Nauvoo Township (part 3 of 4)

Warlike demonstrations still continuing, on May 11th Maj. Warren issued a proclamation, in which he warned the Anti-Mormons to desist, assuring them that in his opinion the Mormons were making all reasonable efforts to leave. Notwithstanding this assurance, a public meeting was held at Carthage, at which the opinion was expressed that large numbers of the Mormons designed to remain; and recommending that the citizens of the surrounding counties prepare forthwith to put in execution the resolutions of October last. Accordingly a considerable force was assembled at Carthage, and thenee marched to Golden's Point, where they held a conference with a deputation of new citizens from Nauvoo, who had been invited to meet them there. The latter objecting to their entrance into the citj', and the force lieing weak, and poorly officered and drilled, it was decided to retire again to Carthage, where it was soon disbanded.

On June 20th, George AValker, Esq., the "old citizen" County Commissioner, resigned his office and notified the public tliat his Mormon associates, Coulson and Perkins, having both left the country, there would be a full board to elect at the coming election. Backenstos, having been appointed to a Captaincy in the army against Mexico, also resigned the oflice of Sheriff. On July 25th an Anti-Mormon Convention was held at Carthage to nominate candidates for office. The following ticket was put in nomination: For Senator, Jacob C. Davis; for Rejiresentatives, Thomas Morrison and James Stark; for Slierift", Melgar Couchman; for County Commissioners, Frederic Walton, Daniel N. Painter and James M. Renshaw; for Treasurer and Assessor, James W. Brattle; and for Coroner, Wm. S. Moore - -t Democrat* and 5 Whigs. No full ticket was put up against tiiis, but there were several independents. The above named were all elected by majorities of about -±00. At this election Nauvoo polled between SOO and 800 votes.

Mormons from Nauvoo went out to the vicinity of Pontoosuc, and engaged in harvesting a lield of wheat for one of the brethren. It is stated tliat they behaved in a very unruly manner, when some of the neighbors collecting, seized and whipped them, and sent them away. A few days after, ^, posse went out from Nauvoo and arrested Maj. McAuley, of Pontoosuc, and James W. Brattle, of Carthage, who happened to be at his house. In return, several other Mormons were captured and held as hostages, and this led to other arrests, till there were of McAuley's party some ten or fifteen held in the city in custody. They were held for over a week, and denied the privilege of an examination or giving bail. At length a writ of habeas cor2}ns was obtained from Adams county, and served on Clifford and f urness, who had the prisoners in custody, and they and their prisoners were taken to Qnincy, examined and released on bail.

The new citizens of Nauvoo were generally an orderly and welldisposed people; but they had a few ruffians among them, who, by their violence and intemperate conduct made themselves generally obnoxious. Of these, the most conspicuous and disorderly was William Pickett. Clifford and Furness, above named, were very vindictive toward the Anti-Mormons.

About the first of April the Hancock Eagle appeared at Nauvoo. It was ably conducted by Dr. William E. Matlack, a stranger in the county, it claimed to be a " Democratic" sheet, but was in fact the organ and mouthpiece of Backenstos and what was known as the "Jack-Mormon"' influence. Its course no doubt greatly weakened tlie Mormon efforts to get away, and increased the animosity existing between them and their enemies. It continued under Dr. Matlack's management until his death, which occurred about the last of August.

War Impending

During the first week in August writs were issued by John Banks, Esq., of Eocky Kun township, for Clifford, Furness and Pickett, of Nauvoo, charged with false imprisonment and robbery, during the troubles heretofore mentioned. These writs were placed in the hands of John Carlin, of Carthage, a Deputy Sheriff. On the 7th, the officer went to Nauvoo and arrested Cliftbrd and Furness, but was resisted and defied by Pickett. He took Furness before the Magistrate (Cliflbrd having taken sick and left), where he gave bail for his appearance at Court, and was set at liberty. Carlin resolved that Pickett should be arrested. On the 17th he therefore issued a proclamation, calling out the_^;»cxse comitatus to assemble at Carthage on Monday the 24th, to aid in the arrests.

On the 12th a meeting was held in Nauvoo, of the Mormons and their adherents, at which it was resolved that Carlin's writs should not be executed; they also took measures to organize for military resistance.

Sir : - I have received information lliat another effort is to be made on Monday next to drive out the inliabitants of Nauvoo, new and old, and to destroy the city. Maj. P. was authorized to talie command of such persons as would volunteer free of cost to the State, and repel anj' attack and defend the citj'. He was also authorized to assist any peace officer in making arrests. This order of the Governor's placed Parker and Carlin in antagonism. Carlin's proclamation was dated the 17th; on the 25th, Parker issued a counter proclamation, calling on all armed bodies of men in the couaty to disperse, and stating that he held himself in readiness '- to aid any officer in any part of the county in executing any lawful writs in his hands." Carlin replied by letter, that he was a legally constituted officer, with writs in his hands to execute, that he had been resisted, and had called out the jjasse to aid him, that he did not acknowledge the authority of the military to interfere, that a large force was collecting, and he should proceed. To this Parker rejoined, that he was sent by the Governor, that the force imder Carlin was a mob, whose aim was to set the ]\Iormons over the river, that his position compelled him to regard the posse as a mob, and he must treat them as such. This brought another letter from Carlin, who reiterated his former statements, and concluded: " The poss« will proceed to perform its dutj'-, and as you have cautioned me, that if it does not soon disperse you will treat it as a mob and as one good turn deserves another, I will caution 3'ou,that if j'ou attempt to interfere with this posse while acting under the law, I shall regard you and your command as a mob, and 'treat them as such.'" Hereupon Parker fell back upon proclamations. On the 28th he issued a second, and on the 3d of September, a third, defining his position, and warning " the mob " to desist.

In the meantime the force was concentrating at Carthage. On the 25tli, CoL John B. Chittenden, of Adams county, was placed in temporary command, with the understanding that Col. James W. Singleton, of Brown, was to supersede hira on his arrival^ Col. S. arrived on the 2Sth and took command, with Col. Brockman, of Brown, in command of the First Regiment, and Col. Thomas Geddes, of Hancock, in command of the Second. The camp was fixed about five miles from Carthage, on the Nauvoo road, the force numbering from 600 to 800 men. Here negotiations for a compromise began between the two commanders in secret. This was concluded and ratified by Col. Singleton, but unanimously rejected by his oflicers and men, amid great excitement. The conditions of this agreement were, in short: that the Mormon population of Nauvoo shall all leave in 60 days; that a force of 25 men be left as a guard, the expense to be equally borne by both parties; that an attorney be selected to take charge of all writs; that the Mormons shall deliver np the State arms, and that all hostilities shall at once cease. The reasons given for the rejection were, that no confidence could be placed in the Mormon's professions of sinceritj', and that no provision was made for the execution of the writs in Carlin's hands.

On the rejection of the treaty, Col. Singleton withdrew from the command, and Carlin appointed Col. Brockman to the place. He immediately gave orders for an advance, and on the 10th, the whole force, numbering about 700 men, marched toward Nauvoo and encamped about three miles from the temple. Here a committee, consisting of Hon. John Wood, Major Flood and Joel Rice, of Quii:icy, appeared and proposed a compromise. Terms were named to them, and by them taken to the city; but no answer was received. The posse was put in motion towards the city, and for two days considerable skirmishing was carried on between picket guards, and some firino- of artillery, of whicli both parties had a few pieces. On the 12th, a Hag of truce was sent in b}' Brockman' and Carlin, demanding a surrender. It was repled to by Maj. Benjamin Clifford, in command (but what became of Parker does not appear), refusing to compl}'. Fi'eparations for battle were thereupon immediately made. As this was the concluding and only military battle of the war, we deem a report of it in full, copied from the Warsaw Signal of the 13th October, worthy of a place here.

The Battle And Kesult

"After the reception of this letter (Clifford's) the army was drawn up in column on a piece of high ground lying between the camp and the city. While in this position a few shots were fired from a breastwork the Mormons had erected during the night, and the fire was returned from our artillery. So soon as all was ready, the Warsaw Kifienien were divided into two sections and deployed on the right and left as flankers. Capt. Newton's Lima Guards, witli Capt. Walker's gun, were ordered to take position a quarter of a mile in front of the camp, and employ the attention of the Mormons at their breastwork, and from which they kept a constant fire, while the main Ijod}' of the army wheeled to the left, passed down across the La Harpe road, through a cornfield, thence across Mulholland street, then bore to the right through an orchard and on to the city. So soon as the army was fairly under way, Capt. Newton's company and the piece of artillery with it, were brought up in the rear. Tliis march was made directly across and in the face of the enemy's fire, and within good cannon range, yet not a man was injured.

"Arriving on the verge of the city, the army, all except the artillery and flankers, was halted, while the latter advanced and commenced an attack on the Mormon works, from which they had been firing during the whole time of the march. A hot fire was kept up b}' the artillery from both sides for fifteen or twenty minutes. During this time the Mormons did no execution on our ranks, while the balls from our cannon rattled most terrifically through the houses in the city.

