THE CITY OF NAUVOO.
The editor of the Keokuk Gate City thus describes Nauvoo, Ill., the former city of the Mormons, as it ap-peared to him on a late visit: Putting up at the "Nauvoo Mansion," the former residence of Joe Smith, and the rendezvous of his clan, we found it a cool, countrified hotel, surrounded by shrubbery, everything neatly kept and cared for, and imparting a fresh wholesome air. The hostess was the former wife of Joe, who, with her present husband and children by her former spouse, still resides on the premises she entered with the prophet when the Saints first founded the city. She informed us she had re-sided in the "Mansion" for sixteen years. During that period she has witnessed the origin, growth and decay of the city; the inception of a new religion, the most strange conglomerate of truth, fanaticism, super-stition and arrant cheating that was ever inaugurated in a civilized community; has witnessed its develop-ment, been familiar with its spirit and character, and cognizant of the motives which ruled its leaders; seen the first and last of all the strange things enacted there; passed through all the social changes incident to that community; observed all the important facts of its singular and interesting history, and at last finds her-self the quiet housewife of a pleasant country tavern, which was but recently the home and headquarters of a band of men of peculiar character and pretensions, and of her husband who was the chief. Nauvoo, and par-ticularly the "Mansion," must possess a strange and, remarkable interest for her. A daughter (now a wid-ow) and several sons, children of Smith, compose her family. The property held by Smith and falling to the family, has left them very wealthy, but there are no signs of ostentatious life or inclination among them.
Ascending the hill to examine the "temple" and its surroundings, we came upon the community of Mons. Cabet, who were gathered for dinner in a large house in the rear, which seemed to be the common eating room of the Icarians. The meal, economically provid-ed, and with entire uniformity in its character, was en-livened by a band of instrumental music, numbering some 30 performers, and they seemed to be as intent on celebrating, in their own way, the great anniversary (4th of July) as any body else. An address was pro-nounced by Mons. Cabet, in the forenoon, in French, and other addresses were made in German and Eng-lish.
The temple is a pile of ruins, as most people know, except the front. That, with the exception of the tower, still remains. There is enough in that to afford some idea of its almost weird like, incongruous, heath-enish, but fresh and vigorous architecture. It is deeply to be deplored that vandal hands should have been per-mitted to remain as a monument of the strange re-ligion that caused it to be erected, and the strange wor-ship to which it was dedicated. The entrance to an underground avenue is still discernable among the rub-bish on the south side of it. This avenue, and others, which the husband of Mrs. Smith informed us, existed beneath the surface of the ground, led by connection with them to several points where the leaders for vari-ous purposes assembled to conduct the affairs of the community, concoct their schemes, and execute their plans.
The large, and so far as completed, thoroughly built hotel, which is situated close by the "Mansion," is to he finished up for a mill and machinery which the heirs of the Prophet design putting into it. Many of the once fine but now dilapidated residences have latterly been occupied, and the town is evidently improving.
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