 having been rendered impassable that night by heavy rain, I 
 w^ent in company with them to Carthage." On our w^ay there, 
 they were discussing the best means to be adopted for the expul- 
 sion of the "3Iormon" population. Some were for marching 
 to Nauvoo, and laying the city in ashes, and drivino- the inhab- 
 itants from the limits of the State, at the point of tbe bayonet ; 
 others w^ere for murdering Joseph and Hyrum Smith, w^hile 
 others were in favor of ac<?omplishing both of these barbarous 
 objects. 
 
 I noticed minutely their conversation, and it w^as not 
 hard for me to discover that all their animosity and hatred of 
 their neighbors, arose from a spirit of envy. I heard no person 
 declaring that the "Mormons" had ever personally injured him; 
 but they swore that ' 'Old Joe' ' was getting too much power and 
 influence in the world, and he ought to be put out of the way. 
 His career ought to be stopped. They looked upon him as no 
 less than a second Mahomet, who would soon spring into power, 
 usurp the reins of government, and establish his religion by the 
 sword. To prevent such a calamity from befalling the w^orld, 
 they argued that it.would be doing Grod sendee to take his life, 
 supposing that would also totally annihilate the religion called 
 "Mormonism.'' 
 
 From that hour I looked upon them as demons, not men, and 
 determined to do all in my power to prevent so bloody and awful 
 an occurrence. I w^as not attached to any religious society 
 whatever, and was willing that all mankind should worship 
 Almighty God according to the dictates of their ow^n consciences. 
 I knew that the laws of my country, which I had been taught 
 to honor and revere, granted all men that right and privilege, 
 while they were the subjects of its government. I hoped that 
 her institutions might be untarnished and her dignity unsullied 
 and free from so disgraceful an event as was then in contempla- 
 tion. 
 
 We arrived in Carthage, and found the Carthage Grreys, and 
 several other companies, on parade. I was told their object was 
 to drive the ''Mormons."' I w^ould remark tbat a certain 
 preacher, professing to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus 
 Christ to the world, was engaged in playing a drum at the 
 head of this company. 
 
INFLA>rMATORY SPEECHES ABOUT THE "MORMONS. /-> 
 
 These companies were commanded by Captains Smith, Orecn 
 and others, who were grecftly excited, and said they v/ere deter- 
 mined to kill the '-Mormons." On hearing that the governor 
 was on his way to Carthage, the.\' were very much alarmed; 
 whereupon Joseph H. Jackson, in company with Dr. Foster, 
 ¥. M. Higbce, and others, declared that if the Governor, "Tom" 
 Ford, came, and gave the Smiths— Joseijh and Hymm— a fair 
 trial, they would be acquitted, and we will be hung as sure as 
 there is a God in heaven. Further he obsen^ed, "1 do not see 
 
 why the d d little governor c(juld not stay at home, and send 
 
 us word, and we would do the business up in a huny, and drive 
 the 'Mormons' out of the country." 
 
 I returned to Bear Creek that night, with the intention 
 of leaving for St. Louis the next morning. However, on the 
 morning of the 20th, hearing thai the (lovernor had arrived at 
 Carthage, and being somewhat ac(|uainted with him, I concluded 
 to return and see him, which 1 did. 
 
 When I arrived at Carthage, he was addressing the people at 
 the Court House, in relation to the "Mormon" difficulties. He 
 said he came there to see that the law was fully carried out. 
 When he was done, Mr. lloosevelt, of W^arsaw, went upon the 
 public square, mounted a box, and made an inflammatory speech 
 to the people who had collected, wherein he stated that thelaw 
 was not sufficient to carry out their measures. Stretching 
 out his arms at full length, he said, with all the energy in his 
 power: ''We hare the willmr/ minds, and God Almighty has 
 given us strength, and we ludl wield the sahre and make onr 
 own laws.T'' He then said he presumed that the governor 
 meant well enough, but was too easy in his remarks to them, 
 in saying that he wished a compliance with the laws. 
 
 Mr. Roosevelt soon gave way for Mr. Skinner, a ''young limb 
 of the law," a tool for mobocracy, and, at the time, a candidate 
 for the Legislature, who made a short speech, wherein he stated 
 he was one of the delegates appointed by the people of Carthage 
 to go to Springfield and lay before the governor their grievances. 
 He was not so severe upon the governor as Mr. Roosevelt had 
 been. He presumed the governor would do what was right, 
 but his uhimate course proved him to be the most hypocritical. 
 
 The governor gave orders, which were read by Capt. Dunn, 
 that all the people who had been promiscuously assembled in 
 Carthage, should be consolidated in the militia, under his com- 
 mand, to co-operative in maintaining the supremacy of thelaw. 
 
 1 returned to Bear Creek that evening. In the morning, I 
 proceeded to Warsaw. On my arrival there, a force of about 
 three hundred men was mustered upon the parade ground under 
 the command of Cai)tains Aldrich Grover, Elliott, and C(»l. 
 Williams of Green Plains. I wished to know what their inten- 
 tions were, and was informed that they were determmed to drne 
 
74 THE MARTTRS. 
 
 the (1 ^d Mormons out of the County. I remained there five 
 
 days ; during which time Williams, Koosevelt, Sharp, and others, 
 were continually beating up for volunteers, by making inflamma- 
 tory speeches, exciting the populace and making false publica- 
 tions to the world. Col Williams announced that he was em- 
 powered by the governor, to stop and search steamboats, at the 
 wharf, at Warsaw. Accordingly, he stopped the steam packet 
 Osprey. On Capt. Anderson's refusal to let him search the 
 boat, he ordered his men to fire upon her. The cannon was 
 leveled upon the boat. As they were in the act of firing, a 
 gentlemen who, was standing by, being sober, (for most of them 
 ^vere badly intoxicated) placed his hand between the match and 
 powder, which prevented ignition. They, however, searched 
 the boat ; but did not succeed in finding but eight or nine kegs 
 of powder, which they permitted to remain on board. That 
 evening they fired upon two more steamboats, with their mus- 
 kets, which they compelled to stop. Col Williams informed the 
 Captains, that he had orders to search their boats forammunition, 
 arms, proA isions, etc. The captains consented, and search was 
 instituted, but nothing was found which was considered contra- 
 band, and the boats resumed their course. 
 
 Relative to the governor's giving the people of Warsaw orders 
 to stop and search steamboats, I would remark that Grov. Ford 
 informed me at Quincy, that he had not given them orders to 
 stop any boats, WMtli the exception of the Maid of Iowa, a boat 
 then owned by the ''Mormons," which the people supposed 
 might convey away ircn. Smith. Here we see a wnllful and 
 arbitrary infraction of law^ and order, on the part of this mili- 
 tary Nero, Col. Williams, and the mobbers of Warsaw. 
 
 All was commotion and turmoil through Warsaw and its vicin- 
 ity. The scenery had become insipid and irksome to me, and 
 I longed for relief and to be wliere my mind could be at rest. 
 Passing through such continual bustle, watching the movements 
 of the rabble wdio,' like a horde of impetuous barbarians, seemed 
 impelled on, by the blind infatuation of priests and shallow zeal- 
 ots, in hopes of booty, disgusted and sickened me and fired me 
 with contempt. My mind reverted to the time when the 
 dark and bloody Attila led on the ignorant Huns to conquest, 
 plunder and extermination, applying the torch of conflagration 
 to pleasant villages and sequestered homes. 
 
 On Tuesday, 1 started for Quincy. As I pursued my journey 
 from Warsaw, my mind was uneasy and restless. When I had 
 travelled near eight miles I enipiired my way, and, through 
 accident or design, I was placed upon a road that led me directly 
 back to Warsaw. My mind was composed and tranquil as I 
 came in sight of the place. My attention was attracted by a 
 group of men. ap])arently in earnest conversation. I drew near 
 and learned that the Carthage Greys had made them the prop- 
 
DETAILS OF THE MASSACRE. Y5 
 
 ositiou to come to Carthage, on the following day, and assist them 
 in murdering Joseph and Hyfum Smith, during the al^sence of 
 the governor, atGolden's Point, where he contemplated march- 
 ing with the troops. As soon as they discovered that i had 
 learned the purpose of their conference, they ))ecame suspicious 
 of me, fearing exposure, no doubt, and put me under guard. 
 I was held in custody until the following morning, when a com- 
 pany of volunteers was raised, to march to (lolden's l*oint, to 
 unite with the governor. I desired to make the governor 
 aciuainted with what was contemplated against the lives of the 
 ])risouers. To effect this object, I volunteered, and drew a 
 musket. The company was paraded in single hie ; roll was called 
 and Capt. Jacob Davis, (the murderer, who was afterward 
 screened from justice by the Senate of Illinois,) and Capt. Grro- 
 ver, selected ten men each from their respective companies, who 
 were to march to Carthage, in compliance with the rcijuest of 
 the Carthage Greys, to co-operative with them in committing 
 the murder. These twenty men were marched a short distance 
 to one side, where they received their instructions from Col. 
 Williams, Mark Aldrich, Capt. Jacob Davis, and Capt. Grover, 
 and they were sent off. I do not recollect the names of any of 
 these twenty, with the exception of two brothers^oopers in 
 Warsaw, by the name of Stevens. One of them is about six 
 feet three inches high, well proportioned and athletic. The 
 other is near five feet nine inches high, with dark complexion 
 and dark hair. When the officers were interrogated as to the 
 object of these twenty men being sent in advance of the troops, 
 they evaded the truth by replying that they had been detailed 
 for a picket guard. 
 
 The troops were marched. We arrived at the crossing of the 
 railroad at 12 o'clock. We were there met by Sharp and others, 
 bearing dispatches from the governor, disbanding the troops. 
 This unexpected order threw the troops into a perfect panic. 
 They cursed the governor for not perrnitting them to march 
 through to Nauvoo. Their object in wishing to go — and this 
 was understood with all the militia — was to burn the city and 
 exterminate the inhabitants. These designs were baffled by the 
 disbanding of the troops. In justice to the character of Governor 
 Ford, I would remark that his object in disbanding the troops, 
 was to prevent such an awful caiamity. 
 
 The disbanding orders were read by Col. • Levi Williams. 
 Captains Davis, Grover and Elliott, immediately called their 
 companies together. 
 
 Thomas C. Sharp mounted his "big bay horse,'' and made an 
 inflammatory speech to the companies, characteristic of his 
 corrupt heart. The following is a short extract, as near as my 
 memory will serve me : 
 
76 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 "Friends and Fellow-Citizens! The crisis lias arrive J 
 when it becomes our duty to rise, as freemen, and assert our 
 rights. The law is iusutricient for us; the governor will not 
 enforce it ; we must take it into our hands ; we know what 
 wrongs we suiter, and we are the best calculated to redress them. 
 Now is the time to j^ut a period to the mad career of the Prophet ; 
 sustained as he is by a band of fanatical military saints! We 
 have borne his usur])ations until it would be cowardice to bear 
 them longer ! jMy, Fellow citizens ! improve the o])portunity 
 that offers ; lest the opportunity pass, and the despotic Prophet 
 will never again be in your power. All things are understood, 
 we must hasten to Carthage and murder the Smiths, while the 
 governor is absent at Nauvoo. Beard the lions in their den. 
 The news will reach iVauvoo before the go\ernor leaves. This 
 will so enrage the ''Mormons/' that they will fall upon and 
 
 murder Tom Ford, and we shall then be rid of the d d little 
 
 governor and the 'Mormons' too." (Cheers.) 
 
 This speech was likely to fail of having the desired effect. 
 None seemed willing to be the first to start. At last Capt. Grover 
 started, and declared he would go alone, if no person would follow 
 him. Soon one person followed, then another, vmtil a company 
 of eighty- four was made up. All the troops that had not volun- 
 teered in this company were told to go home. The twenty men 
 who had been sent forward to commit the murder, were sent 
 for and they formed a part of the eighty- four. 
 
 Here I felt that the purpose for wliich I volunteered, had 
 been baffled. I expected to have met with the governor at 
 Golden' s Point, and could I have done so, I entertained no 
 doubt, I could have succeeded in putting a stop to the murder. 
 But instead of marching to Golden' s Point as we anticipated, 
 he marched to Nauvoo. Under these circumstances I was at 
 a loss to know what to do. I had not time to go to Nauvoo, 
 and raise a posse to surround the jail as a guard, before this 
 company would _ arrive there. I was on foot, and would have 
 ten or twelve miles farther to travel than they. As I could do 
 nothing better, I was determined to follow on with the com- 
 pany and see what they would do. Several others, like myself, 
 followed out of curiosity, without being armed. Carthage lay 
 directly on my route home. 
 
 After we had arrived within nearly six miles of Carthage, 
 they made a halt. Col. Williams rode three or four times 
 backwards and forwards from the company to the Carthage 
 Greys. He said he would have the Carthage Greys come and 
 meet them. They marched within four miles of Carthage, 
 when they were met by one of the Greys, bringing a note to 
 the following import : 
 
 "Now is a delightful time to murder the Smiths. The gov- 
 ernor has gone to Nauvoo with all the troops. The Carthage 
 
THE PLOT OF THE MOB. 77 
 
 Greys are left to guard the prisoners. Five of our men will be 
 stationed at the jail; the rest will be upon the public square. 
 To keep up appearances, you will attack the men atthe jail— a 
 sham sculHe will ensue — their guns will be loaded with blank 
 cartridges— they will fire in the air. ' ' 
 
 They were also instructed by the person bearing this dispatch, 
 to lire three guns as they advanced along the fence that led 
 from the woods to the jail. This was to serve as a signal to the 
 Carthage Greys, that they were in readiness. 
 
