Addison Everett and James Jackson gave their testimony under oath, when they were all honorably discharged from the accusations and arrest, the court deciding that said Higbee pay the costs; whereupon execution was issued for the amount.
The Prophet's Dreams on Condition of Apostates in Nauvoo.
In the evening I attended meeting in the Seventies' Hall. George J. Adams preached and I made some observations afterwards, and related a dream which I had a short time since. I thought I was riding out in my carriage, and my guardian angel was along with me. We went past the Temple, and had not gone much further before we espied two large snakes so fast locked together that neither of them had any power. I inquired of my guide what I was to understand by that. He answered, "Those snakes represent Dr. Foster and Chauncey L. Higbee. They are your enemies and desire to destroy you; but you see they are so fast locked together that they have no power of themselves to hurt you. I then thought I was riding up Mulholland street, but my guardian angel was not along with me. On arriving at the prairie, I was overtaken and seized by William and Wilson Law and others, saying, "Ah! ah! we have got you at last! We will secure you and put you in a safe place!" and, without any ceremony dragged me out of my carriage, tied my hands behind me, and threw me into a deep, dry pit, where I remained in a perfectly helpless condition, and they went away. While struggling to get out, I heard Wilson Law screaming for help hard by. I managed to unloose myself so as to make a spring, when I caught hold of some grass which grew at the edge of the pit.
I looked out of the pit and saw Wilson Law at a little distances attacked by ferocious wild beasts, and heard him cry out, "Oh! Brother Joseph, come and save me!" I replied, "I cannot, for you have put me into this deep pit." On looking out another way, I saw William Law with outstretched tongue, blue in the face, and the green poison forced out of his mouth, caused by the coiling of a large snake around his body. It had also grabbed him by the arm, a little above the elbow, ready to devour him. He cried out in the intensity of his agony, "Oh, Brother Joseph, Brother Joseph, come and save me, or I die!" I also replied to him, "I cannot, William; I would willingly, but you have tied me and put me in this pit, and I am powerless to help you or liberate myself." In a short time after my guide came and said aloud, "Joseph, Joseph, what are you doing there?" I replied, "My enemies fell upon me, bound me and threw me in." He then took me by the hand, drew me out of the pit, set me free, and we went away rejoicing.
Threat of Carthage Mob against Nauvoo.
Two of the brethren arrived this evening from Carthage, and said that about three hundred mobbers were assembled there, with the avowed intention of coming against Nauvoo; also that Hamilton was paying a dollar per bushel for corn to feed their animals.
The following was published in the Warsaw Signal office. I insert it as a specimen of the unparalleled corruption and diabolical falsehood of which the human race has become capable in this generation:
MASS MEETING AT WARSAW.
At a mass meeting of the citizens of Hancock county, convened at Carthage on the 13th day of June, 1844 Mr. Knox was appointed president, John Doty and Lewis F. Evans, vice-presidents; and William Y. Head, secretary.
Henry Stephens, Esq., presented the following resolutions, passed at a meeting of the citizens of Warsaw, and urged the adoption of them as the sense of this meeting.
Whereas information has reached us, about which there can be no question, that the authorities of Nauvoo did recently pass an ordinance declaring a printing press and newspaper published by the opponents of the Prophet a nuisance, and in pursuance thereof did direct the Marshal of the city and his adherents to enter by force the building from whence the paper was issued, and violently (if necessary) to take possession of the press and printing materials, and thereafter to burn and destroy the same; and whereas, in pursuance of said ordinance, the Marshal and his adherents, together with a mob of Mormons, did, after sunset on the evening of the 10th instant, violently enter said building in a tumultuous manner, burn and destroy the press and other materials found on the premises.
And whereas Hyrum Smith did, in the presence of the City Council and the citizens of Nauvoo, offer a reward for the destruction of the printing press and materials of the Warsaw Signal, a newspaper also opposed to his interests;
And whereas the liberty of the press is one of the cardinal principles of our government, firmly guaranteed by the several constitutions of the states, as well as the United States;
And whereas, Hyrum Smith has within the last week publicly threatened the life of one of our valued citizens, Thomas C. Sharp, the editor of the Signal;
Therefore, be it solemnly
Resolved by the citizens of Warsaw in public meeting assembled, that we view the recent ordinance of the city of Nauvoo, and the proceedings thereunder as an outrage of an alarming character, revolutionary and tyrannical in tendency, and being under color of law as calculated to subvert and destroy in the minds of the community all reliance on the law.