" At length the fire_ of small arms was heard from some Mormons who had taken position on the extreme left in a cornfield. Immediately Col. Smith's regiment was ordered up and drove the assailants before them. The Second Regiment was in the meantime ordered up to the support of the artillery. By this time the action became general.

"The Mormons were in squads in their houses and poured in their shots with the greatest rapidity. Our men were also divided ofi" into squads, took shelter where they could best find it, and returned the tire with gi-eat energy. The greater part of the First Regiment had no better shelter than a cornfield and a worm fence ; the Second Regiment was on open ground, having but two or three small houses to cover the whole body; while our artillery was entirely exposed.

" The firing of small arms was continued for half an hour, during which time our men steadily advanced, driving the enemy in many instances from their shelter. For a time their fire was almost entirely silenced; but unfortunately at this juncture our cannon balls were exhausted; and our commander deeming it imprudent to risk a further advance without these necessary instruments, he ordered the men to be drawn oft". This was done in good order, and in slow time the whole force returned to the camp.

" In this action we had about 500 men engaged, and four pieces of artillery; 200 men and one piece of artilleiy having been left at the camp for its protection. Our loss in this engagement, as well as in the subsequent skirmishes, will be found in the report of the surgeons hereto appended. Most of our men throughout the action displayed remarkable coolness and determination; and we have no doubt did great execution. We believe if our cannon balls had held out ten minutes longer, we should have taken the city; but when the action commenced we had but 61 balls. The battle lasted from the time the first feint was made until our men were drawn off - an hour and a quarter. Probably there is not on record an instance of a longer continued militia fight. (?)

-' The Mormons stood their ground manfully ; but from the little execution done by them, we infer that they were not very cool or deliberate. Their loss is uncertain - as they have taken especial pains to conceal the number of their dead and wounded. They acknowledge but three dead and ten wounded. Amongst the killed is their master spirit, Capt. Anderson, of the 15-shooter rifle company. Their force in the fight was from three to four hundred. They had all the advantage, having selected their own positions ; and we were obliged to take such as we could get. Sometimes our men could get no covei', and the artillery was all the time exposed, while theirs was under cover.

" On Saturday after the battle, the Antics commenced entrenching their camp, and on Sunday made it secure against the shots of the enemy's cannon, which frequently reached or passed over it. On Sunday the Anties cut part of the corn from the field on the left of the La Harpe road, to prevent the Mormons from taking cover in it. While thus engaged the Mormons fired on the guard "which was protecting the corn-cutters. The fire was returned by the guard, and kept up at long distance for two or three hours. In this skirmish one of our men was badly wounded. The loss of the enemy is not known. On Monday a party of Mormons crept \ip through the weeds to a piece of high ground, and fired at our camp - wounding three men, none seriously. Their balls were nearly spent when they struck. On Sunday morning after the battle a powder plot was dug up in the La Harpe road, which the army was expected to pass. On Wednesday another was dug up on the

Walker Tp

But the lighting was over and the war was ended. On Tuesday mornino", the 15th, a deputation from 100 citizens of Quincy arrived in camp with proposals for mediation. The sub-committee was headed by Andrew Johnston, Esq., as chairman. A similar sub-committee was sent to Nauvoo to confer with 13. Clifford, the Commander there. A truce was agreed on, and after a long and voluminous correspondence, a treaty was concluded, which we can give best in its own words:

1. The City of Nauvoo will surreuder. The force of Col. Brockman to enter and take possession of the city to-morrow, the 17th of September, at 3 o'clock p. m.

3. The Quincy Committee pledge themselves to use their influence for the protection of persons and property from all violence ; and the officers of the camp and the men pledge themselves to protect all persons and property from violence.

6. Five men, including the trustees of the Church, and five clerks, with their families (William Pickett not one of the number) to be permitted to remain in the city for the disposition of propeity, free from all molestation and personal violence.

7. Hostilities to cease immediately, and ten men of the Quincy Committee to enter the city in the execution of their duty as soon as they think proper.

We, the undersigned, subscribe to, ratify arid confirm the foregoing articles of accommodation, treaty and agreement, 'he day and year first above written.

Signed by: Ahnoii W. Babbitt, Joseph L. Heyicood, John S. Fullmer, Trustees in Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Andrew Johnson, Chairman of the Com. of Quincy; Thos. S- Brockman, commanding posse; John Carlin, Special Constable.

The remarkable feature of this treaty is, that it contained not a word about the arrest of the persons named in the writs held by Carlin, and for the service of which the expedition was undertaken.

Soon after the agreement was signed and exchanged, Major Clifford gave orders for the withdrawal of the forces under his command. By three o'clock the next day, nearly the whole Mormon population had crossed the river. At three, Brockman's force was put in motion, marched through the city, and encamped near the south end of town. On Friday all except 100 men were disbanded, and to co-operate with these the new citizens organized a company of 100 men as guards to the city.

The surgeons in Col. Brockman's camp, Drs. Berry and Charles of Warsaw, reported twelve men wounded, as follows: John Kennedy, of Augusta, in the shoulder; Jefferson Welsh, of McDonough Co., in the thigh ; Mr. Rogers, of Adams Co., thigh and hip ; Uriah Thompson, of Fountain Green, in arm; Mr. Humphreys, of Hancock Co., in the thigh severely, and died ten hours afterward; George Wier, Warsaw, in the neck; Capt. Robert F. Smith, who commanded the First Regiiuent, slightly in the neck; Mr. Crooks, of Chili, in the head slightly; Mr. Winsor, of Nauvoo, in the back, while loading; Mr. Denny, of Green Plains, at camp-

Bnt, although the war was over, the troubles were not jet to. end. The force left in the city, not satisfied with the withdrawal of the Mormons, dealt pretty roughly with the ring-leaders of the obnoxious new citizens. A few of them were ordered to leave. They -did so, but made their appeals to the public and to Gov. Ford at Springfield, in a tissue of most exaggerated statements. Maj. Brayman, who had been commissioned by the Governor to investigate, made reports also to his Excellency, which, taken together, decided him to again order a force into the county. He recruited about 100 men, with which he entered the county, and after a day or two at Carthage, proceeded to Nauvoo, where he arrived on the 28 th of October. He was \Vaited on by numbers of the respectable new citizens, who endeavored to disabuse his mind as to the state of affairs in the city. The Governor encamped his force about the temple, where he remained until the lith of November, when he left for Springfield, leaving a part of his force under Major Weber, at Nauvoo. Before reaching the county, tlie Governor became_convinced that he had undertaken a useless expedition, as the result proved, for during his whole two weeks' presence nothing transpired requiring military or executive interference. The force left, remained in the county inactive, until withdrawn by Gov. French. Gov. F., having been elected to succeed Ford, was inaugurated December 8th, and on the 12th he withdrew the force, and addressed a short note to the people of Hancock county, announcing tiieir withdrawal, and exhorting to peace and quietness.

N-Auvoo Charter And Ordinances

A history of Mormonism in Hancock county would be incomplete that failed to recite the Charter granted that people b}' the State Legislature, and to give a few samples of the Ordinances passed by the City Council. The following is a verbatim copy of the Charter:

An Act To Incorporate The City Of Nauvoo

Sec. 1. BeitenactedbythePeopleof the State of lUiuois, represented in the General Assembly, That all that district of country embraced within the following boundaries, to-wit: [omit long description of boundaries.]

Sec. 2. Whenever any tract of land adjoining the city of Nauvoo shall have been laid out into town lots, and duly recorded according to law, the same shall form a part of the city of Nauvoo.

Sec. 3. The inhabitants of said city, by the name and style aforesaid, shall have power to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended, in all courts of law and equitj', and in all actions whatsoever ; to purchase, receive and hold property, real and personal, in said city; to purchase, receive and hold real property beyond the city for burj'ing ground, or for other public purposes, for the use of the inhabitants of said city ; to sell, lease, convey or dispose of property, real and personal, for the benefit of the city ; to improve and protect such property, and to do all other things in relation thereto as natural persons.

Sec. 4. There shall be a City Council to consist of Mayor, four Aldermen and nine Councilors, who shall have the qualifications of electors of said city, and shall be chosen by the qualified voters thereof, and shall hold their offices for two years, and until their successors shall be elected and qualitied. The City Council shall judge of the qualifications, elections and returns ot their own memljers, and a majority of them shall form a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, under such penalties as may be prescribed by ordinance.

Sec. 5. The Mayor, Aldermen and Councilors, before entering upon the duties of 'their offices, shall take and subscribe an oath or atlirmation, that they will support the Constitution of the United States and of this State; and that they will well and truly perform the duties of their offices to the best of their skill and abilities.

Sec. a. On the first Monday of February next, and every two years thereafter, an election shall be held for "the election of one Mayor, four Aldermen, and nine Councilors ; and at the first election under this act, three Judges shall be chosen viva voce by the electors present, the said Judges shall choose two clei'ks, and the Judges and clerks, before entering upon their duties, shall take and .subscribe an oath or affirmation, such as is now required by law to be taken by judges and clerks of other elections ; and at all subsequent elections, the necessary number of Judges and clerks shall be appointed by the Cit}' Council. At the first election so held the polls shall be opened at nine o'clock, a.m., and closed at six o'clock, p. M. ; at the close of the polls the votes shall be counted, and a statement thereof proclaimed at the front door of the house at which such election shall be held; and the clerl;s shall leave with each person elected, or at his usual place of residence within five days after the election, a written notice of his election, and each person so notified, shall within ten days after the election, take the oath or affirmation hereinbefore mentioned, a certificate of which oath shall be deposited with the Recorder, whose appointment is hereafter provided for, and be by him preserved; and all subsequent elections shall be held, conducted, and returns thereot made as may be provided for by the ordinances of the City Council.

