for which they were to be massacred by the troops. Justly incensed at the barbarity of this plan, which would have cost the lives of thousands of inoffensive women and children, that a city like Nauvoo, then numbering 15,000 inhabitants, must necessarily contain; and irritated at the absurdity of the idea of taking the field against 3000 wellarmed men, with a force of but 1700, scantily provisioned for two days, Gov. Ford, at a council of officers, convened on the morning of the 27th of June, strongly urged them to desist from their sanguinary designs; but seeing, that a majority of the council were even more anxious than before to march into Nauvoo, being fearful, lest a collision might take place, he ordered the troops to be disbanded, both at Carthage and Warsaw, with the exception of three companies, two of which were appointed to guard the jail, while with the third he proposed to march to Nauvoo himself, to intimidate the Mormons, and search for the bogus coin and the apparatus for manufacturing it, about which the officers were so much troubled. Having left Gen. Deming in command of Carthage, and entrusted to two companies, under the command of Capt. R. F. Smith, of the Carthage Grays, the keeping of the jail, they promising to discharge their duty strictly according to law, Gov. Ford proceeded to Nauvoo, accompanied by Col. Buckmaster and Capt. Dunn's company of dragoons. Whilst on his march, having been notified, that an attack upon the jail was meditated, he ordered, that the baggage-wagons return to Carthage, and hurried with the utmost speed to Nauvoo, where he immediately convoked an assembly of the citizens, to whom he stated, in what particular the laws had been violated by their leaders; also the excitement and hatred prevailing everywhere against them, and the causes of it, calling on them to keep the public peace; after which, having received a unanimous vote from the Mormons, that they would abide the laws and strictly observe their provisions, he returned on the evening of the same day, with the utmost despatch, to Carthage. He had scarcely proceeded two miles, when he was met by a Mormon, who told him, that the Smiths had been assassinated in jail early in the morning of that day. Anticipating the worst consequences from such a treach erous act, which was only too well calculated to rouse the fanatical, revengeful spirit of the Mormons, making them determined to wage a war of extermination, the Governor, in order to prepare for any

emergency, lost no time in getting to Warsaw, where he found the people in the highest state of excitement, owing to some ridiculous and exaggerated reports, that he and his party had been furiously assailed by the Mormon Legion, and unless assistance was rendered in two days, would be cut up without mercy; which rumors had been circulated by the anti-Mormon party, to influence the public to take vengeance upon the Mormons. Such was the agitation of the public mind, that knowing himself to be distrusted by the anti-Mormon ultraists, both of the democratic and whig party, and finding his influence and command to be at an end, the Governor made application to the United States for 500 men of the regular army, which being refused, he made the best arrangements, that circumstances permitted, for the pacification and defence of the country. He also studiously inquired into the details of the assassination of the Smiths, and was informed, that the order to disband had reached the Warsaw force whilst on their march to Golden Point; when some two hundred of them, having disguised themselves by blackening their faces with powder and mud, hastened immediately to Carthage, where, of the two companies of the Carthage Grays appointed to guard the jail, but one remained, the other having disbanded and returned home. Having entered into communication with the remaining company, and made an arrangement, that the guard should fire at them with blank cartridges, when they stormed the jail, the conspirators rushed on to the assault, jumped over the fence, were fired upon by the guard, which, according to agreement, made no attempt to resist, and entered the prison, making their way at once to the room, where the prisoners, with two of their friends, who voluntarily bore them company, were confined. When the door was burst open, shots were immediately exchanged between the conspirators and the company in the room; Hiram Smith was instantly killed, and the prophet, who, after shooting down three of his assailants, with a six-barrelled pistol given him by his friends, had jumped out of the window, stunning himself so severely in his fall as to be unable to pursue his flight, was despatched by the conspirators below with four balls through his body.

Thus fell Joe Smith, the holy prophet of the Mormons; the most daring impostor in modern times, and by many of the Puritanic stock believed to have been the very incarnation of Satan. Totally ignorant

of almost every fact in science, as well as in law, he made up in constructiveness and natural cunning, whatever in him was wanting of instruction. The animal nature largely preponderating in the man, he had not the genius to form any vast and comprehensive plans for the future; but whatever he did, was merely intended for present convenience, and gratification of his beastly lusts and desires. He was possessed of some qualities, which would have eminently fitted him for the stage, being always able to change his external appearance and conduct according to circumstances; at times affecting the deepest humiliation for his sins, suffering the most unspeakable tortures, as if burning already in the terrible fire of eternal damnation, and calling for the prayers of the brethren in his behalf, with a fearful, soulstirring energy, and heart-rending earnestness; then again being exceedingly soft and gentle in his behavior; then again, loud and furious as "a highway robber," "swearing like a pirate and drinking like a sailor." He bore in his profile a strong resemblance to that of a boar; he was full six feet high, and endowed with a frame of uncommon vigor, to the superior strength of which he was no doubt much indebted for the influence he exercised over an ignorant people. Those of his followers, who aided and supported him in the administration of his government, were mostly unprincipled and bankrupt, but talented men, who claimed to have a right to teach to, or impose upon mankind a new religion, which might afford them a living, or some cheap glory. This class of men constituted the leaders, whilst their deluded followers were principally men of a weak and unstable character; this made them easily subject to the power of designing machinators; and of a dreamy and wandering disposition, and a ready belief in wonderful and supernatural matters. Many of the Mormons were notorious rogues; but the greater part of them were pitiable victims of a religious imposture, sincere and fanatical in their faith.

