FROM THE WESTERN MONITOR.
MORMONISM.
At a meeting of the citizens of Jackson county, Missouri, called for the purpose of adopting measures to rid themselves of the sect of fanatics called Mormons, held at Indepen-dence, on the 20th day of July, 1833, which meeting was composed of gentlemen from eve-ry part of the county, there being present be-tween four and five hundred persons.
The meeting was organized by calling Col Richard Simpson to the chair, and appointing Jones H. Flournoy and Col. Samuel D. Lucas S cretaries.
It was resolved that a Committee of seven be appointed to report an address to the public, in relation to the object of this meeting, and the Chair named the following gentlemen, to wit:
Russel Hicks, Esq., Robert Johnson, Henry Chiles, Esq , Col. James Hambright, Thomas Hudspeth, Joel F. Chiles, and James M. Hunt-er.
The meeting then adjourned for a time, and convened again, when
Robert Johnson, the Chairman of said Com-mittee, subm tted for the consideration of the meeting the following
ADDRESS, &c.
This meeting, professing to act, not from the excitement of the moment, but under a deep, and abiding conviction that the occasion is one that calls for cool deliberation as well as ener-getic action, deem it proper to lay before the public an expose of our peculiar situation, in regard to this singular sect of pretended Chris-tian, and a solemn declaration of our unalter-able determination to amend it.
The evil is one that no one could have fore-seen, and is therefore, unprovided for by the laws, and the delays incident to legislation would put the evil beyond remedy.
But little more than two years ago, some two or three of these people made their appear-ance on the Upper Missouri, and they now number upwards of twelve hundred souls in this county, and each successive autumn and spring pours forth its swarms among us, with a gradual falling off in the character of those who compose them, until it seems that those communit es from which they come were flood-ing us with the very dregs of their composition. Elevated, as they mostly are, but little above the condition of our blacks, either in regard to property or education, they have become a sub-ject of much anxiety on that part, serious and well grounded complaints having been already made of their corrupting influence on our slaves.
We are daily told, and not by the ignorant alone, but by all classes of them, that we (the Gentiles) of this county are to be cut off, and our lands appropriated by them for inherit-ances. Whether this is to be accomplished by the hand of the destroying angel, the judg-ments of God, or the arm of power, they are not fully agreed among themselves.
Some recent remarks in the Evening and Morning Star, their organ in this place, by their tendency to moderate such hopes and repress such desires, show plainly that many of this de-luded and infatuated people have been taught to believe that our lands were to be won from us by the sword. From this Star we learn, that for the want of more honest or commendable employment, many of their society are now preaching, through the States of New York, Ohio, and Illinois, and that their numbers are increasing beyond every rational calculation; all of whom are required, as soon as convenient, to come up to Zion, which name they have thought proper to confer on our little village. Most of those who have already come, are cha-racterized by the profoundest ignorance, the grossest superstition, and the most abject po-verty. Indeed it is a subject of regret, by the Star itself, that they have come not only unable to buy an inheritance, which means some fif-teen acres of wild land for each family, but destitute of the means of procuring bread and meat. When we reflect on the extensive field in which this sect is operating, and that there exists in every country a leaven of superstition, that embraces with avidity notions the most ex-travagant and unheard of, and that whatever can be gleaned by them from the purlieus of vice and the abodes of ignorance is to be cast, like a waif, into our social circle, it requires no gift of prophecy to tell, that the day is not far distant, when the civil government of the county will be in their hands. When the Sheriff, the Justices, and the county Judges, will be Mor-mons, or persons willing to court their favor, from motives of interest or ambition. What would be the fate of our lives and property in the hands of jurors and witnesses who do not blush to declare, and would not, upon occasion, hesitate to swear, that they have wrought mi-racles, and have been the subjects of miracu-lous and supernatural cures; have converse with God and his angels, and possess and exer-cise the gifts of divination and of unknown tongues, and fired with the prospect of obtain ing inheritances without money and without price, may be better imagined than described.