Sec. 7. All free white male inhabitants, who are of the age of 21 years, who are entitled to vote for State officers, and who shall have been actual residents of said city sixty days next preceding said election, shall be entitled to vote for city officers.

Sec. 8. The City Council shall have authorit}' to levy and collect taxes for city purposes, upon all property, real and personal, within the limits of the city, not exceeding one-half per cent, per annum upon the assessed value thereof, and may enforce the payment of the same in any manner to be provided by ordinance, not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, or of this State.

Sec. 9. The City Council shall have power to appoint a Recorder, Treasurer, Assessor, Marshal, Supervisor of streets, and all such other officers as may be necessary, and to prescribe their duties, and remove them from office at pleasure.

Sec. 10. The City Council shall have power to require of all officers, appointed in pursuance of this act, bonds with penalty and security, for the faithful performance ot their respective duties, such as may be deemed expedient; and also to require all officers appointed as aforesaid, to take an oath for the faithful performance of the duties of then- respective offices.

Sec. 11. The City Council shall have power and authority to make, ordain, establish and execute all such ordinances, not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States or of this State, as they may deem necessary for the benefit, peace, good order, regulation, convenience and cleanliness of said city ; for the protection of propert}' therein from destruction by fire or otherwise, and for the health and happiness thereof ; they shall have power to fill all vacancies that may happen by death, resignation or removal, in an}' of the offices herein made elective; to fix and establish aU the fees of the officers of said corporation not herein established; to impose such fines not exceeding one hundred dollars for each offense, as they may deem just, for refusing to accept any office in or under the corporation, or for misconduct therein ; to chvide the city into wards ; to add to the number of Aldermen and Councilors, and apportion them among the several wards as may be most just and conducive to the interests of the city.

Seo. 13. The City Council shall have exclusive power within the city, by ordinance to license, regulate and restrain the keeping of ferries ; to regulate the police of the city to impose tines, forfeitures and penalties for the breacli of any ordinance, and provide for tlie recovery of such fines and forfeitures, and the enforcement of such penalties, and to pass such ordinances as may be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the powers specified in this act : Provided, Such ordinances are not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States or of this State ; and in fine, to exercise such other legislative powers as are conferred on the City Council of the city of Springfield, by an act entitled "An act to incorporate the city of Springfield," approved February third, one thousand eight hundred and forty.

Sec. 14. All ordinances passed by the City Council shall, within one month after they shall have been passed, be published in some newspaper printed in tlie city, or certified copies thereof be posted up in three of the most public places in the city.

Sec. 15. All ordinances of the city may be proven by the seal of the corporation, and when printed or pulilished in book or pamphlet form, piu'porting to he printed or published by authority of the corporation, the same shall be received in evidence in all courts or places without further proof.

Sec. 16. The Mayor and Aldermen shall be conservators of the peace within the limits of said city, and shall have all the powers of Justices of the Peace therein, both in civil and criminal cases, arising under the laws of the State; they 'shall, as Justices of the Peace within the limits of said city, perform the same duties, be governed by the same laws, give the same bonds and secm'ity as other Justices of the Peace, and be commissioned as Justices of the Peace in and for said city by the Governor.

Sec. 17. The Mayor shall have exclusive jurisdiction in all cases arising under the ordinances of the corporation, and shall issue such process as may be necessary to carry said ordinances into execution and effect; appeals maybe had from any decision or judgment of said Mayor, or Aldermen, arising under the city ordinances, to tlie ilunicipal Court, under such regulations as may be presented by ordinance, which Court shall be composed of the Mayor, or Chief Justice, and the Aldermen as Associate Justices, and from the final judgment of the Municipal Court to the Circuit Com't of Hancock County, in the same manner as appeals are taken from the judgments of Justices of tlie Peace: Provided, That the parties litigant shiill have a riglit to a trial lij' a jmy of twelve men in all cases before the iluuicipal Com-t. The ^Municipal Court shall have power to grant writs of liabeas cui'jius in all cases arising under the ordinances of the City Council.

Sec. 18. Tlie Municipal Court shall sit on the fij'st Monday of every month, and the City Council at such times and places as may be prescribed by city ordinance, special meetings of which may, at any time, be called by the Mayor or any two Aldermen.

Sec. 19. All processes issued by the Mayor, Aldermen or Municipal Court shall be directed to the Marshal, and in the execution thereof he shall be governed by the same laws as are or maj' be prescribed for the direction and compensation of constables in similar cases. The Marshal shall also perform such other duties as may be required of him under the ordinances of said city, and shall be the principal ministerial officer.

Sec. 20. It shall be the duty of the Recorder to make and keep accurate records of all ordinances made by tlie City Council, and of all their proceedings in their corporate capacity; which records shall at all times be open to the inspection of the electors of said city, and shall perform such other duties as may b"^ recxuired of him by the ordinances of the City Council, and shall serve as Clerk of the Municipal Court.

Sec. 21. When it shall be necessary to take private property for opening, widening, or altering any pul^Iic street, lane, avenue or alley, the Corporation shall make a just compensaiion tlierefor to the person whose proper y is so taken, and if the amount of such compensation can not be agreed upon, the Jlaj'or sliall cause the same to be ascertained by a jury of six disinterested freeholders of the city.

Sec. 23. All jurors impaneled to inquire into the amount of benefits or damages tliat shall happen to the owners of property so proposed to be taken, shall first be sworn to that etfect, and shall return to the Mayor their inquest in writing, signed by each juror.

Sec. 23. In case the Mayor shall at any time be guilty of a palpable omission of duty, or shall willfully and corruptly be guilty of oppression, mal-conduct, or partiality in the discharge of the duties of his office, he shall be liable to be indicted in the Circuit Court of Hancock county ; and on conviction he shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars, and the Court shall have power, on the

!?EC. 34. The City Council may establish and organize an institution of learning within the limits of the city for the teaching of the arts, sciences and learned professions, to be called the " University of the City of Nauvoo ;" which institution shall be under the control and management of a Board of Trustees, consisting ot a Chancellor, Registrar, and twenty-three Regents, which Board shall thereafter be a bodj' corporate and politic, with perpetual succession, by the name of the " Chancellor and Regents of the University of the City of Nauvoo,'' and shall have full power to pass, ordain, establish and execute all such laws and ordinances as they may consider for the welfare and jirospcrity of said Universit}', its officers and students ; Provided, That the said laws and ordinances shall not be repugnant to the Constitution of the United States or of this State; and. Provided, also, That the Trustees shall at all times be appointed by tlie City Council, and shall have all the powers and privileges for the advancement of the cause of education which appertain to the trustees of any other college or university of this State.

Sec. 25. The City Council may organize the inhabitants of said city subject to military duty into a body of independent military men, to be called the " Nauvoo Legion," the court-martial of which shall be composed of the commissioned officers of said Legion, and constitute the law-making department, with full powers and authority to make, ordain, establish and execute, all such laws and ordinances, as may be considered necessary for the benetit, government and regulation of said Legion; Provided, Said court-martial shall pass no law or act repugnant to or inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States or of this State; and. Provided, also. That the officers of the Legion shall be commissioned by the Governor of the State. The said Legion shall perform the same amount of military duty as is now or may be hereafter required of the regular militia of the State, and shall be at the disposal of the Mayor in executing the laws and ordinances ot the City Corporation, and the laws of the State, and at the disposal of the Governor for the public defense and the execution of the laws of the State, or of the United States, and shall be entitled to their proportion of the public arms; and. Provided, also. That said Legion shall be exempt from all other military dut}'.

Sec. 26. The inhabitants of the " Citj- of Nauvoo" are hereby exempt from working on any road beyond the limits of the city; and for the purpose of keepiugthe streets, lanes, avenues and alleys in repair, to require of the male inhabititants of said city, over the age of twenty-one and under fifty years, to labor on said streets, lanes, avenues and alleys, not exceeding three daj-s in each year; any peraon failing to perform such labors when duly notified by the Supervisor, shall forfeit and pay the sum of one dollar per day for eac h day so neglected or refused.

Sec. 27. The City Council shall have power to provide for the punishment of otienders, by imprisonment in the county or city jail, in all cases when such offenders shall fail or refuse to pay the fines and forfeitures which may be recovered against them.