Resolved, that as a community we feel anxious, when possible, to redress our grievances by legal remedies; but the time has now arrived when the law has ceased to be a protection to our lives and property. A mob at Nauvoo, under a city ordinance, has violated the highest privilege in government; and to seek redress in the ordinary mode would be utterly ineffectual.
Resolved, that the public threat made in the Council of the city, not only to destroy our printing-press, but to take the life of its editor, is sufficient, in connection with the recent outrage, to command the efforts and the services of every good citizen to put an immediate stop to the career of the mad prophet and his demoniac coadjutors. We must not only defend ourselves from danger, but we must resolutely carry the war into the enemy's camp. We do therefore declare that we will sustain our press and the editor at all hazards; that we will take full vengeance, terrible vengeance, should the lives of any of our citizens be lost in the effort; that we hold ourselves at all times in readiness to co-operate with our fellow-citizens in this state, Missouri and Iowa, to exterminate, utterly exterminate the wicked and abominable Mormon leaders, the authors of our troubles.
Resolved, that a committee of five be appointed forthwith to notify all persons in our township suspected of being the tools of the prophet to leave immediately on pain of instant vengeance. And we do recommend the inhabitants of the adjacent townships to do the same, hereby pledging ourselves to render all the assistance they may require.
Resolved, that the time, in our opinion, has arrived, when the adherents of Smith, as a body, should be driven from the surrounding settlements into Nauvoo. That the prophet and his miscreant adherents should then he demanded at their hands; and, if not surrendered, a war of extermination should be waged to the entire destruction, if necessary for our protection, of his adherents. And we hereby recommend this resolution to the consideration of the several townships, to the Mass Convention to be held at Carthage, hereby pledging ourselves to aid to the utmost the complete consummation of the object in view, that we may thereby be utterly relieved of the alarm, anxiety and trouble to which we are now subjected.
Resolved that every citizen arm himself to be prepared to sustain the resolutions herein contained.
Mr. Roosevelt rose and made a brief but eloquent speech, and called upon the citizens throughout the country to render efficient aid in carrying out the spirit of the resolutions. Mr. Roosevelt then moved a committee of seven be appointed by the chair to draft resolutions expressive of our action in future.
Mr. Catlin moved to amend the motion of Mr. Roosevelt, so that the committee should consist of one from each precinct; which motion, as amended, was adopted.
The chair then appointed the following: Col. Levi Williams, Rocky Run precinct; Joel Catlin, Augusta; Samuel Williams, Carthage; Elisha Worrell, Chili; Captain Maddison, St. Mary's; John M. Ferris, Fountain Green; James Rice, Pilot Grove; John Carns, Bear Creek; C. L. Higbee, Nauvoo; George Robinson, La Harpe; and George Rockwell, Warsaw, were appointed said committee.
On motion of Mr. Sympson, Walter Bagby, Esq., was requested to address the meeting during the absence of the committee. He spoke long and eloquently upon the course of our grievances, and expressed his belief that the time was now at hand when we were individually and collectively called upon to repel the innovations upon our liberties, and suggested that points be designated as places of encampment at which to rendezvous our forces, that we may be ready when called upon for efficient action.
Dr. Barnes, one of the persons who went with the officers to Nauvoo for the purpose of arresting the rioters, having just arrived, came into the meeting and reported the result of their proceedings, which was, that the persons charged in the writs were duly arrested, but taken from the officers' hands on a writ of habeas corpus from the Municipal Court, and discharged, and the following potent words entered upon the records—honorably released.
On motion of O. C. Skinner, Esq., a vote of thanks was tendered to Dr. Barnes for volunteering his services in executing said writs.
Francis M. Higbee was now loudly called for. He stated his personal knowledge of the Mormons from their earliest history—throughout their hellish career in Missouri and this state—which has been characterized by the darkest and most diabolical deeds which have ever disgraced humanity.
The committee appointed to draft resolutions brought in the following report, which, after some considerable discussion, was unanimously adopted:
Whereas, the officer charged with the execution of a writ against Joseph Smith and others, for riot in the county of Hancock, which said writ said officer has served upon said Smith and others; and whereas said Smith and others refuse to obey the mandate of said writ; and whereas in the opinion of this meeting, it is impossible for said officer so raise a posse of sufficient strength to execute said writ; and whereas it is the opinion of this meeting that the riot is still progressing and that violence is meditated and determined on, it is the opinion of this meeting that the circumstances of the case require the interposition of executive power. Therefore,
Resolved, that a deputation of two discreet men be sent to Springfield to solicit such interposition.
