In the meantime President Joseph Smith returned to Nauvoo and in a meeting of a special conference August 29, addressed the Saints. Some of the Saints thought he had gone to Washington, others that he had gone to Europe, however, he had been in Nauvoo most of the time. Sunday, October 2, 1842, word came from Quincy, that Governor Carlin had offered a reward of two hundred dollars for the capture of Joseph Smith and the same amount for O. P. Rockwell. The Quincy _Whig_ also stated that Governor Reynolds of Missouri, had offered a reward of three hundred dollars for each of the brethren. President Sidney Rigdon, who had been in conversation at Carthage with Judge Stephen A. Douglas, concerning Governor Carlin's proceedings, informed William Clayton that he had learned that the governor had purposely issued an illegal writ, expecting President Joseph Smith would be drawn by it to Carthage to be acquitted before Judge Douglas on habeas corpus proceedings. As soon as this was done a legal writ would be served and he would be carried away to Missouri. Elder Elias Higbee confirmed President Rigdon's report, adding thereto that many Missourians were coming to unite with the militia of Illinois, voluntarily, at their own expense. If President Smith should fail to go to Carthage they would come in force to Nauvoo and search the city. Receiving this knowledge, the Prophet concluded again to leave home for a season, and thus defeat the plans of Governor Carlin and his aids. Justin Butterfield's Legal Opinion While all these trials and tribulations were going on, the case of President Joseph Smith had been presented to United States District Attorney Justin Butterfield, of Chicago, by the master in chancery, Major Warren. Mr. Butterfield wrote to Sidney Rigdon, October 10, 1842, an elaborate opinion on the case. The salient points in his opinion are as follows: If it could be proved that Joseph Smith had not _fled_ from Missouri since the commission of the crime of which he was accused, and that he was not in that state at that time, then the governor of Illinois had no power to surrender him to Missouri. According to the Constitution, a man to be a fugitive, "must be a person who shall flee from justice and be found in another state." The defendant has the right to show that the process upon which he was arrested was obtained by false pretense, that it is untrue that he fled from Missouri to evade being brought to justice there, for the crime of which he is charged. The affidavit of Boggs is not conclusive and may be rebutted; the defendant has the right to show the affidavit false. The affidavit of Boggs "on its face was not sufficient to authorize the arrest of Smith." The opinion concluded with the following advice: