History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 5

by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Jr. Joseph Smith

Tuesday 19.—Rode with Dr. Foster, Henry Kearns and others to examine some timber lands, &c.

Wednesday, 20.—

Affidavit of Lilburn W. Boggs, Ex-Governor of Missouri.

State of Missouri, county of Jackson: This day personally appeared before me, Samuel Weston, a justice of the peace, within and for the county of Jackson, the subscriber, Lilburn W. Boggs, who being duly sworn doth depose and say that on the night of the 6th day of May, while sitting in his dwelling, in the town of Independence, in the county of Jackson, he was shot with intent to kill, and that his life was despaired of for several days, and that he believes and has good reason to believe from evidence and information now in his possession, that O. P. Rockwell, a citizen or resident of the state of Illinois, is the person who shot him on the night aforesaid, and the said deponent hereby applies to the Governor of the State of Illinois, to deliver the said O. P. Rockwell to some person authorized to receive him and convey him to the county aforesaid, there to be dealt with according to law.

LILBURN W. BOGGS.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 20th day of July, 1842.

SAMUEL WESTON, J. P.

Affidavit of the City Council anent John C. Bennett.

We, the undersigned, members of the city council, of the city of Nauvoo, testify that John C. Bennett was not under duress at the time he testified before the city council, May 19, 1842, concerning Joseph Smith's innocence, virtue and pure teaching. His statements that he has lately made concerning this matter are false; there was no excitement at the time, nor was he in anywise threatened, menaced or intimidated. His appearance at the city council was voluntary; he asked the privilege of speaking, which was granted. After speaking for some time on the city affairs, Joseph Smith asked him if he knew anything bad concerning his public or private character. He then delivered those statements contained in the testimony voluntarily, and of his own free will, and went of his own accord, as free as any member of the council. We further testify that there is no such thing as a Danite Society in the city, nor any combination, other than the Masonic Lodge of which we have any knowledge.

WILSON LAW,

JOHN TAYLOR,

WILFORD WOODRUFF,

VINSON KNIGHT,

HEBER C. KIMBALL,

JOHN P. GREENE,

WILLIAM MARKS,

GEO. A. SMITH,

GEO. W. HARRIS,

NEWEL K. WHITNEY,

BRIGHAM YOUNG,

CHARLES C. RICH,

ORSON SPENCER.

Subscribed and sworn to by the persons whose names appear to the foregoing affidavit, the 20th day of July, A. D. 1842, except Newel K. Whitney, who subscribed and affirmed to the foregoing this day [July 21st] before me.

DANIEL H. WELLS,

Justice of the peace within and for Hancock county, Illinois.

Friday, 22.—A special session of the city council was called at eight o'clock this morning; the Vice-Mayor presiding, when the following petition was written:

Petition of the Nauvoo City Council to Governor Carlin.

To His Excellency, Thomas Carlin, Governor of the State of Illinois:

We, the undersigned citizens of the State of Illinois, having heard that many reports are in circulation prejudicial to the interest, happiness, peace, well being and safety of the inhabitants of the city of Nauvoo and vicinity have thought proper to lay before your Excellency the following statement:

Whereas, the Latter-day Saints having suffered much in the state of Missouri, in time past through the hand of oppression, brought upon them by the falsehoods and misrepresentations of wicked and designing men, whose hands are yet dripping with the blood of the innocent, and whose fiendish rage has sent many a patriot to his long home, leaving in our midst many widows and orphans whose sorrows and tears even time cannot wipe away:

We would represent to your Excellency that we broke no law, violated no constitutional rights, nor trampled upon the privileges of any other people in Missouri; yet we had to suffer banishment, exile, the confiscation of our properties, and have diseases, distress and misery entailed upon us and our children, the effects of which we bear about in our bodies, and are indelibly engraven on our minds, and we appeal to your Excellency at the present time, that you will not suffer an occurrence of such heart-rending scenes to take place under your administration.

Whilst we have been in this state we have behaved as good, peaceable citizens; we have availed ourselves of no privileges but what are strictly constitutional, and such as have been guaranteed by the authority of this state; we have always held ourselves amenable to the laws of the land; we have not violated any law, nor taken from any their rights.

Your Excellency must be acquainted with the false statements and seditious designs of John Cook Bennett, with other political demagogues, pertaining to us as a people. We presume, sir, that you are acquainted with the infamous character of that individual, from certain statements made to us by yourself pertaining to him, but lest you should not be we forward to you documents pertaining to the affair, which will fully show the darkness of his character, and the infamous course that he has taken.

Concerning those statements made by him against Joseph Smith, we know that they are false. Joseph Smith has our entire confidence; we know that he has violated no law, nor has he in anywise promoted sedition or rebellion; nor has he sought the injury of any citizen of this or any other place. We are perfectly assured that he is as loyal, patriotic and virtuous a man, as there is in the state of Illinois, and we appeal to your Excellency, if in three years acquaintance with him you have seen anything to the contrary?

Inasmuch as this is the case, we your petitioners, knowing that Joseph Smith could not have justice done him in the state of Missouri—that he has suffered enough in that state unjustly already, and that if he goes there it is only to be murdered—pray your Excellency not to issue a writ for him to be given up to the authorities of Missouri; but if your Excellency thinks that he has violated any law, we request that he may be tried by the authorities of this state, for he shrinks not from investigation.

We furthermore pray that our lives and the lives of our wives and children may be precious in your sight and that we may have the privilege of following our avocations, of living on our farms, and by our own firesides in peace, and that neither said John C. Bennett, nor any other person may be able to influence your Excellency, either by intrigue or falsehood, to suffer us as a people to be injured by mob violence, but if, in the estimation of your Excellency, we have done wrong, we appeal to the laws of this state.

Having heard a report that your Excellency had called upon several companies of militia, to prepare themselves and be in readiness in case of emergency, we would further ask of your Excellency, that if the state or country should be in danger, that the Nauvoo Legion may have the privilege of showing their loyalty in the defense thereof.

We have the fullest confidence in the honor, justice and integrity of your Excellency, and feel confident that we have only to present our case before you to insure protection, believing that the cries of so many peaceable and patriotic citizens will not be disregarded by your Excellency.

We therefore ask you as the chief magistrate of this state to grant us our requests, and we, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

Signed by the Vice-Mayor and City Council.

This forenoon I attended a general meeting of the citizens at the stand; Orson Spencer, Esq., presiding. The object of the meeting was to correct the public mind relative to false reports put in circulation by Bennett and others, and General Wilson Law presented the following: