Kirtland vs. Nauvoo—Political Attitude of the People of Nauvoo Declared—Publications Mormon and Anti-Mormon for 1841—Close of the Year.

Tuesday, December 14, 1841.—I commenced opening, unpacking, and assorting a lot of dry goods in the second story of my new store, situate on the northwest corner of block 155.[[1]] The joiners and masons are yet at work in the lower part of the building.

Wednesday, 15.—In reply to inquiries concerning Almon W. Babbitt, and the printing press at Kirtland, contained in a letter written at Kirtland, November 16, 1841, by Lester Brooks and Zebedee Coltrin, acting presidents, and Thomas Burdick, Bishop and council, to President Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, it was decided as follows:

Decision in the Case of Almon W. Babbitt and Kirtland.

It remains for Almon W. Babbitt to offer satisfaction, if he wishes so to do, according to the minutes of the conference. You are doubtless all well aware that all the stakes, except those in Hancock county, Illinois, and Lee county, Iowa, were discontinued some time since by the First Presidency, as published in the Times and Seasons; but as it appears that there are many in Kirtland who desire to remain there, and build up that place, and as you have made great exertions according to your letter, to establish a printing press, and take care of the poor, &c., since that period, you may as well continue operations according to your designs, and go on with your printing, and do what you can in righteousness to build up Kirtland, but do not suffer yourselves to harbor the idea that Kirtland will rise on the ruins of Nauvoo. It is the privilege of brethren emigrating from any quarter to come to this place, and it is not right to attempt to persuade those who desire it, to stop short.

The foregoing is an extract from my letter in reply.

The Twelve Apostles were in council at Elder Kimball's.

Affairs at Ramus.

Tuesday, 16.—William Wightman of Ramus, delivered to President Joseph Smith, sole trustee-in-trust, the deed to the unsold and bonded lots of land in the town of Ramus, bearing date December 8, 1841; also the plat of the "first addition to Ramus," and the notes which have been received of individuals who have purchased lots, and the bonds of William Miller, September 21, 1840, and of Ute Perkins, November 26, 1840, and of William J. Perkins, November 7, 1840, and of John F. Charles, November 16, 1841, for lots of land adjoining Ramus, and which may hereafter be added to the town plats (a part of the land included in William Miller's bond is included in the first addition to Ramus, and the notes were transferred to the sole trustee-in-trust, for the benefit of the whole Church, by a vote of the Ramus conference, December 4 and 5, 1841), after applying sufficient of said property to liquidate the claims of those from whom the town was purchased, and also paying two notes given by William Wightman for money borrowed to pay for the above property, viz., to Lyman Prentice $11.45, and James Cummins $50.00, and some other small demands against said Wightman which have been contracted for the benefit of the Church in Ramus.

Saturday, 18.—I attended the city council, and stated circumstances which I had heard concerning mobocracy, from a person late from Macombe, and requested an ordinance passed, so that persons ordering any person to leave their peaceful homes could be dealt with rigorously; also presented the following—

Expressions of Gratitude to James Gordon Bennett and the New York Herald.

Resolved by the city council of the city of Nauvoo, that the high-minded and honorable editor of the New York Weekly Herald, James Gordon Bennett, Esq., is deserving of the lasting gratitude of this community, for his very liberal and unprejudiced course towards us as a people, in giving us a fair hearing in his paper, thus enabling us to reach the ears of a portion of the community, who, otherwise would ever have remained ignorant of our principles and practices.

Resolved, That we recommend our fellow citizens to subscribe for the New York Weekly Herald, and thus be found patronizing true merit, industry, and enterprise.