 After they had received their instructions, the company fol- 
 lowed along up the hollow that struck into the point of timber. 
 
 Here I left them, and pursued my way to the jail, where I 
 arrived ten or fifteen minutes first. How gladly would I have 
 informed the defenseless prisoners of the plot that was shortly 
 to be executed against them. Had the Carthage Greys been 
 loyal members of the militia of the country, I could have 
 effected their escape ; but it was impossible. 
 
 Soon the mob made their appearance. They advanced in 
 single file along the fence, as they had been instructed. When 
 they had gained about half the distance of the fence, the signal 
 guns were fired. 
 
 Soon the jail was sun-ounded by the mob. They had blacked 
 themselves with wet powder, while they were in the woods, 
 which gave them the horrible appearance of demons. The 
 most of them had on blue hunting-shirts, with fringe around 
 the edges. 
 
 The Carthage Greys advanced within about eight rods of the 
 jail where they halted, in plain view of the whole transaction, 
 until the deed was executed. They occupied a place in an 
 eastern direction from the jail. When they halted, their com- 
 mander, Capt. Smith, marched in front of the mob, said "How 
 do you do, gentlemen?"' and passed through their ranks, taking 
 a station in their rear. 
 
 Col. Williams shouted out, "Rush in!— there's no danger 
 boys — all is right ! ' ' 
 
 A sham rencounter ensued between them and the guard. 
 They clinched each other, and the mob threw some of them 
 upon the ground. A few guns were fired in the air. 
 
 A rush was made in the door, at the south part of the build- 
 ing. This let them into a hall, or entry, from which they 
 ascended a flight of stairs, at the head of which, turning to 
 the right, they reached the door that led into the prisoners' 
 room. 
 
 To give a relation of some of the particular circumstances 
 that transpired in the jail, I am compelled to depend, princi- 
 pally, upon the statements of others. My sources of informa- 
 tion, upon these points, however, are of such a nature that the 
 reader can regard them as strictly correct. 
 
78 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 The spirits of the prisoners had been rather depressed all the 
 afternoon. Why it was so the\^ knew not. They knew the 
 faith of the governor, and tlie State of Illinois, was pledged for 
 their protection. Elder John Taylor had been singing a hymn, 
 found on the 2r)4th page of the English edition of the Latter- 
 dav Saints' Hymn 13ook, entitled, "A Poor Wayfaring Man of 
 Grief" 
 
 This seemed rather apphcable to their situation ; it had a 
 selemnity in it that tranqualized their minds, and at the 
 request of Hyrum Smith, it was sung over again. 
 
 From this pleasant communion, they were aroused by curses, 
 threats, and the heavy and fierce rush of the mob up the 
 stairs. 
 
 Hyrum stood near the center of the room, in front of the 
 door. The mob fired a ball through the pannel of the door, 
 which entered Hyrum' s head, at the left side of his nose. He 
 fell upon his back, with his head one or two feet from the 
 north east corner of the room, exclaiming, as he fell, ' 'I am a 
 dead man !" In all, four balls entered his body. One ball (it 
 must have been fired through the window, from the outside) 
 passed through his body with such force — entering his back — 
 that it completely broke to pieces a wateh which he wore in his 
 vest pocket. 
 
 His death was sudden and without pain. Thus fell Hyrum 
 Smith, the Patriarch of the Church of God, a martjT for his 
 holy religion! In that brief moment was the Church of 
 Jesus Christ deprived of the services of as good a man as 
 ever had a name in its history. 
 
 A shower of balls were poured through all parts of the 
 room, many of which lodged in the ceiling, just above the 
 head of the fallen man. 
 
 A few hours previous to this, a friend to General Joseph 
 Smith, put in his possession a revolving pistol with six cham- 
 bers, usually called a "pepper-box." With this in his hand, he 
 took a position by the wall at the left of the door. 
 
 Joseph reached his pistol through the door, which was 
 pushed a little ajar, and fired three of the barrels; the rest 
 missed fire. He wounded three of the assailants — two mortally — 
 one of whom, as he rushed down out of the door, was asked if 
 he was badly hurt. He replied, "Yes; my arm is shot all to 
 
 Sieces by Old Joe; but I don't care, I've got reveng; I shot 
 [yrum ! ' ' 
 
 Elder Taylor took a position beside the door, with Elder 
 Richards, and parried off" their muskets with walking sticks, 
 as they were firing. 
 
 What must have been the feelings of General Smith, at 
 this critical juncture! He had fired all of the barrels of his 
 pistol that would discharge; he had therefoi'e no further 
 
THE^HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. 79 
 
 means of defense. His brother, whose life he had been so 
 anxious to preserve, lay a corpse before him, and his assailants 
 were filling the door with muskets and firing showers of lead 
 into the room. 
 
 Elder Taylor continued parrying their guns, until they had 
 got them about half the length into the room, when he found 
 resistance vain and attempted to jump out of the window. Just 
 then a ball from within struck him on the left thigh ; hitting the 
 bone, it glanced through to within half an inch of the other 
 side. He fell on the window-sill and expected he would fall 
 out, when a ball from without struck his watch, which he 
 carried in his vest pocket, and threw him back into the room. 
 He was hit by two more balls ; one injuring his left wrist con- 
 siderably, and the other entering at the side of the bone, just 
 below the left knee. He fell into the room, and rolled under a 
 bed that stood at the right of the window, in the south-east 
 corner of the room. While under the bed, he was fired at 
 several times, and was struck by one ball which tore the flesh 
 on his left hip in a shocking manner, throwing large quantities 
 of blood upon the wall and floor. These wounds proved very 
 severe and painful, but he sufl"ered without a murmur, rejoic- 
 ing that he had the satisfaction to mingle his blood with that 
 of the Prophets, and be with them in the last moments of 
 their earthly existence. His blood, with theirs, can cry to 
 heaven for vengeance on those who have shed the blood of 
 innocence and slain the servants of the living Grod in all ages 
 of the world. This seemed a source of high gratification, and 
 he endured his severe sufterings without a single complaint, 
 being perfectly resigned to the providence of Grod. 
 
 Elder Richards was still contending with the assailants, at the 
 door, when General Smith, seeing there was no safety in the 
 room, and probably thinking it might save the lives of others 
 if he could escape from the room, turned calmly from the 
 door, dropped his pistol upon the floor, sa.ying, '"There, 
 defend yourselves as well as you can. ' ' 
 
 He sprang into the window ; but just as he was preparing 
 to descend, he saw such an array of bayonets below, that he 
 caught by the window casing, where he hung by his hands and 
 feet, with his head to the north, feet to the south, and his 
 body swinging downwards. He hung in that position three or 
 four minutes, during which time he exclaimed, two or three 
 times, ''0, Lord, iviy God!!!" and fellto the ground. While 
 he was hanging in that position. Col. Williams hallooed, "Shoot 
 him! G — dd— nhim! shoot the dam'd rascal!" However, 
 none fired at him. 
 
 He seemed to fall easy. He struck partly on his right shoul- 
 der and back, his neck and head reaching the ground a little 
 before his feet. He rolled instantly on his face. From this 
 
80 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 position he was taken by a young man, who sprang- to him 
 from tlie other side of the fence, who held a pewter fife in his 
 hand, was barefoot and bare-headed, having on no coat, with 
 his pants rolled above his knees, and shirt-sleeves above his 
 elbows. He set President Smith against the south side of the 
 well-curb, that was situated a few feet from the jail. While 
 doing this, the savage muttered aloud, ''This is Old Jo; I know 
 him. I know you. Old Jo. Damn you ; you are the man thtxt 
 had my daddy shot," The object he had in talking in this 
 way, I supposed to be this: He wished to have President 
 Smith and the people in general, believe he was the son of 
 Governor Boggs, which would lead to the opinion that it was 
 the Missourians who had come over and committed the murder. 
 This was the report that they soon caused to be circulated; but 
 this was too palpable an absurdity to be credited. 
 
 After President Smith had fallen, I saw Elder WiMard Rich- 
 ards come to the window and look out upon the horrid scene 
 that spread itself below him. 
 
 I could not help noticing the striking contrast in the coun- 
 tenance of President Smith and the horrid, demon-like 
 appearance of his murderers. The former was calm and tran- 
 quil, while the mob were filled with excitement and agitation. 
 President Smith's exit from the room had the teiidency to 
 cause those who were firing into the room to abandon it and 
 rush to the outside. This gave an opportunity for Elder Rich- 
 ards to convey Elder Taylor into the cell, which he did, and 
 covered him with a bed, thinking he might there be secure if 
 the mob should make another rush into the jail. While they 
 were in the cell, some of the mob again entered the room ; but 
 finding it deserted by all but Hyrum Smith, they left the jail. 
 (See engraving. ) 
 
 When President Smith had been set against the curb, and 
 began to recover, from the effects of the fall, Col. Williams 
 ordered four men to shoot him. Accordingly, four men took an 
 eastern direction, about eight feet from the curb. Col. Williams 
 standing partly at their rear, and made ready to execute the 
 order. While they were making preparations, and the muskets 
 were raised to their faces. President Smith's eyes rested upon 
 them with a calm and quiet resignation. He betra.yed no agi- 
 tated feelings and the expression upon his countenance seemed 
 to betoken his inly prayer to be. "O, Father, forgive them, for 
 they know not what they do. " 
 
 ' 'The fire was simultaneous. A slight cringe of the body was 
 all the indication of pain that he betrayed when the balls struck 
 him. He fell upon his fice. One ball then entered the back 
 part of his body. This is the ball that many people have sup- 
 posed struck him about the time he was in the window. Rut 
 
AN AITEMPT TO BKllEAl) JOSEPH. XI 
 
 this is a mistake. I was close by him, and T know he was not 
 hit with a ball, nntil after he was seated bj- the well-curb. 
 
 His death was instantaneous and tranquil. He betraj^ed no 
 appearance of pain. His noble form exhibited all its powers of 
 manly strength and healthful agility, yet not a muscle seemed 
 to move with pain, and there was no distortion of his features. 
 His death was peaceful as the flilling to sleep of an inftintr— no 
 cloud of contending ])assion gathered upon his brow, and no 
 malediction trembled on his lip. The reward of a righteous 
 man seemed hovering over him, and his breath ceased \vith as 
 much ease and gentleness, as if eternity was exerting an influence 
 in his behalf and taking his spirit home to a world of "liberty, 
 light and life. ' ' 
 
 The ruffian, of whom I have spoken, who set him against 
 the ^yell-curb, now secured a bowie knife for the purpose of 
 severing his head from his body. He raised the knife and was 
 in the attitude of striking, when a light, so sudden and power- 
 ful,_ burst from the heavens upon the bloody scene, (passing its 
 vivid chain between Joseph and his murderers, ) that they were 
 struck with terrified awe and filled with consternation. This 
 light, in its appearance and potency, baffles all powers of de- 
 scription. The arm of the ruffian, that held the knife, fell pow- 
 erless ; the muskets of the four, who fired, fell to the ground, 
 and they all stood like marble statues, not having power to 
 move a single limb of their bodies. 
 
 By this time most of the men had fled in great disorder. I 
 never saw so frightened a set of men before. Col. Williams 
 saw the light and was also badly frightened ; but he did not 
 entirely lose the use of his limbs or speech. Seeing the con- 
 dition of these men, he hallooed to some who had just com- 
 menced to retreat, for God's sake to come and carry off these 
 men. They came back and carried them by main strength towards 
 the baggage wagons. They seemed as helpless as if they were 
 dead. 
 
 The storm had passed away. The cowardly demons had fled, 
 and I stood a spectator, gazing on the scene. There lay Joseph 
 Smith, the martyred leader of thousands who revered him. 
 The man who had passed like a magic spirit through society, 
 and in a career of a few years, had lit up the world with won- 
 der, astonishment and admiration, was left dead upon the 
 ground! He lay full low; yet, in my contemplations, I 
 regarded him as the triumphant conqueror left master of the 
 bloodj' field. Eighty-four men, (fiends,) armed with United 
 States' muskets and other weapons, had the unparalleled hero- 
 ism to murder him while a prisoner; (!!) while he had the 
 nerve and presence of mind to contend with such unequal force, 
 and with a pocket pistol kill and wound as many as they. 
 In him was the spirit of dauntless bravery exemplified. 
 
82 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 But a few days before his noble figure rode at the head of a 
 mighty legion, numbering five thousand brave hearts and ten 
 thousand strong arms. His i>resence gave them courage, his 
 words animated their hearts and nerved their limbs ; and the 
 large heart that beat within his manly breast, entwined around 
 it their love and affection, by the generosity and nobility of its 
 principles. 
 
 In this situation he had the power to defend himself How 
 insignificant was the power of this contemptible mob, in com- 
 parison with this force, that could have borne him off trium- 
 phant, in defiance of all their resistance ! From this position 
 of power he descended — threw down the sword that could have 
 protected him from the menace of mobs — and trusted himself 
 to the honor and fidelity of men and the boasted majesty of 
 American jurisprudence ! 
 
 0, man ! how worthless are your promises ! how perfidious 
 are your ways ! He that would have died for the maintenance 
 of his honor, fell a sacrifice to the broken faith of other men ! 
 
 The murder took place at fifteen minutes past five o'clock, 
 p. m., June 27, 1844. 
 