City Okdinances

Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, That in all cases where any person or persons shall at any time hereafter be arrested or under arrest, in this city, under any writ or process, and shall be brought before the Municipal Court of this city, by virtue of a writ of habeas corpus, the Court shall in every such case have power and authority, and are hereby required to examine into the origin, validity and legality of the writ or process, under which such arrest was made; and if it shall appear to the Court upon sufficient testimony, that said writ or process was illegal, or not legally issued, or did not proceed from the proper authority, then the Court shall discharge the prisoner from nuder said arrest ; but if it shall appear to the Court that said writ or process had issued from proper authority, and was a legal process, the Court shall then proceed and fully hear the merits" of the case upon which said arrest was made, upon such evidence as may be produced and sworn before said Court ; and shall have power to adjourn the hearing, and also issue process from time to time, in their discretion, m order to procure the attendance of witnesses, so that a fair and impartial trial and decision may be obtained iu every case.

Sec. 2. And be it further ordained, That if upon investigation it shall be proven before the Municipal Court that the writ or process has been issued either through private pique, malicious intent, religious or other persecution, falsehood or misrepresentation, contrary to the Constitution of the United States or of this State, the said writ or process shall be quashed, and considered of no force or effect, and the prisoner or prisoners shall be released and discharged therefrom.

Sec. 3. And be it also further ordained, That in the absence, sickness, debility or other circumstances disqualifying or preventing the Maj'or from officiating in his office, as Chief Justice of the Municipal Court, the Aldermen present shall appoint one from amongst them to act as Chief Justice or President pyo tempore.

An Oedinance Concerning Marriages

Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, That all male persons over the age of seventeen years, and females over the age of fourteen years, may contract and be joined in marriage; Provided, in all cases where either party is a minor, the consent of parents or guardians be first had.

Sec. 2. Any jjcrsons as aforesaid wishing to marrj', or be joined in maiTiage, may go before any regular minister of the gospel, Mayor, Alderman, Justice of the Peace, Judge, or other person authorized to solemnize marriages iu this State, and celebrate or declare their marriage in such manner and form as shall be most agreeable, either with or without license.

Sec. 3. Any person solemnizing a marriage as aforesaid, shall make return thereof to the City Recorder, accompanied by a recording fee of fifty cents, within thirty days of the solemnization thereof; and it is hereby made the duty of the Recorder to keep an accurate record of all such marriages. The penalty for a violation of either of the provisions of this ordinance, shall be twenty dollars, to be recovered as other penalties or forfeitures.

The foregoing, it will be observed, abrogates a law of the State, which requires a license to be obtained from the County Court. The second section was a mere scheme to put money into the pockets of the Recorder; and no penal t}' for its infraction could have been enforced by law, as every person solemnizing a marriage is required by State law to make return to the County Clerk, and when that is done the law is fulfilled.

Here is an ordinance investing the " Prophet, Seer and Eevelator," and President of the Church of Zion, with all the rights, duties, responsibilities and emoluments - aye, emoluments - belonging to the liquor traffic:

An Ordinance

Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, That the Mayor of the city be and is hereby authorized to sell or give spirits, of any quantity, as lie in his wisdom shall judge to be for the health, comfort or convenience of such travelers or other persons as shall visit his house from time to time.

An Extra Ordinance

[Preamble recounting Smith's difficulties with Missouri omitted.] Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, According to the intent and meaning of the Charter, for the " benefit and convenience" of Nauvoo, that hereafter if any person or persons shall come with process, demand or requisition, founded upon the aforesaid Missouri difficulties, to arrest said Joseph Smith, he or they shall be subject to be arrested by any officer of the city, with or without process, and tried by the Municipal Court, upon testimony, and if found guilty, sentenced to imprisonment in the city prison for life, which convict or convicts can only be pardoned by the Governor, with the consent of the Mayor of said city. *****

Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, To prevent kidnapping, illegal arrests of persons, or unlawful searches for property, that all writs issued oiU of the citj' shall, before they are executed within the limits of the city, be examined by and receive the approval and signature of the Mayor of said cit}- on the back of said process, and be served by the Marshal of said city.

Sec. 2. And be it further ordained, That every officer who shall execute, or attempt to execute, any process as aforesaid, without first obtaining the approval and signature of the Mayor of said city, as specified in the first section of this ordinance, shall be subject to a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or imprisonment not less than one month nor more than six months in the city prison, or both, as a breach of ordinance to be tried before the Municipal Court of said city. Joseph S>nTH Mayor.

Amendment

Sec. 3. Be it ordained by the Cit}' Council of llie City of Nauvoo, That nothing in the foregoing ordinance shall be so construed as to prevent, hinder, or thwart the designs of justice, or to retard the civil officers of the State or county in the discharge of their official duties; but to aid and assist them within the limits of this cit)'. Joseph Smith, Mayor.

Tliese two ordinances were so glaringly illegal and offensive, that it was deemed necessary to repeal, or at least make a show of repealing them. That was done in this wise, - a repeal which re-enacts their chief features, only slightly varying the penalty:

Whereas, An ordinance entitled "An ordinance for the extra case of Joseph Smith and others." passed December 8, 1843, and. Whereas, the ordinance entitled

"An ordinance to present unlawful search and seizure of person and property by foreign process in the city of Nauvoo," passed December 31, 1843, have had their desired effect in preserving the peace, happiness, persons or property of the citizens of Nauvoo, according to their intent and meaning; therefore.

Seo. 3. And be it further ordained, that nothing in the first section of tliis ordinance shall be so construed as to give license or lilierty to any foreign officer, or other person or persons, to illegally distiu'b the peace, happiness or quiet of an3' citizen of said city, any ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding, under a penalty of not less than iive hundred dollars, or imprisonment six months in the city prison.

The foregoing ordinatices are copied verbatim from tlie Times and Seasons and tlie Nauvoo Neighbor, the official and recognized organs of the Church and city. Want of room forbids the copying of a number of otlier ordinances ])assed bj' the City Council, exemplifying the pecnliar genius of that honorable body for governing a city.

In concluding this chajiteron Mormon atlairs in Hancock county we throw together a number of items omitted in the course of the narrative, of more or less importance as parts of a complete history.

The Kindeehook Plates

The above are fair representations of two uf the six plates of copper, held together by a small ring, which were dug from a mound at Kinderhook, Pike county, Illinois, by Mr. Wiley, a merchant of that place, about the year 184-3. They were brought to Nauvoo, and exhibited among the Mormons, as well as at other places in the county, and regarded by the Saints as proofs of the autheiitictv of the Book of Mormon. The writer hereof saw and " hefted " them, at the time, but is now unable to tell what became of them. They are probably deposited in some museum, where they should be, unless the angel who guided Mr. Wiley in procuring them, ordered them replaced in the mound. Whether the prophet ever undertook their translation, we are not informed.

Both John and Orson Hyde believed in and doubtless knew of the existence of tiie Danite Band. The former, in his work on Mormonism, published ten or twelve years after that people left Hancock county, states that in 1S3S, in Missouri, a " death societj'" was formed under the direction of Sidney Rigdon ; that its first captain was David Patten, one of the Apostles, known as Capt. Fearnaught ; and that its object was to " punish the obnoxious." Thej^ had some trouble to find a suitable name. " Daughters of Zion," was first adopted, but dropped, from its inappropriateness. "Genesis xlix, 17, furnished the name they finally assumed. The verse is quite significant : ' Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.'" And Hyde continues: " ' The Sons of Dan ' was the style adopted: and many have been the times they have been adders in the path, and many a man has fallen backward and has been seen no mfire." - [Stenhouse, p. 104.

From " Sons of Dan," they came to be known to the Gentiles as the " Danite Band." Brigham Young himself furnishes full confirmation, as quoted by Stenhouse from the Deseret News^ vol. 7, page 148:

" If men come here and do not behave themselves, they will not only find the Danites, whom they talk so much about, biting the horse's heels, but the scoundrels will find something biting their heels. In my plain remarks, I merely call things by their own names."

It is due to the Mormons to say, that in all their publications, the}' have steadily denied the existence of any such organization among them.

Beasts In Thk Land Of Promise

The country (America) to which these "Wandering Jews," described in the Book of Mormon, were directed, was entirely uninhabited. But "there were beasts in the forests of eveiy kind," - among the rest the ox. Here is revealed a fact in natural history of which even Cuvier was ignorant. Oxen have heretofore been supposed to exist only in countries inhabited by man: but here they were found running wild in the forests of America !

William W. I'Helps

trade, and published at Independence the Evening and Morning Star. He was a ready writer, but usually dealt in the " hifalutin " style. He was supposed to liave been often employed by Joseph to adorn his compositions. For these many acts of kindness, his patron is said to have liad a revelation in his favor, that he should live till Jesus came. The Salt Lake papers report his death in that city on March 7, 1872, aged over SO years.

The Titles Of The Twelve The Prophet As A Linguist

How he became a linguist is beyond comprehension, seeing he was so entirely ignorant of his own native English tongue. But he was fond of parading liis acquirements in that respect before his wondering followers. In the Times and Seasons of May 1, 1843, we find over his signature a learned dissertation on the derivation of the name "Mormon: "

* * * It has been stated that tliis word was derived from the Greek word Mormo. This is not the case. There was no Greek or Latin upon the plates from which I, tlirough the grace of God, translated the Book of jMoi-mou. Let the language of that book speak for itself. On the 523d page of the fourth edition, it reads :

"And now behold we have written this record according to our knowledge in the characters which are called among us the Reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech ; and if our plates had been sufficiently large, we should have wi-itten in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold ye would have had no imperfection in our record ; but the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof."

