The Story of Mormonism and The Philosophy of Mormonism | Page 9

alike for her
men and history, but now so fallen that we could wish her star stricken
from the bright constellation of the Union. We say we know of no
language sufficiently strong for the expression of our shame and
abhorrence of her recent conduct. She has written her own character in
letters of blood, and stained it by acts of merciless cruelty and brutality
that the waters of ages cannot efface. It will be observed that an
organized mob, aided by many of the civil and military officers of
Missouri, with Gov. Boggs at their head, have been the prominent
actors in this business, incited too, it appears, against the "Mormons"
by political hatred, and by the additional motives of plunder and
revenge. They have but too well put in execution their threats of
extermination and expulsion, and fully wreaked their vengeance on a
body of industrious and enterprising men, who had never wronged nor
wished to wrong them, but on the contrary had ever comported
themselves as good and honest citizens, living under the same laws,
and having the same right with themselves to the sacred immunities of
life, liberty and property.


CHAPTER III
Settling in and about the obscure village of Commerce, the "Mormon"
refugees soon demonstrated anew the marvelous recuperative power
with which they were endowed, and a city seemed to spring from the

earth. Nauvoo--the City Beautiful--was the name given to this new
abiding place. It was situated but a few miles from Quincy, in a bend of
the majestic river, giving the town three water fronts. It seemed to
nestle there as if the Father of Waters was encircling it with his mighty
arm. Soon a glorious temple crowned the hill up which the city had run
in its rapid growth. Their settlements extended into Iowa, then a
territory. The governors of both Iowa and Ohio testified to the
worthiness of the Latter-day Saints as citizens, and pledged them the
protection of the commonwealth. The city of Nauvoo was chartered by
the state of Illinois, and the rights of local self-government were
assured to its citizens.
A military organization, the "Nauvoo Legion," was authorized, and the
establishment of a university was provided for; both these
organizations were successfully effected. It was here that a memorial
was prepared and sent to the national government, reciting the outrages
of Missouri, and asking reparation. Joseph Smith himself, the head of
the delegation, had a personal interview with President Van Buren, in
which the grievances of the Latter-day Saints were presented. Van
Buren replied in words that will not be forgotten, "Your cause is just,
but I can do nothing for you."
The peaceful conditions at first characteristic of their Illinois settlement
were not to continue. The element of political influence asserted itself
and the "Mormons" bade fair to soon hold the balance of power in local
affairs. The characteristic unity, so marked in connection with every
phase of the people's existence, promised too much; immigration into
Hancock county was continuous, and the growing power of the
Latter-day Saints was viewed with apprehension. With this as the true
motive, many pretexts for annoyance were found; and arrests, trials,
and acquittals were common experiences of the Church officers.
A charge, which promised to prove as devoid of foundation as had the
excuses for the fifty arrests preceding it, led Joseph Smith, president of
the Church, and Hyrum Smith, the patriarch, to again surrender
themselves to the officers of the law. They were taken to Carthage,
Joseph having declared to friends his belief that he was going to the

slaughter. Governor Ford gave to the prisoners his personal guarantee
for their safety; but mob violence was supreme, more mighty than the
power of the state militia placed there to guard the prison; and these
men were shot to death, even while under the governor's plighted
pledge of protection. Hyrum fell first; and Joseph, appearing at one of
the windows in the second story, received the leaden missiles of the
besieging mob, which was led by a recreant though professed minister
of the gospel. But the brutish passion of the mob was not yet sated;
propping the body against a well-curb in the jail-yard, the murderers
poured a volley of bullets into the corpse, and fled. Thus was the
unholy vow of the mob fulfilled, that as law could not touch the
"Mormon" leaders, powder and ball should. John Taylor, who became
years afterward president of the Church, was in the jail at the same time;
he received four bullets, and was left supposedly dead.
Joseph Smith had been more than the ecclesiastical leader; his presence
and personality had been ever powerful as a stimulus to the hearts of
the people; none knew his personal power better than the members of