| Show I 1 copyright secured HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH APRIL 1839 brothers kimball and turley called cable on judge king who was mad at their having reported the case to the governor and said he 1 I could have done all the business for you properly if you had come to me and I 1 would have signed the petition f for or all except joe and he is not fit to live I 1 bid brothers kimball Ki and turley to be of grood good cheer for we shall be delivered but zio no arm but god can deliver us now tell the brethren to be of good cheer and get the saints away as fast as possible brothers kimball and turley were not permitted to enter the prison and alethe all the communication we had with them was the grate of the dungeon the brethren left liberty on their return to par far west friday ath brothers kimbill kimbal and turley tarley arrived at far wast this day a company of about fifty men in daviess county swore that they would never eat or drink until they had murdered jo smith their captain wiliam bowman swore in the presence of theodore turley that he duld never eat or drink after he e had bad seen jo smith until he had bad murdered him also judge dr laffity john whitmer and five others came into the committee room and presented to theodore turley the paper concerning berning 11 the revelation 0 of july 8 8 1838 to joseph smith that the twelve were to take their leave at the building in far west 0 on 11 the twenty sixth of april to go to the isles of the sea and thew then asked him to read it T turley arley said gentlemen gentled en I 1 am well acquainted t edw c tsuk k wit it 11 they said it en on 1 I addia sua dional man will leive give wp iii ith being a prophet and an inspired man now he and the twelve are scattered all over creation let them come here if they dare if they do 0 they will be murdered As that revelation cannot be fulfilled you will now give up your faith turley jumped up and said in the name of god that revelation will be fulfilled they laughed him to scorn john whitmer hung down his head they said if they the twelve comer come they will get murdered they dare not come to take their leave here that is like all the rest of jo smiths damned prophecies they commenced on turley andraid and said he had better do as john corrill has done he is going to publish a book called mormonism fairly delineated he is a sensible man and you had better assist him 11 turley said gentlemen I 1 presume there akre men here who have heard corrill say mormonism was true joseph smith was a prophet and in inspired 1 red of god ac I 1 now aph call upon you yo J john whitmer you say corrill is a moral and good man do you believe him when he says the book of mormon is true or when it is not true there are many things published that they say is true and again turn round and say it is is false whitmer asked ask eddo you hint at me tarley replied if the cap fits you wear it all I 1 know you have published to the world that an angel did present those plates to joseph smith whitmer replied 1 I now say I 1 handled those plates there was fine engravings on both sides I 1 handled them and he described how they were vere hung and they cathey were shown to me by a supernatural power dower he acknowledged all turley asked him why the translation is not now here he said 1 I cannot read it and I 1 do not know whether it is true or not whitmer tiner testified all this in the presence of eight men tha nam mitt mot amol wad brother W dun kington made report of his journey to lib erty on business of committee i the subject of providing some clothing for the prisoners at richmond was discussed and the propriety of sending two brethren to liberty to make sales of f some lands was taken up and elders H G sherwood and T turley were appointed A bill of clothing for the richmond prisoners having bees made up was presented and given to those appointed to go to liberty that the they m might 1 h procure cure the goods on the sales of tand land saturday april ath judge king evidently fearing a change of venue or some movement on our part to escape his unhallowed persecution and most probably expecting that we would be mur murdered deredon on the way hurried myself and fellow prisoners off to daviess county under a guard of about ten men commanded by samuel tillery deau deputy ty jailer of glay clay count county y we were promised that we should go through far west which was directly on our route which our friends at that place knew and expected us but instead of fulfilling their promise they took us round the city and out of the direct course eighteen miles far from habitations where every opportunity I 1 presented for far a general massacre this evening the committee met in council prayer by elder kimball the business of the council being the order of the leaders of the the daviess mob delivered this his day to the I 1 saints in this county to leave before friday next resolved ta aire all the teams that can be hired to move the families of the saints I 1 out of the cout county ity to tennys grove resolved to send H G sherwood im I 1 mediately to illinois for assistance from the saints there in teams ac the mission of elders sherwood and turley to liberty was deferred for the present sunday april ath the committee met in council at brother turleys curleys Tur leys