2nd, Resolved, that said deputation be furnished with a certified copy of the resolution, and be authorized to obtain evidence, by affidavits and otherwise, in regard to the violence which has already been committed, and is still further meditated.
Dr. Evans here arose and expressed his wish that the above resolutions would not retard our operations, but that we would each one arm and equip ourselves forthwith.
The resolutions passed at Warsaw were again read by Dr. Barnes, and passed by acclamation.
On motion of A. Sympson, Esq., the suggestion of Mr. Bagby, appointing places of encampment, was adopted—to wit., Warsaw, Carthage, Green Plains, Spilman's landing, Chili and La Harpe.
On motion, O. C. Skinner and Walter Bagby, Esqs., were appointed a committee to bear the resolutions adopted by this meeting to his Excellency the Governor, requiring his executive interposition.
On motion of J. H. Sherman, a central corresponding committee was appointed.
Order that J. H. Sherman, H. T. Wilson, Chauncey Robinson, William S. Freeman, Thomas Morrison, F. M. Higbee, Lyman Prentiss, and Stephen H. Tyler be said committee,
On motion of George Rockwell,
Resolved that constables in the different precincts hold themselves in readiness to obey the officer in possession of the writs, whenever called upon, in summoning the posse.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
JOHN KNOX, President.
JOHN DOTY,
LEWIS F. EVANS, Vice-Presidents,
W. Y. HEAD, Secretary.
Friday, 14.—Wrote to Governor Ford as follows:
Letter: Joseph Smith to Governor Ford—Explaining Action of City Council in Proceedings in "Expositor" Affairs.
NAUVOO, June 14, 1844.
His Excellency Thomas Ford:
SIR.—I write you this morning, briefly, to inform you of the facts relative to the removal of the press and fixtures of the Nauvoo Expositor as a nuisance.
The 8th and 10th instant were spent by the City Council of Nauvoo in receiving testimony concerning the character of the Expositor, and the character and designs of the proprietors.
In the investigation it appeared evident to the council that the proprietors were a set of unprincipled, lawless debauchers, counterfeiters, bogus-makers, gamblers, peace-disturbers, and that the grand object of said proprietors was to destroy our constitutional rights and chartered privileges. To overthrow all good and wholesome regulations in society, to strengthen themselves against the municipality, to fortify themselves against the Church of which I am a member, and destroy all our religious rights and privileges by libels, slanders, falsehoods, perjury, &c., and sticking at no corruption to accomplish their hellish purposes; and that said paper of itself was libelous of the deepest dye, and very injurious as a vehicle of defamation, tending to corrupt the morals and disturb the peace, tranquility and happiness of the whole community, and especially that of Nauvoo.
After a long and patient investigation, of the Expositor and the character and design of its proprietors, the constitution, the charter, (see Addenda to Nauvoo Charter from the Springfield Charter, sec. 7) and all the best authorities on the subject; (See Chitty's Blackstone Bk. iii:v, and n., &c., &c) the City Council decided that it was necessary for the "peace, benefit, good order and regulations" of said city, "and for the protection of property," and for "the happiness and prosperity of the citizens of Nauvoo," that said Expositor should be removed, and declaring said Expositor a nuisance ordered the Mayor to cause them to be removed without delay; which order was committed to the Marshal by due process, and by him executed the same day, by removing the paper, press and fixtures into the streets and burning the same; all which was done without riot, noise, tumult or confusion, as has already been proved before the municipality of the city; and the particulars of the whole transaction may be expected in our next Nauvoo Neighbor.
I send you this hasty sketch that your Excellency may be aware of the lying reports that are now being circulated by our enemies that there has been a "mob at Nauvoo," and "blood and thunder," and "swearing that two men were killed," &c., &c., as we hear from abroad, are false—false as Satan himself could invent, and that nothing has been transacted here but what has been in perfect accordance with the strictest principles of law and good order on the part of the authorities of this city; and if your Excellency is not satisfied, and shall not be satisfied after reading the whole proceedings which will be forthcoming soon, and shall demand an investigation of our municipality before Judge Pope, or any legal tribunal at the Capitol, you have only to write your wishes, and we will be forthcoming. We will not trouble you to fill a writ or send an officer for us.
I remain, as ever, a friend of truth, good order, and your Excellency's humble servant,
JOSEPH SMITH.