 I now determined to go to my home. As I passed through 
 the streets of Carthage, I found that the feeling of consterna- 
 tion had seized upon the hearts of its citizens and spread 
 throughout its vicinity. The inhabitants, men and women, 
 were running in ever>^ direction through the streets ; some %- 
 ing in wagons, and others on foot, to the country, and others 
 preparing for flight. They entertained no other idea but that the 
 •'Mormons" would be upon them and desolate their neighbor- 
 hoods, from one extremity of the County to the other. " They 
 knew they had committed a deed that would have justified 
 them in taking sunmiary vengeance ; they felt that they 
 deserved it and their conscience told them they might expect it. 
 But the course taken by the people of Nauvoo, so entirely dif- 
 ferent from this, is known to all. I cannot believe there is 
 another people on earth, who could have remained within the 
 boundary of a city, and had two of their leading citizens mur- 
 dered, under the same circumstances, without breaking over 
 all restraint and wreaking vengeance upon the lawless rabble 
 who had thus tampered with their reposed confidence. "A^en- 
 geance is mine, saith the Lord, and I will repay." 
 
 In a few hours, Carthage was desolate, and seemed the sight 
 of some dilapidated village, whose inhabitants had long since 
 mingled their dust in the general ruin. I might have imagined 
 myself among the relics of some flillen metropolis; but 
 the emotions of my bosom were already too keen for me to 
 court the reflections of loneliness, and I hastened from the scene 
 to calm my feelings amid the consolations of home. 
 
A DREAM. 83 
 
 When 1 enjoyed the smiling welcome of a wife, I asked my 
 heart if aught I had done had contributed to make wives wid- 
 ows and children orphans. A conscience void of offense told 
 me I was guiltless. Yet I was restless and uneasy. Through 
 the reflections of the joyless day and the vigils of the sleepless 
 night, the quick rush of the demons upon the jail — the roar of 
 musketry— Joseph tailing from the window^— his countenance 
 calm, and his bosom soothed in the quiet hush of oblivion— the 
 grim visages of the mob, damnable as the spirits of hell— and 
 the mysterious light, that came like a paralytic shock over the 
 murderers— passed in regular succession through my mind, and 
 rest and sleep, withheld from me their necessary comforts. 
 Time passed in this way until the third night after the mur- 
 der, when a pleasant dream brought back that contentment 
 and quietude that I was wont to enjoy. This is a relation of my 
 dream : 
 
 Joseph stood before me. A smile of approbation was upon 
 his cheek and his eyes rested upon me pleasantly, beaming with 
 the bright warm tokens of friendship. It was then manifested 
 to me that all I had done was approved of him and God. He 
 took me up into a high mountain. While toiling up its side, 
 I would frequently slip back and occasionally sink my feet into 
 its side, which was rendered soft by the dampness of the soil. 
 Whenever this occurred, Joseph would reach out his hand and 
 help me along. In this way, we finally reached the summit, 
 which presented a broad scope of table land. Here I was 
 seated. Joseph gave me a glass of clear cold water. He then 
 placed his hands upon my head, prayed to the Lord, blessed 
 me and departed. 
 
 This dream had an effect upon my mind that was irresistible 
 and determined my future course. I resolved to do all in my 
 power for the vindication of innocence and the punishment of 
 crime. In determining upon this course, I saw no prospect 
 before me but to have my life hunted by night and by day. 
 It was plunging my family into a life of anxiety and depriva-^ 
 tion ; yet I was determined to pass through it all, regardless of 
 consequences. I knew what to expect if I turned informer, for 
 while we were on our way from the crossing of the railroad to 
 Carthage, one of the miscreants took pains, very insinuatingly, 
 to inform me that if any person informed on them he would 
 be put out of the way. 
 
 The next morning I went to see a friend of mine, and told 
 him all I had witnessed. He advised me to go immediately to 
 the leading men of Nauvoo. I did so, taking from him letters 
 of introduction. On presenting my letter to Elder Richards, 
 and informing him of the nature of my business, he informed 
 me that my knowledge would be of no particular use to them, 
 as they should wait for the proper oflicers of the State to move^ 
 
84 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 forward in tlie matter. However, I deemed it compatible with 
 duty to make affidavit of the facts, which I did by going before 
 Esquire Johnson. 
 
 From there, I went to Quincy, where I met with Governor 
 Ford. He thanked me for the information I gave him, and 
 said my testimony would be required, as measures would be 
 adopted to bring the murderers to justice. 
 
 I now desired to return home ; but knowing that my life 
 would not be safe in Hancock County, I concluded to send for 
 my family and remain in Quincy. 
 
 The mob party, learning that I was a witness against them, 
 resorted to many stratagems to ^et me to leave the country. 
 Among these, there was one that I wish to mention. One day 
 I was met by a coui)le of men who told me if I would leave the 
 country, and not appear against the murderers, they would pay 
 me twenty-five hundred dollars. I, of course, refused. They 
 shook the money at me, no doubt, thinking to tempt me and 
 make me forget my duty. Scorning the acceptance of their 
 accursed gold, I told them I had not time to talk with them, 
 and, turning on my heel, walked away. I mention this to show 
 the black-liearted villainy of the murderers that composed the 
 society of Warsaw and Carthage. It is a f.ict that a majority 
 of the inhabitants of each of these places, were either 
 engaged in the murder, or sanctioned it in their hearts or by 
 their actions. When have they lifted their voices and pro- 
 tested against any participation in the damnable deed ? "Wnen 
 have they declared that their garments are pure from the blood 
 that sticks, like a cui se, to the walls and floor of their County 
 jail? When have they ever "crooked a finger'' towcirds the 
 commitment of those devils whose bloody act should have 
 stamped them with eternal infamy in the eyes of the people of 
 these places ? Is there not found upon them a sprinkling of 
 that blood, which shall be like a consuming moth upon 
 them ? 
 
 I now \nelded obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, the 
 truth of which I had seen sealed by the blood of the Prophets, 
 who had been the honored instruments made use of in the 
 hands of (Jod, of revealing it in the last days to the children 
 of men. I here bear record of its truth, and testify that I 
 verily know Joseph Smith was a servant of the living God. 
 The evidence I received at his martjTdom, in seeing the 
 heavens exert a power for the protection of his body, is, to me, 
 plain and irresistible. 
 
 It is well known that there was a large reward offered, by 
 the ^Mi^sounans for the head of General Smith, and probably 
 it was to get this reward that the ruffian was about to sever his 
 head from his body. But although God suffered them to take 
 his life, He would not suffer them to mangle his body and 
 
EFFORT TO BRING THE MOBBERS TO .JUSTICE. 85 
 
 effect this wicked purpose. Hence this exhibition of His 
 power. 
 
 The 2Tth of September was the time set by the people of 
 Hancock to carry into execution the much talkedof wolf hunt.* 
 Satisfxctory information coming to the ears of the governor, 
 that the design was to hunt something besides prairie wolves, 
 and being warned by the transactions of the 2Tth of June, he 
 ordered out a sufficient force of the militia of the State, and 
 marched, in person, to the seat of contemplated aggression. 
 His appearance there greatly chagrined the mobocrats of the 
 County, who had not sufficiently glutted themselves with 
 innocent blood. Thus a termination was put to further general 
 hostilities, for a time at least. From there he marched to 
 Quincy, where I had another interview with him. He declared 
 his determination to have justice done, and charged me in the 
 name of Grod not to leave the State. 
 
 Previous to the session of the circuit court at Carthage, I 
 was subpoenaed to appear on behalf of the State. When the 
 time arrived, I proceeded about twenty-two miles alone. I 
 deemed it unsafe to go farther without a guard, and seventeen 
 of my friends volunteered to accompany me to Nauvoo. I 
 had left Mr. Fellows', four miles west of Carthage, a short 
 time, when eleven men, all armed, rode up in a wagon and 
 halted a short distance from Mr. Fellows' house. They passed, 
 four at a time, backwards and forwards before the door, look- 
 ing into the door and windows as they passed along. One or 
 two gentlemen went out and interrogated them as to their 
 business ; but no satisfactory answer could be extorted. They 
 kept things ver>^ sly; yet their purpose has been made known 
 to me. They did not find the person for whose blood they 
 thirsted. I arrived in safety at Nauvoo. 
 
 The next night I was awakened by the sheriff. He 
 had come after me, deeming it unsafe for me to travel 
 in the daytime. We amved in Carthage early in 
 the morning, and about nine o'clock I was called into the 
 grand jury room. My appearance in Carthage created con- 
 siderable sensation in the breasts of mobbers ; but I went in 
 regardless of every show of hostility. While giving in my 
 testimony, several of the mob armed themselves and left the 
 town, no doubt for the purpose of waylaying me, expecting 
 I would return after dark. I thought it most prudent to 
 leave immediately, which I did, and succeeded in arriving in 
 safety again at Nauvoo. 
 
 Nine persons were indicted by the grand jury, for the 
 murder, to wit: Honorable (?) Jacob C. Davis, Colonel 
 
 * On the pretense of engaging in a general wolf-hunt, preparations were 
 
 raadeby the mobocrats to raid upon the settlements of the Saints and massacre 
 the inhabitants. 
 
86 THE MARTTRS. 
 
 Levi AVilliams, Thomas C. Sharp, WilHam N. (j rover, Mark 
 Aldrich, WilHam A^oris, (loliher, Allen and Wills. 
 
 What has been the course pursued with these persons? 
 Have they been confined in jail, as criminals commonly are 
 after indictment? No. Jacob C. Davis has since filled his 
 seat in the senate of Illinois'; Thomas C. Sharp has since 
 been upheld and patronized as an editor; and the remainder 
 of them have enjoyed all the privileges of citizens who never 
 committed crime ! 
 
 Not one solitary person has ever seen the inside wall of a 
 jail for that murder, with the exception of John C. Elliot, 
 who was arrested and examined in Nauvoo, and committed for 
 trial before the circuit court ; and he remained in jail only 
 a very short time. 
 
 People talk about "Mormon" thieves, when they have 
 eiiihty-four beings, fiends , in human shape, running at large in 
 their community, who were actually engaged in murder ! The 
 people of Illinois talk about "Mormon" usurpation, and 
 treasonable designs in their leaders, and their senate chamber 
 echoing with the denunciations of a fiend yet dripping with 
 the warm blood of innocence ! The legislature and governor 
 rei)eal the Nauvoo City charter, for some pretended stretch of 
 municipal ]iower, and they welcome to their councils a being 
 with an indictment hanging over his head for the highest crime 
 known to the laws! They talk about the "Mormon" abuse 
 of the haheofi corpitfi, while they pass special decrees that no 
 member shall be subject to any process, whether civil or crimi- 
 nal, during the session of the senate, for the special benefit of 
 a murderer, thereby releasing him fron) the custody of the 
 sheriff, and screening him from justice! They prate about 
 "31ormon" disloyalty, while the ])lighted faith of the State is 
 broken, and her honor trampled in the dust! 
 
 Crentle reader, I have given as faithful a narrative as I 
 possibly could. I have related scenes through W'hich I have 
 passed myself — scenes of danger, excitement and wickedness.^ 
 M\' life has been hunted by day and by night ; the quietude of 
 my family has been ))roken up, and the villains are still deter- 
 mined to take my life. I have thus far eluded them ; but I 
 know not when my life may be taken as a sacrifice, to atone for 
 telling the truth in a free country. But I am at the defiance 
 of devils and emissaries of hell, and will not shrink from duty, 
 or cower under their menaces. 
 
web's letter. 87 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 LETTER FROM THE MAN WHO ATTEMPTED TO CUT JOSEPH 
 smith's head off— CORROBORATIVE OF THE STATEMENT 
 OF DANIELS. 
 
 NOTHINGr is here known of the writer of the following state- 
 ment beyond what the article itself contains. It is inter- 
 esting in connection with Daniels' narrative on account of the 
 source from which it emanates, and it will be seen that these 
 two eye-witnesses to the murder corroborate each other in all 
 except a few unimportant particulars. The general thread 
 of their statements harmonize. He says nothing about the 
 flash of hght, which Daniels testifies of, nor does he mention 
 his attempt to cut the Prophet's head oif after he had been 
 shot, but as an admission of the latter fact would only crimin- 
 ate himself, it is not to be wondered at that he suppressed that 
 part of the narrative. 
 
 Web's article seems to have been a communication addressed 
 to the editor of some paper published in the congressional dis- 
 trict where Thos. C. Sharp was a candidate for office, and 
 was evidently intended to damage his prospects for election. 
 It is stated that this correspondence was not published, but 
 remained in the office until a change of owners was effected. 
 The purchaser found the letter among the rejected papers, 
 and handed it to a friend to look at, with permission to keep 
 it over night. The borrower happened to be friendly dis- 
 posed towards the "Mormon" people and allowed Elders 
 McEwen and Wareham to take a copy of it, a transcript of 
 which has been furnished for publication by Brother C. C. A. 
 Christensen, as follows : 
 
 Carthage, October 14, 1844. 
 Mr. Editor: 
 
 Sir — ^As your paper has quite a circulation in this congres- 
 sional district, I hope you will find room in your pa])er for 
 
SS THE >[ARTYRS. 
 
 these lilies. ^ly reiison for writing is to let the citizens of tliis 
 and the adjoining Counties know who they are voting for when 
 they are voting for Thos. Sharp, of Warsaw. I have been attend- 
 ing court here for several daj's past, and find that there are 
 some who calculate to cast their votes for Sharp. I will now 
 give my reasons for being against Sharp : 
 
 I came from Iowa to Warsaw, Illinois, three weeks before 
 the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I was quite a young 
 man, not over twenty years old, and had not much experience 
 in life. Sharp, and some others, persuaded me to call my name 
 Boggs, a son of Governor Boggs, of Missouri. I agreed to do 
 so, and then Sharp circulated all kinds of mean tales about the 
 Mormons. He often said, in my presence, that there was a 
 "young man that Jo Smith had his father shot," which had a 
 great influence to raise the prejudices of the people against the 
 Mormons. He also persuaded me to join the company that 
 was gathering there to meet the governor's troops at Carthage, 
 which I did. The time came when we had to march to Car- 
 thage. We marched about six or eight miles and met a man 
 with orders from the governor, that we were not wanted and to 
 return to our homes. This word enraged Capt. Sharp, as he 
 was called, very much. He said all might go home that wanted 
 to ; but he would go to Carthage, if he had to go alone. He 
 said Smith ought to be killed, and if he could raise men, it 
 should be done before night ; he was in jail, and now was the 
 time. He then asked how many of those in the company 
 would go with him to Carthage to commit this disgraceful 
 deed. Clerk Burs, Snar Redman and Hoakes Middleton were 
 the first to join Sharp. He then asked if the rest were all cow- 
 ards. At that, about fifty or sixty went over to him, and 
 myself with the crowd. Jack Davis said he was no coward, 
 but he should not go in sucih a company, in a thing of that kind. 
 He and several others went back. We then organized and 
 moved for Carthage. We moved to a point of timber, west of 
 Carthage, and waited for Williams to return, as he had gone 
 on to see if there were any there who would oppose us. When 
 we came to the timber, a man came to us on a large, white 
 horse; he brought with him a note to Sharj), stating that he 
 woiiiil imt meet with ;iny opposition. This jiaper was signed 
 
web's letter. 89 
 
 by W. A. Smith, the man that had charge of the company 
 that the .governor had left at Carthage to protect the Smiths 
 until the day of their trial 
 
 Sharp sent this man back, to learn if the guard at the jail 
 would oppose him. The captain of the guard sent him a note, 
 stating that their guns were all loaded with blank cartridges, 
 and to fear no danger. This paper was signed R Worrell. 
 
