The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
When the Mormon force returned to Far West, the Daviess people secured
warrants for the arrest of Smith, L. Wight, and others, charging them
with violating the law by entering another county armed, and compelling
a justice of the peace to obey their mandate, Black having made an
affidavit that he was compelled to sign the paper in order to save
his life. Wight threatened to resist arrest, and this caused such a
gathering of Missourians that Smith became alarmed and sent for two
lawyers, General D. R. Atchison and General Doniphan, to come to
Far West as his legal advisers.* Acting on their advice, the accused
surrendered themselves, and were bound over to court in $500 bail for a
hearing on September 7.
* General Atchison was the major general in command of that
division of the state militia. His early reports to the governor must
be read in the light of his association with Smith as counsel. General
Douiphan afterward won fame at Chihuahua in the Mexican War.
CHAPTER VIII. -- A STATE OF CIVIL WAR
All peaceable occupations were now at an end in Daviess County. General
Atchison reported to the governor that, on arriving there on September
17, he found the county practically deserted, the Gentiles being
gathered in one camp and the Mormons in another. A justice of the peace,
in a statement to the governor, declared, "The Mormons are so numerous
and so well armed [in Daviess and Caldwell counties] that the judicial
power of the counties is wholly unable to execute any civil or criminal
process within the limits of either of the said counties against a
Mormon or Mormons, as they each and every one of them act in concert and
outnumber the other citizens." Lee says that an order had been issued
by the church authorities, commanding all the Mormons to gather in two
fortified camps, at Far West and Adam-ondi-Ahman. The men were poorly
armed, but demanded to be led against their foes, being "confident that
God was going to deliver the enemy into our hands."*
* "Mormonism Unveiled," p. 78.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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