Here, then, the subject is put to silence; for ''none other people knoweth our language," therefore tire Lord, and not man, had to interpret, after the people were all dead. * * * We say from the Saxon, goud; the Dane, (jod; the Gotli. goda; the German, gut; the Dutch, goed; the Latin, bonus; the Greek, kalos; the Hebrew, toh; and the Egyptian, moii. Hence, with the addition more, or the contraction mor, we have the word Mormon, which means literally more good.

And Another

In a correspondence with James Arlington Bennett, a " swellhead " relative of Dr. John C. Bennett's, residing at Arlington House, near New York city, tiie prophet made this display of his learning :

Were I au Egyptian, I would exclaim Jah-oh-eh, Enish-go-on-dosh, Flo-ces-Floais-is (O, the Earth ! the power of attraction, and the moon passing between her and the sun) ; a Hebrew, Haueloheem j'enau ; a Greek, O |theos phos esi ; a Roman, Domiuus regit me ; a German, Got gebe uns das licht ; a Portugee, Senhor Jesu Christo e libordade ; a Frenchman, Dieu defend le droit ; but as I am, I give God the glory, and say, in the beautiful figure of the poet :

That beat Arlington. He had been appointed to some office in the Nauvoo Legion, and he had had some thought of coming to Illinois, and through the ])ropliet's influence being elected Governor. But he never came.

And Still Another

of those grand displays is given in "Gen. Joseph Smith's Appeal to the Green Mountain Boys." This effort was publislied in the Nauiwo Neighbor about the last of Jan., 1843. It was an address " To the Freemen of the State of Vermont, the brave Green Mountain Boys, and honest men." The burden of it was a recital of his suflferings in Missouri, and a call for aid in obtaining redress for the same, but whether b\' the sword and bayonet, or moral suasion, is not stated. He starts out by stating that he was born and raised in Vermont; that his father fought in the Revolution, etc., and after a rehearsal of Missouri outrages, and other matters, he injects the following learned paragraph :

Were I a Chaldean, I would exclaim : "Keed'-naob ta maroon le-hoam elauhay augh dej'sheraayaugh yah aur kan ion gua abadoo, yabadoo ma-ar'guan bomen tehoat shemayaugh elah." (Thus shall ye say unto them. The gods that have not made tli'e heavens and the eartli, they shall perish from the earth, and from these heavens.) An Egyptian : "Saeeh-ni." (What other persons are those?) A Grecian : " Diabolos bassileuei." (The Devil reigns.) A Frenchman : "Messieurs sans Dieu." (Gentlemen without God.) A Turk : " Ain sheurs." (The fountain of light.) A German : "Sie sind unferstandig." (Wliat consummate ignorance!) A Syrian: " Zanbok." (Sacrifice.) A Spaniard : "II sabio muda conscio, 11 nescio no." (A wise man reflects, a fool does not.) A Samaritan: "Sannau." (O Stranger!) An Italian: "O tempa!_ O diffidanza!" (O the times! O the diflSdence!) A Hebrew: " Autoub ail rancy." (Thou Goil seest me.) A Dane: " Hoad tidende ? " (What tidings?) A Saxon: "Hwart riht! " (What right!) A Swede: " Hvad skilla! " (What skill!) APolander: " Nav-yen-shoo-bah poa na Jesu Christus." (Blessed be the name of Jesus Christ.) A Western Indian: " Slie-mo-kah, she-mo-kah, ough-ne-gah." (The white man, O the white man, he very uncertain.) A Roman: " Procol, o procol ' este profani." (Be off, be off, ye profane.) But as I am, I will only add : " When the wicked rule, the people mourn."

John D. Lee

Our readers will remember this individual as having been tried, found guilt}-, and executed a few j-ears ago in Utah, for his participation in the Mountain Meadow Massacre. In looking over the Church organ, we find his name as having been a resident at K^auvoo in ISiS, and a ti-aveling elder, preaching and healing the sick, as reported. He was afterward advanced to the position of bishop, and at the time of the Mountain Meadow aflair was known as Bishop Lee.

Uttered in the name of the Lord, bj the prophet. Smith, soon after his appearance in Illinois, and indeed throughout his whole career, would of themselves form a curious chapter in religious literature. The limit and scope of this woi-k will not permit us to devote much space to them; but we copy parts of one given Jan. 19, 1841, as found in the Tinier and Seasons, of JuTie 1, 1841. It is long, and we only quote its essential portions:

Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my seiT.int, Joseph Smith, I am "svell pleased with your offerings and acknowledgments which j'ou have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might shew forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth. Your prayers are acceptable before me, and in answer to them, I say unto you that you are now called immediately to make a solemn proclamation of my gospel, and of this stake which I have planted to be a corner-stone of Zion, which shall be polished with that refinement which is after the similitude of a palace. This proclamation shall be made to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, to the honorable President-elect, and the hi:jh-minded Governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered aljroad. *******

Again, let my servant John C. Bennett help you in your labor, in sending my to the kings and people of the earth. * * * j have seen the work he hath done, which I accept, if he continue, and will crown him with blessings and great glory.

And again, my servant George Miller is without guile; I seal upon his head the office of a bishoprick. Let my servant George, and my servant Lj'man, and my servant John Snider and others, build a house mito my name, such an one as my servant Joseph shall show unto them, upon the place which he shall show unto them also. And it shall be for a house of boarding, a house that strangers may come from afar to lodge therein; therefore let it be a good house, wortliy of all acceptation, that the weary traveler maj' find health and safety while he shall contemplate the word of the Lord, and the corner-stone I have appointed for Zion, This house shall be a healthy habitation, if it be built unto my name, and if the Governor which shall be appointed unto it shall not suffer any pollution to come upon it. It shall be holy, or the Lord your God will not dwell therein.

And again, veril}' I say unto you, let all my saints from afar, and send ye swift messengers, yea, chosen messengers, and say unto them, come ye, with all your gold and your silver, and yoiu- precious stones, and with aU yoiu' antiquities ; and with all wiio have knowledge of antiquities, that will come, may come, and bring the boxtree and the fir-tree and the pine-tree, together with all the precious trees of the earth; and with iron, and with copper, and with brass, and with zinc, aud with all your precious things of the earth, and build a house to my name for the Most High to dwell therein, etc. * * * -

And now I say unto you, as pertaining to my boarding house, wliicli I have commanded you to build for the boai'ding of strangers, let it lie liuilt unto my name, and let my name be named upon it, and let my servant Joseph and his house have place therein from generation to generation. * * * Therefore, let my servant Joseph and his seed after him, have place in that house from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord, and let the name of that house be called the Nauvoo House. * * «

Let my servant Isaac Galland put stock in that house, for I, the Lord loveth him for the work he hath done, and will forgive all his sins, etc. * * * And let my servant William Law pav stock in that house for himself and his seed after him, etc. * * * And again, verily I say unto you, if my servant Sidney will serve me, and be a counselcir unto ni}' servant Joseph, let him arise and stand in the otBce of his calling, and humble himself before me. * « * Veril}' I say unto you, even now, if he will hearken to my voice it shall be well with him.

Polygamy

WJio may be entitled to the infamy of inti'oduciiii^- polyi^amy as part of the system of Mormonism is not positively known to the ontside world. . It is a qnestion on which the saints themselves disagree. That it was instituted and practiced sometime before it was publicly acknowledged is certain. It needs no argument to prove that it is a direct and flagrant violation of law throughout all Christendom, the bane of the social system, destructive of the best influences of home and the family circle, and an outrage upon civilized society. It has itot one ennobling and humanizing feature; and could have only been engrafted into their system and practiced for the most debasing and lustful purposes. But no people, no set of men and women, however well-meaning they may be, have a right to shield themselves from just punishment for such practices, under cover of a religious creed. And it is a wonder and a shame, that more determined efibrts have not been made by the constituted authorities to put an end to these illegal practices. It is now claimed tliat the system has been so long in operation, that to break it up would cause great injury to many innocent persons. It is a principle of law, that one shall not take advantage of his own wrong; and besides, every one is presumed to know the law. These pretended revelators, while claiming the sanction of heaven to cover their selfish purposes, knew that the law and the morality of the country were against them, and that their so-called revelation was an infamous and blasphemous falsehood. Religious creed, too often used as a cloak for sin, cannot be permitted to shield its wearer from the consequences of crime.