 We then marched to the jail, overrun the guard and rushed 
 in the jail. The door of the room was closed by the Smiths so 
 hard that we could not enter. One of our men shot through 
 the door and a man fell back on the floor, I supposed dead, as 
 he never made any attempt to rise. The door flew open ; I 
 saw two men in the room. We shot at them several times ; at 
 length one of them fell on the floor ; the other jumped out of 
 the window. I ran down the stairs to see where he was. When 
 I got to him he was tr>ang to get up. He appeared stunned 
 bythe fall. I struck him in the face and said : ' 'Old Jo, damn 
 you, where are you now!" I then set him up against the 
 well-curb and went away from him. 
 
 Hoake and some other person shot him; whether it was 
 Sharp, or not, T never could exactly learn ; but I presume it 
 was, as his gun was empty. We then left the jail. When we 
 got a few rods from the jail. Sharp ordered all the guns loaded 
 that were empty and he loaded his. 
 
 I never can forget the frightened family that was in the jail. 
 To think that a set of men would go in a house where there 
 were two women and several little helpless children and commit 
 the willful murder ! It is too bad to think of it, and I wish I 
 could never think of it. 
 
 Clerk said, before we got to the jail, he wished he could let 
 the jailor know what they were going to do. Sharp said they 
 were Jack-Mormons, and it made no difterence. 
 
 I was led into this mean act by Sharp and others, at War- 
 saw. I can only say, I wish they had given me good advice in 
 place of that they gave, as it has caused me to be an unhappy 
 man ever since. 
 
 I here mention, when I went to Smith, after he fell out of 
 the window, I dropped a pewter fife out of my hand and left it 
 there. It belonged to a man by the name of Phelps, as I 
 
90 THE aLAHTYRS. 
 
 understand by some of our gang (though he was not one of 
 our gang). 
 
 While we were in the timber, the man on the white horse 
 brought a letter to Sharp, how to manage when he came to 
 the jail, and spare none of them, as they were all four Mor- 
 mons. This letter was signed A. Simpson. I could give the 
 names of several more, but I will not do it at present. 
 
 I will give my true name, 
 
 Wm. Web. 
 
 j^^ B.— I hope you will not fail to publish these lines. I 
 
 would send you the money to pay for the job ; but I am a good 
 
 ways from home and my means limited. I live in the south 
 
 part of Missouri. W. Web. 
 
 Testimonies:— \s^Q certify that this is a true copy of the orig- 
 inal. Alex. McEwen, 
 
 James Wareham. 
 
 C 11 AFTER X. 
 
 ford's flight from nauvoo on hearing the signal 
 that the ^lurder had been committed —prevents 
 the news from being carried to nauyoo — his 
 advice to the people of carthage to flee— elder 
 
 TAYLOR'S RETURN TO NAUVOO— HIS OWN ACCOUNT OF 
 IT — THE governor's ALARM — JONAS AND FELLOWS 
 SENT BY HIM TO NAUVOO— RESOLUTIONS OF CITY COUN- 
 CIL—PEOPLE OF WARSAW REFUSE TO SUPPORT THE 
 GOVERNOR — INSOLENT LETTER FROM FORD. 
 
 WHILE Governor Ford was delivering his unfeeling and 
 insulting speech at Nauvoo, the cannon was fired by the 
 mob party, midway between Carthage and Warsaw, as a signal 
 that the deed of murder and treachery had been accomplished. 
 The report was heard at Nauvoo, and, although not understood 
 by the citizens, yet, frouj the movements of the governor and 
 
ford's flight FROJr NAUYOO. 91 
 
 his posse, those who noticed their actions were satisfied, after- 
 wards, that they understood what it meant. They made a pre- 
 cipitate retreat, and, a Httle way out from the city, they met 
 George D. Grant and David Bettisworth, who had been sent 
 with the tidings, and the governor turned them back with him, 
 to ])revent the news from reaching Nauvoo before he could get 
 a sufficient distance away to be safe against the pursuing '^Mor- 
 mons. 
 
 They reached Carthage about midnight. The governor had an 
 interview with Dr. Richards, and then went to the pubHc square 
 and advised all w^ho were there to disperse, as he expected the 
 people of Nauvoo would come and burn the town. They took 
 his advice and decamped instanter, while he rode on as fast as 
 he could and made no further halt until he was about fifty 
 miles distant from Nauvoo. After a short rest he continued 
 his hurried journey to his home. ' 'The wicked flee when no man 
 pursueth. 
 
 The Saints did not follow for vengeance. The tactics of 
 man would have led to such a result; but they were mar- 
 shaled under a banner whose omnipotent sovereign has declared 
 that 'S^engeance is mine and I will repay." They made no 
 demonstration of force whatever. Yet there was a general 
 feeling of uneasiness through the country, for the people did 
 not believe it possible that the Saints would restrain their pas- 
 sions. 
 
 While their enemies throughout the County were fleeing for 
 their lives, or trembling lest retributive justice should overtake 
 them, the Saints in Nauvoo were peacefully but sorrowfully 
 performing the last rites over the remains of their martwed 
 Prophet and Patriarch and taking steps to have Elder John 
 Taylor, who still lay at Carthage terribly wounded and in a 
 very precarious condition, brought home. The account of his 
 return to Nauvoo is thus related by President Taylor : 
 
 "I lay from about five o'clock until the next morning with- 
 out having my wounds dressed, as there was scarcely any help 
 of any kind in Carthage, and Brother Richards was busy with 
 the dead bodies, preparing them for removal. My wife Leo- 
 nora started early the next day, having had some little trouble 
 in getting a company or a physician to come with lier; after 
 
02 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 considerable difficulty she succeeded in getting an escort, and 
 Dr. Samuel Bcnnet came along with lier. Soon after my 
 father and mother came from Oquakie, near which place they 
 had a tarm at that time, and hearing of the trouble, hastened 
 along. 
 
 "Many of the mob, came around and treated me with appar- 
 ent respect, and the officers and people generally looked upon 
 me as a hostage, and feared that my removal would be the 
 signal for the rising of the "Mormons." 
 
 "I do not remember the time that I staid at Carthage, but I 
 think three or four days after the murder, when Brother Marks 
 with a carriage, Brother James Allred with a wagon. Dr. Ells, 
 and a number of others on horseback, came for the purpose of 
 taking me to Nauvoo. I was very weak at the time, occasioned 
 by the loss of blood and the great: discharge of my woimds, so 
 when my wife asked me if I could talk I could barely whisper 
 'No. ' Quite a discussion arose as to the propriety of my removal, 
 the physicians and people of Carthage protesting that it would 
 be my death, while my friends were anxious for m.y removal if 
 possible, 
 
 ' 'I suppose the former were actuated by the above-named desire 
 to keep me. Colonel Jones was, I believe, sincere ; he had 
 acted as a friend all the time, and he told Mrs. Taylor she ought 
 to persuade me not to go, for he did not believe I had strength 
 enough to reach Nauvoo. It was finally agreed, however, that 
 I should go ; but as it was thought that I could not stand riding 
 in a wagon or carriage, they prepared a litter for me ; I was 
 carried down stairs and put upon it. A number of men assisted 
 to carry me, some of whom had been engaged in the mob. As 
 soon as I got down stairs, I felt much better and strengthened, 
 so that I could talk ; I suppose the effect of the fresh air. 
 
 "When we had got near the outside of the town I remem- 
 bered some woods that we had to go through, and telling a person 
 near to call for Dr. Ells, who was riding a very good horse, I 
 said, 'Doctor, I perceive that the i)eople are getting fatigued 
 with carrying me ; a number of 'Mormons' live about two or 
 three miles from here, near our route ; will you ride to 
 their settlement as quick as i)ossible, and have them come and 
 meet us?' He started off on a gallop immediately. My object 
 in this was to obtain protection in case of an attack, rather tlian 
 to obtain help to cany me. 
 
 "Very soon after the men from Carthage made one excuse 
 after another, until they had all left, and I felt glad to 
 get rid of them. I found that the tramping of those carry- 
 ing me produced violent pain, and a sleigh was produced and 
 attached to the hind end of Brother James Allred's wagon, a 
 bed placed upon it, and 1 propped up on the bed. Mi's. Taylor 
 
ELDER Taylor's return to nauvoo. 93 
 
 rode with me, applying ice and ice-water to my wounds. As 
 the sleigh was dragged over the grass on the prairie, which was 
 quite tall, it moved very easily and gave me very little pain. 
 
 When I got within live or six miles of Nauvoo the brethren 
 commenced to meet me from the city, and thoy increased in 
 number as we drew nearer, \mtil there was a very large company 
 of people of all ages and both sexes, i)rineipally, however, men. 
 For some time there had been almost incessant rain, so that 
 in many low places on the prairie it was from one to three feet 
 deep in water, and at such places the brethren whom we met 
 took hold of the sleigh, lifted it, and carried it over the water ; 
 and when we arrived in the neighborhood of the city, where the 
 roads were excessively muddy and bad, the brethren tore down 
 the fences, and we passed through the fields. 
 
 ''Never shall I forget the difference of feeling that I experi- 
 enced between the place that I had left and the one that I had 
 now arrived at. I had left a lot of reckless, bloodthirsty mur- 
 derers, and had come to the city of the Saints, the people of 
 the living God, friends of truth and righteousness, thousands 
 of whomstood there with warm, true hearts, to offer their friend- 
 ship and services, and to welcome my return. It is true it was 
 a painftil scene, and brought sorrowful rememberance to mind, 
 but to me it caused a thrill of- joy to find myself once more in 
 the bosom of my friends, and to meet with the cordial welcome 
 of true, honest hearts. What was very remarkable, I found 
 myself very much better after my arrival at Nauvoo than I was 
 when I started on my journey, although I had traveled eighteen 
 miles. ' ' 
 
 The governor continued to be alarmed, so much so that he 
 sent A. Jonas and Colonel Fellows to Nauvoo, where they 
 arrived on the first of July— seven days after the murder. 
 Their instructions from the executive were as follows : 
 
 "Colonel Fellows and Captain Jonas are requested to proceed 
 by the first boat to Nauvoo, and ascertain what is the feelmg, 
 disposition, and determination of the people there, in reference 
 to the late disturbances, ascertain whether any of them pro- 
 pose in any manner to avenge themselves, whether any threats 
 have been used, and what is proposed generally to be done by 
 them. ' ' 
 
 The City Council met and deliberated upon the matter. They 
 passed resolutions that, for the preservation of peace, they 
 would rigidly sustain the laws and the governor of the Stat€, 
 so long as he and they would sustain them in their constitu- 
 tional rights. As the governor had taken from the people of 
 Nauvoo their arms, they thought he should also take posses- 
 
94 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 sion of all the pul^lic arms of the State. They reprobated pri- 
 vate revenge for the murder of Joseph and llyrum Smith, and 
 appealed to the majesty of the law for redress, and should the 
 law fail, they concluded to leave the matter with (lod. 
 
 In the remaining resolutions, the members of the City Council 
 pledged themselves for the City of Nauvoo that no aggressions 
 should be made by the citizens upon the people of the surround- 
 ing country, and they also expressed their willingness to 
 ' 'uphold the governor and the law by all honorable means while 
 he took a course to allay excitement and restore peace, and 
 would use his influence to stop all vexatious proceedings in law 
 until confidence should be restored, so that the citizens of Nau- 
 voo could go, if necessary, to Carthage, or any other place, for 
 trial, without exposing themselves to the violence of assassins." 
 
 The same day a public meeting was held by the citizens of 
 Nauvoo, at which Messrs. Jonas and Fellows were present, and 
 the resolutions of the City Council w^ere read and unanimously 
 endorsed by the citizens. 
 
 From Nauvoo the governor's commissioners went to Carthage 
 and Warsaw, and at the latter place IMr. Jonas made a speech 
 to the people in which he requested them to say whether they 
 would support Governor Ford in enforcing the law and uphold- 
 ing the Constitution, and they unanimously refused to give the 
 pledge. 
 