brother erastus snow made a report of his visit to the judges at jefferson A letter from rom t the e prisoners s at liberty was read and daniel shearer and H 0 kimball were I 1 appointed to see mr hughes hugher and get him to go go t to 0 daviess and tend the sitting of tle the court there we continued our travels across the prairie while the brethren at far west anxious f for or our welfare gave a man thirty dollars to convey a letter lette r to us at daviess county and return an answer monday ath after a tedious journey for our long confinement had enfeebled our bodily powers we arrived in daviess county about a mile from gallatin where we were delivered into the hands of william morgan sheriff of daviess county with his guard william bowman john brassfield and john pogue the liberty guard returned immediately but became divided or got lost on their way and a 8 part of arrived in far west after dark and got caught in the fence pad calling for help elder markham went io 60 their assistance and took them to the from them he got ot a letter I 1 had araen to the committee informing them if f our arrival at daviess tuesday I 1 xii pih our trial commenced before a grand di jury ur austin A king yi pres presiding idine judge as drunk rn as the jury for they awe wee all drunk together adder stephen markham had been des dea pat patched elfed by the committee to visit us and bring a hundred dollars that was sent by ei der kimball as we were destitute of I 1 means at that time and leaving far west this mornin gand swimming several streams he be arrived among us is in the afternoon and spent the evening in in our company brother markham brought us a written copy of a statute which had passed the legislature giving us the privilege of a change 0 of venue on our own affidavit judge morin arrived from mill port and was wag favorable to our escape from the persecution se we were enduring and spent the evening with us in prison and we had as pleasant a time as such circumstances would permit f for or we were as happy as the happiest the spirit buoyed us above our trials and we rejoiced in each others society wednesday was spent in the examination of witnesses before the grand jarv dr sampson avard was one of the witnesses brother markham was not permitted to give his testimony our guard went home and colonel wm win P peniston blakely and others took their I 1 place quinea illinois april 1839 to the tb e saints in prison GREETING in the midst of a crowd of business I 1 haste baste to send it a few lines by the hand of br mace our oar pr we wa i wish abou vou to know that 0 our ur friendship is una lp atino and our er c for your delivery and t that h at of the church unceasing for this purpose we havela have labored to secure the friendship of oe the governor of this state with all the principal men in this place in this we have succeeded beyond our highest anticipations governor arnor Carlin assured us last evening that he would layona lay our case before the legislature of this state and have the action of that body upon it and he would use all his influence en C e to have an action which should be favorable to our people he is also getting papers prepared signed by all the noted men in this part of the country to give us a favorable f avo rable reception at washington whither we shall repair forthwith after af ter having visited the governor of iowa of whose friend ship we e have the strongest testimonies we leave quincy this day to visit thim him our plan of operation is to impeach the of missouri on an item of the constitution of the united states that the general government shall give to each state a republican form of government such a formoe form of I 1 government does not exist in missouri and we can prove it governor carlin and his lady enter with all the enthusiasm of their natures into this work having no doubt that we can accomplish this object our plan of f operation in this work is to get all the governors in their next messages to have the subject brought before the legislatures isla tures and we will have a man at the capital of each state to furnish them with the testimony on the subject and we design I 1 to be at washington to wait upon congress Congre sg and have the action of that body on it also all this going on at the same time and havo hav the action aci n oi of the whole during one session br G W robinson will be engaged all al the time between this and the next sitting a of the legislatures in taking affidavits an and d preparing re paring for the tug of war while we will wil to be going from state to S state t ae visiting the respective governors to get the case men nonea in inear messages to 10 so as to have the whole going on at once you will see by this that our dimeis engrossed to overflowing the bishops of the church are required to ride and visit all scattered abroad and collect money to carry on this great work be assured brethren that operations of an all important character are under motion and will come to an issue as soon as possible be assured that our friendship is unabated for you and our desires desiree for your deliverance intense may god hasten it speedily is our prayer day and night yours in the bonds of affliction action SIDNEY RIGDON to J smith sinith jr H smith 0 baldwin L wight A mcrae mckae quincy ill april 1839 