That Joseph Smith ever advocated or encouraged polygamy, as a branch of the creed, is now strenuously denied by the followers of his son, of the re-organized branch. They justly denounce it with all the rest of Christendom; and they quote strong proof from his writings and from the Book of Mormon, that he set his face against it. The Salt Lake Mormons as flail}' assert that he was its author and introducer. We think the new branch will have hard work to convince the world, - as they cer'tainly have not convinced us, - that the prophet was innocent of this outrage. He may not in his day have fully incorporated it into his creed and taught it to his followers in public; but we think there is indubitable evidence that he was its originator. Who, without his sanction, had a right to broach such a thing, and preacli it, by degrees and parcels, as was done in his life-time and in his chosen city? And how came it to be so fully established so soon after his death, that it had become a sweet morsel in the creed of the leaders, at the time they left for the West two years afterward, so sweet a morsel that it divided man and wife ? In his life-time it had not reached the dignity of title it has since. Now, it is '' Polygamy " (and didn't Solomon and David and Abraham, and all the patriarchs practice polygamy?). Then it was " Spiritual-wiferv," a sort of clandestine, sneaking system of concubinage, with an I- would-if-I-dare effort to adopt it, and an I-do-and-I-don't acceptance ; but with a crushing public denial and denunciation. All who remember the days of Mormonism in this county and are conversant with its workings, know that this is the way in which polygamy became a constituent of its creed and a chief pillar in its system. Had the main body remained here it would have been " spiritual-wifery " still, most probably - denied to the outside world, and practiced in the harems of the leaders. Before they left it was the accepted creed of the governing class; and we know of one legal wife of a prominent man among them, who refused to go with him, and did not, because he would not agree to forego the anticipated delights of the system in the wilderness;* while others generally went, by force of circumstances, though their best natures as women cried out against the unnatural dogma. The Salt Lake people now publish a revelation which they assert was delivered by the prophet before his death, in which this doctrine is promulgated. The reorganized branch here claim this to be a forgery; whether justly or not, we leave the reader to decide. John Taylor is now and has ever been a prominent leader at Salt Lake; while here, and after the prophet's death, we believe throughout, be was editor of botli the Mormon papers. The files of those sheets show that he was continually denying the doctrine, and ridiculing it as an invention of their enemies. If said revelation had been genuine, as now claimed, Taylor must have known it; and what can be said of his and their truthfulness?

Tempeeance Clause

Sec. 9. It is moreover established as a perpetual rule of said liouse, to be observed by all persons who may keep or occupy the same, that spirituous liquors of every description are prohibited, and that such liquors shall never be vended as a beverage, or introduced into common use in said house.

A Toleration Ordinance

Sec. 1. Be it Ordained by tlie City Council of the city of Nauvoo, That the Catholics, Presb3'terians, Methodists, Baptists, Latter-Day Saints, Quakers, Episcopalians, Universalists, Unitarians, Mohammedans, and all other religious sects and denominations whatever, shall have free toleration and equal privileges in this city; and should any person be guilty of ridiculing, abusing, or otherwise depreciating another in consequence of his religion, or of disturbing or interrupting any religious meeting, within the limits of this city, he shall, on conviction thereof before the Mayor or Municipal Court, be considered a disturber of the public peace, and fined in any sum not exceeding five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not exceeding six months, or both, at the discretion of said Mayor or Court.

The foregoing was paraded as proof of the extremely liberal spirit prevailing in the city; and yet it will be perceived that it empowers the Mayor to line a man five hundred dollars and imprison him six months, for merely speaking in depreciation of the Mormon religion !

The Mansion House

which many have contonnded with the Nauvoo House, was a neat frame building situated some hundreds of yards from the river, and was in all the prophet's after j'ears his residence and home, and where he dispensed hospitality and good cheer to friends and visitors. It was a hotel, and was opened with great ostentation on the 3d of October, 1843, on which occasion a large crowd sat down to the table. The following is one of the volunteer toasts passed : " Resolved, That Gen. Joseph Smith, whether we view him as a Prophet at the head of the Church; a General at the head of the Legion ; a Mayor at the head of the City Council, or as a Landlord at the head of his table, has few equals and no superiors."

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Prof. Caswell, of Kemper College, near St. Louis, told the following story: He paid a visit to Nauvoo and the Mormon prophet, and had in his possession a Greek psalter of great age - one that had been in his family several hundred years. "Why he took it to Nauvoo does not appear; but some of the brethren saw it, and insisted that he should give brother Joseph a chance of translating it. The professor consented, and the book was handed over. The spirit of prophec}' - the same as in the days of the golden plates - descended upon Joseph, and he said, "This book I pronounce to be a Dictionary of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics."

The Temple

is said to have cost in labor and money over a million of dollars. It may be possible, and is very probable, that contributions to that amount were made to it, but that it cost that much to build it, few will believe. Half that sum would be ample to build a much more costly edifice to-day; and in the three or four years in which it was being erected, labor was cheap and all the necessaries of life remarkably low. Wheat was quoted in the county markets at forty to sixty cents; corn, 20; flour, $4.00, and pork, $2.00. If a million of dollars were contributed by the faithful for the temple fund, it is easy to guess where at least half the sum was expended.

The Nauvoo House

was never half finished during the prophet's life- time, and was never occupied by him or an}' one. It stood, one of its wings under roof, but the walls of the main building unfinished, an imposing structure, until long since the prophet had met his fate, and his followers had located in the wilderness. It was left or somehow passed to the ownership of the widow and her second husband. Major Bidamon, and has recently been fitted up and kept by them as a hotel. The location is most beautiful and commanding, being on the sloping and rocky bank of the Mississippi, facing southward at the curve of the river, and about 150 yards from the water's edge.

The work upon this building was never prosecuted by the faithful with the same zeal as that upon the temple. While the contributions flowed in freely for the temple, those for the hotel lagged; and it took much hard begging to keep the latter going forward. At the April conference, 184:1, President Smith said: " It is necessary that this conference give importance to the Nauvoo House. A prejudice exists against building the Nauvoo House, in favor of the Lord's Honse, and the conference are required to give stress to the building of the JS'auvoo House. This is the most important matter for the time being; for there is no place in this city where men of wealth and character and influence from abroad can go to repose tliemselves, and it is necessary we should have si;ch a place."

So the Times and Seasons, under date of Nov. 15, 1841, in an editorial says: "Let us not forget that we have another house also to build in this place, even the Nauv^oo House; and which is as important to us as the temple; inasmu chas great things are depending upon that house, and it is commanded us of God.''

This was an ambitious young man, who resided in Springfield 111., and a member of the Church. He claimed to be gifted with the spirit of prophecy, and issued a pamphlet in which he put forth his claims. But this was not allowed. He was dealt with, and the organ, Dec. 1, 1842, admonishes the brethren against him, quoting from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants: "But behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this Church, excepting my servant Joseph Smith, junior, for he receiveth them even as Moses," etc. .So Mr. Brewster was squelched. But this x;ommand must have been afterward abrogated in favor of brother Hyrum ; for we find him declaring a revelation in the election of 1843, in favor of Hoge for Congress; and the prophet vouched that " brother Hyrum never told a lie."

A Story From Stenhoctse

" It is stated that on leaving Nauvoo for Carthage, he said: ' I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall yet be said of me, " lie was murdered in cold blood."'" - [Doctrine and Covenants, p. 335.

Notwithstanding this apparent readiness to meet death, and the deep and clear divine impressions claimed to have been imparted to the prophet of his forthcoming end, it is understood that he managed to send from prison a communication to the Mormon officers in military command at Nauvoo, to bring with all possible dispatch a portion of the Legion to protect him from treachery and from that assassination which he had then so much cause to apprehend. This military commander put the prophet's communication into his pocket and gave no heed to the call for help. No one was acquainted with the contents of the paper, and the officer was therefore, he presumed, safe in disregarding it.

After the prophet's death, by some accident or other, this communication was lost, and picked up on the street and read. The intelligence that Joseph had called for aid, and none had been rendered him, was soon bruited among the Saints, and excited their deepest indignation, as they were not only ready to march at a moment's notice, but were eager for the opportimity.

Some time afterward, when all was quiet, this "coward and traitor," as some of the Mormons called him, or "fool and idiot," as others said, was sent on a mission to the Western frontiers, accompanied by a faithful elder. While traveling alone with his companion he fell ill and died, it is said of dyHentery! His companion buried him. Page 164, Note.

If the foregoing statement is true, it reveals a fact which we have never heard from any other source. The whole story bears the semblance of truth; and from the narrator's twenty -five years' connection with the priesthood afterward, it is evident he had every facility to learn the truth. It was always accounted a wonder that the Legion did not make some demonstration while their leaders were in jail, either to protect or release them. That they did not, we have attributed to their {-eliance upon the prophet's previous good luck. This story, taken in connection with the admission of Gov. Ford, that he, too, contemplated a rescue, presents a very important suggestion: whether the disobedience of the officer of the Legion did not frustrate a rescue, and the consequent massacre of the guards and citizens. The belief has always been general, that had not the murders been perpetrated as the}- were by the mob, the affair would soon have terminated in a bloody encounter by an attack fi'om the other side. This belief cannot be offered as an excuse for the murders, but it does excuse the people of Carthage and the Greys for the feverish apprehension under which they labored, and which their vacillating and excitable Governor blamed them so severely for. Who that Legion commander was, thus alluded to in the quotation, and wlio died afterward of dysentery (the italics are Stenhouse's own) we are unable to state. The italics suggest a popular Mormon mode of dealing with offenders.

