From the St. Louis Republican of Sept. 17.
The Civil War in Illinois.
We have already given to our readers such infor-mation from the seat of civil war and commotion in Adams and Hancock Counties, Illinois, as we have been able to obtain. A long letter in the Quincy Daily Cou-rier of Monday last, confirms all that has been published in regard to the pretended, origin of the difficulties—the firing upon a meeting of anti-Mormons, near Lima, as-sembled to consult upon measures to protect their pro-perty from the depredations of the Mormons. That such an attack was made, without injury to any one, is admitted to be true, but, while the anti-Mormon party charge it upon the Mormons, the latter allege that it was a trick of the former, to secure a pretext for the depre-dations which they are now making. The meeting, at all events, broke up in a hurry, escaping out of the doors and windows, and some of them leaving their hats be-hind them. On Wednesday and Thursday, after brief warning to the occupants, the burning of the dwelling houses of the Mormons commenced. On Friday, other houses were fired. In the course of that day, a commit-tee of Mormons, with a flag of truce, entered Lima, to treat with their enemies. Captain Newton volunteered to introduce them to some citizens of Hancock County, and did so. They met in council—Edson Whitney, Joel Catlin and Samuel Fleming, representing the anti-Mor-mons, informing them at the same time that they were not authorized by the public to do any thing, but acted on their own responsibility. They were ready, however, to receive any proposition tending to allay the excite-ment. The following proposition was then submitted:
ADAMS COUNTY, Sept. 12,1845.
"We, the undersigned, a Committee appointed by the Morley and Hancock settlements, (a branch of the Mormon church) Whereas, there seeming to be some difficulty between said body and the Anti-Mormons, we, as repre-sentatives of said body, wish to make some propositions so as to make peace. We wish to sell our Deeded Lands as well also as our Improvements, as low as it could be rea-sonably expected—reserving to ourselves the crops now on the premises—and will take in exchange, Working Cattle, Beef Cattle, Cows, Sheep, Horses, Wagons and Harness, Store Goods, and any available property, and give posses-sion as soon as our crops can be taken off, and receive the pay for the same, the whole of which may be purchased from the undersigned, acting as Committee, or from the respective owners.
DANIEL TYLER, MARCELLUS McKOWN,
HORACE S. RAWSON, SAMUEL ALGER."
Mr. Whitney remarked to the committee that he believed their proposition would be unsatisfactory in one particular: that if he had to buy out a bad neighbor to get rid of him, he would like to know what distance he would remove from him. The committee replied that they would not agree to leave Hancock, nor would they say in what part of that county they would again settle. It is useless perhaps to add that the interview amounted to nothing; and the work of destruction commenced again that evening. On (to-day) Saturday several more buildings were burned. In passing along a road about three quarters of a mile distant, about 3 o'clock, I saw the smoke and flames of two rising upon the air. On arriving at Lima, I ascertained the buildings were situated about a mile and a half from that place. Many men were collected in groups in the streets, and the doors and windows of the houses were filled with women and children looking in silent despair upon the work of the de-stroying element. Where the work of destruction will stop, God only knows. The feeling is deep and intense, and the excitement continually spreading. Up to Friday morning, as near as I could ascertain, twenty-three buildings were burned. During last night and to-day the number is probably swelled to thirty perhaps more. The party enga-ged in the work go undisguised, in broad day light, and ap-ply the torch. So far no one has been injured, nor has any property, I was told, been destroyed but the houses, ex-cept by accident. Sparks from some of the buildings fell upon a few grain stacks, which ignited, and were con-sumed.
The party which first commenced the work of destruc-tion did not amount to more than twenty or thirty. What the number is now cannot be ascertained. The anti-Mor-mons, not engaged in the burning, are collecting and pre-paring to act upon the defensive. I understood a meeting of anti-Mormons was to be held at Carthage to-day. What it will amount to time will determine. The Mormons are encamped about three miles from where the scene of de-struction first commenced. Their number on Friday was variously estimated, from one to three hundred, but an hour's time may greatly swell their ranks. Both parties are well armed, and all the anti-Mormons with whom I con-versed, expressed the belief that the work of destruction could not be stayed until the Mormons were driven into Nauvoo. Time will either confirm or negative this belief.
Our accounts by the last beats are brought down to Sunday night. The work of destruction was progressing, and extending itself with hourly increasing violence. The anti-Mormons, it is understood, have taken measures to secure a general concentration of forces from far and near, and they declare that they will not stop short of the expulsion of every Mormon from Hancock county—in which Nauvoo is situated. It is said that up to Sunday night about sixty houses had been burned down in Han-cock and Adams counties. Captain DUNN is at the head of four or five hundred anti-Mormons from Augusta, and expresses a determination to protect the friends of that party against the Mormons. Meanwhile, we have from Nauvoo a proclamation of the Sheriff of Hancock county, commanding the said rioters and other peace breakers to desist forthwith, disperse, and go to their homes, under the penalty of the laws; and calling upon the law abiding citizens, as a posse comitatus to give their united aid in suppressing the rioters, and maintaining the supremacy of the law.