 This refusal on the part of the people of Warsaw is in keep- 
 ing with all their previous proceedings towards the people of 
 Nauvoo, and it refjuires but very little diseernment to discover 
 where the wrong existed. They thirsted for further trouble and 
 bloodshed and said that either they or the Mormons must leave 
 the County. 
 
 The people of Carthage and Warsaw were not alone in sanc- 
 tioning the cruel murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith ; the 
 deed met with a general feeling of api)roval throughout the 
 whole country, so far as bigoted priests, traitorous apostates and 
 lawless mobocrats had been able to raise a prejudice against 
 them. The feeling was not as outspoken everywhere else as at 
 those places; but still there was a strong under-current of 
 approval in the public sentiment. The majority of the people 
 winked at the transaction, though there were some honorable 
 
ford's insolent letter. 95 
 
 exceptions. This is most clearly set forth in a letter written by 
 Ford about this time, to the people of Nauvoo, in which he 
 thus insults their misfortunes : 
 
 "The naked truth then is, that most well-informed persons 
 condemn in the most unqualified manner the mode in which 
 the Smiths were put to death ; but nine out of every ten of 
 such accompany the expression of their disapprobation by a 
 manifestation of their pleasure that they are dead. The disap- 
 proval is most unusually cold and without feelin.c:. It is a dis- 
 approval which appears to be called for, on their part, by 
 decency, by a respect for the laws and a horror of mobs, but 
 does not flow warm from the heart. The unfortunate victims 
 of this assassination were generally and thoroughly hated 
 throughout the country, and it is not reasonable to suppose 
 that their death has produced any reaction in the public mind 
 resulting in active sympathy ; if you think so, you are mis- 
 taken. Most that is said on the subject is merely from the 
 teeth out ; and j^our people may depend on the flict, that public 
 feeling is now^ at this time, as thoroughly against them as it 
 has ever been. ' ' "• 
 
 It was not enough that the Saints should have their beloved 
 leaders murdered in cold blood ! It was not sufficient that they 
 should be sacrificed to treachery ! It did not suffice that their 
 lives should be cut short by the assassin ! It was not disgraceful 
 enough that Ford should outrage honor and humanity by 
 breaking the plighted faith of the State ! It was not suffi- 
 ciently barbarous and unprincipled that he should draw his 
 Confiding victims into death's snare and then leave them defense- 
 less, after repeatedly pledging himself for their protection ! It 
 was not cruel enough for him to thus make them the victims of 
 a ruthless mob ! No, all this did not suffice. He must send 
 his relentless stings still deeper into the wounded heart and taunt 
 the Saints in the depths of that grief which his own treach- 
 ery had produced. After he, and his willing helpers, had shed 
 the innocent blood, he must coolly and in this heartless manner 
 insult the tenderest feelings of love and respect that it is possi- 
 ble for mortal beings to entertain for any of their race. 
 
 Ford was a weak governor. He lacked the essential quali- 
 ties for a statesman. He was destitute of stability and energy. 
 He could not brook the taunts and threats of mobocrats, but 
 suflPered himself to be moulded as their pHant tool. He 
 
96 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 descended from the dignity of a i^overnor and walked arm in 
 arm with those. who trampled his authority under their feet. 
 
 The governor was right in what he said in the foregoing 
 extract as to the bitter feeling of the people of the State against 
 the "Mormon" community and their secret sanction of the 
 murder of Joseph and H>Tum Smith. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 SIDNEY RIGDON's CLAIM TO LEADERSHIP — THE SAINTS CON- 
 VINCED THAT PRESIDENT YOUNG WAS THE MAN — WORK 
 ON THE TEMPLE CROWDED — PERSECUTIONS CONTINUED — 
 REMOVAL TO ROCKY MOUNTAINS PREDICTED — SUGGES- 
 TION FROM GOVERNOR FORD — A SONG. 
 
 THE death of Joseph Smith left the Church for a short time 
 apparently without a head. At the time of his death most 
 of the Twelve Apostles were on missions in the Eastern States ; 
 but they returned home as soon as possible after receiving the 
 sad news. Immediately after they reached Nauvoo, on Thurs- 
 day, August 8, 1844, they attended a very large meeting that 
 had been called by Sidney Rigdon, at the grove east of the 
 Temple. After Mr. Rigdon had got through speaking, and 
 trying to induce the people to choose him as a guardian for the 
 Church, Brigham Young took the stand, and it was then soon 
 made manifest to the people who was the right man to step 
 into Joseph's shoes and be his successor to lead Israel. He said : 
 
 "There has been much said about President Rigdon being 
 president of the Church, and leading the people, being the head, 
 etc. Brother Rigdon has come one thousand six hundred 
 miles to tell you what he wants to do for you. If the people 
 want President Rigdon to lead them they may have him ; but 
 I say unto you that the quorum of the Twelve have the keys of 
 the kingdom of God in all the world. 
 
 "The Twelve are appointed by the finger of God. Here is 
 Brigham; have his knees ever faltered? have his lips ever 
 quivered? Here is Heber and the rest of the Twelve, an inde- 
 pendent body, who have the keys of the Priesthood— the 
 
WORK ON THE TEMPLK CROWDED. 97 
 
 keys of the kingdom of (jrod f o deliver to all the world ; this is 
 true, so help me Clod. Thev stand next to Joseph, and are as 
 the First Presidency of the Church. ' ' 
 
 Brother Brigham made many further remarks on that occa- 
 sion which were intensely interesting and instructive, but it is 
 regretted that they cannot be inserted here in full. 
 
 At this meeting, the Twelve Apostles were unanimously sus- 
 tained as the First Presidency of the Church. Brigham Young 
 being the President of that quorum, he became, of course, the 
 first representative man or President over the whole people. 
 
 President Young and the Twelve pushed forward the work on 
 the Temple as fast as possible, and took a very wise course for 
 the promotion of peace and to restore confidence in the com- 
 munity generally. They published an epistle to the Church at 
 large, which was timely and replete with good counsel, and the}'' 
 also used all their influence with Grovernor Ford and the lead- 
 ing men of the State to have the wrongs of the Saints redressed. 
 
 But every effort to secure peace proved futile, and Hancock 
 County continued to be the scene of mob violence, excitement 
 and plunder until 1846. The writer is compelled, against his 
 inclination, to pass over many circumstances of interest ; only 
 having space to refer to some of the leading features connected 
 with the history of the Saints during those times. 
 
 Sheriff J. B. Backenstos, not a member of the Church, was 
 very active, and used much energy in trying to put a stop to 
 the lawless and cruel proceedings of the mob party. One of 
 the leading men connected with the murder of Joseph and 
 HjTum Smith, named Frank Worrell, was shot and killed by 
 order of the shenft', while he was pursuing that officer with 
 deadly weapons, with the intention of taking his life. 
 
 It is impossible for oil and water to mix and mingle together ; 
 so was it unpleasant, at least, if not impossible, for the '"Mor- 
 mon' ' people and the mobbers of Illinois to dwell together in 
 peace. Their religious views were antagonistic. One was 
 truth, the other error. The Saints preached the gospel in its 
 fullness ; the other class had a form of godliness, but denied 
 the power thereof. The former proclaimed glad tidings and 
 universal peace to the inhabitants of the whole earth. The 
 latter, unable to combat, with argument, the force of the doc- 
 
 4* 
 
98 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 triiies taunlit by the Saints, were filled with envy, jealousy and 
 malice, and the spirit of bloodshed and devastation became the 
 predominant passion of their hearts. 
 
 The Saints had endured so much persecution from the verj'^ 
 commencement of the work, that many of them were worn out 
 as to their physical ability, and they longed for the Lord in 
 mercy to point them to an asylum where they could be secluded 
 and free from the ravages of their ruthless pursuers. 
 
 The Jjord had inspired the mind of the Prophet Joseph 
 which was filled with hopeful ideas as he contemplated the 
 uninhabited regions of the west, where the Rocky Mountains 
 were uplifted heavenwards as the bulwarks of liberty. He had 
 predicted that the Saints would at some future time migrate to 
 that region and place the trackless plains between them and 
 their persecutors. 
 
 But how this could be brought to pass, at first the Saints 
 could not see. They prayed for the Lord to inspire them with 
 wisdom and open the way. Their petitions were, in due time, 
 answered; but the path which led to such a deliverance lay 
 through still accumulating troubles and hardships. 
 
 Had the Saints been the first to make such a proposition, it 
 would have been opposed by their enemies. But, strange to 
 say, in a short time suggestions were made by Grovernor Ford 
 for a removal of our people to California, as follows : 
 
 "I would suggest a matter in confidence: California now 
 oifers a field for the prettiest enterprise that has been under- 
 taken in uiodern times. It is but sparcely inhabited and by 
 none but the Indian or imbecile Mexican Spaniards. 1 have 
 not inquired enough to know how strong it is in men and means. 
 But this we know, that if conquered from Mexico, that country 
 is so physically weak and morally distracted that she could 
 never send a force there to reconquer it. Why Avould it not be a 
 pretty operation for your people to go out there, take posses- 
 sion of and conquer a portion of the vacant country and estab- 
 lish an independent government of your own, subject only to 
 the laws of nations?" You would remain there a long time 
 before you would bo disturbed by the proximity of other settle- 
 ments. If you conclude to do this your design ought not to 
 be known, or otherwise it would become the duty of the United 
 States to prevent your emigration. But if you on(;e cross the 
 line of the United States* territories, you would be in no dan- 
 ger of beinM' interfered with." 
 
A SONfl. 
 
 99 
 
 This letter was addressed to l^risham Voiii^i.^ April S, I Si"). 
 The Saints were not displeased with this suggestion of Gov- 
 ernor Ford, inasmuch as it was an evidence to them that he 
 would not interpose any obstacle in the way of their removal. 
 Yet they did not design, in case of a removal to California, to 
 act upon his suggestion of establishing au independent govern- 
 ment there. The Saints were American citizens, and had no 
 desire to be otherwise than true to their allegiance. Although 
 their countrymen had treated them with violence and proscribed 
 them in their religious liberties, yet they could not be unfaith- 
 ful to the stars and stripes which had waved over their fore- 
 fathers as they fought and bled to achieve independence. 
 
 There were other influential men who suggested Vancouver 
 and Oregon as suitable places for the Saints to colonize, remote 
 from the scenes of their former persecutions, where they might 
 hope to be permitted to enjoy tbeir religion unmolested. 
 
 Agreeably with the intentions of the Saints to remove to 
 some part of the Pacific slope, beyond the Rocky Mountains, 
 the following song was composed by Elder John Taylor, and 
 became very popular with the people while they remained in 
 Nauvoo : 
 
 The Upper California, 0, that's the land for me! 
 
 It lies between the mountains and the great Pacific sea ; 
 The Saints can be supported there, 
 And taste the sweets of liberty 
 In Upper California— Oh, that's the land for me. 
 Oh, that's, etc. 
 
 We'll go and lift our standard, we'll go there and be free : 
 We'll go to California and have our jubilee — 
 A land that blooms with beauty rare, 
 A land of life and liberty, 
 With flocks and herds abounding— Oh, that's the land for me ! 
 Oh, that's, etc. 
 
100 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 We'll burst oil' all our fetters and lireak the (jreutile yoke, 
 For long it has beset us, but now it shall be broke : 
 No more shall Jacob bow his neck ; 
 Henceforth he sh all l)e great and free 
 In Upper California — Oh, that's the land for me ! 
 Oh, that's, etc. 
 
 We' 11 reign, we' 11 rule and triumph, and God shall be our King; 
 The plains, the hills and valleys shall with hosannas ring ; 
 Our towers and temples there shall rise 
 Along the great Pacific Sea, 
 In Upper California — Oh, that's the land for me! 
 Oh, that's, etc. 
 
 We'll ask our cousin Lemuel to join us heart and hand, 
 And spread abroad our curtains throughout fair Zion's land : 
 Till this is done, we'll pitch our tents 
 Along the great Pacific Sea, 
 In Upper California— Oh, that's the land for me ! 
 Oh, that's, etc. 
 
 Then join with me, my brethren, and let us hasten there ; 
 We'll lift our glorious standard and raise our house of prayer ; 
 We'll call on all the nations round 
 To join our standard and be free 
 In Upper California— Oh, that' 
 Oh, that's, etc. 
 
FURTHER OUTRAGES — MEN WHIPPED. 101 
 
 CHAPTER XIT. 
 
 FURTHER OUTRAGES— MEN WHIPPED— OTHERS KIDNAPPED— 
 FED WITH POISON AND SET UP FOR TARGETS, BUT FI- 
 NALLY RELEASED — ONE-SIDED COURT— ASSASSIN RULE- 
 OUTRAGES UNBEARABLE— REMOVAL WESTWARD COM- 
 MENCED— NATTV^OO BESIEGED AND REMAINING SAINTS 
 FORCIBLY DRIVEN OUT. 
 
 THE onslaughts made upon our people in some portions 
 of Hancock County continued to be of frequent occurrence. 
 The mob were filled with hatred towards the Saints and placed 
 the torch to their dwellings and stacks of grain. 
 