Col. Thomas Geddes' Statemhnt

We have shown from his own admission, that Gov. Ford was willing to connive at the escape of the Smiths, notwithstanding his virtuous indignation at the citizens for suspecting him. We shall now show that, notwithstanding his devotion to law and order, he did, what was asserted at the time, counsel the violent expulsion of the Mormons from the State. Col. Thomas Geddes, then still residing at Fountain Green in this county, and at the time of the troubles in command of a portion of the troops at Carthage, lias recently made us this statement, of which he saye his recollection is clear:

"While the Smiths were in jail, I went to the jail in company with Gov. Ford, and there we conversed with them for some time, tiie burden of Smith's talk being that tiiey were only acting in self-defense, and only wanted to be let alone. After leaving the jail, and wliile returning from it, the Governor and I had still further conversation about the subject matter. After some time the Governor exclaimed, ' O, it's all nonsense; you will have to drive these Mormons out yet!' I then said, ' If we undertake that. Governor, when the proper time comes, will you interfere?' * No, I will not,' said he; then, after a pause, adding, ' until you are through.'" wife of the now General Daniel H. Wells, one of the dignitaries at Salt Lake, was a daughter of E,ev. Charles Robison. She now resides at Burlington, Iowa. On the authority of her brother, Chauncey Robison, of Appanoo.-e, we have the statement that when the Mormons left for the Far West, Mrs. Wells refused to go with her husband because he would not consent to confine himself to one wife - which he refused to do. She had never joined the Church. Thus they were separated and divorceds, he remaining behind, and he following the fortunes of the Brighamites, with whom he was then and has since remained in high authority. This fact tends to show that polygamy was a cherished institution with the leaders before they left Nauvoo.

A good deal was said by Gov. Ford and in the Mormon papers, about the insubordination of the Carthage Greys toward Gen. Deming, while the Smiths were in custody. From a gentleman who was a member of that company, we have procured the following statement of the facts, as near as he can recollect them. It seems that after the McDonough regiment had been disbanded and were about to return home, they expressed a desire to see the prisoners. The wish was reasonable, and as the easiest mode of gratifying it, they were drawn up in line, and Gen. Deming, with the two prisoners, one on each arm, and the Grej's as an escort, passed along the line of the troops, Deining introducing thera as "Gen. Joseph Smith," and "Gen. Hyrura Smith, of the Nauvoo Legion." The Greys, not aware that this was done at the request of tlie McDonough men, and not satisfied to be made an escort to such a display, exhibited signs of dissatisfaction, and finally gave vent to their feelings by hisses and groans. As a punishment for this offense, they were afterward ordered under arrest. In the mean time there was great excitement in the company. As a detachment of the troops was being detailed for the purpose of putting the General's order into execution, the officer in command of the Greys addressed them a few words, and then said, " Boys, will you submit to an arrest for so trifling an offense?" " No!" was the unanimous response. "Then load your pieces with ball!" was his sullen order. In the mean time some explanations had been made, which permitted Gen. Deming to countermand the order for arrest, and the Greys were quietly marched to their encampment.

In 183S Parley P. Pratt was engaged in a controversy with LaRoy Sunderland, editor of Zioti's Watchman, an Eastern paper. During the controversy, Mr. Pratt was seized with the spirit of prophecy, and poured forth the following: " Within ten years from now the people of this country who are not Mormons will be entirely subdued by the Latter-Day Saints, or swept from the face of the earth; and if this prediction fails, then you may know the 'Book of Mormon' is not true."

It has now been forty-two years since this prediction was uttered, and Pratt himself, and the prophet, and Eigdon, and Young, have been "swept from the face of the earth." So we have Pratt's own testimony to the falsity of the Book of Mormon. Mr. Pratt mistook his own intense fanaticism for the voice of the Lord, - a mistake which many men wiser than he have made before him.

The Baptismal Font

in the temple at Nauvoo, was in itself a curiosity, and a fit accompaniment to the building. It was first constructed of wood, but this being deemed not sufhciently durable, was taken away, and another built of stone. It rested on the backs of twelve stone oxen of' colossal size - four abreast at the sides, and two at each end, standing back to back. The oxen had the appearance of being sunk in the floor half-way to their knees, and the font rested on their shoulders, their horns, heads, necks and shoulders being exposed to view outside. The font itself was of immense size - 18 feet long, eight feet wide, and four feet deep. It thus stood about eight feet high, from the top of its rim to the floor. It was placed in the basement, or first story of the building - an object of great curiosity and comment to all stranger visitors.

Incidents Of The Burning

T'rom a very respectable old gentleman who was an eye-witness t)f some of the house-burning operations in the fall of 1845, we have the following statement received from him verbally during the last year. He saj's that for sucli lawless and outrageous acts, they were done in such a quiet and ordei'ly manner as to be astonishing. He resided not far from some of the houses that were burned ; and hearing what was going on, he mounted his horse and rode to where the work was in progress. There seemed to be a company of 25 or 30 men engaged - mostly, as he thought, Warsaw clerks, though he only knew a portion. They were commanded, he thinks, by a man from the north part of the county, whose name he could not recollect.

The burning began at what is now Tioga - then called Morleytown, or Yelrome, in Walker township - and continued on up to Green Plains. The last house burnt in that section of the county, was tbe one they were at when attacked by the Mormon posse under Sheriff Backenstos, and where McBratney was killed. The houses burnt were mostly log cabins of not much value, though some pretty good dwellings were included.

The manner was to go to the house and warn the inmates out - that they were going to burn it. Usuall}' there would be no show of resistance; but all hands, burners and all, would proceed to take out the goods and place them out of danger. When the goods were all securely removed, the torch would be applied, and the house consumed. Then on to another. We are not aware that a correct count was ever made of the number thus burned; but our informant states that there were probably 70 or 80. Some accounts have placed it as high as 125.

As an evidence of the coolness and good temper in which this work was done, our informant relates the following, to which he says he was an eye-witness. While the burners were engaged in burning a certain house, a young woman belonging to the famih', standing and looking on, felt an inclination to smoke, and asked one of the burners for some tobacco. Having none himself, he pointed to one of his comrades and said he would give her some. She approached the other; he unconcernedly put his hand in his pocket, handed her the tobacco, from which she took what she wanted, and handed it back; when he went on with the work in hand, and the young woman proceeded to smoke !

Mormon Methods

I. R. Tull, Esq., of Pontoosuc, gives us the following items, as illustrating Mormon methods: "I often went with produce to Nauvoo; and it mattered little what kind it was, so it was something people could live on; and if at any time my stuft" was dull sale, I would go to the committee rooms, and could always trade it off for something. They had almost every conceivable thing, from all kinds of implements and men's and women's clothing down to babj' clothes and trinkets, which had been deposited by the owners as tithing, or for the benefit of the temple."

Again he says: ''In the foil of 1S43 I went to Nauvoo to buy calves, and called on a blind man who had one to sell. I bought his calf, and being curious to learn his history, went in and saw his wife, with two little twin infants in a cradle, and great destitution. He told me that he had a nice home in Massachusetts, which gave them a good support. But one of the Mormon elders preaching in that country called on him and told him if he would sell out and go to Nauvoo, the prophet would open his eyes and restore his sight. And he sold out, and had come to the city, and had spent all his means, and was now in great need. I asked why the prophet did not open his eyes. He replied that Joseph had informed him that he could not open his eyes until the temple was finished, and then when the temple was finished he would open them, and he should see better than betbre! And he believed, and was waiting patiently for the last stroke to be made on the temple."

And again, of this same, poor family: "After this interview, when in Nauvoo I often took them something, and the blind man's wife seemed to think I was one of the Saints. One day I inquired how the}' were getting along. She told rae they had been getting along finely; that there was a company formed to go out on the prairie and butcher cattle to get beef for the destitute, and they

As a specimen of Gov. Ford's general inacciiracy of statement in regard to our difficulties, we mention the following: He says in his History of Illinois, p. 319, of Walker and Hoge's canvass: " Mr. Hoge received about 3.000 votes in Nauvoo, and was elected hj 600 ur 800 majority." The facts are: the vote for Hoge throughout the whole count}', including regular Democrats and Mormons outside the city, was just 2,088, and he was elected by i55 majority in the district.

The Prophet A Land Speculator

The prophet was quite a speculator in lands and town lots, in and about JMauvoo. Of course, he desired a monopoly of the business. One of his methods was to keep the following notice standing in the Nei(ihbo7\'

I feel it my duty to say to the brethren generally, and especially those who are emigrating to this' place, that there is in the hands of the trustees in trust, a large quantity of lands, both in the city and adjoining townships m this cotmty, which is for sale, some of whichibelongs to the Church and is designed for the benefit of the poor, and also to liquidate debts owing by the Churchy for -which the trustee in trust is responsible. Some, also, is land which has been consecrated for the building of the Temple and the Nauvoo House.

If the brethren who move in here and want an inheritance, will buy their lands of the trustees in trust, they will therebj- Ijeuefit the poor, the Temple, and the Nauvoo House, and even then only be doing that wliich is their dut_y, and which I know, by considerable experience, will be vastly for their benefit and satisfaction in days to come. Let all the brethren, therefore, when they move into Nauvoo, consult President Joseph Smith, the trustee, etc., and purchase their lands of him; and I am bold to say that God wUl bless them, and they will hereafter be glad they did so.

