Weekly herald vol. 9 no. 29

              DESTRUCTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE NAUVOO EXPOSITOR, AT NAUVOO, ILLINOIS. 
AFFAIRS AT NAUVOO. 
Having visited Nauvoo and its vicinity in person, for the purpose of getting at the true state of affairs among the Mormons and their neighbors, we are enabled to give the latest as well as the most cor-rect intelligence. Nauvoo reposes in a state of quietude and tranquillity most remarkable. Daring some thirty hours that we passed in the “Holy City," we heard but one solitary intemperate ex-pression, and the man who uttered it was instantly checked, and made silent by more prudent spirits around him. Elders Adams and Lyne, accompa-nied by others, left the city on Tuesday last, their object being to call home the absent Apostles and members of the Council of Seventy. Upon the return of these, there will take place a solemn de-liberation of the Twelve Apostles, who will ap-point a successor to the lost Prophet, and their ap-pointment
Will then be acted upon, either to be ratified or rejected, by the Council of Seventy. The walls of the temple are a little more than half up to the desigaed height. And all work ceased upon them during the recent troubles; but, at the public meeting on Monday afternoon, the people were no-tified by Elder Phelps, now one of the most active and influential men amont them, that labor should commence again the next day. He told the men not to neglect their families; to be energetic in seeing them provided for first, and then hasten to work upon the temple. The system upon which this temple has been building is the exaction of la-bor every tenth day from every man who cannot purchase his exemption from the task with money. It will be, if ever finished, a very imposing looking edifice. It stands in a high and commanding posi-tion, a prominent object riveting the stranger’s eye at once, and, upon near inspection, the style of ar-chitecture is found to be more than commonly at-tractive from its singularity it is like nothing else, and, unless we may be allowed to desigaate it as the Morraonic order, it, certainly, has no name at all. The stone is of excellent quality, quarreled in the neighborhood, and very good mechanics have been at work upon it.
The massive caps of the columns are already carved from huge blocks, showing a gigantic round human face, like the broad full moon. The col-umns are made to rest upon crescent moons, sculp-tured on the face of the stone, resting with the horns down, and with a profile of eyes, nose, and upon mouth, upon the inner curve. What idea this is meant to convey, we could not learn, though the impressing is irresistible, that the church is built up upon moonshine. The utmost harmony and peace, at least as far as was allowed to appear to the eye of a stranger, prevailed throughout Nauvoo. At Warsaw, and all about the adjoining district, a very different state of things is fully apparent. The people are boiling over with excited feeling. We arrived at Warsaw on our return. We found the inhabitants laboring under such a state of feeling as is quite evident can never be changed. In reply to the deputation from Gov. Ford, we were told that a committee had already left Warsaw to wait upon the Governor, with the deliberate expression, that either one or other of the antagonistical parties must abandon the county. We stopped at Quincy on Thursday evening, and saw the Governor. We frankly laid before him the charges we had heard made against him, both by Mormons and Anti-Mormons, all of which he combatted with fair and intelligent statements. The Macdonough soldiers, about whose dismissal the Mormons are most in-dignant, were disbanded from the simple fact that there was no substance for them in the power of the Governor, or the people of the place. Gov-ernor Ford depended upon the assurances of protection for the prisoners, given by the Carthage Greys and the guard around the door of the jail. The point most interesting, may be the manner of the murder, and without partiality, we can here give the straight forward truth. At the request of their own counsel, the prisoners were placed in an upper apartment of the jail, instead of the cells. This is another point upon which the Mormons feel sore, they believing, or pretending to believe, that the Smiths were so placed with design to give the assassins more facility in accomplishing their work. The first alarm in Carthage was a cry from the vicinity of the jail, “The Mormons! The Mor-mons! They have come to rescue the prisoners!” It is clear, from all our representations, that such was the instantaneous impression. The Carthage Greys were under arms and immediately com-menced quick march for the jail. First was heard a solitary shot, followed by the quick and continu-ous reports of a revolving pistol, (these latter are known, and admitted to have been fired by the Pro-phet,) and then came a volley of fire arms, suc-ceeded by Joseph Smith tumbling head foremost from a window of the jail. The whole time of the action, from the first cry of “the Mormons! the Mormons!” until the Carthage Greys, on approach-ing as fast as they could run, was scarcely ten minutes. This has been all represented fully at Quincy, though many still, whether from honest impression or fixed design, it is difficult and per-haps useless to speak, assume to impugn the integ-rity of the Greys. There is such a whirlpool of conflicting interests involving this business, that an impartial mind is completely astonished at the manner in which first high principles may be lost sight of in the petty differences of party. All men, from one end of the Union to the other, must con-demn, most emphatically, the outbreak at Car-thage. It was wrong; it was unjustified by any law; it was a demonstration bound to be regretted deeply by all our good citizens living under this free government. Still let us take care, and do the people of Hancock county, Illinois, fair justice. 