One of the means resorted to by them, in order to drive us to emigrate, is an indirect in-vitation to the free brethren of color in Illinois, to come up like the rest to the land of Zion. True, they say this was not intended to invite, but to prevent their emigration; but this weak attempt to quiet our apprehension, is but a poor compliment to our understandings. The arti-cle alluded to, contained an extract from our laws, and all necessary directions and cautions to be observed by colored brethren, to enable them upon their arrival here, to claim and ex-ercise the rights of citizenship. Cotempora-neous with the appearance of this article, was the general expectation among the brethren here, that a considerable number of this degrad-ed cast were only awaiting this information be-fore they should set out on their journey. With the corrupting influence of these on our slaves, and the stench, both physical and moral, that their introduction would set afloat in our social atmosphere, and the vexation that would at-tend the civil rule of these fanatics, it would re-quire neither a visit from the destroying angel, nor the judgments of an offended God to ren-der our situation here insupportable. True, it may be said, and truly no doubt, that the fate that has marked the rise and fall of Joannna Southcote and Ann Lee will also attend the progress of Jo: Smith; but this is no opiate to our fears, for when the fabric falls the rubbish will remain.
Of their pretended revelations from Heaven, their personal intercourse with God and his an-gels—the maladies they pretend to heal by the laying on of hands—and the contemptible gib-berish with which they habitually profane the sabbath, and which they dignify with the ap-pellation of unknown tongues, we have nothing to say. Vengeance belongs to God alone. But as to the other matters set forth in this paper, we feel called on by every consideration of self preservation, good society, public morals, and the fair prospects, that if not blasted in the germ, await this young and beautiful county, at once to declare, and we do hereby most so-lemnly declare,
1. That no Mormon shall in future move and settle in this county.
2. That those now here, who shall give a definite pledge of their intention within a rea-sonable time to remove out of the county, shall be allowed to remain unmolested until they have sufficient time to sell their property and close their business without any material sacri-fice.
3. That the editor of the Star be required forthwith to close his office, and discontinue the business of printing in this county ; and as to all other stores and shops belonging to the sect, their owners must in every case strictly com-ply with the terms of the second article of this declaration, and upon failure, prompt and ef-ficient measures will be taken to close the same.
4. That the Mormon leaders here, are requir-ed to use their influence in preventing any fur-ther e igration of their distant brethren to this county, and to counsel and advise their breth-ren here to comply with the above requisitions.
5. That those who fail to comply with these requisitions, be referred to those of their breth-ren who have the gifts of divination, and of un-known tongues, to inform them of the lot that awaits them.
Which address being read and considered, was unanimously adopted. And thereupon it was resolved that a committee of twelve be ap-pointed forthwith to wait on the Mormon lead-ers, and see that the foregoing requisitions are strictly complied with by them; and upon their refusal, that said committee do, as the organ of this county, inform them that it is our unwaver-ing purpose and fixed determination, after the fullest consideration of all the consequences and responsibilities under which we act, to use such means as shall insure their full and com-plete adoption, and that said committee, so far as may be within their power, report to this present meeting. And the following gentle-men were named as said committee: Robert Johnson, James Campbell, Colonel Moses Wil-son, Joel F. Chiles, Hon. Richard Fristoe, Ab-ner F. Staples, Garr Johnson, Lewis Franklin, Russel Hicks, Esq, Col. S. D. Lucas, Thos. Wilson, and James M. Hunter, to whom was added Col. R. Simpson, Chairman.
And after an adjournment of two hours, the meting again convened, and the committee of twelve reported that they had called on Mr. Phelps, the editor of the Star, Edward Part-ridge, the Bishop of the sect, and Mr. Gilbert, the keeper of the Lord's store house, and some others, and that they declined giving any di-rect answer to the requisitions made of them, and wished an unreasonable time for consulta-tion, not only with their brethren here; but in Ohio.