 "On the 11th of July, [184r>] John Hill, Archibald N. Hill, 
 Caleb W. Lyons, James W. Huntsman, Gardmer Curtis, John 
 Richards, EHsha Mallory and J. W. D. Philhps, who" were 
 engaged in harvesting wheat about twelve mdes from Nauvoo, 
 while working in the field, were surrounded by an armed mob, 
 who completely hemmed them in, thereby preventing their 
 escape, and then ransacked their wagons for their fire-arms. 
 After taking from them every weapon they had, the mob sent 
 to the woods for some long hickory switches. Then taking 
 the defenceless men one at a time they forced them to assume 
 a stooping position in a ditch, while each of them received 
 twenty lashes across the back with the switches, wielded by one 
 of the mob part5^ As there were but eight of the brethren, 
 they were so completely in the power of these merciless crea- 
 tures they could not do otherwise than submit to the torture. 
 The mob then smashed four of their guns to pieces over a 
 stump and returned the fragments to them, while they retained 
 the rest of the guns and pistols. The brethren were then 
 ordered with an oath to get into their carriages and drive for 
 Nauvoo, and not look back, and the mob fired a parting shot at 
 them as they did so. " 
 
 Two of the mob engaged in this shameful affair were soon 
 aftei-wards arrested, in retahation for which Phineas H. Young, 
 Brigham H. Young, Richard Ballantyne, James Standing and 
 James Herring were pounced upon while near Pontoosuc and 
 
102 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 forcibly taken into custody by a party of the mob. Thvy AS'crc 
 not accused of any crime, but were informed that they would 
 be held as hostages for the safety of 3IcAuley and Brattle 
 who were held under arrest by the civil authorities at Nauvoo. 
 The guilty conscience-stricken wretches who held these breth- 
 ren in their custody were constantly imagining that the friends 
 of their prisoners were close upon their track, and accordingly 
 "hurried them from one place to another, traveling a great 
 deal in the night, sometimes halting for a short time, when 
 fear would come upon them and they would again take up their 
 hurried flight, through woods, thickets and marshes, urging 
 their prisoners on at times by goading them with the points of 
 their bayonets, and this too when they were almost fainting 
 from sickness and fatigue. Once the mob were on the point 
 of shooting their prisoners, and had even cocked and pointed 
 their guns at them, when the alarm was sounded by one of 
 their party that the 'Mormons' were on their trail and it 
 would not do to make any noise, when they again took up their 
 flight." These brethren were held in captivity twelve days. 
 During this time poison was given to them, which failed to 
 accomplish the flital result that was intended. Finally the 
 mob again determined to shoot them and their prisoners "were 
 ordered to form in a line to be shot. At this juncture Phineas 
 H. Young plead with the mob to spare the lives of his brethren, 
 and offered his own life if they would only do so. The delay 
 occasioned by this appeal saved their lives, as just then one of 
 the mob party came riding up and reported the 'Mormons' 
 three hundred and fifty strong coming upon them ; and again 
 the ]u-isoners were hurried ofl". ' ' Finally the brethren made an 
 earnest appeal to the guard whose feelings were softened and 
 they even aided them in making their escape. 
 
 Mobs filled the County of Hancock, in every neighborhood 
 where the settlements of the Saints were in anj^wise isolated, 
 and many were shot at and otherwise maltreated. 
 
 On the 2r)th of October, 1845, Major Warren marched to 
 Nauvoo with a body of troops and demanded an explanation of 
 the movements of some expressmen whom he had seen on the 
 prairies a little way out from Nauvoo. 
 
ONE-SIDED COURT. 103 
 
 ] Vcsident Young <iiiietly infomiod him why they had been 
 sent out. It was to watch the movements of parties ol'the mob 
 who were constantly harrassing and threatening our borders, 
 
 IMajor Warren became very angry and tlireatened to place 
 the County under martial law. 
 
 Elder John Taylor, who had scarcely recovered from his 
 wounds, in a very forcible manner, said to Major Warren : 
 
 "We lack confidence in the governor's troops under your 
 command, and while hundreds of murderers, robbers and 
 house-burners roam at large, unwhipped of justice, we shall 
 take measures to protect ourselves. I, sir, have been shot all 
 to pieces under the protection of the governor's troops. Our 
 leading men have been murdered in Carthage, and we shall not 
 trust ourselves unprotected again until the State gives some 
 evidence more than it has done, of its justice and humane inten- 
 tions to enforce its laws. ' ' 
 
 Judge Purple's Court, held at Carthage during the month 
 above named, was an ex parte tribunal, as he would receive no 
 evidence of a character calculated to convict mob-men for the 
 destruction of "Mormon" property or the shedding of "Mor- 
 mon" blood. 
 
 To place the Saints still more at the mercy of their enemies, 
 the Legislature repealed the Nauvoo City charter in January, 
 184;"), thus depriving the citizens of municipal protection. 
 
 Edmund Durfee, an inoflensive man, while assisting to 
 extinguish a fire that the mob had set in a stack of straw, in 
 the Green Plains precinct, was shot by the mob who were con- 
 cealed near by. 
 
 The governor was petitioned to interpose his power, but 
 failed to inaugurate any thorough measures to check these out- 
 rageous proceedings. He seemed in a great degree hardened 
 against all such intercessions. 
 
 The Saints could not endure it. They had been patient until 
 patience was no longer a virtue. Their feelings revolted against 
 a conflict of force. They had had an organized armed legion, 
 it is true, and it had the desired effect to awe the wricked and 
 keep mobbers at bay, which was the paramount object of its 
 creation ; nevertheless, had mobbers unjustifiably precipitated 
 their forces against it, they would have met an unpleasant 
 reception. The fact of their giving up their arms upon the 
 
104 THE MARTYRvS. 
 
 governor s order is an evidence that there w.13 no intention on 
 the part of the Nauvoo Legion ever to make war against or 
 resist the legally constituted authorities of the State or nation. 
 But the persecutions, continuing year after year, became too 
 grievous to be borne. The laud of liberty could no longer 
 afford the Saints anasyhim. The most glorious republic that ever 
 existed did not contain patriots enough to rebuke the mobo- 
 cratic element. Assassins were permitted to rule and the flag 
 of freedom was trampled in the dust. Religious toleration 
 had become words of mythical import in the vocabulary of the 
 rulers of Illinois. 
 
 Where a few years before, shelter, rest and hospitality were 
 offered to the outcasts of Missouri, now the torch, the sword, 
 the lash and the arms of the assassin waged a war of extermi- 
 nation, more cruel and bloody in its results than the despotism 
 of Boggs and the prisons and chains of Missouri mobbers 
 could inflict. It was reser^^ed for Illinois to consummate what 
 Missouri failed to accomplish. 
 
 The genius of Brigham Young and the Twelve Apostles was 
 equal to the emergency, yet the removal of such a vast number 
 of people, among whom were very many poor, aged and infirm, 
 was a stupendous undertaking, requiring skill and financial 
 ability. But they set about the work in earnest and trusted in 
 God. Companies of mechanics were organized and set to 
 work to build wagons, make tents and wagon covers, purchase 
 and trade for teams, etc. , etc. , and in the month of February, 
 1846, a niajority of the Saints were ready for the great exodus 
 into the wilderness. 
 
 It should be here stated that this removal was agreed upon 
 and stipulations entered into to this effect between the Church 
 authorities and their enemies, the understanding being that 
 the whole of the Church should leave the State as soon as their 
 property could be disposed of. This agreement, however, wa.s 
 entirely disregarded by the mob pi?rty, for the Saints were 
 driven from the State before they had a chance to sell more 
 than a fraction of their property, the balance being left in pos- 
 session of their enemies. The main body crossed the Missis- 
 sippi in the early part of February, but Brigham Young, 
 
NAUVOO TAKEN BY THE MOB. 105 
 
 Willard llichards and George A. Smith did not cross the river 
 until the loth of the month. 
 
 The minority who were under the necessity of remaining a 
 few months longer to try to sell their property and make an outfit, 
 were warred against and hunted night and day, during the 
 entire summer of that year, and on the 11th of September 
 quite a formidable mob force began to menace the suburbs of 
 Nauvoo. Their cannon, loaded with grape and canister, were 
 fired at the companies of volunteers who were endeavoring to 
 check their advance. They also fired three rounds at Esquire 
 Wells' house, occupied by his family at the time. William 
 Sheen and his party, who had charge of a cannon, succeeded 
 in checking their advance somewhat, and though the mob 
 made several attempts to outflank the volunteers they were 
 unsuccessful. 
 
 On the morning of the 12th, Major Clifibrd, not a "Mor- 
 mon, ' ' who had been commissioned by the governor and com- 
 mander-in-chief of the Illinois militia, who was stationed in 
 Nauvoo, notified the mob party to disperse and suspend hos- 
 tilities. To this they paid no heed, but fired upon the city 
 with increased vigor. Soon the firing on both sides became 
 very brisk. Captain William Anderson, who displayed great 
 bravery in the fight, was shot in the breast by a musket ball. 
 He lived fifteen minutes, all the time encouraging his men. 
 As he was hit, he exclaimed: "I am wounded; take my gun 
 and shoot on." His son, Augustus L. Anderson was killed by 
 a cannon ball. David Norris was killed by a cannon ball. 
 Hyrum Kimball, Benjamin Whitehead, John C. Campbell and 
 Curtis E. Bolton were wounded. 
 
 Some of the mob were killed and wounded and they were 
 compelled to retreat. 
 
 The mob continued their firing upon the city until 
 the 16th. In the meantime a correspondence was in progress, 
 which resulted in a treaty between the citizens of Nauvoo and 
 the mob party, in which it was agreed that the mob forces 
 were to occupy the city, and the "Mormons" were to deliver up 
 their arms and leave as soon as they could cross the river. 
 
 "Mr. Brayman, agent of the Grovernor of Illinois, upon hear- 
 ing the treaty read, declared that it surpassed anything of the 
 
 5 
 
106 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 kind that lie had ever read or heard of. He knew the volun- 
 teers were acting under the orders of the governor, and yet they 
 were overpowered by the mob and forced to agree to terms of 
 banishment to save the lives of themselves and their families. 
 There were women and children also there, some of whose hus- 
 bands and fathers were in the United States army, and had 
 started for California on foot, over pathless deserts and moun- 
 tains, to plant their country's flag in distant lands. To see 
 their wives, children and friends driven from their homes by a 
 bloodthirsty mob, caused Mr. Bray man to shed tears. There 
 were others also from difi'erent parts of the Union who were 
 eye-witnesses of these outrages, who were similarly affected at 
 the sight." 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 JOSEPH SAHTH ARRAIGNED ON CRIMINAL CHARGES FIFTY 
 TIMES, AND INVARIABLY ACQUITTED— RESPECT FOR CIVIL 
 LAW ENJOINED BY REVELATION— THE SAINTS A LOYAL 
 PEOPLE. 
 
 IT has ever seemed strange to the writer that the enemies 
 of Joseph Smith and the Saints in general would cling with 
 such tenacity to the belief that they were enemies to the 
 government and the laws of the land. Yet such was the 
 case. 
 
 Upon this subject the authorities of the Church wrote from 
 Nauvoo, under date of April 24, 1845, to His Excellency, 
 President James K. Polk, of which the following is an 
 extract : 
 
 "And here. Sir, permit us to state that General Joseph 
 Smith, during his short life, was arraigned at the bar of his 
 country about fifty times, charged with criminal offenses, but 
 was acquitted every time by his country, his enemies, or 
 rather his religious opponents, almost invariably being his 
 judges. And we further testify that as a people, we are law 
 abiding, peaceable, and without crime, and we challenge the 
 world to prove the contrary; and while other less cities m 
 Illinois have had special courts instituted tu try their criminals, 
 
COMMANDED BY REVELATION TO RESPECT LAW. 107 
 
 we have been stripped of every source of arraigning marauders 
 and murderers who are prowling around to destroy us, except 
 the common magistracy. 
 
 "With these fticts before you, Sir, will you write to us with- 
 out delay as a father and a friend, and advise us what to do. 
 We are members of the same great confederacy. Our fathers, 
 yea some of us, have fought^ and bled for our country, and we 
 love her Constitution dearly. 
 
 As early as x^ugust 1, 1831, a revelation was received from the 
 Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith (Doctrine and Cov- 
 enants, page 219), in which the Saints are commanded as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 "Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth 
 the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of' the land: 
 Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until He reigns 
 whose right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under His 
 feet. Behold, the laws which ye have received from my hand 
 are the laws of the Church, and in this light ye shall hold 
 them forth. Behold, here is wisdom. 
 
 Again, in December IG, 1833, in a revelation received by 
 Joseph, relative to the Saints who had been driven from Jack- 
 son County (Doctrine and Covenants, page 357), is the follow- 
 ing commandment : 
 
 "And again I say unto you, those who have been scattered 
 by their enemies, it is my will that they should continue to 
 importune for redress, and redemption, by the hands of those 
 who are placed as rulers, and are in authority over you, accord- 
 ing to the laws and constitution of the people which I have 
 suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the 
 rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and hoi}'- 
 principles, that every man may act in doctrine and principle 
 pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I 
 have given unto them, that every man may be accountable for 
 his own sins in the day of judgment. Therefore, it is not right 
 that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for 
 this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, 
 by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very 
 purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood. 
 
 These extracts are inserted here to show to the world what 
 the principles of the Latter-day Saints are respecting the laws 
 of the land. They have been in print and published far and 
 wide for nearly a half century of time. The principles con- 
 
lOS TFIF. MARTYRS. 
 
 taiued in them, pcrt;iiniiig to the Constitution and hiws of this 
 government, have been all this time adojited by this people as 
 being among the fundamental doctrines of their religious and 
 political faith. Our Elders have preached them all over the 
 civiHzed vt^orld and our publications have defended and lauded 
 them as being among the most glorious principles of this 
 republic. 
 
 More than this, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and the followers 
 of their doctrines, have carried them out in their lives and 
 practice. And still more, they intend doing so to the end of 
 the conflict. 
 
 Upon these great doctrines Joseph Smith has all the time 
 been misunderstood by his opponents. Many have been willful 
 in their opposition, and others have not possessed the resources 
 for correct information. 
 
 No man has ever lifted a voice on the American continent, 
 who was more strongly imbued with all the doctrines and pro- 
 visions of the Constitution than was this man, and none have 
 ever been more universally maligned and misrepresented. He 
 loved this as the country of his birth, and he revered the 
 memory of those patriots who established a free and independ- 
 ent government upon this land. 
 
