4. This prediction doubtless has reference to the party in power; to the "government" considered as the administration; not to the "government" considered as the country; but the administration party, the Democratic Party, which had controlled the destiny of the country for forty years. It is matter of history that few years later the party then in power lost control of the national government, followed by the terrible conflict of the Civil War. The Party against which the above prediction was made so far lost its influence that it did not again return to power for a quarter of a century; and when it did return to power it was with such modified views as to many great questions of government, that it could scarcely be regarded as the same party except in name. Lest it should be urged that the Whig party was in control of the government in 1843, I call attention to the fact that while General Harrison, a Whig, was elected in 1840, he was President only one month, as he died on the 4th of April, 1841. His whole cabinet, excepting Mr. Webster, Secretary of State, resigned, and the Vice President became President. Though elected by the Whigs Mr. Tyler was a Democrat "and the Whig administration had but a month's actual existence." (See History of the United States, Morris, pp. 311, 312). {124} CHAPTER VI. MEMORIAL OF CITY COUNCIL TO CONGRESS ANENT MISSOURI AFFAIRS--ROCKWELL'S RETURN TO NAUVOO--RECITAL OF HIS ADVENTURES--AVERY'S ACQUITTAL BY MISSOURI'S COURTS--NAUVOO'S POLICE FORCE INCREASED--PUBLICATIONS ON MORMONISM, PRO ET CON--1843. _Thursday, December 21, 1843.--_About one o'clock in the morning I was alarmed by the firing of a gun, got up, and went down to the river bank to see the guard, and inquire the cause of it. To my surprise, they had not heard it, although I felt sure it was fired in Montrose. The morning proved it to be correct, some rowdies in Montrose had been firing in the night. At noon met with the City Council which voted that Councilor Orson Pratt present the Memorial and Ordinance to Congress. Passed "An ordinance to prevent unlawful search or seizure of person or property by foreign [i.e. outside] process in the city of Nauvoo." Heber C. Kimball resigned his office as city auctioneer and Charles Warner was re-elected. John P. Greene was duly elected city marshal, in the room of Henry G. Sherwood, who expects to leave soon. [Sidenote: The Prophet for a Clean, Orderly City.] I gave instructions to the marshal and policemen to see that all carrion is removed out of the city, and all houses kept in order,--to stop the boys when fighting in the streets, and prevent children from floating off on the ice, and correct anything out of order, like fathers; and I offered to build the city jail, if it was left to my dictation, which the Council authorized me to do.