The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet

by George Q. Cannon

Very true, gentlemen, you cannot see what is in my heart, and you are therefore unable to judge me or my intentions; but I can see what is in your hearts, and will tell you what I see. I can see you thirst for blood, and nothing but my blood will satisfy you. It is not for crime of any description that I and my brethren are thus continually persecuted and harassed by our enemies, but there are other motives, and some of them I have expressed, so far as relates to myself; and inasmuch as you and the people thirst for blood, I prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that you shall witness scenes of blood and sorrow to your entire satisfaction. Your souls shall be perfectly satiated with blood, and many of you who are now present shall have an opportunity to face the cannon's mouth from sources you think not of; and those people that desire this great evil upon me and my brethren, shall be filled with regret and sorrow because of the scenes of desolation and distress that await them. They shall seek for peace, and shall not be able to find it. Gentlemen, you will find what I have told you to be true.

At 4 o'clock Joseph and Hyrum, and thirteen other brethren were taken before Robert F. Smith, justice of the peace and captain of the Carthage Greys, on a charge of riot in destroying the printing press of the Expositor. Robert Smith took the place of Morrison, by the direction of the mob and with the connivance of the governor, although Ford had stated that the hearing must be had before the same justice who issued the original writ. But he had only made this assertion in order to justify himself in overlooking the proceedings in Justice Wells' court. Now that he had the brethren at Carthage he was willing that the mob should have them tried before the most vindictive man to be found exercising judicial functions. Upon this hearing before Robert F. Smith, the fifteen brethren were admitted to bail in the sum of $7,500, and John S. Fullmer, Edward Hunter, Dan Jones, John Benbow, and others as sureties. Then the court was adjourned without calling on Joseph and Hyrum to answer to the charge of treason, or even intimating to them or their counsel that an examination of this charge was to be made.

About dark that night the constable appeared with a mittimus from Justice Smith and demanded that Joseph and Hyrum go to jail upon the charge of treason. This mittimus falsely alleged that the trial for treason had been begun and had been postponed. Joseph and his counsel, Messrs. Woods and Reid, exposed this tyrannical proceeding, showing clearly that the law did not permit the justice to send them to jail by mittimus without having them first brought before him for examination, and appealed to the governor. He refused assistance. A little later Captain and Justice Robert F. Smith applied to him to know how he should enforce the illegal mittimus, and the governor said significantly: "You have the Carthage Greys at your command." The mob captain took the hint and dragged the prisoners violently to jail.

Apostles John Taylor and Willard Richards, and John P. Greene, Stephen Markham, Dan Jones, John S. Fullmer, Dr. South wick and Lorenzo D. Wasson accompanied the Prophet and Patriarch to prison; and it is well that they did so. Stephen Markham and Dan Jones walked one on either side of Joseph and Hyrum, keeping off the drunken rabble which several times broke through the ranks of the file of soldiers guarding the brethren on their way to prison.

They made their dungeon seem a heaven that night by their prayers and by their faith.

After spending the night in Carthage jail, Joseph wrote on the morning of June 26th, 1844, soliciting an interview with Ford. The governor sent back a favorable reply, and to the messengers he spoke apologetically of his failure to interfere the previous night. Apostle John Taylor had been to him in the meantime and had made him feel his falseness and cowardice. About 9:30 a.m. the governor came to the prison and had a lengthy interview with Joseph. President Taylor was present and made an extensive report of the conversation. Joseph charged Governor Ford with absolute knowledge that the enemies of the Saints had first commenced these difficulties; that Joseph and his people had not transgressed the law; and that the Nauvoo Legion had only been ordered out in pursuance of orders received by Joseph from the governor requiring him to assemble the Legion for the protection of Nauvoo against armed bands of marauders.

As they parted the governor reiterated his promise, pledging his faith, the honor of his officers, and the good name of the state of Illinois that the brethren would be protected. He said that he might go to Nauvoo that day or the next, and if so he would take Joseph with him.

After Ford left the prison, he went to Hamilton's hotel and began to converse with a mob soldier standing there. Alfred Randall, a man of approved veracity, testified that he heard the mobocrat saying to Ford, "The soldiers are determined to see Joe Smith dead before they leave here;" and heard Ford reply, "If you know of any such thing keep it to yourself." It was common conversation that day on the camp ground and in the dining-room of the hotel in the presence of Governor Ford: "The law is too short for these men, but they must not be suffered to go at large." "No; if the law will not reach them powder and ball must."

Most of the afternoon of the 26th was spent by Dan Jones and Stephen Markham in hewing the warped door of the cell in which the brethren were confined with a penknife so that it would fasten in the frame.

The brethren preached by turns to the guards, several of whom were relieved before their watch was out because they admitted that they were convinced of the innocence of the prisoners.