The mob, however, did not keep this promise, but daily broke into houses and abused the inmates.
The Saints now appealed to the highest officer of the state, Governor Dunklin, for protection. He told them that the laws were able to protect everybody in their rights, and advised the Saints to have those arrested who threatened them, and have them tried in court for their misdeeds.
This, seemingly, was very good advice, and would have worked all right under other circumstances; but when it is remembered that the very officers—the constable who would have to do the arresting, the judge who would try the cases, and in fact all concerned—were men who were themselves leaders of the mob, you will see how useless such a course would be. However, the Saints engaged four lawyers to protect them in the courts.
This made the mobbers more angry than ever, and they made preparation for further action against the Saints.
"We will rid Jackson county of the "Mormons"," they said, "peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must. If they will not go without, we will whip and kill the men; we will destroy the children, and abuse their women."
The Saints now resolved to defend themselves, and the men gathered in small bodies, armed with guns.
On the night of October 31, 1833, a mob marched to the Whitmer settlement of the Saints where they whipped several of the brethren to death, drove the women and children into the woods, and tore the roofs from about a dozen houses.
The next night an attack was made upon the Saints living at Independence. A party of brethren went to the aid of the Saints, and found a mob tearing down the store of Gilbert, Whitney & Co. The mobbers fled, but the brethren captured one of them in the act of throwing brick-bats through the window. They brought him to a justice of the peace to have papers made out for the mobber's arrest. The justice would not do it, so the man was released. Three days after, this same mobber had the brethren arrested. It was no trouble for him to get papers from the same justice. As one of the brethren remarked at the time, "Although we could not obtain a warrant against him for breaking open the store, he had gotten one for us for catching him at it!"
Topics.—1. The character of the early Missourians. 2. Mobbers' meetings in Independence. 3. Work of the mob.
Questions and Review.—1. From what sections did most of the early settlers of Missouri come? 2. From what section did the Saints come? 3. What difference of opinion existed between the people of the north and the people of the south? 4. Why did the Missourians hate the "Mormons?" 5. Why did many outlaws come to Missouri? 6. What did the mobbers want the Saints to promise? 7. What advice did Governor Dunklin give? 8. Why did the law not protect the Saints? 9. How was Bishop Partridge abused? 10. Tell about the arrest of the four brethren.