—St. Louis Reveilie, July 6.
Mormon Account of the Murder of 
JOE SMITH.
[From the Nauvoo Neighbor, Jun 30]
On Monday the 24th inst., after Gov. Ford had sent word, that those eighteen persons demanded on a warrant, among whom were Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith, should be protected, by the mi-litia of the State, they in company with some ten or twelve others, started for Carthage. Four miles from that place, they were met by Capt. Dunn, with a company of cavalry, who had an order from the governor for the “state arms.” Gen. Smith endorsed his acceptance of the same, and both parties returned to Nauvoo to obtain said arms. After the arms were obtained both parties took up the line of march for Carthage, where they arrived about five minutes before twelve o’clock at night. Capt. Dunn nobly acquiting himself, landed us safely at Hamilton’s Hotel. In the morning we saw the governor and he pledged the faith of the State, that we should be protected. General Smith and his brother Hyrum were arrested by a warrant founded upon the oaths of H. O. Norton and Augustine Spencer, for trea-son. Knowing the treats from several persons, that the two Smiths should never leave Carthage alive, we all began to be alarmed for their safety. The Gov. and Gen. Demming conducted them be-fore the McDonnough troops and introduced them as Gen. Joseph Smith and Gen. Hyrum Smith. This manoeuvre came near raising a mutiny among the “Carthage Greys,” but the Governor quelled it. In the afternoon, after great exertions on the part of our counsel, we dispensed with an investigation, voluntarily gave bail for our appearances to the Cir-cuit Court, to answer in the case of abating the Nauvoo Expositor, as a nuisance. At evening the Justice made out a mitimus without an inves-tigation and committed the two General Smiths to prison until discharged by due course of law, and they were safely guarded to jail.—In the morning the Governor went to the jail and had an interview with these men and to every appearance all things were explained on both sides. The constable then went to take these men from the jail, before the Justice for examination, but the jailer refused to let them go, as they were under his direction “til discharge-ed by due course of law;” but the Governor’s troops, to the amount of one or two hundred, took them to the Court House, when the hearing was continued till Saturday the 29th, and they were re-manded to jail. Several of our citizens had per-mits from the Governor to lodge with them, and visit them in jail. It now began to be rumored by several men, whose names will be forthcoming in time, that there was nothing against these men, the law could not reach them, but powder and ball would! The Governor was made acquainted with these facts, but on the morning of the 27th, he disbanded the McDonough Troops, and sent them home : took Captain Dunn’s camps of cavalry and proceeded to Nauvoo, leaving these two men and three or four friends, to be guarded by eight men at the jail; and a com-pany in town of 60 men, 80 or 100 rods from the jail, as a corps in reserve. About six o’clock in the afternoon the guard was surprised by an armed mob of from 150 to 250, painted red and black and yel-low, which surrounded the jail and forced in—poured a shower of bullets into the room where these unfortunate men were held, “in durance vile” to answer to the laws of Illinois; under the solemn pledge of the faith of the State, by Gov. Ford, that they should be protected, but the mob ruled!! They fell as martyrs amid this tor-nado of lead, each receiving four bullets! John Taylor was wounded by four bullets in his limbs but not seriously. Thus perishes the hope of law; thus vanishes the plighted faith of the State; thus the blood of innocence stains the constituted authorities of the United States, and thus have two among the most noble martyrs since the slaughter of Abel, sealed the truth of their divine mission, by being shot by a mob for their religion! Messengers were despatched to Nauvoo, but did not reach there till morning. The following was one of the letters:—
12 o’clock at night, June 27th,
CARTHAGE, HAMILTON’S TAVERN.
