The Rise and Fall of NauvooRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
History
The Rise and Fall of Nauvoo
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saints -- Illinois -- Nauvoo; Nauvoo (Ill.) -- History
The parties accused of making the assault on those in the harvest
field, took a change of venue to Quincy, but whether they were ever
brought to trial or not, I cannot learn, but think they were not.
Among those arrested for attacking the party of harvesters was Major
M'Calla; and in his possession was found a gun taken from the party.
The gun was recognized by several persons, among whom was Wm. Pickett,
and taken from him. The mobbers then and there made out a charge of
stealing, and got out warrants for the arrest of Pickett, Furness and
Clifford. Pickett, it would seem, had incurred the hatred of the mob,
and they desired to get him into their power. Word was brought to him
by a friend that the warrant was merely a subterfuge to get him into
the hands of his enemies; consequently, when one John Carlin, a special
constable from Carthage, undertook to arrest him, he asked if he would
guarantee his safety; being answered in the negative, he resisted the
officer and would not be taken. Though it is claimed that afterwards,
in company with several friends he went before the magistrate of Green
Plains, who, it was said, issued the warrant for his arrest. But as he
had no record of the warrant he refused to put him under arrest. The
other parties accused were acquitted on examination.
The mob now, however, saw an opportunity to accomplish their full
purpose of destroying the city of Nauvoo. An officer had been resisted
by a citizen, and his fellow citizens approved his course! "Nauvoo was
in rebellion against the laws!" Carlin issued a proclamation calling
upon the citizens to come as a _posse comitatus_, to assist him in
executing the law. And to his clarion call,
There was mounting in hot haste.
The old mob forces were soon assembled at Carthage, and the command
given to Captain Singleton.
The citizens of Nauvoo petitioned the governor for protection, and he
sent to them Major J. R. Parker, with a force of ten men from Fulton
County, and also authorized him to take command of such forces as
might volunteer to defend the city against any attacks that might be
threatened. He was also empowered "to pursue, and in aid of any peace
officer with a proper warrant, arrest the rioters who may threaten
or attempt such an attack, and bring them to trial;" and to assist
with an armed posse any peace officer in making an arrest, and with a
like force to guard the prisoners, during the trial, and as long as
he believed them in danger of mob violence. The commission bears date
August 24, 1846.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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