We hold ourselves ready at any time to wait upon the brethren and show them the lands belonging to the Church, and Temple, etc., andean be fomid anj' day, either at President Joseph Smith's bar-room or the Temjile Recorder's office at" the Temple.

The Ee-Oeganized Chdech

In concluding this history of the Mormon Era in Hancock county, it will not be out of place to refer to Joseph Smith, junior, -who, it is known, is buildin^ up a sect which he denominates the " Keorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." (While he was about it he might have reorganized the phraseology of its title to advantage.)

At the time of the exodus from Nau\oo Joseph was a mere child, and with his mother and the rest of the family remained behind; she not choosing to relinquish a competence and a home here, for the uncertain honors and the certain privations of a sojourn in the new promised land. In this she acted wisely; but by doing so she greatly thwarted the purposes of the leaders. It was their ambition to carry with them the widow, and above all, the j'oung son of their martyred leader. For years afterward they adhered to this darling scheme, and many efforts were made to induce the youth to join them. Embassies were sent to him, and glowing representations made ; but to no purpose. His everwatchful mother and his own disinclination proved effective against all their solicitations and blandishments.

Joseph grew up to be a sober, temperate, and steady young man. and with a fair reputation among his neighbors. We never heard that he aspired to any extra share of holiness, or to the possession of any miraculous gifts; or pretended to have had any special call from heaven, for the course he has seen proper to pursue. Tsor do we know just at what time or in what manner he undertook his work of reorganization. Strange as it may seem, we miist inter that he believes in the divine mission of his father and the truth of his claims; as he makes these in effect the basis of his work.

This reorganized Church is based on the " Book of Moi'mon," the " Book of Doctrines and Covenants," and other works common to Utah Mormonism; but it totally rejects the polygamy features of the Utah creed. We are not able to perceive any other marked features of difference either in creed or form. The practice of the new Church, however, has been widely difierent. Instead of calling all the believers together to one " Zion," or " New Jerusalem," the building of one magnificent temple, and the pampering of a domineering and infallible priesthood, as under the old S)'stem, the new organization thus far has allowed its members the freedom of choice as to where they may make their homes and pursue the business of life. Consequently here and there through the States, societies are springing up, churches being erected, and regular worship carried on, much as is done by societies of other denominations. There are several of these reorganized Churches in this count^^ And why not? Joseph Smith has just as good a right to head a sect as an}' man has, and to build up a creed and ransacT\ the country for proselytes. And he has a right to base his creed on Spaulding's Manuscript Found or Esop's Fahles, if he so choose. That is a right to which no man or set of men has a monopoly. And so long as he will continue in what seems to be his present course and policy, and avoid the rocks on which his father went down - and which are sooner or later to be the destruction of Utah Mormouism - while we ma}' not respect his judgment or wish him God-speed, no man can desire him evil.

While Methodism, Presbyteriauism, Quakerism, or any other form of Christianit}' can live and be at peace even with Paganism, no so-called Gentile people in a land of .light and liberty can quietly dwell side by side with Mormonism, as it existed of yore under the dynasty of Smith, the elder, in this county, and since under Brigham Young in Utah. Under them it was eternally aggressive upon the rights, the consciences, the property of their neighbors. " This laud is for the home of the Saints - This property you call your own, is consecrated to their use and the service of the Lord - Your blood is as water, to be poured out upon the earth, for the unbeliever shall be utterly destroj'ed," - is now and has been from the beginning, the teaching from their temples and the burden of their songs. And should this reorgauizer (" President," we believe he calls himself) ever fall into this fatal and wicked error, it will as certainly bring to him disaster, as it did to his predecessors who adopted it.

Whatever may be iu the future for Utah Mormonism, it looks as if the reorganized branch might take and hold a respectable place among the religious sects of the day, could but the facts of its origin and the character of its founders be effaced from memory.

Conclusion

And we now close our account of the Mormons and Mormon history in Hancock county and the State of Illinois. Much more we are compelled for want of room to omit. We believe, however, that we have brought together in these preceding chapters, a more complete and reliable statement of Mormon affairs, during their eight years' sojourn in this county, than can elsewhere be found, or that has ever before been given to the public.

with Joseph Smitli's character and career, as seen in the liglit of history and truth, and not know that he was a very bad man - a hypocrite, a blasphemer, a knave. And yet hundreds and thousands believe otherwise, that he was a holy man, a saint and a martyr to the truth. Such is the diflerence in men. And while we are forced to believe tliat he was as before stated, we are also compelled to conclude that many of his professed followers and believers were equally guilty - were, in truth, not his dujoes, but his tools. That while he was taking care of number one, and rioting in luxury and debauchery, they were doing the same thing, as his aiders and abettors. His own talents could never have secured for liim the position and notoriety he obtained; but to Sidney' Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Brigham Young, and scores of others, whom his interests and their interests drew around him, he was largely indebted for his success. The)' submitted to be managed by him, because their interest lay in submission.

Beyond these and around them, supporting, feeding, pampering, and ready to fight for them, rallied a host of others, of many grades of character, sincere, devout, ignorant, willing and unwilling dupes, to wiiose sustaining power the sect owes its life. They furnish the bonds that hold the rotten system together.

Chaptee Yii Forts Johnson And Edwards

About the beginning of the eighteenth century, the French built Fort Johnson at this place (Warsaw)." It stood on the point of bluff near where Albers' mill now stands. In the middle of the eighteenth centmy, diu-ing the trouble between the French and English, it -was abandoned, because of an expected attack from the latter, rill the Great Lakes. In the latter part of the eighteenth century, Fort Edwards, named after Gov. Edwards, of Illinois, was built by Capt. (afterwards President) Zachary Taylor. It stood on the bluff at the foot of Clay street, and was abandoned in 1835, and afterward used by the fur company.

It would be difficult to jumble together a dozen lines of " history " containing more palpable errors than are to be found in the foregoing. Firsts the eighteenth centur}' began in 1701, now 180 years ago, only 30 or 40 years after tlie discovery of the Nortliwestern country by the French. Secondly, had the French built Fort Johnson at that early day, they would not likely have named it after the killer of Tecumseh, who flourished more than a hundred years afterward. Thirdly, " It was abandoned about the middle of the eighteenth century," sixty-three years before it was actually built. And, Fourthly, Fort Edwards was built by Capt. Zach. Taylor, and named after Gov. Edwards, in the latter part of the eighteenth century, while Zach. Taylor and Ninian Edwards were both in their infancy!

Sir : - In regard to the history of old Forts Johnson and Edwards, which were situated in Hancock county, Illinois, information concerning which was desired in your letter of the 37th ultimo, I have the honor to state that the only data in possession of this Department regarding Fort Edwards, is that it was established about the year 1814, and abandoned in July, 1834, per general order No. 36, from the Adjutant-General's oflnce, June 11, 1834, at which date it was garrisoned by Company F, Fifth Infantry, commanded by Lieut.-Gideon Low, Fifth Infantry.

Adjutant-Generai's Office, Western Department, \ Louisville, Ky., 11th June, 1834. ( The position of Fort Edwards, 111., will forthwith be evacuated, and its garrison (excepting a faithful non-commissioned officer and six privates, who will be (379)

Assistant Surgeon McMillan will, on the receipt of this order, report by letter to the Surgeon-General for orders, as to his present station, and will accompany the garrison at Fort Edwards to Fort Armstrong, where he is required as a witness before the Court to be convened at that post, for the trial of Brevet-Major Marston, of the Fifth Infantry.

The foregoing is to be taken as conclusive as to Fort Edwards, but it settles nothing regarding Fort Johnson. Recourse must be had, then, to the history of the times. This we have searched until we feel sure that the mystery is explained, and conclude that the two forts were built within a few months of each other, in 1814.

A detachment under command of Major Taylor left Cape au Gris on the 23rd of August, 1814, in b'lats, for the Indian town at Rock river. The detachment consisted of 334 men, officers and privates. A report from the commanding otficer to Gen. Howard, dated from Fort Madison, Sept. 6, and published in the Missouri Gazette of the 17th, gives the details of the expedition.

I then determined to drop down the river to the Des Moines without delay, as some of the officers of the Rangers informed me their men were short of provisions, and execute the principal object of the expedition, in erecting a fort to command the river.

Fort -.Johnson (says the Annals), a rough stockade with block-houses of round logs, was then erecied, on the present site of the town ot Warsaw, opposite the mouth of the Des Moines.

Fort Madison, after sustaining repeated attacks from the Indians, was evacuated and burnt. And in the month of October the people of St. Louis were astounded with the intelligence that the troops stationed at Fort Johnson had burnt the blockhouses, destroyed the works, and retreated down the river to Cape au Gris. The oiflcers in command (Maj. Taylor having previously left that post), reported they were out of provisions and could not sustain the position.

That there was no fort between Cape au Gris and Fort Madison previous to 1814, is proven by several circumstances. In the several exjieditions made up the river before that time, mention is made of the Des Moines river and rapids, but no mention of a fort till Madison ;is reached. Again, about 1813, Gov. Edwards furnished the War Department with a long tal)le of distances from Prairie du Cliien down, in which Madison, the head of tlie rapids, the foot of the rapids, Des Moines river, are all named, but nothing about a fort.