TO MRS. EMMA SMITH
AND MAJ. GEN. DUNHAM, &c.—
The Governor has just arrived; says all things shall be inquired into, and all right measures taken. I say to all the citizens of Nauvoo, my brethren, be still, and know hat God reigns. Don’t rush out of the city—don’t rush to Carthage; stay at hoe, and be prepared for an at-tack from Missouri mobbers. The Governor will ren-der every assistance possible—has sent out orders for troops—Joseph and Hiram are dead, but not by the Carthage people—the guards were there as I believe. We will prepare to move the bodies as soon as possible. The people of the county are greatly excited and fear the Mormons will come out and take vengeance—I have pledged my word the Mormons will stay at home as soon as they can be informed, and no violence will be on the their part, and say to my brethren in Nauvoo, in the name o the Lord—be still—be patient—only let such friendship choose come here to see the bodies—Mr. Taylor’s wounds are dressed and not serious—I am sound.
WILLARD RICHARDS,
JOHN TAYLOR,
SAMUEL H. SMITH.
Defend yourselves until protection can be furnished necessary. June 27th 1844.
THOMAS FORD, Governor
And Commander-in-Chief
MR. ORSON SPENCER,
Dear Sir—Please deliberate on this matter; prudent may obviate material destruction. I was at my residen when this horrible crime was committed. It will be con-demned by three-fourths of the citizens of the country—quiet or you will be attacked from Missouri.
M. R. DEMIN
The Governor, as well as the citizens of Carthage was thunderstruck and fled. The Legion in Nau-voo was called out at 10 A. M. and addressed by Judge Phelps, Col. Buckmaster, of Alton, the Go-vernor’s aid, and others, and all excitement and fury allayed, and preparations were made to receive the bodies of the noble martyrs. About 3 o’clock they were met by a great assemblage of people, east of the temple on Mulholland street, under the direction of the city marshal, followed by Samuel H. Smith, the brother of the deceased, Dr. Rich-ards and Mr. Hamilton, of Carthage. The wagons were guarded by eight men. The procession that followed in Nauvoo was the city council, the Lieut. Gens. Staff, the Major General and staff, the briga-dier and staff, commanders and officers of the Legion and citizens generally, which numbered several thousands, amid the most solemn lamenta-tions and wailings that ever ascended into the ears of the Lord of Hosts to be avenged of our ene-mies!
When the procession arrived, the bodies were both taken into the “Nauvoo Mansion”; the scene at the Mansion cannot be described; the audience addressed by Dr. Richards, Judge Phelps, Woods and Reed, Esqs., of Iowa and Col. Markham. It was a vast assemblage of some 8 or 10,000 persons, and with one united voice resolved to trust to the law for a remedy of such a high handed assassina tion, and when that failed, to call upon God to avenge us of our wrongs ! Oh widows and or-phans ! Oh Americans weep, for the glory of free-dom has departed !
