Show I 1 copyright HISTORY OP OF JOSEPH JOSERH SMITH MAY 1844 wednesday 22 at home watching as the officers from carthage 7 were after me i at 10 am about 40 indiana of the sacs and foxes poxes came up tip of the mansion four or five f ive lve of 0 them being moutte d among whom i was black blace hawks brother rother li kis kish kee ac I 1 was obliged to send word ord I 1 could not see them at present they encamped in the coun cil chamber afternoon and night I 1 was waa with the police on duty and saw several individuals lurking around very pleasant day president brigham young preached to the brethren in st louis this evening thursday 23 emma rather better read hebrew with and counseled with various friends at 10 am the municipal court met N K i whitney presiding but there not being a quorum present adjourned for one week at one pm m had a talk with the sac and A i fox FOK indians ind i a na in my back kitchen they said when ewhen our fathers first came here this land was inhabited by bv the spanish when the spaniards were driven off the french came and then the english and americans and oui our fathers i talked a great deal with the big spirit they complained that they had been robbed of their i lands by the whites and cruelly treated I 1 told them I 1 knew they had been wronged but that we had bought this land and paid our money for it I 1 advised them not to sell any more land but to cultivate peace with the dif ferent ferenec tribes and with all men as the great 4 spirit wanted them to be united and to live in i peace the great spirit has enabled me to lind find a book boob chewing sh ewing them the book of mormon which told me about your fathers and and the great spirit told me you must send to all the tribes that you can and tell them to live in peace and arid any 0 of our people come to see you I 1 awant want you to treat them as we treat you 1 at 3 pm the indians commenced a war dance in it front 0 of my old house our people commenced with music and firing cannon after the dance which lasted about two hours the firing of cannon closed the exercise and with our music marched back to the office before they commenced dancing lancing the saints took up a collection colleiti on to get the indians food I 1 I 1 A A lathrop lathro came to my clerk dr richards and told rim gim him an officer was on his wa way with an attachment for him and that the grand grm 5 jury had found a bill against me for adultery on the testimony of william law he had bad t come from carthage ge in two hours and thirty minutes ial rai to bring the newa news n dr R came to my y house and staid all night aaron johnson came from carthage and said that foster had been swearing that I 1 swore to the complaint on which simp simpson son gon was arrested I 1 instructed johnson and rockwell 11 to go to carthage in the morning and have him bim indicted for perjury as I 1 never did swear to the complaint the officer was after john P 1 parker also and report says B young JI 11 C kimball and W V clayton past nine pm n I 1 walked a little way with D richards pir for 1 exercise my ivry brother hyrum called in the evening and cautioned me against a 11 ainest speaking so freely about my enemies ac in such a m manner a as to i make it actionable I 1 told him that six months would not roll over his head bead before they would swear twelve as palpable lies about him as they had about me president B young youn left st louis at noon in the steamboat Loii loni is phillippe 11 friday 24 with my family all day aaron johnson and 0 P rockwell went to carthage to get robt D foster indicted but they returned again as the grand iury jury had risen joseph H jackson was at carthage and had bad sworn falsely against me at 6 pm went into dr di Bernhisel ls room and had bad counsel with brothers richards and phelps I 1 ordered a meeting of the city council for tomorrow to morrow and returned to my family after bein being baing X absent about one hour bour the central C committee wrote a letter to hugh clark dark esq nauvoo illinois may 1844 sir having received your address through our mutual friend mr edward doughty we forward with this per next mail the nauvoo nei nel neighbor abor of the dinst through which you W will wiil ill iii learn the doings of a state convention held belil in this place on the and this communication muni cation has been drawn forth in a great degree through our sympathies for a people who are now being 0 mobbed in the city of brotherly cherly love philadelphia as we have been for or many years in missouri Alis and for what for our religion reli rell zion eion although called by another name the mormons cormons and the catholics are the most obnoxious to the sectarian world of any people and are the only two who have not persecuted each other and others oth ers era in ir State sand the only two who have suffered from the cruel hand of for their religion under the name of foreigners and to stay this growing rowing 0 t evil and establish jeffersonian democracy de mo cracy free trade and sailors rights and protection of person and property we have nominated gen Joseph Saith smith for the he next President of the nation a man with whom we are thoroughly g aly acquainted and have no fear in pledging our lives our fortunes and our sacred honors that if elected he will give and