In the evening, great excitement prevailed, and the citizens employed several attorneys to plead against me.
I was requested to preach to the citizens of Monmouth; but as I was a prisoner, I kept closeted in my room, for I could not even come down stairs to my meals, but the people would be crowding the windows to get a peep at me, and therefore appointed Elder Amasa Lyman to preach in the Court House on Wednesday evening.
The Trial.
Wednesday, 9.—At an early hour the Court House was filled with spectators desirous to hear the proceedings.
Mr. Morrison, on behalf of the people, wished for time to send to Springfield for the indictment, it not being found with the rest of the papers. This course would have delayed the proceedings, and, as it was not important to the issue, the attorneys for the defense admitted that there was an indictment, so that the investigation might proceed.
Mr. Warren, for the defense, then read the petition, which stated that I was unlawfully held in custody, and that the indictment, in Missouri, was obtained by fraud, bribery and duress, all of which I was prepared to prove.
Mr. Little then called upon the following witnesses, viz.,—Morris Phelps, Elias Higbee, Reynolds Cahoon and George W. Robinson, who were sworn. The counsel on the opposite side objected to hearing evidence on the merits of the case, as they could not go beyond the indictment. Upon this a warm and long discussion occurred, which occupied the attention of the court during the entire day.
All the lawyers on the opposite side, excepting two, viz. Messrs. Knowlton and Jennings, confined themselves to the merits of the case, and conducted themselves as gentlemen; but it was plainly evident that the design of Messrs. Knowlton and Jennings; was to excite the public mind still more on the subject and inflame the passions of the people against me and my religion.
Honorable Conduct of Counsel.
The counsel on behalf of the defense, Messrs. Charles A. Warren, Sidney B. Little, O. H. Browning, James H. Ralston, Cyrus Walker, and Archibald Williams, acted nobly and honorably, and stood up in the defense of the persecuted, in a manner worthy of high-minded and honorable gentlemen.