At the request of the friends of Joseph and Hy-rum Smith, I have consented to give a statement of such matters as I had a knowledge of in rela-tion to their murder at Carthage, and what occur-red under my observation. I arrived in Nauvoo from Burlington, Iowa, on Friday, June 21st inst., about 9 o’clock, P.M., found all things quiet, had an interview on Saturday morning the 22nd, with Joseph and Hyrum Smith, who was in consulta-tion with some of their friends in relation to a communication from Gov. Ford, during interview heard Gen. Joseph Smith give orders to disband the Legion, and withdraw the guards and senti-nels, who were co operating with the police to pre-serve the peace of the city, as he said by order of Governor Ford; that I went from Nauvoo to Car-thage, on the evening of the 22d, when I had an interview with Governor Ford; assuring him as to the quiet of Nauvoo, and that Smith and his friends were ready to obey the laws. I was told that the Constable with a posse had that evening gone to Nauvoo with a writ for Smith and others, and that nothing short of an unconditional surrender to the laws would allay the excitement. I was then informed by Gov. Ford he was pledged to protect all such persons as might be arrested and that they should have an impartial examination, and that if Smith and the rest against whom war-rants had been issued, would come to Carthage by Monday the 24th instant, it would be a compliance on their part, and on Sunday morning the 23rd, Gov. Ford pledged his word that if General Smith would come to Carthage, he should by him be protected, with such of his friends as might accom-pany him, and that I as his counsel should have protection in defending Smith; that I returned to Nauvoo on Sunday evening the twenty-third, and I found General J. Smith and Hyrum Smith, mak-ing preparation to go to Carthage on Monday and on Monday morning the 24th I left the city of Nauvoo in company with Jos. and Hyrum Smith, and some fifteen other persons, parties and witness-es for Carthage, that about four miles west from Carthage, we were met by a company of about 60 men under Capt. Dunn; that at the request of Gen. Joseph Smith, I advanced and communicated with the Commander of the company and was informed he was on his way to Nauvoo, with an order from Gen. Ford, for the State Arms at that place; that it was agreed by myself on behalf of Gen Smith, that the order for the arms should be endorsed by Gen. Smith, and that he should place himself un-der the protection of Captain Dunn, to return to Nauvoo and see the Governor’s order promptly obeyed and return with Captain Dunn to Car-thage; Captain Dunn pledging his word as a mili-tary man, that Smith and his friends should be protected; that the order was endorsed by Gen. Smith, which was communicated by Captain Dunn, to Gov. Ford, with a letter from Gen. Smith informing Gov., that he would accompany Captain Dunn to Carthage. I left the company and proceeddd to Carthage; that about 12 o’clock at night of the 24th, Captain Dunn returned with the State arms from Nauvoo, accompanied by Joseph and Hyrum Smith with some thirteen others, who were charged with a riot in destroying the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor; that on the morning of the 25th, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, with the others charged, surrendered themselves to the Con-stable, and at the same time Joseph and Hyrum Smith were arrested on a charge of treason against the State of Illinois; that about 3 o’clock, P.M. on the 25th, the Justice pr ceded to the ex-amination in relations to the riot, and after a good deal of resistance on the part of the pro-secution, we were permitted to enter into a recognizance, to answer at the next term of the Circuit court; that we were engaged, until dark, in making out and giving our recognizances; that in consequence of the rumors as to the excitement in Warsaw and other points, and to allay the fears of the citizens of Nauvoo, I requested Governor Ford to detail a company to Nauvoo, to protect the city, which request was promptly complied with, and that night Capt. Singleton, with a company of men from McDonnough county, marched to Nauvoo, and took possession of the city, and remained until the evening of the 27th, when they took up their line of march for Carthage
After the matter of the riot was disposed of, the justice left, without saying any thing in relation to the examination for treason, and in about one hour the constable returned with a mit-imus, a copy of which accompanies the state-ment of my colleague, H. T. Read, a copy of which was demanded and refused; that I request-ed the officer to wait until I could see Gov. Ford, and was told he would wait five minutes, and as I of committal, that the prisoners were not personal-ly safe at the hotel.
