Show AN ORDINANCE for jhc thc tec tee protection 0 of the people styled the church of jesu teso christ of latter day saints residing on the western borders of the state of Illi illinois nois vois PREAMBLE whereas the state of missouri at sundry times has unconstitutionally deprived a certain portion of her citizens called mormons cormons Mor mons of their rights property lands and even ot of their lives and whereas in the years 1838 and 1839 be said baid state of missouri did illegally and inhumanly man exile and banish for ever from her limits and jurisdiction all the said citizens called mormons cormons Mor mons that remained alive with impunity and wh wb areas after being hospitably received by the citizens of illinois the said state of illinois did grant bract enact and charter for the benefit and convenient conven convenience ien len C e of th the e 8 aid said ex exiled ile lle d mormons cormons Mor mons as follows see deseret news vol 4 page no 35 nov 9 1854 and whereas by the tenth article of the constitution of the united states as amended art 10 the powers not delegated to the united states by the constitution nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states respectively or to the people and whereas according to the fourth article and section second the citizens of each stats state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states and whereas according to the second paragraph of the third section of said constitution the congress shall have power to dispose of and inake make the needful rules and regulations respecting territory and whereas the said congress has the power to tot protect each state against it invasion and insurrection arid and whereas most of the tile inhabitants of the city of nauvoo are exiles from crom the state of missouri and whereas a 8 th the C m most 0 st 0 of f the lands owned in the state of missouri were burch purchased ased from the united states and patented by the united states to the amount of more than 2 worth and whereas the united states are bound to clear the title and protect it and whereas the said exiles or expelled Moin moir loris have lost in property and iid ild damage about two millions of dollars and whereas the said state of missouri continues her ravages per persecutions and plunder ggs i gs by kidnapping said exiles from illinois i and by by other depredations now th therefore to shew the fatherly care of the united state stat es to ratify the said charter ang to protect the said exiles from mob viol violence eng enu and shield them in their rights section 1 be it ordained by the senate ane anc and house of representatives of tiie the United States of america III in Con congress congles grep gres assembled that all the rights powers privileges arid and immunities be longing to territories and not repugnant to the constitution of the united states are hereby b granted and secured to the inhabitants inhabitant of ta the city of nauvoo in addition to the spirit letter meaning and provisions of the tile afore mentioned charter or act of incorporation from the state of I 1 illinois Ili lii nois until the state of missouri restores to those exiled citizens the lands rights privileges property and damage for foran alli losses section 2 alid and arid be it further ordained in or der to effect the object and further intention of this ordinance and for the peace secir security rity happiness convenience benefit arid and prosperity of the said city of Nati nauvoo and arid for the common weal anh and honor of our country that tho the mayor of nauvoo be and he is hereby empowered by this consent of the president Dres ident of the united states whenever the actual necessity of the case and the public safety shall require it to call to his aid a sufficient number of united forces in connection with the nali nati to repel the invasion of mobs keep the public peace arid and protect the innocent mom rom the anh unhallowed allow ed ravages of lawless that escape justice on the front kr and also to preserve the power and dignity ot of the tho union section 3 and be it further ordained that the officers of the united states by required to obey the requisitions of this ordinance section 4 and be it further orda ordained hed that for all services rendered in quelling mobs and preserving ing the tile public peace the tile said nauvoo end legion shall be under tinder the same regulations ruiea rulea and lawus lawes lav of pay ag as the troops of the united states stales city af nauvoo illinois december 21 1843 HYRUM SMITH t JOHN TAYLOR ORSON PRATT IV IV PHELPS HEBER 0 KIM SALL BENJAMIN IV ARRINGTON DANIEL BRIGHAM YOUNG onson ORSON HYDE I 1 councilor councilors Counci councillors lorb lors A ORSON SPENCER laniel baniel DANIEL naniel 11 WELLS GEO W HARRIS SAIL SAML 1 GEO A SMITH JOSEPH josepn SM ITIL mavor navor mn orv ors WILLARD RICHARDS lt ec order P SI arshaL two letters came into the post office from the sheriff of clark dark county missouri from them it appears that that state wishes to continue the old game of seizing witnesses and making prisoners of them to cover up her and kidnapping under legal form the following answer was written city of nauvoo ill iii dec 21 1843 sir two letters were put into iny my hands this morning relative to the witnesses of mr averys innocence