secure these inestimable blessings to every individual and society of men no matter what their religious faith help us to elect this man mart and we will help helg you to secure th those e privileges which aich belong to 0 o you and break eve every ry yo yoke e yo you u la 11 will I 1 please to consider yourself a member of the corresponding committee with us agreeably to the resolution resol titio n of the state convention ven tion and lay this subject before your people P lie lle giving givin us your views on receipt hereof and ahl a ri open such correspondence as wisdom bhail shall dictate general smiths prospects are brightening every day with sentiments of the highest consideration we are your obedient servants WILLARD RICHARDS JOHN M BERNHISEL IV IV PHELPS LUCIAN R FOSTER central committee of Correspond correspondence enc e for the election of gen joseph smith to the presidency hugh clark dark esq alderman corner of ath and masters street northern liberties philadelphia rainy evening A conference was held at chicago alfred cordon president and james burgess clerk eleven elders were present and a very favorable impression was made upon the minds of the people saturday 25 at home keeping out of the way of the expected writs fit fir from am C carthage art hage bage towards evening edward hunter and william marks of the grand brand jury returned from carthage tha iha e also marshal john P greene an and dAlmon almon W babbitt who informed me there were two indictments found against me one charging me with false swearing on the testimony of joseph jpseph H jackson and robert D foster and one charging me with polygamy or something else on the testimony of william law that I 1 had told him so the particulars of which I 1 shall learn hereafter there was much false swearing before the grand jury francis dr higbee bee swore so HARD that I 1 had received stolen to en property property ac that his testimony was rejected I 1 heard that joseph H jackson had bad come into the city I 1 therefore instructed the officers to arrest him for threatening nim to take life ac I 1 had a long talk with edward hunter my brother hyrum dr richards william marks almon W babbitt shadrach roundy edward bonney and others and concluded not to keep out of the way of the officers any Ion lon longer hongler gner gler at 2 pm I 1 was in council in my north room and heard the letters from elder 0 hyde read and instructed dr richards to write an answer which he did as follows nauvoo may 25 1844 orson hyde ebol esq sir yours youra of april is received the council convened this afternoon and after investigation directed an answer which must be brief to correspond with a press of busin business esq all the items you refer to had previously received the deliberation of the council hiess Aless rs lyman wight and heber C kimball will vill doubtless be in washington before you receive this from whom you will learn all things relative to texas ac our great success at present depends upon our faith in the doctrine of election and our faith must be made manifest by our works and every honorable exertion made to elect gen smith Agricultural pursuits will take care of themselves regulating their own operations and the rich also but the poor we must gather and take care of f for they are to inherit the kingdom I 1 nauvoo will be a corner corner stake of zion for ever we most assuredly expect here is the house and the ordinances extend where else we may press the bills through the two houses if possible if congress will not pass them let them do as they have a mind with them if they will not pass our bills but will give us something 5 they will give what they please and it will wil I 1 be at our option to accept or reject men alen who are afraid of lb hazarding az arding their influence in the council or political arena are good for nothing itis the fearless tearless undaunted and persevering who will gain the conquest of the forum r orum sidney rigdon figdor esq is about to resign the post office at nauvoo N nauvoo in favor of gen joseph smith the founder of the city he has the oldest petitions now on file in the general post office for that station anglias an undoubted claim over every other petitioner by being the founder and supporter of the city and by the voice of nineteen twentieths of the people and every sacred consideration and it is the wish of the council that you engage the illinois delegation to use their influent influence c e to secure the office to gen smith without fail and have them ready to act on the arrival of mr Rig dons resignation and before too if expedient we are also writing to justin butterfield esq US U S attorney for the district of illi illinois nois i who has kindly offered his services to secure the post office to the general he be having been here and seen for himself the situation and probably his letter to the department will arrive rive as soon as this the election on the principles of jeffersonian democracy free trade and protection of person and property is gaining paining ground in every quarter all is a well at nauvoo although some of the antles are trying to do us injury but their efforts are palsied and they make very little head way you remember the preston motto truth will prevail 2 therefore we go ahead you have the best wishes of the