Press Misrepresentations.
The newspapers of the United States are teeming with all manner of lies, abusing the Saints of the Most High, and striving to call down the wrath of the people upon His servants.
Wednesday, 16.—Elder Brigham Young and company arrived at Wheeling at 4 p. m., and Sunday, 29th, visited the brethren at Cincinnati.
Monday, 21.—Hyrum Smith and William Law visited the Saints in Chester county, Pennsylvania, on their mission east; and there met Elder George A. Smith on his return home.
Imprisonment of Theodore Curtis.
Tuesday, 22.—Elder Theodore Curtis, having previously been arraigned before a magistrate, and bound over in the sum of forty pounds, for "blasphemy," i. e., preaching the Gospel, appeared at the court of Sessions, at Gloucester, England, and after remaining five days [in prison], was informed on inquiry, that no bill was found against him, and he was suffered to go at large again after paying one pound and one shilling cost. Thus we see that the same opposition to truth prevails in other countries, as well as in this.
Extract from a Letter in the "Juliet Courier"—Describing the Prophet's Trial at Monmouth, and Affairs at Nauvoo.
Monmouth, June, 1841.
My Dear Sir:—Before this reaches you, I have no doubt you will have heard of the trial of Joseph Smith, familiarly known as the Mormon Prophet. As some misrepresentations have already gone abroad, in relation to Judge Douglas' decision, and the merits of the question decided by the judge; permit me to say, the only question decided, though many were debated, was the validity of the executive writ which had once been sent out, I think in September, 1840, and a return on it that Mr. Smith could not be found. The same writ was issued in June, 1841. There can really be no great difficulty about this matter, under this state of facts.
The judge acquitted himself handsomely, and silenced clamors that had been raised against the defendant.
Since the trial I have been at Nauvoo, on the Mississippi, in Hancock county, Illinois; and have seen the manner in which things are conducted among the Mormons. In the first place, I cannot help noticing the plain hospitality of the Prophet, Smith, to all strangers visiting the town, aided as he is, in making the stranger comfortable by his excellent wife, a woman of superior ability. The people of the town appear to be honest and industrious, engaged in their usual vocations of building up a town, and making all things around them comfortable. On Sunday I attended one of their meetings, in front of the Temple now building, and one of the largest buildings in the state. There could not have been less than 2,500 people present, and as well appearing as any number that could be found in this or any state. Mr. Smith preached in the morning, and one could have readily learned, then, the magic by which he has built up this society, because, as we say in Illinois, "they believe in him," and in his honesty. It has been a matter of astonishment to me, after seeing the Prophet, as he is called, Elder Rigdon, and many other gentlemanly men anyone may see at Nauvoo, who will visit there—why it is, that so many professing Christianity, and so many professing to reverence the sacred principles of our Constitution (which gives free religious toleration to all), have slandered, and persecuted this sect of Christians.
Saturday, 26.—Elder Young and company arrived on the steamer Mermaid, at the mouth of the Ohio river.
Thursday, July 1.—Elders Young, Kimball, and Taylor arrived at Nauvoo, after an interesting mission to England. The accounts of their missions are highly satisfactory.
During a heavy thunderstorm at Derby, England, hundreds of small fish and frogs descended, and were picked up alive by the people.