as to being accessory to horse st stealing ealin some bome four years since in the first place mr avery was abducted from this state without process contrary to law in the second place the principal for felony by the law of missouri should be indicted W within three years ace again the revised statutes of missouri have a wise provision in such cases as mr averys if mr avery there fore will sue out a commission according to the law concerning depositions R S page 2 19 to directed to alderman geo W harris a an acting justice of the peace for the city of nauvoo na and count county of hancock the necessary testimony to establish mr averys innocence will be taken according to law and form added to the proper officer in due time respectfully ac W IV PHELPS J white esq dep sheriff clark dark co waterloo mo P PS S you will have the politeness to shew this to mr avery 3 in the evening I 1 was visited by several strangers and had bad considerable conversation with them friday 22 at home at 9 alny alno reading feadin a magazine to rny my children A little after 12 went into the store room occupied by butler and lewis and commenced a conversation with dr john r F charles to convince him that is is not justifiable arid and that I 1 did not deal in in politics david holman living about 2 miles from ramus w ent out in the evening mith with his lis family visiting about 10 ae he discovered his house on fire the neighbors had inquired how ion IOD long iong he would be gone a man rode to carthage tl ge A company went w ent tip up secured the provisions to themselves and fired the house warm and pleasant weather saturday Sa 23 at home co the brethren who called on me and attending to my domestic duties making preparations for a christmas dinner party prayer pra er meeting in the assembly room sunday 24 at home received receive i ed a visit from mr richardson one of the men who assisted in kidnapping avery av era err lie he manifested some repentance pen tance anT and borrow sorrow for his part in that transaction sac tion and promised to use what influence ho he had bad with the Missour missourians ians lans to have avery set at liberty monday monda 25 this morning about I 1 I 1 was aroused by an english sister lettice rushton widow of richard rushton senior who ten years ears ago lost her sight accompanied by three of her cyns sons with their hii wives es and her t two 0 daughters with their husbands and several dev sev eral of her neighbors singing molt mortals als ais awake with angels join c which caused a thrill of pleasure t to run through my soul soui all of my family and boarders arose to heartha hear bear the serenade and if I 1 felt elt to thank my heavenly father for their visit and blessed them in in the name of the lord they also visited my brother hyrum who was awakened from his sleep lie he arose and went out of doors ile he shook hands bands with and rind blessed each one of them in in the name of the lord and said that he thought at first that a cohort of angels had come to visit him it was w as such heavenly beav enly eniy music to him tf at home all day da about noon gave counsel to some brethren who called on me from morley morrey settlement and told them to keep law on their side and they would come out well enough at two about 50 couple sat down at ny iny table to dine while I 1 was eating my m scribe called requesting me to solemnize the marriage of his brother dr br levi richards and sarah griffiths but as I 1 could not dot leave I 1 referred him to prest B young who married them A large party supped cupped at my house and spent the evening ev eang in music dancing ac in in a most cheerful and friendly manner during buring the fe festivities stivi ties a man with his hair iong ions ank and f fall fail all ali ing over apparently came in inland and acted like a IUis missourian I 1 ite iee te quested the captain of the police to put him out of doors a scuffle ensued and I 1 had an opportunity to look look him full in the face when to my great geat surprise sur prize and joy untold I 1 discovered it was my long tried warm but cruelly persecuted friend orrin porter rockwell just arrived from nearly a years imprisonment without conviction in missouri the following is his ids statement of his bis experience and sufferings by that accursed people 1 44 I 1 orrin orbi porter rockwell was on my way from new jersey to nauvoo and while at st louis on the ath march M arch 1843 was arrested hy by a mr fox on oath of elias parker who swore I 1 was the 0 P rockwell advertised in the papers as having baving attempted to assassinate lilburn W boggs and was taken before a ma magistrate istrate in st fit louis fivas I 1 was then put into the st louis loul 1 s county jail and kept two days with a pair of iron hobbles on my ankles about mid midnight was was taken into the sta stage stae e coach in lo charge of fox and started for jefre jefferson city there N were wre nine passengers two cf of them wor wod women rien tien I 1 sat on the middle seat one of the men behind me conn corn commenced gouging me in the back I 1 spoke to him and told him that it was dark and I 1 could not see him but that he was no DO gentleman one of the ladies ladles whispered to him and he ceased the operation the next dext night the driver being drunk run a against