I then requested the Governor to have a company detailed to guard the jail, which was done, and they arrayed at the jail about the same time as the prisoners. On the morning of the 26th, the Gover-nor visited the jail in company with a friend, at which interview the Governor again pledged him-self for their personal safety, and said if the troops went to Nauvoo, as was then con-templated, that they should go along to ensure their pro ection; that after the in-terview at the jail, the counsel for the prosecution wanted the prisoners borught before the justice for an examination, to which the coun-sel for the prisoners replied, that they were com-mitted until discharged by due course of law, and that we could nothing until the prisoners were le-went to the door I met Capt. Dunn, with some twenty men to guard the prisoners to jail; that I accompanied Gov. Ford to the Justice, R. F. Smith, who gave as a cause for issuing the warrant gally before the court, where we would appear and defend; that the Justice, R. F. Smith, gave the constable an order (a copy of which accompanies the statement of H. T. Reid, Esq,) for the jailer to deliver up the prisoners, which the jailer refused to do—that the constable then repaired to the jail with a company called Carthage Greys, of whom the Justice, R. F. Smith, was the captain, but not then in command; and by intimidation and treats, forced the jailor to give up the prisoners to the constable, who took them before the justice, R. F. Smith, at the Court House, that on the mo-tion of the counsel for the prisoners, the examina-tion was postponed until the 27th, 12 o’clock, and subpœnas issued for witnesses on the defence. The two Smiths were then remanded to jail, and orders were issued for a consultation of the offi-cers, with the commander-in-chief, and it was de-termined that the troops should take up a line of march at 8 o’clock on the morning of the 27th, for Nauvoo, and after the consultation, the justice, who was one of the officers in command, altered the return of the subpœnas until the 29th, and con-tinued the hearing until that time, without con-sulting either their prisoners or the counsel; that on the morning of the 27th, the order for march-ing to Nauvoo was countermanded, and all the troops disbanded but the company under Captain Singleton at Nauvoo, Captain Dunn’s company of horse, and the Carthage Greys, that the Gov-ernor determined to visit Nauvoo, escorted by Capt. Dunn’s company; and the Carthage Greys were left as a guard for the prisoners at the jail; that after the troops were disbanded, I requested Governor Ford to detail some men to guard the rout to War-saw, as I apprehended much danger from that place. but I do not know whether it was done or not, as I left Carthage about 11 o’clock, A.M., and came to Nauvoo, that Governor Ford and his aid, Colonel Buckmaster, escorted by Captain Dunn’s company, arrived in Nauvoo about 5 o’clock P.M, where he addressed the citizens and promised them pro-tection, and a just execution of the laws, and im-mediately left the city for Carthage.
James W. Woods,
MORMON DISTURBANCES—At Nauvoo, on the 2d, according to the St Louis Republican, all was or-derly and quiet. Messrs. Jonas and Fellows, depu-tation from Gov. Ford, returned to Quincy on the Osprey, reporting every thing quiet. The boat waited at Warsaw for these gentlemen to address the people, where great manifestations of excited feeling still prevails, the inhabitants seeming bent upon the point that either themselves or the Mor-mons must leave the country. The editors of the Republican and Reveille left the Osprey at Quincy, to wait upon Governor Ford, and to communicate with the committee from Warsaw.
The extra from the Mormon organ indulges in many lamentations for the death of the Prophet and his brother, and narrates how the deed was ac-complished. The murder was committed about six o’clock in the evening, by an armed mob, of 150 to 200 men, painted red, black and yellow, who surrounded the jail, forced it, and poured a shower of bullets into he room where the men were con-fined. Each of the victims received four balls in his body, and John Taylor, editor of the Nauvoo Neighbor, was shot in four places, but not seriously injured. About three o’clock the next day, the bodies of “the noble martyrs” were received Nauvoo. They were met—the paper says—a great assemblage of people, east of the Temple on Mulholland street, under the direction of the city marshal, followed by Samuel H. Smith, bro-ther of the deceased, Dr Richards and Mr. Ha Milton, of Carthage. The wagons were guarded by eight men. The procession that followed in Nauvoo, was the City Council, the Lieutenant General’s Staff, the Major General and Staff, the Brigadier and Staff, commanders and officers of the Legion, and citizens generally, numbering several thousands, amid the most solemn lamenta-tions and wailings that ever ascended into the ears of the Lord of Hosts, to be avenged of our enemies.”
When the procession arrived the bodies were both taken into the “Nauvoo Mansion” The scene at the Mansion cannot be described; the audience were addressed by Dr. Richards, Judge Phelps, and Messrs. Wood and Reed, of Iowa, and Col. Markham. It was a vast assemblage of some 8 or 10,000 persons, and with one united voice re-solved to trust to the law for a remedy of such high handed assassination, and when that failed, to call upon God to avenge us of our wrongs.