council and friends here I 1 am bir sir most respectfully yours W RICHARDS recorder ec order by order of the council NB your families and friends were well ivell last information I 1 sidney rigdon resigned the office of post master of nauvoo and recommended me as his hia successor ic cessor the maid of iowa lowa 5 arrived at 5 pm the high council having directed the following Z testimony to be published in the neighbor I 1 copy it with the editors remarks to shew the character of the men who are now dow seeking to destroy my life and usefulness and overthrow the work of the lord which be he has commenced through my instrumentality Ic testimony of margaret 1 nyman vs chauncey L higbee before the high council of the church or of jesus christ of latter day saints in the city of nauvoo may 1842 some time during the month of march last chauncey L ili fil higbee be e came to my mothers house early one e evening and proposed a walk to a spelling school my sister matilda and myself accompanied him but changing our design on the way we stopped at mrs fullers during the evenings interview he as I 1 have since learned with wicked lies proposed that I 1 should yield to his desires and indulge in sexual intercourse with him stating that such intercourse might be freely indulged in and was no sin that any respectable female might indulge in sexual intercourse inter couse conse and there was no sin in it providing the person so indulging keep the same to herself for there could be no sin where chere there was no accuser and most clandestinely with wicked lies persuaded me to yield by using the name of joseph smith and as I 1 have since learned totally false and unauthorized and in consequence of those arguments gu ments I 1 was influenced to yield to my seducer chauncey L higbee I 1 further state that 1 have no personal acquaintance with joseph smith and never heard him teach such doctrines as stated by chauncey directly or indirectly I 1 heartily re repent ent edt before god asking the forgiveness of my brethren brethren MARGARET J NYMAN c state Sta teof of illinois county of Hancock city of nauvoo 5 i ss nay may 1842 personally appeared before me george IV harris alderman of the city aforesaid margaret J nyman the signer of the above instrument and testified under oath that the above declaration is true GEO IV HARRIS alderman nauvoo nay may 1842 during this spring chauncey Chann cey L higbee kept company with me from time to time and asi asi have since learned wickedly deceitfully and with lies in his mouth urged me vehemently to yield to his desires that there could ouid be b e no wrong t in having sexual intercourse with any female fema le that coald could keep the same to herself most villainously and stating that he had been so instructed by dy joseph smith and that there was no sin where there was no accuser also vowing lie he would marry me not succeeding he on one occasion brought one who affirmed that such inter intercourse couise coulse was tolerated by the heads of the church I 1 have since found him found him also to be a lying conspirator against a alil airi s t female virtue and chastia chastity y having never received such teachings 11 from the heads of the church but I 1 was at the time tima partially influenced influence ci to believe in consequence conse quente of the source from whom I 1 received it I 1 yielded and became subject to the will of my seducer chauncey L higbee and having since found out to my satisfaction that a number of wicked men have conspired to use the name of joseph smith or the heads of tha the church falsely and wickedly to enable them to gratify their lusts thereby destroying female innocence and virtue I 1 repent before god and my brethren and ask forgiveness I 1 further testify that I 1 never had any personal I 1 acquaintance with joseph smith S r nithe and I 1 never heard him each leach such doctrines as higbee stated either directly or indirectly MATILDA J NYMA NYMAN cc state of illinois city of nauvoo s ss 31 may ay 24 1842 personally appeared before me george W harris alderman of said city matilda J nyman the signer of the above instrument and testified under oath that the above declaration was true GEO W HARRIS alderman 12 baut maut oo may 1842 some two or three weeks sinde in consequence of brother joseph smiths teachings to we tae singers I 1 began to be alarmed concern concerning iii myself and certain teach which I 1 had received from chauncey L higbee and ed him higbee about his teaching tor I 1 was wag pretty well persuaded from josephs public teach teachings its that hat chauncey had been telling falsehoods but t chauncey said that joseph now taught as he did through necessity on account of the prejudices of 0 the people and his own family particularly as they had not become believers in in the doctrine I 1 then became satisfied that all of chaun chaim cays teachings had been falser false faise and ib that at he had bad never been authorized by any one in in authority to make any such communication to me chauncey L Hig bees becs teaching and conduct were as follows when he first came to my house soon after the special conference this spring r chauncey commenced bantao joking kin me about my Y ge letting getting married and wanted to know how I 1 long 0 n i it t h had na been since my husband |