ainest a tree and broke the king hing bolt and not know knowing I 1 nr what to do ironed as I 1 was I 1 crawled into the boot and found an extra bolt and id in the dark fixed the coach got it off the tree and we started on soon after run against a bank and could not move more I 1 was asleep at the time but the bustle awoke me w when I 1 told them if the they would take oft off in my y irons 2 is ep I 1 would get off and drive as the driver was too drunk to the llor fior horses ses they ref refused used 1 I however got hold of the lines and by the help of other passengers lifting at the wheels got it righted and I 1 drove to the le next stand near the osage river the roads were very bad and the load heavy so we ive got 71 along slowly there was an in officer of the U 8 army in the coach we were two days and two nights from st louis in reaching jefferson city where I 1 was lodged in the jail two days and and two nights the U S officer went on started on for independence still in charge of fox at Bo onville overt overtook oak the U S officer we three were all that were in the tiie coach all the way from boonville blonville Bo onville to hi independence dependence sheriff reynolds told me afterwards that when lie he looked into the stage that he took me for the guard and the officer for the prisoner for be he looked like the guilty one was about four days going giang to independence arrived there just at night a large croie crowd gathered around making many remarks some were for hanging me at once I 1 was then placed in the jail in two or three days underwent a sham trial before a justice justlee of or the peace the court house was crowded and the men were armed with hickory clubs they set on boys from 10 to 12 years of age to kick and punch me which they did repeatedly while in court fox was the main witness introduced and lie he swore f falsely fox swore that I 1 had stated to him that I 1 had not been in in the country for five years I 1 informed the court that fox swore falsely in proof roof thereof that the people of in dependence independence deiv knew that I 1 had traveled through independence several times during that time for the people were all well aware of my having visited this tills place which fact alone should satisfy them that fox was swearing for money sindney which I 1 afterwards ter wards learned that he obtained and divided with parker the magistrate committed me to prison for my safe preservation as lie was afraid the pe people ople opie would kill me but he could find no crime against me this I 1 was told by the officer who conveyed me to prison I 1 was re committed to jail still wearing the iron hobbles and was kept in the upper part in the day time and in the dungeon at night with a little dirty straw for a bed without any bedding no fire and very cold weather for eighteen n days i I 1 was not free from shaking with cold I 1 then got permission to buy 11 bushels of charcoal which I 1 put into an old kettle and kept a little fire fer fir ewhen when that was gone I 1 could not obtain any igliore more after I 1 was w as arrested at st louis I 1 was visited by joseph wood an apostate mormon who professed to be a lawyer he was accompanied by mr Blaner hasset who told me that everything I 1 had would be taken from me and proposed lo 10 take charge keep and return to me any property I 1 might have with me I 1 let him have a pair of pistols a bowie knife and watch which he never returned to me after the weather got a little warmer they thel furnished me a few old newspapers to rea read A family lived at the corner of the jail the women once in a while used to send out a little nero girl with a small basket of victuals she shoe handed up to the grate a big missouri whip stock with a piece of twine which I 1 tied to the pole and drew up the basket and let it down again I 1 made m ide a pin hook book and tied to the twine and baited with a chunk of corn dodger hard enough to knock a negro down with and stuck it out of the grated window and fished for pukes when passersby passers by came alon aion along they would stop and gawk at me awhile an add and pass ass on A preacher who had a family famil of girls iris lived on the opposite side of the street the girls would watch and laugh at them and call out and ask me if I 1 got sot any bites I 1 replied no but some glorious glo nion riou nibbles numbers were put into the jail with me at different times and taken out ou again azain one of them who was charged with a fr fraudulent a adul e nt issue of V U S treasury notes was allowed to have his saddle bags with him they contained some fire steels gun flints and articles of indian trade trace I 1 sawed the irons nearly dearly off with one of the fire steels he got the negro girl to get him a knife and I 1 finished cuttill cutting the fetters with it he would frequently call for a good sup supper M er and pay for it which was allowed him but do nofa allowed me he was very anxious to escape and urged me to undertake it with him he ordered a good supper and he ate very hearty I 1 would not eat telling him that lie he could not run if he ate so much nearly dusk as the jailor came into in to get the dishes we sprang to the door and I 1 locked him in and threw the key into the garden in coming down stairs vvo ive we met the jail |