"After advising with the attorney general, and exercising my best judgment, I would advise you to make a trial of the efficacy of the laws; the judge of your circuit is a conservator of the peace. If an affidavit is made before him by any of you, that your lives are threatened and you believe them in danger, it would be his duty to have the offenders apprehended and bind them to keep peace. Justices of peace in their respective counties have the same authority, and it is made their duty to exercise it. Take, then, this course; obtain a warrant, let it be placed in the hands of the proper officer, and the experiment will be tested whether laws can be peaceably executed or not. In the event that they cannot be, and that fact is officially notified to me, my duty will require me to take such steps as will enforce a faithful execution of them." This communication comforted the hearts of the brethren, for they felt they were not entirely left in the hands of the ruthless mob, but that they would be protected in their rights. They renewed their labors and felt to rejoice before their Heavenly Father. In the meantime the brethren in Independence retained four lawyers from Clay Co., named, Wood, Reese, Doniphan, and Atchinson, with a fee of one thousand dollars. As soon as the mob heard of this they became very much enraged. They disregarded the compact and assembled together vowing vengeance on all the "Mormons," being determined that we should leave forthwith. From the 31st of October until the 4th of November, there was one continual scene of outrages of the most hideous kind. The mob collected in different parts of the county and attacked the Saints in most of their settlements, houses were unroofed, others were pulled down, leaving women and children, and even the sick and the dying exposed to the inclemency of the weather. Men were caught and whipped or clubbed until they were bruised from head to foot, and some were left upon the ground for dead. The most horrid threats and imprecations were uttered against us, and women and children were told, with cursings, that unless they left the country immediately they should be killed. The brethren had to get together to protect themselves, and they went from place to place to assist those who were threatened. In some instances these parties, when marching to the relief of their brethren, were intercepted and flagrant outrages committed upon them. Things continued in this state until the 4th of November, when the mob were hunting a small party of our brethren, and breaking down, and feeding upon our crops, and otherwise destroying them. While fifty or sixty were thus engaged, about thirty of the brethren came upon them and a battle ensued. As soon as the mob saw the brethren coming, some of them called out, "Fire, G--d d--m ye, fire!" and several shots were immediately fired into our party, which were promptly returned, when the mob fled, leaving some of their horses in one of the corn fields, and H.