Show Effect of Hostilities 1 Hostilities between the MoT MoT- ni mons and their opponents continued continued contin contin- to gain intensity and l hatred atred until the climax was reached In Inthe inthe th the expulsion of the former from Nauvoo in the wint winter r of 1816 1846 The picture of hundreds of families crossing crossing- the river in February and establishing a temporary abode in Iowa is Indeed a pathetic one What feelings must have rank- rank I d their hearts as the they faced the wintry blasts and icy waters of the Mississippi and turned towards the far off western country where they were ere to se seek l a new a asylum t remote emote from the centers of civili civill- civilization civilization When they looked for the thelast thelast thelast last time upon the beautiful city cf of Nauvoo which their toil and Industry had built bitter indeed inde must have been resentment against ag- ag those who were the cause of their misery Not only could they find no abiding pl place ce in Illinois Missouri or Arkansas but apparently apparently nowhere within the confines of the United States the country they loved and whose constitution tu- tu tion they revered as divine Hence their eyes were vere being turned In Inthe inthe inthe the direction of a remote region then belonging belonging- to Mexico To bs be sure the definite locality was somewhat vague but the Great Basin or Salt Lake valley I had been discussed favorably for some time Still incidentally other plans were toyed toed with In fact I letters were sent out In various directions asking for help One such was written to Governor Thomas S S. S Drew Drev of Arkansas He refused refuge but urged emigration tion to Oregon California Texas or Nebraska No place seemed to offer security but in some isolated region in the Rocky Mountains The people were gradually being prepared for just such a wilderness wilderness wilder wilder- ness trek In the Times and Sea Sea- son there ther appeared in 1846 a notice notice notice no no- tice to the saints throughout the world that The Exodus of the only true Israel from these United States to toa a far distant region of I the West Vest wh where re bigotry big and insatiable insatiable insatiable in in- satiable oppression will have lost I its power over ove- them forms a new epoch not only in the history of the church but of this nation i This statement signed by Brigham Young and the apostles Is in accord accord accord ac ac- ac- ac cord with declarations of the leaders quoted in previous ar ar- I Such declarations coupled with various extravagant rumors led to I the belief that perhaps the Mormons Mormons Mormons Mor Mor- mons would go West Vest and in case of war join England or Mexico against ag their own country One basis basis' for the belief was wag a letter I of Governor Edwards of l Missouri I to Wm L L. L Marcy Secretary of War Var In this he said The Mormons Mormons Mormons Mor Mor- I mons arc are a bad and deluded sect Ii and they have been badly b treated I but I suppose very correctly yet they do not believe so and under II the treatment the they have received if they are not enemies both of our people and our government g r then they are be better ter Christians I and purer patriots than other denominations denominations denominations de de- nominations a thing which nobody in in the West Vest can believe It ItI i I To counteract such rumors ors and give assurance of the loyalty of the Mormons Elder Jesse C. C Little wrote Pres Polk that the Mormons Mormons Mor mons as well as myself are true truehearted truehearted truehearted hearted Americans true to our country true to its laws and true to its glorious institutions and the High Council at Nauvoo published published published pub pub- a greeting to the Saints and to whom it may concern a circular ar letter in which occurred the following following following fol fol- lowing We Ve also further declare for the satisfaction of some who have concluded that our grievances es have us from our country that our patriotism has not been overcome by fire by sword by daylight nor by midnight midnight mid mid- d- d night assassinations which we have endured neither have they alienated us from the institutions of our country Nevertheless the saints were directing their course to a land belonging to a foreign c country Another article of this series will appear nert week I |