 With a fixed purpose to do the will of heaven, and with the 
 inspirations of Jehovah upon him, he stood firm for the 
 right in every cause, and combatted error wherever it was pre- 
 sented. Those who knew him best loved him, for he was 
 high-minded, honorable and dignified. 
 
 He was a target for an unauthorized priesthood and for cor- 
 rupt demagogues to aim their shafts of envy at. At last 
 they united in a crusade for his life and made him the victim 
 of their treachery, and now his blood and that of his brother, 
 cry to heaven to be avenged upon their heartless and heaven- 
 despised slayers, (lod will avenge that blood when the contro- 
 versy is made against all those whose garments have been dyed 
 with the blood of innocence since righteous Abel fell a sacrifice 
 to the envy and wickedness of his brother. 
 
RETRIBTJlTVE .TUSTICE. 109 
 
 CHAPTER XIA^ 
 
 RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE. 
 
 ATO doubt all Christian people will agree with the Latter-day 
 ^^ Saints in the belief that God is just, and that while He will 
 reward the righteous according to their merits, He will also 
 manifest His displeasure towards those who violate His laws. 
 
 The greatest sin that men can commit is: "The blasphemy 
 against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world, 
 nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder, wherein ye 
 shed innocent blood and assent unto my death." These are 
 the words of the Lord, given through Joseph Smith, the 
 Prophet, and His murderers can read them and learn their doom. 
 
 If we had the history of those who have shed the blood of the 
 prophets, it would be seen, no doubt, that they have been vis- 
 ited vntli the stings of conscience for their crimes ; and evidences 
 of the displeasure of the Almighty could be traced in their after 
 lives. As a few testimonies are at hand with reference to the 
 murderers of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and other Saints who 
 have been martyred for the gospel sake, they are here inserted. 
 
 The first testimony here given was published in the 
 latter part of 1874, as follows: 
 
 "A lady was invited to attend a Methodist church at Peoria, 
 Illinois, and noticing a rough box or coffin resting under the 
 pulpit, inquired concerning it, and was informed that it enclosed 
 the remains of the wife of ex-Governor Ford, and was supplied 
 at the public expense. Ford was -present, and he looked gaunt 
 and miserable, and his bones appeared ready to pierce through 
 the skin. Two weeks later, the lady attended again, and was 
 astonished to see a similar coffin in the same place. It con- 
 tained all that was left of Governor Ford, who had for some 
 time lived, and had now died, a pauper. The lady who saw 
 this, though she had left the "Mormon" Church, remembered 
 hearing Elder John Taylor say in Nauvoo, that 'Governor Ford 
 would live until the flesh would wither from his bones and he 
 would die a pauper. ' ' ' 
 
 Also, a few daj^s after the appearance of the above notice, 
 the following account of the tragic fate of Governor Ford's son, 
 
110 THE MAR-n^RS. 
 
 Thomas, appeared in print, and may be set down among the 
 many cases where the sins of the fathers are visited upon the 
 children : 
 
 ''Ford's children, in consequence of his poverty, were adopted 
 by different citizens, Thomas being taken care of by Hon. Thos. 
 Vj. ]NI()ore. of Peoria. The young man served in the army, and 
 afterwards moved to Kansas, where, with an elder brother, he 
 followed various occupations, principally driving large herds of 
 stock from the South. 
 
 "Last July he was going to Caldwell and stopped at a ranch 
 for refreshment. Here he was watched by two armed men, and, 
 after proceeding about a mile, was suddenly seized by three men 
 before he could defend himself They took him for one of the 
 cattle stealers, with which the State was infested, and, in spite 
 of his protestations, i)rayers and appeals for an investigation, 
 they iH-oceeded to hang him to the limb of a tree. He told 
 them he was the son of ex-Governor Ford, but they laughed 
 him to scorn and refused to examine his papers." 
 
 The following ap])ears in the Autobiography of P. P. Pratt: 
 
 "A man named Townsend, living in Iowa, near Fort Mad- 
 ison, was one of the mob who assaulted and forced in the jail 
 door. The i^istol discharged by Joseph Smith wounded him 
 in the arm, near the shoulder, and it continued to rot without 
 healing until it was taken off, and even then it would not heal. 
 
 "About six months after he was shot, Mrs. Lawn saw his 
 arm and dressed it. He was then gradually rotting and dying 
 with the wound. He stayed over night Avith Mrs. Lawn's fither, 
 and groaned through the night without sleeping. ^ He asked 
 the old gentleman what he thought of Joseph Smith being a 
 Proi)het" He replied that he did not know. 'Well,' said 
 Townsend, ^Iknoio he ivas a Prophet of God! And, oh, that 
 I had staid at home and minded my own business, and then I 
 would not have lost my life and been tormented with a guilty 
 conscience, and with this dreadful wound, which none can healP 
 He died two or three months afterwards, having literally rotted 
 alive. 
 
 "James Head, of McComb, was also one of the murderers at 
 the (Airthage jail; he was heard by Captain Lawn and others 
 to })oast of it afterwards, and Captain Lawn drew a pistol antl 
 chased him ; but he ran away. He was always gloomy and 
 troubltHl from the time he helped to murder the Smiths, and 
 frefpiently declared that he saw the two martyrs always before 
 him ! He had no peace. 
 
 "A colonel of the Missouri mob, who helped to drive, plun- 
 der and murder the 'Mormons,' died in the hosi)ital at Sacra- 
 mento, 1S41K Beckwith bad the care of him ; lie was eaten 
 
FATE OF SOME OF THE MOB. Ill 
 
 with worms — a large black-headed kind of maggot— which 
 passed through him by myriads, seemingly a half pint at a 
 time ! Before he died these maggots were crawling out of his 
 mouth and nose ! He literally rotted alive ! Even the flesh on 
 his legs burst open and fell from the bones ! They gathered up 
 the rotten mass in a blanket and buried him, without awaiting 
 a coffin ! 
 
 "A Mr, , one of Missouri mob, died in the same 
 
 hospital about the same time, and under the care of Mr. Beck- 
 with. His face and jaw on one side literally rotted, and half of 
 his face actually fell off! One eye rotted out, and half of his 
 nose, mouth and jaw fell from the bones! The doctor scraped 
 the bones, and unlocked and took out his jaw from the joint 
 round to the center of the chin. The rot and maggots contin- 
 ued to eat till they ate through the large or jugular vein of his 
 neck, and he bled to death ! He, as well as Townsend, stank 
 so previous to their death that they had to be placed in rooms 
 by themselves, and it was almost impossible to endure their 
 presence, and the flies could not be ke])t from blowing them 
 while alive ! 
 
 "Wm. T. Head, an officer in Captain Lawn's company, and 
 tarr>^ng in Carthage, testified that he saw a certain man raise 
 a large knife to strike off the head of Joseph, when,^ all at once, 
 and in the midst of a clear day, with no cloud in sight, 'a ter- 
 rible clap of thunder rolled heavily, and forked lightning 
 flashed in the face of the murderers, and perfectly paralyzed a 
 number of them. 
 
 "The ruffian, who had raised his knife and had sworn with a 
 dreadful oath to take the head off Joseph, stood perfectly par- 
 alyzed, his arm uplifted with the knife suspended in air, and 
 could not move a limb. His comrades carried him off, and all 
 fled in terror from the scene. ' ' 
 
 Elder Jas. PI. Moyle, writing from the Southern States, in 
 August, 1881, says: 
 
 "Bro. W. C. Burton and I met a citizen of North Carolina, 
 named Brown, who claims to be one of the mob that com- 
 mitted the soul-destroying crime of shedding the innocent, 
 unoffending blood of an anointed prophet of Grod. He says 
 that he lived in Quincy, Illinois, and admits that it was a rich 
 and productive country, but with all its charms he did not seem 
 to have contentment, as he has been wandering from place to 
 place ever since, as though in search of an asylum for a trou- 
 bled conscience. He is now settled in one of the poorest of 
 poor districts, where he is so situated that he can go no farther, 
 and where he is scarcely able to earn a subsistence. 
 
 "During the extremely cold weather last winter, some of his 
 little children were totally destitute of clothing. The neighbors, 
 
112 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 moved with compassion, collected some old clothes and neces- 
 saries of life, and sent them. 
 
 ' 'While we should be ftir, far from despising the poor for their 
 poverty, I cannot help thinking of the sa^nng of the Psalmist: 
 'I have been young, and now am old: yet have 1 not seen the 
 righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.' 
 
 ''This man has not been wandering from cruel religious perse- 
 cution, but, I think, to ease a restless and discontented 
 mind. 
 
 "In Mount Airy, Surry Co., N. C a man named Bclton was 
 pointed out to me who claims to have taken a part in the same vile, 
 fiendish crime, and seems to have fared a similar or worse fate, 
 having been taken with something like the palsy. He is dis- 
 abled for work of any importance, which renders him a perfect 
 object of pity and charity. 
 
 ' 'These are the only men I ever saw who claim to be, or bear the 
 name of being, connected with those who slew the great latter- 
 day Prophet and Patriarch, Joseph and Hjtuui Smith. 
 
 ''If these be fair examples of their kind, it certainly looks as 
 though their sins were going before them to judgment."' 
 
 Daniel Tyler, in his "History of the Mormon Battalion," 
 in writing of San Diego, says : 
 
 "Near the foreigners' burying ground resided a miserable 
 specimen of humanity, who stole and begged from door to door. 
 He was one of the most forlorn of human beings. He acknowl- 
 edged to having been engaged in the Haun's Mill massacre, 
 and begged our people to forgive him. He claimed to have 
 becH one of Fremont's party, and said he had been among the 
 Bocky Mountains for the last seven years. ' ' 
 
 The following statement is furnished by Brother Joel Parrish, 
 of Centerville, Utah: 
 
 "In March, 1877, in company with Elder Chaales F. 
 Middleton, I passed through Carthage, Hancock County, III, 
 en route for St. Louis. We tarried there a sufficient length of 
 time to visit the Carthage iail, where our lamented Prophet 
 and Patriarch, Joseph and liyrum Smith, were nuirdered. 
 
 "We visited a Mr. Browning, who then owned and occupied, as 
 his family residence, the old rock building, or jail, where the pris- 
 oners referred to were confined. This building was no longer 
 needed as a jail, a new and larger one having been built. 
 
 "Mr. Browning and lady entertained usover night, treated us 
 ver\^ kindly, and stated that any of our Elders, passing through, 
 would be welcome to be entertained by them. 
 
 "The room where the nrisoners were murdered was, at that 
 time, used as a parlor. We were taken therein and shown the 
 arrangement of the room. The bullet hole in the door, made 
 
A YISJT TO CARTHAGE JAIL. 113 
 
 ])y the flital ball that struck Hynim Smith at the left side of the 
 nose, had been filled with putty, but was plainly to be seen. 
 'Iliere being a carpet on the lioor, we could not see the blood- 
 stains where the murdered Patriarch fell, but we were assured 
 that they were still there. The stains of blood on the walls, 
 also, were obscured, as the room had been whitewashed. The 
 jail had been painted and kept in good repair. 
 
 "We were asked by Mr. Browning if we would like to see" 
 'the wickedest man in Ilhnois,' having reference to the noto- 
 rious Thos. C. Sharp, who was then publishing a paper in Car- 
 thage. ^Ve replied that we would not object to seeing him 
 without an introduction or being under any necessity of shaking 
 his hand. AVith this understanding, we went with Mr. Brown- 
 ing to Sharp's office. Sharp was very courteous and polite, and 
 showed signs of ^vishing to shake hands, a conjunction which 
 we carefully avoided. 
 
 ''A few years previous to this time. Sharp had been a candi- 
 date for office, and, while the canvass was in progress, his oppo- 
 nent said, in a pubHc speech : 'Sharp, you know if we had not 
 sworn like h — 11 for you, you would have been hung for the 
 murder of the Smiths.' 
 
 "One of the Higbees (am not certain whether Chauncey or 
 Francis) then resided fifteen T)r twenty miles east of Carthage. 
 3Ir. Browning stated that a gentleman in conversation with 
 him asked if he ever felt any remorse of conscience for the part 
 lie took in the murder of the Smiths, to which Higbee replied: 
 'If you think I have not, look at my child. ' The child referred 
 to was then a young woman, grown, and, strange to behold, the 
 entire left half of her face, on a line with the nose from the 
 forehead to the chin, was one red mass, as if it were fresh blood, 
 warm and dripping. The left arm and hand were also in the 
 same condition. Higbee can see in his offspring the visible 
 mark of Grod' s judgment for his great sin. ' ' 
 
 Elder Henry Gr. Boyle says : 
 
 "While in California on a mission in the year 1855-6, and 
 laboring on the Russian River, near where Healdsburg 
 now stands, I often heard of an old mobocrat by the 
 name of Kogan, or Cougan, who lived in that vicin- 
 ity, and who boasted of having helped to murder Joseph 
 and Hyrum Smith at Carthage. He often sent a request to 
 me to visit him and proffered to tell me all about the manner 
 of the death of our Prophet. A few months afterwards I 
 heard that Mr. Cougan was stricken with some very singular 
 disease. So peculiar was his case, that manv people came to 
 see him. He grew woi*se and worse, and lay for three months 
 seemingly at the point of death. He suffered excruciatingly, 
 and constantly prayed to die. He also begged his friends to 
 
114 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 put an end to his suffering, b}^ taking his hfe, and even sought 
 an opportunity to commit suicide, but was prevented by 
 those waiting upon him. Many physicians visited him, and 
 declared they never saw anything hke his case. 
 
