Mormon War.
The St Louis Revielle states that the Mormons were hauling grain and driving cattle into Nauvoo, expecting a seige.
When the Mormons find themselves sur rounded they will retreat to the Temple, and then if they are routed, it will only be by the hardest fighting that the country has seen for many years. The Temple commands the country for miles around. The saints have 24 pieces of artillery, (12 pounders) plenty of ammunition, and are now laying in a stock of provisions, by plundering the old settlers, which will keep famine off for months. If a seige is commenced, what will be the consequence, it is impossible to foretell. The whole country will rise en masse, but can Nauvoo be subdued by force, commanding as the Temple does so wide a range of country, and armed, as the Mormons are, with 24 pieces of heavy artillery, and 1000 stand of revolving rifles, besides comm on arms to any amount.
A meeting has been held in Quincy, at which some of the Anti-Mormons made violent and inflamatory speeches. A Committee of one thousand persons was appointed to visit Hancock county to bring the Mormons to terms. The Quincy editor winds up his account of the meeting as follows :
"Public sentiment is decidedly against the Mormons-THEY MUST GO- and Backenstos feel the full force of the law for killing Worrel! Our best lawyers pronounce it an act of murder- for which the sheriff had not the shadow of law ."
The State Register of Sept. 26, says that "no troops can be raised to go to Hancock, to quell the riot there. The Governor and officers under him, have made every effort for this purpose, but all has failed." The Register says there is a deep prejudice against the Mormons, and that the people of that part of the State are equally hostile to the violations of law of Col. Williams, and "his fire and sword followers." It is stated that the Mormon Sheriff, Backentos, is making "a clean sweep" with his posse. About 150 head of cattle had been stolen from the inhabitants of Hancock county, by the bands of Mormons. Col Williams as senior Colonel, has ordered out his Brigade of Militia. The Anti-Mor-mon forces were increasing, and the St. Lou-is Republican of the 27th says that three or four hundred were expected from Missouri, , and two companies from Iowa, to join them. These and several other pprties of men, seem determined on a thorough extermination of the Mormons.
The Mormons, in reply to a communication from the citizens of Quincy, Ill., declare their intention to emigrate to remote parts next Spring, provided they can obtain the necessary means by selling or renting their property, providing they are allowed to make prepara-tion unmolested by a repetition of those in- cendiary outrages of which they have recently been the victims.
The St. Louis Republican of September 29 says meetings had been and were held, in various towns and counties of Illinois, at which it was bravely resolved that the Saints must "evacuate Flanders," and that the warriors of Hancock must be aided ; but the carrying these resolves into effect seems to be a matter of some difficulty.
General Hardin has set out for Carthage with a small force and authority from the Governor to raise a large one- if he could- and full power to settle the disturbances in any practicable way.
Sheriff Backentos was at Carthage, fortified in the Court-house, and surrounded by a considerable body of armed men, He still kept a hot fire of proclamations, having just issued the fifth. In this he denies the thefts of cattle, & c , imputed to the Mormons.
It was reported that 300 men, from Quincy, were to occupy Warsaw. The latest accounts from that place was that General Hardin was marching upon Carthage, and that Backentos had set off for Nauvoo.
