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sheriff declined serving the writ, and said he would go to Richmond and see Judge King on the subject. I told him I would remain at home until his return.

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The sheriff returned from Richmond and found me at home (where I had remained during his absence), and informed me very gravely that I was out of his jurisdiction, and that he could not act in Caldwell, and retired."-Millennial Star, vol. 16, pp. 222, 229-231.

Of these events Parley P. Pratt writes:

"Soon after these things the war clouds began again to lower with dark and threatening aspect. The rebellious party in the counties around had long watched our increasing power and prosperity with greedy and avaricious eyes, and they had already boasted that as soon as we had made some fine improvements and a plentiful crop they would drive us from the State and again enrich themselves with the spoils. Accordingly at an election held in Daviess County the robbers undertook to drive our people from the poll box, and threatened to kill whoever should attempt to vote.

"But some were determined to enjoy their right or die; they therefore went forward to vote, but were seized by the opposing party and attacked, and thus a fight commenced. But some of our people knocked down several of the robbers, and thus cleared the ground and maintained their rights, though vastly unequal in numbers. The news of this affair soon spread far and wide, and caused the people to rally, some for liberty and some to support the robbers in their daring outrages. About one hundred and fifty of our people went the next day to the residence of the leaders in this outrage, and soon an agreement was signed for peace. But this was of short duration, for the conspirators were stirred up throughout the whole State, being alarmed for fear the Mormons, as they called them, should become so formidable as to maintain their rights and liberties, insomuch that they could no more drive and plunder them. About this time meetings were held by the robbers in Carroll, Saline, and other counties, in which they openly declared their treasonable and murderous intentions of driving the citizens who belonged to our society from their counties, and

if possible from the State. Resolutions to this effect were published in the journals of upper Missouri, and this without a single remark of disapprobation."-Persecution of the Saints, pp. 58, 59.

The History of Caldwell and Livingston Counties, Missouri," has the following:

"At the August election, 1838, a riot occurred at Gallatin between the Mormons and the Gentiles. The latter would not allow the Mormons to vote, and it is admitted were the aggressors. Two Gentiles were killed and half a dozen more wounded. Both parties then armed to defend themselves, and a sort of guerrilla warfare was kept up in the county for some weeks. The people of Daviess and Living. ✓ ston petitioned Gov. Boggs to remove the Mormons from the State.

"Early in September a number of the citizens of Daviess assembled at Millport, near Adam-ondi-ahman, and began a raid on the Mormons. According to the journal of Hyrum Smith, their conduct was outrageous. It says the Gentiles. 'took away our hogs and cattle, threatened us with extermination or utter extinction, saying that they had a cannon, and that there should be no compromise only at its mouth. They frequently took our men, women, and children prisoners, whipping them and lacerating their bodies with hickory withes, and tying some of them to trees and leaving them in most uncomfortable positions without food and water for two or three days.' Much worse offenses were also charged.

"Down in Ray County, along the northern border, the Gentile settlers were (or pretended to be) apprehensive of forays upon them from the Mormons in Caldwell. Captain Samuel Bogart went to Major General D. R. Atchison, at Liberty, who was then in command of this military division, and presented a petition to be allowed to form a company to 'clean out' the Mormons if they should invade Ray County territory, and to patrol the country along the northern border of Ray and keep watch and ward against the Joe Smithites.'

"The Mormons of Daviess dispatched messengers to General Atchison and to Judge Austin A. King, at Richmond,

then the judge of this circuit, demanding assistance. General Atchison returned with the messengers, went immediately to Diahman, and from thence to Millport, and found the facts substantially true as they had been reported to himthat the Gentile citizens of Daviess County, to the number of two hundred and fifty or three hundred, were assembled in a hostile attitude and threatening the utter extermination of the Mormons. He also found that the Mormons had settled in the county with the full permission of the resident citizens at the time.

"General Atchison hastily returned to Clay and ordered out certain detachments of the militia of his division to pro ceed to Daviess County and protect the Mormons and preserve the peace generally. Perhaps five hundred troops marched to Diahman. Among these were some companies from Carroll and Saline Counties, who had marched up Grand River, camping the first night out in Daviess near the old blockhouse on Splawn's ridge, in the central part of Daviess, east of Gallatin, near Millport, and the next night at Diahman. Though the troops were sent out to protect the Mormons, they were heartily opposed to them and in sympathy with their enemies, and had matters come to a fight would most certainly have taken sides with the latter. General Atchison, seeing this, determined to evacuate the country as soon as a fair semblance of peace could be observed. He remained in camp a few days near Diahman, and then marched his troops away, fearing every hour that they would unite with those he had come to put down.

"Even before the militia had disbanded or left Daviess County, the Gentiles declared and began open warfare against the Mormons, firing upon them whenever they met them, burning a number of their houses, and taking possession of their horses, and driving off their cattle. The Mormons soon retaliated. "The prophet,' Joseph Smith, sent them from Far West a reinforcement of fifty men under Captain Seymour Brunson (or Brownson). Colonel Lyman Wight called out every able-bodied Mormon man or boy capable of carrying and handling a gun."-Pp. 126, 127.

Thus was inaugurated what is known as the "Mormon

War." By both "Mormon" and "Gentile" writers it is admitted that the Missourians were the aggressors. Whether the "Mormons" were justified in resisting or not we leave the reader to judge.

CHAPTER 10.

1838.

SEVENTIES MOVE IN A BODY-THEIR JOURNEY-D. C. SMITH AND COMPANY-SEVENTY'S CAMP-COMPANY UNDER J. E. PAGE.

AT Kirtland the year began, as we have seen, with dark and gloomy prospects. After the departure of Joseph Smith we have but meager accounts of what was going on there, until the Seventies took measures to move in a body to Missouri. Soon afterward

Seventies
move in
a body.

another company left Norton, Ohio.

Of these two companies Joseph Smith writes:

"The Seventies assembled in the Lord's house in Kirtland on the sixth of March to devise the best means of removing their quorum to Missouri, according to the revelations; and on the tenth it was made manifest, by vision and prophecy, that they should go up in a camp, pitching their tents by the way.

"On the 13th they adopted a constitution and laws to govern them on their journey, which were soon signed by one hundred and seventy-five of the brethren.

"The privilege was given for anyone to go who did not belong to the Seventies, provided they would abide the constitution; and all the faithful who could improved the opportunity, for fearful sights and great signs were shown forth in and around Kirtland, clearly manifesting to the honest heart that God was not unmindful of his word, and that he would bring upon the place those judgments he had declared by his servants.

"Elders James Foster, Zerah Pulsipher, Joseph Young. Henry Herriman, Josiah Butterfield, Benjamin Wilber, and Elias Smith were commissioners to lead the camp, which was divided into companies of tens, with a captain over each.

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