Whereupon, it was unanimously resolved by the meeting, that the "Star" printing office should be razed to the ground, the type and press secured; which resolution was, with the utmost order, and the least noise and distur-bance possible, forthwith carried into execu-tion, as also some other steps of a similar ten-dency; but no blood was spilled nor any blows inflicted. The meeting then adjourned till the twenty-third instant, to meet again to know fur-ther concerning the determination of the Mor-mons.
Resolved, That a copy of these proceedings be posted up at the Post Office in this place, for the information of all concerned; and that the Secretaries of this meeting send copies of the same to the principal editors in the ea tern and middle States for publication, that the Mor-mon brethren at a distance may know that the gates of Zion are closed against them—that their interests will be best promoted by remaining among those who know and appreciate their merits.
RICHARD SIMPSON, Chairman.
S. D. LUCAS, } Secretaries.
J. H. FLOURNOY,
The citizens again convened on the twenty-third day of July, 1833, which was composed of gentlemen from all parts of the county, and much more unanimously attended than the meet-ing on the 20th instant.
The meeting was organised by the Chairman taking his seat, when the following gentlemen were appointed a committee, to wit:
Henry Chiles, Esq., Doctor N. K. Olmstead, H. L Brazile, Esq., Zachariah Waller, Samuel Weston, Esq., William L. Irwin, Leonidas Old-ham, S. C. Owens, Esq., Geo. Simpson, Capt. Benj. Majors, James C. Saddler, Col. William Bowers, Henry Younger, Russel Hicks, Esq., Aaron Overton, J. Harris, and Harmon Gregg, to wait upon the Mormon leaders, who had in-timated a wish to h ve a conference with said committee.
After an adj urnment of two hours, the meet-ing again convened, when the committe report-ed to the meeting that they had waited on most of the Mormon leaders, consisting of the Bishop, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Phelps, editor of the Star, Mr. Gilbert, keeper of the Lord's store house, and M ssrs. Carrol, Whitmer, and Moseley, el-ders of the church, and that the said committee had entered into an amicable adjustment with them, which they had reduced to writing, which they submitted; and that the committee have as-sured Mr. Phelphs that whenever he was ready to move, that the amount of all his losses should be paid to him by the citizens. The written agreement is as follows:
"Memorandum of agreement between the un-dersigned of the Mormon society, in Jackson county, Missouri, and a committee appointed by a public meeting of the citizens of said county, made the 23d day of July, 1833.
It is understood that the undersigned, mem-bers of the society, do give their solemn pledges, each for himself, as follows, to wit:
That O iver Cowdry, W. W Phelps, William M'Clealand, Edw. Partridge, Lyman Wight, Simeon Carter, Peter and John Whitmer, and Harvey Whitlock, shall remove with their fami-lies out of this county, on or before the first day of January next, and that they, as well as the two hereinafter named, use all their influence to induce all the brethren now here to remove as soon as possible—one half, say, by the first of January next, and all by the first of April next. To advise and try all means in their power, to stop any more of their sect from moving to this county; and as to those now on the road, they will use their influence to prevent their settling permanently in the county, but that they shall only make arrangements for temporary shelter, till a new location is agreed on f r the society. John Carrol and Algernon Gilbert are allowed to remain as general agents to wind up the bu-s ness of the society, so long as necessity shall require; and said Gilbert may sell out his mer-chandise now on hand, but is to make no new importation.
The “Star" is not again to be published, nor a press set up by any of the society in this county.
If the said Edw. Partridge and W. W. Phelps move their families by the first day of January, as aforesaid, that they themselves will be allow-ed to go and come in order to transact and wind up their business.
The committee pledge themselves to use all their influence to prevent any violence being used so long as compliance with the foregoing terms is observed by the parties concerned, to which agreement is subscribed the names of the above named committee, as also those of the Mormon brethren named in the report as having been present."
Which report of the committee was unani-mously adopted by the meeting, and thereupon the meeting adjourned sine die.
RICHARD SIMPSON, Chairman.
S. D. LUCAS, } Secretaries.
J H. FLOURNOY,