When the news of the death of their revered leaders reached the Mormons at Nauvoo, they were so stupefied by it as to remain quiet, much to the astonishment of every one. Many of them at first refused to believe the dire intelligence; others published revelations, that the prophet, in imitation of the Saviour, was to rise from the dead; and many maintained, by solemn oath, that they had seen him

at the head of a celestial army, coursing the air on a magnificent white steed.

After the holy prophet had thus met with an untimely fate, Sidney Rigdon, who had been a member of the first presidency of the Church, composed of Joe and Hiram Smith and the twelve apostles, claimed the government of the Church, alleging a will of the prophet in his favor. Perhaps he might have succeeded in his pretensions, had he not, unfortunately, published a revelation imparted him from heaven, directing the Mormons to abandon the holy city of Nauvoo, and to remove to Pittsburgh; which at once destroyed his influence with the Mormons, who now confided the government of the Church to the twelve apostles, with Brigham Young, a cunning rascal, at their head. Another election for members of Congress and for the Legislature, was to take place in August, 1844, and a presidential election was pending throughout the nation. The contest was carried on by the various parties with the most fierce and determined spirit, and as the Mormons participated in this contest, it being feared, that they would, as usual, cast their votes as a unit, thereby compelling every officeseeker to court the favors of that despised people, the hatred of the people against the Mormons soon rose to a terrible pitch of excitement; to allay this the Governor strongly recommended the Mormons not to vote. But a dexterous politician went to their city a few days before the election, and by artful representations and liberal promises of the support of the democratic party, induced the Mormons, who were foolish enough to believe him authorized to make such assurances, to vote the whole democratic ticket. This vote of the Mormons, the whig leaders, and many democrats desirous of making political capital, laid to the Governor's charge; which made the anti-Mormon ultraists more than ever determined to expel this body.

In the fall of 1844, the leaders of the anti-Mormons sent printed circulars to all the militia captains in Hancock and the neighboring counties of Missouri, inviting them to be present at a great wolf-hunt in Hancock. Arrangements were made for assembling several thousand men, provisioned for six days, the anti-Mormon press simultaneously renewing their crusade against the Mormons, whom they charged with the most horrible murders, thefts, rapes, and villanies of every kind.

In this state of affairs, the Governor applied to the chief officers of the State militia, who, uniting their exertions with his own, succeeded in raising a force of 500 volunteers, under command of BrigadierGeneral Hardin; with these the Governor proceeded to Hancock. He arrived in Hancock county on the 25th of October. The conspirators dispersed at his approach, and their leaders fled to Missouri. During his stay in the county, the Governor found out, that his officers and men were so much infected with anti-Mormon prejudices as to make it utterly impossible for him to control them. Determined to make the assassins of the Smiths, for whose protection in jail he had pledged his word, which had been so shamefully violated, feel the utmost rigor of the law, the Governor prepared to cross with a small force to Missouri, at Churchville, to seize three anti-Mormon leaders, accused of that murder; but had the mortification to see, that one of his own officers frustrated his design, by advising all against joining the expedition, and arranging privately the terms of surrender for the accused, whereupon two of them came forth and delivered themselves up. They were tried before Judge Young, in the summer of 1845, but although the Governor, being resolved to make the offenders pay the utmost penalty of the law, employed the most able lawyers in their prosecution, such was the influence of party faction, that the accused were all acquitted. At the next term, the leading Mormons were tried for the destruction of the heretical press, but the Mormons having, in their turn, impanelled a jury favorable to them, these accused were also acquitted. The result of these trials made it evident, that no one could be convicted of any crime in Hancock; which for a time rendered it impossible to administer the criminal law in that unhappy county, unless, indeed, by force of arms; so that, while the early French settlers seemed to have verified the assertion, that a virtuous and contented people do not only not require the paternal care of any kind of government, but are most happy without such, the people in Hancock county, on the other hand, seemed to establish the fact, that a corrupt and lawless people are fit objects to be ruled over by the iron hand of a despot, whose government is peremptorily demanded by their happiness and welfare.

During the course of the summer and fall of 1845, the hatred between the Mormons and anti-Mormons reached a higher degree of