 "Many of the people in the neighborhood said, 'If such is 
 the end of those who kill the prophets and mob and drive 
 the Saints, then may we be delivered from such a fearful and 
 terrible calamity. ' ' ' 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CONCLUDING REMARKS 
 
 ''pHE writer has resided many years in the State of Missouri. 
 A There he has many warm personal friends, whom he believes 
 to be too high-minded and honoi-able to let conflicting religious 
 sentiments interrupt friendly relations. In that State, too, there 
 are patriots who would honor the Constitution which guaran- 
 tees to all the right to worship Grod according to the dictates of 
 their own consciences. Those, also, around whose lives the 
 tenderest ties of parental affection are entwined, have their 
 abode there in the romantic Nodaway. 
 
 These all, it is hoped, would be willing that a people who 
 have been so ruthlessly expelled by the mob element, should 
 have their just rights. It is to the abandoned class, (more 
 or less in every State), that reference has been so liberally 
 directed when alluding to the unjust perpetrati(;ns committed 
 upon our people. 
 
 It is very unfortunate, for the honor of Missouri, that 
 an unprincipled paitizan, hke Lilburn W. Boggs, happened, in 
 those times, to occupy the gubernatorial chair. His mobocratic 
 proclivities stained the State escutcheon with innocent blood, 
 and dishonored it. 
 
 With the high-minded and honorable in that State, and in 
 all the world besides, our peoi)le hold no antagonistic contro- 
 versy ; but are ready to meet them as friends and members of 
 the great brotherhood of the human race. 
 
CONOLUTUNG REMARKS. 115 
 
 These people ask no special right or privilege but what they 
 will cheerfully accord to all men, of every party, sect or creed, 
 who are ready to act with them upon the great principles of 
 justice and equal rights. They have never advocated a princi- 
 ple as being a tenet of their faith, that is antagonistic to that 
 golden rule: "Do unto others as you would that they should 
 do unto you. ' ' They have been ready to endure all things for 
 the love of the gospel, which they have preached almost over 
 the entire globe for the salvation of the honest-in-heart. They 
 have been scofted, derided and their names cast out as evil. 
 Kindred and friends have turned away from them, feeling that 
 they were disgraced, because they united themselves with the 
 people of Grod. Their highest and purest motives for the 
 redemption of fallen man have all the time been misconstrued 
 by the wicked and ungodly, and many honest-hearted people 
 have been blinded by the refuge of lies, so that they have never 
 come to a knowledge of the true character of the Saints. 
 
 A greater untruth never was uttered than that the Latter-day 
 Saints are the enemies of this or any other government on 
 earth. On the contrary, they are friends to all, and would do 
 good to all, if the people would let them. They have met with 
 determined opposition from the world, but, notwithstanding 
 this they have labored zealously and continuously for the salva- 
 tion of mankind. They have felt as Paul expressed himself: 
 "Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel." They have 
 received light, and they have labored to dift'use it for the ben- 
 efit of their fellow-creatures everywhere. They have expected 
 opposition and that which they have had to contend with has 
 been in fulfillment of the prophetic words of the angel to Joseph 
 in 1823, printed in the fore part of this volume. By reference 
 thereto the reader will see how exactly those words of Moroni 
 have been fulfilled, up to the present day, so far as they were 
 to take place within that period. 
 
 It was also declared that "those who are not built upon 
 the Rock will seek to overthrow the Church; but it will 
 increase the more opposed, and spread farther and farther. 
 This has literally transpired. 
 
 In 1830 the Church was organized with six members, (as 
 already stated), surrounded by sectarian churches, many mem- 
 
116 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 bers of which resorted to violence to crush it out of existence. 
 They handed themsoh-es together as mobs, mainly against 
 Joseph Smith, thinking if they could destroy him, his doctrines 
 would cease to exist. This delusive idea followed his opponents 
 all the time of Joseph's life. It was not so much owing to any 
 objections they had for him as a man, a neighbor, or citizen ; 
 but his doctrines were so self-convincing and so susceptible of 
 scriptural proof, that they were unable to controvert them; 
 hence the ministers of the day became alarmed lest their con-N 
 gregations should follow after this, to them, new and strange 
 gospel. To prevent this, they became inspired with a desire to 
 make war ui)on his person, and finally this became a dominant . 
 passion with them, and some thought, no doubt, that they 
 would be doing good service to mankind to close his career, 
 even though it might be by the shedding of his blood. While 
 acting thus it seems never to have occurred to them that they 
 were bringing to pass the very things that the angel told Joseph 
 would follow the publication of the Book of Mormon and the 
 restoration of the gospel with the power and authority of the 
 holy Priesthood, yet these predictions of the celestial messen- 
 ger were then printed and made public. 
 
 When these persecutions came, Joseph and all who embraced 
 the truth were prepared in mind to encounter them. They 
 saw in them'the fulfillment of the prophetic announcement, and 
 they felt to rejoice in the day of trouble, feeling glad that they 
 were counted worthy to suffer aftliction with the people of God. 
 They were willing to drink from the same bitter cup that was 
 presented to the ancient saints and to the Redeemer of mankind. 
 Formerly, the saints were hunted and driven from city to 
 city ; they sought refuge in holes, dens and caves of the earth, 
 and many fell as martyrs. 
 
 In thees last days, the same causes i)roduce the same effects. 
 Our people, with their leaders, have been hunted ^'as the roe 
 upon the mountain." In the winter season at least fifteen 
 hundred were exiled from a sovereign State, having to travel 
 hundreds of miles with scanty clothing and with bhstered and 
 bleeding feet, and subjected to the taunts and jeers of the pop- 
 ulace through whose neighborhoods they were compelled to pass 
 before reaching the then friendly shores of Illinois, 
 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 117 
 
 Our dead are strewn along the track of our exits from Ohio 
 to Missouri, from that State to Illinois, and from there across 
 the plains to Utah ; and also mark the circuitous route of the 
 INIormon Battalion to California, whither thej^ marched under 
 the stars and stripes to redeem this western region from the 
 dominion of Mexico and bring it under the sovereignty of the 
 American banner. And many of these might now be living 
 had not the seeds of disease been sown in their systems by 
 being exiled and driven from their homes. 
 
 Since the death of Joseph Smith about thirty-eight years 
 have passed, and the doctrines he promulgated have been 
 steadily gaining converts. Those who have embraced them 
 have penetrated almost every country on the globe and carried 
 the glad message to the honest-in-heart, whose ears have 
 tingled with the welcome sound and their hearts been made to 
 believe. Year after year has witnessed the fulfillment of proph- 
 ecy, and editors, priests and people of the world, in alarm 
 and astonishment, have repeatedly asked the question which 
 Isaiah asked : ' 'Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the 
 doves to their windows ? Surely the isles shall wait for me, 
 and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far." 
 "They that erred in spirit" have "come to understanding, and 
 they that murmured" have "learned doctrine." 
 
 The Book of Mormon has been published in many editions 
 of the English language. It has also been translated and 
 printed in seven or eight other languages, thus going far to 
 bring to pass the words of Moroni, that "the knowledge which 
 this record contains will go to every nation, and kindred, 
 and tongue, and people under the whole heaven. ' ' 
 
 The people of the world make a great mistake when they 
 think the perpetuity of the gospel depends upon the life of 
 any man. Men are mortal, and must die ; but truth is eter- 
 nal and consequently will live forever. (Daniel ii., 44.) 
 ' "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up 
 a kingdom which shall never be destroyed : and the kingdom 
 shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and 
 consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever." 
 
 If the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints be this 
 kingdom, then will it stand, and the gates of hell will not pre- 
 
118 THE MARTYRS. 
 
 vail against it ; but if it is nut, then will it surely come to nought 
 and fall. 
 
 When Josejjh Smith was taken, the Lord had another man 
 in readiness to .take his place and lead His people. Brigham 
 Young was that man, and the wonderful work that was per- 
 formed during his leadership of about thirty-three years has 
 astonished the whole civilized world. A recapitulation of what 
 was accomplished during his presidency w^ould be far too elab- 
 orate for the limits of this work. But the name of this cham- 
 pion of truth and justice is familiar to all men of reading and 
 intelligence. The same spirit of persecution followed him that 
 followed Joseph Smith, but he had the blessed privilege, at last, 
 of dying in peace in his own house, surrounded by his friends, 
 and amidst the endearments and consolations of home. 
 
 Many then entertained the idea that the success of "Mor- 
 monism," as it is called by the world, depended upon him. 
 But after he had gone the way of all flesh, the glorious truths 
 of the gospel still lived. John Taylor stepped into his position, 
 with ability and experience sufficient, w^ith the blessings and 
 favor of heaven, to conduct the work successfully. And thus will 
 it be ad wfinitum. from the leadership of one to another, until 
 the kingdom is prepared to be delivered up to the Son of Man 
 when He shall become the king and ruler of the whole earth. 
 
 These facts are calculated to inspire hope and confidence 
 in the midst of the Saints and should disabuse the sectarian 
 mind of the false idea that the success of the work of the Lord 
 depends upon the lives of men. And if it be true that "the 
 blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church," it would be 
 wise policy in them to change their mode of warfare against 
 the Saints ; throw down carnal weapons, and trust the success of 
 their systems to the moral force of their principles. 
 
 What a shame in a professedly Christian country, that men 
 should be treated with the violence and indignities that have 
 hitherto been meted out to the Latter-day Saints ! What a 
 disgrace to free institutions, and an insult to the memories 
 of the patriot fathers who gave their lives to establish a govern- 
 ment that, by its laws, should protect all its citizens in the right 
 to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of con- 
 science ! What a libel upon the professions of American states- 
 
CONCLUDiNG REMARKS. 119 
 
 men, to stand still with the stars and stripes waving above 
 them, and they not thunder their denunciations against deeds that 
 would crimson with blushes the faces of barbarians and savages ! 
 
 Article first of the amendments to the Constitution saj's : 
 
 ''Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 
 religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof; or abridge the 
 freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people 
 peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a 
 redress of grievances. 
 
 When this amendment was made to the Constitution, it was, 
 no doubt, the full intention of Congress and the people at large 
 to keep its provisions inviolate. Were there existing causes for 
 its adoption? If so, then was its creation the more imperative. 
 And, as it still exists without repeal, its requirements are as 
 binding now as when first adopted. Has it been a safeguard to 
 the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, and other 
 churches, and made them feel secure in their respective modes 
 of worship ? Doubtless it has, and it is proper that it should. 
 But, in the practice of their opponents, the Latter-day Saints 
 have been made an exception. They have not been protected 
 in their religious worship. And the administrators of the law, 
 with a few exceptions, have not enforced this fundamental law 
 for their benefit. Why is this? 
 
 The reason is of easy solution, and was foretold by Moroni. 
 It was revealed among the first utterances of the angel of God 
 to Joseph Smith, when the two great powers were presented to 
 him and the mission of each explained. The prince of dark- 
 ness with his innumerable hosts began the work of antagonism 
 the very hour the records of the Nephites were delivered to 
 Joseph, and the opposition has grown stronger from that time 
 in a corresponding ratio to the spread of the gospel. And as 
 the sects are acting without authority, so far as the sanction of 
 the heavens is concerned, they are ready to make common cause 
 against the restored authority of the Son of Man. They have 
 all the time charged the "Mormons" with a union of Church 
 and State, yet what is the spectacle presented in 18.S2, in the 
 United States ? The various sects have united their power and 
 influence against the people of Utah, because of their religion. 
 They hold conventions, composed of delegates from the 
 various sects, and pass resolutions proscribing the Latter-day 
 
120 THE iMARTYRS. 
 
 Saints in their worship of Alniigthy God. And to carry their 
 unjust aims into execution, they invite poUtical partizans to 
 dehberate with them and make inflammatory speeches ; and 
 they unitedly seek the aid of Congress and the President to do 
 just what this amendment says they shall not have the right to 
 do, namely, to "prohibit the free exercise" of religion. And, 
 still further, if the arm of the civil law is not sufficient, they 
 recommend that the military power of the government be 
 brought to bear to coerce and enforce their measures, which 
 measures aim at the complete overthrow of the political and 
 religious rights of the people of Utah. 
 
 The Constitution further declares that : 
 
 "No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed." 
 
 Says one, "No such law has been passed by Congress respecting 
 Utah. ^"Perhaps not in the express wording; but how far short 
 has it come of being so in spirit and in meaning ? If the opera- 
 tions of a law will affect or have to do with conditions which 
 already exist or have existed, how much difference is there in 
 it and a law that is expressly ex post facto ? 
 
 There is not space here to quote from the Edmunds bill ; but 
 every person acciuainted with its provisions cannot fail to see 
 that, if it shall be enforced according to its real meaning and 
 wording, its practical operation must be retroactive. It expressly 
 interferes with marital contracts already made and entered 
 into between husband and wife in a plural relationship. It 
 authorizes five appointed commissioners to adjudge these parties, 
 and, without judicial investigation, and merely upon report or 
 some incidental events connected with the case, to pass against 
 them an order of disfranchisement excluding them from the 
 ballot-box ; and, if the parties hold office of trust or emolument, 
 t(j compel them to vacate the same forthwith. A law of this 
 kind is dictatorial and oppressive to an outrageous extent and 
 never can be authorized by the Constitution. 
 
 And if persons suffer the loss of reputation and of civil rights 
 generally, by an act of Congress, how much does it lack of being, 
 in reality, a bill of attainder? And when people are attainted, 
 not for acts of outlawry, felony or treason, but for conscience 
 sake in matters of religion, it presents a phase of intolerance 
 which fails to harmonize with the genius of republican institutions. 
 
Date Due 
 
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 The martyrs : a sketch of the lives and 
 
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