dear brethren in christ jesus it is with feitli fed feelings lings ings of no small moment that I 1 take pen in hand band to address you the prisoners of jesus christ and in the same faith of the gospel with myself ny self who are holden by the cords of malice we and of hellish plot tings against the just and of the lifting up th the heel against the lords anointed but they shall soon fall and not rise ab again gal 17 n for their destruction is ia sure for no power beneath the heavens can save them president rigdon is wielding a mighty shaft against the whole kidney of foul ca and of missouri yesterday he spent part apart apa rt of the thedac day with governor carlin of this state stata the president told him that he was informed that Gover governor bof bogga beggs was calculating to take out a beaulh warrant harriit for himself and others and then make a demand of his excellency I 1 for them to be given up to be taken back to missouri for trial and he was assured by that noble minded hero that if mr boggs bogis undertook that thing he would get himself hi in cef insulted he also assured him that the people called mormons cormons should find a permanent protection in this state ile he aiso ferma 0 solicited 0 10 ed our people one and all to settle in this state and if there could be a tract of 1 country that would suit our convenience he would use his influence for congress to make a grant of it to us to redress our wrongs and make up our losses we wa met last night in council of the whole and passed some resolutions with re respect ot to bending to the city of washington IM we ire making every exertion possible that lays in our power to accomplish that grand object upon which hangs our oar temporal kempor a I 1 salvation and interwoven with this our eternal salvation and so closely allied to each other are they that I 1 want to see the head connected with the body again and while we are en pang une one lut let us as be ripening for the other but my heart says where is he whose lips used to whisper the words of life to us alas AIM he be is in in the handia of zions enemies oh lord creeth my heart hear will not heaven hear our prayers and witness our tears yes saith the spirit thy tears are all bottled up and shall speedily be rewarded with the deliverance of thy dearly beloved brethren but when I 1 seethe see the fearful apprehensions of some of our brethren it causes me to mourn one instance of which I 1 will mention when I 1 arrived at far west I 1 made my mind known to some of the community and I 1 told them that I 1 wanted that they should send a messenger messenger 11 to the jail to communicate muni cate with you but I 1 was denied the privilege they said that the presidency was so an anxious x ious to be free onee once more that they would not consider the danger that the church was in I 1 they met in council and passed resolutions that myself amasa lyman and watson barlow should leave fax far west for quincy forthwith but my spirits it s have been grieved ever since so that I 1 can hardly hold my peace but there is a god in israel that can blast the hellish desires and infernal designs of that infernal whose hands have been imbrued in the blood of the martyrs and saints who wish to destroy the church of god but their chain is short there is but just enough left to bind their own hands chandr with dear brethren I 1 am at your service and I 1 wait your counsel at quincy and shall be happy to grant you the desire of your dour hearts I 1 am ready to act please to give me all the int intelligence ellig ence that is in in your pow power er if you take a change of venue please to let me know what county yoa will come to and when as near as possible and what road you vou will come for I 1 shall be an adder in the path bath yes my dear brethren god almighty will deliver you fear not for your redemption demp tion near the day of your d I 1 te is at hand war i arave it in my near beart t to lay my body in the sand or deliver you from ym your ur bonds and my mind is intensely fixed on the latter dear brethren you will be able to judge of the he spirit that actuates my breast for when I 1 realize your sufferings my heart is like wax before the fire but when I 1 reflect upon the cause of your afflictions it is like fire in my bones and burns against your enemies to the bare hilt and I 1 never can be satisfied while there is one of them to piss against a wall or draw a sword or spring a trigger for my sword has never been sheathed in peace for the blood of D W patten and those who were butchered at hauns mills creeth for vengence ven geace b from the ground therefore hear bear 0 ye heavens and record it 0 ye ve recording ai angels gels bear the tidings ye fla flaming ming seraphs serap hs that I 1 from this day declare myself the avenger av enger of the blood of those innocent men and of the innocent cause of zion and of her prisoners and I 1 will not rest until they are as free who are in s prison as I 1 am your families are all well and in good spirits may the lord bless you all ars amasa lyman and watson barlow join in saying our hearts are as thy heart br joseph if my spirit is wrong for gods sake correct it brethren be of good cheer for we are determined as god liveth to rescue you from that hellish crowd or die lin in the furrow farrow we shall |
