Mormon History
General Alarm by Missouri Citizens - 1838
Daily Missouri Republican – September 3, 1838
MORMON WAR.
We have every prospect just
now of a fearful commotion between that sect of religious fanatics (the Mormons)
and the citizens of Daviess and some of the adjoining counties. We give below
the remarks of the "Western Star" and the proceedings of a meeting in Ray
county. The tone and temper of the resolutions adopted at the meeting in Ray are
such as every one will highly approve. Let the law have its full course and
then, if there is not power in its officers and mandates to protect the
rights of the citizens, let the appeal be made to the last of all remedies --
the right of self-protection! The Mormons are a troublesome and dangerous set of
people, and a curse to any community in which they may be located. We have known
of them personally; they are generally a low, dirty, ignorant and degraded
class, who look upon their leaders with the most explicit confidence, and whose
biddings they obey with the most abject servility. Still, bad as they are, they
have some cause to complain that our laws have not protected them. The report
that Jo Smith had surrendered himself to the civil authorities is not confirmed
by the latest accounts from that quarter.
The remarks of the "Western Star" are as follows:
MORMONISM.
-- From the
following proceedings of a public meeting of the citizens of Ray county, our
readers will at once perceive the great excitement which prevails in conquence
of the conduct of this extraordinary sect. We will not attempt to give the
various rumors afloat, of threats and denunciations, as fulminated by Jo Smith
and his council. They can be seen in part, in an oration delivered by Sidney
Rigdon, on the last 4th of July, in which he threatens to "carry war and
extermination" to the lives and property of every citizen who may dare to oppose
their wild career.
The Mormons are at this time in open rebellion against the laws of the land.
Armed men, as will be found from the statement of Mr. Black, are parading
through Daviess county, compelling every person in any way disaffected towards
them, to sign an instrument of writing dictated by themselves; the purport of
which we are unable to find out.
Under circumstances so alarming to the tranquility of this upper country, the
circuit Judge of this District was called upon to issue his warrant for the
apprehension of the ring-leaders, who promptly complied by issuing a warrant
against Joseph Smith, jr. and Lyman Wight. For the purpose of executing this
warrant, it was placed in the hands of the Sheriff of Daviess county, who
repaired to the house of Lyman Wight -- and there found an armed force of from
80 to 100 men, and was told by Wight "that he would not be taken alive -- that
the law had never protected him, and he owed them no obedience -- that the whole
state of Missouri could not take him," &c. Joseph Smith, jr. professed his
willingness to be tried, provided it was done in Caldwell county. Upon these
facts being made known, the people of Ray county deputed a committee to Smith
and Wight, if possible to prevail upon them to cease their opposition, and
peaceably submit to the execution of the laws. That committee, as far as we
understand, were unsuccessful in their mission. A second committee was then
appointed, from whose proceedings we have not heard one word.
The Mormons can raise from 1000 to 1500 fighting men, well armed. They believe
Jo Smith to be a prophet of the Lord and that he holds a communion with him.
Hence, any statement given to them by said Smith as a Revelation of the Lord, is
to be implicitly complied with. He can embody them as one man -- as exemplified
in the late election. Suppose then, this modern Mahomet, backed by such a host
of armed bigots and enthusiasts, should take it into his head to resist the
execution of the laws, would it not verify the statement of Wight, that, even
the "whole state of Missouri could not take him!"
PUBLIC MEETING
At a public meeting of the
citizens of Ray county, at the court house in Richmond, on the 9th day of
August, 1838, the object of which was to take into consideration certain
movements of the Mormons in Daviess county; which were reported to be of a
highly illegal and dangerour character.
Whereupon, William B. Martin, Esq. was called to the Chair and Amos Rees
appointed Secretary.
On motion of Wiley C. Williams, Esq. the evidence in the hands of gentlemen
present was requested to be laid before the meeting -- which was done
accordingly, and was as follows.
Daviess County, Mo., Aug. 8, 1838.
Know all men by this, that I, Adam Black, of the county aforesaid and acting
justice thereof do hereby certify that I have this day been attacked, and my
house surrounded by a body of one hundred armed men called Mormons, my life
threatened, and I was forced to subscribe to an article which I refused to do,
until instant death was threatened me. -- I further certify, that the said body
of men threatened the lives of several individuals of this county. -- The above
named body of armed men surrounded my house, with guns, swords and pistols and
amounted to about one hundred and twenty. Believing this a violation of our
laws, the command [of] the militia of this county, is hereby required to call
out the militia to disperse said body and maintain the supremacy of the law. The
above body of armed men are commanded by Joseph Smith, Jr., and Lyman Wight.
ADAM
BLACK,
J. P.
N. B. I further certify that the whole number of Mormons embodied is about 500
men. The militia of this county mot amounting to a fraction of that number, the
militia of the adjoining counties is therefore earnestly called upon to protect
us in our homes, our liberty and our lives.
ADAM
BLACK,
J. P.
The following certificate was also presented and read:
This is to certify
that we the undersigned, visited the Mormon encampment at Lyman Wight's on this
evening, and believe from the best information that we can obtain from them that
the number embodied amounts to 500 men. This is the 8th of August, 1838,
( Johan A. Williams,
( William Slade.
Sworn to and subscribed to
before me, a justice of the peace for and in Daviess county.
ADAM
BLACK,
J. P.
There was also a variety of verbal testimony to the same purport, and shewing
preparation for actual fighting, by collecting arms, ammunition, and all other
preparatory steps for insurrection.
Orvill H. Searcy then moved that a committee of seven persons be appointed to
look into and report to the meeting, the proper course to be taken.
The chair then appointed the following gentlemen as that committee:
Orvill H. Searcy, Wiley C. Williams, Amos Rees, William Hudgent, Charles R.
Morehead, Israel R. Hendley, and Joseph Ewing.
The meeting then adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Friday, Aug. 18, 1838.
The meeting met pursuant to
adjournment.
Whereupon, the committee appointed on yesterday, reported the following preamble
and resolutions, which were unanimously adopted.
Upon an examination
of the facts and circumstances appearing to and examined by us, consisting of
certificates, documents, and other evidence, we are satisfied that there is an
armed force now collected and embodied in Daviess county, of about 500 Mormons
whose movements are highly insurrectionary and unlawful: -- that they have
already committed outrages on individuals who were old and respectable citizens
of Daviess county, by taking them in the bosom of their families, and forcing
them by threats of immediate violence or death, to sign papers, the particular
contents of which are not known to this committee, but which were such as a
freeman ought not to sign; -- and that they threaten to make this thing
universal throughout the country; and that they are still embodied, and are
purchasing and collecting ammunition, and making all preparations for an
insurrection, -- or, at least, a great and enormous violation of the laws and
the private rights of the citizens of Daviess county. We have also a variety of
evidence before us that the leaders of this people are determined not to submit
to the law, and that they are entirely revolutionary in their feelings and
intentions, and have been so for some considerable time past.
1st. Resolved, That
we highly disapprove of all improper and unlawful collection of people for any
purpose, whatsoever. But that if injuries or injustice is done to any man or
body of men, that they shall resort to the laws of the country for redress,
which we believe to be amply sufficient for that purpose.
2d. Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting all the evidence of the
movements of said body of Mormons, should be speedily made known to the judge of
this Circuit, and that if he deems the evidence sufficient to authorize his
action on the subject, the he take such steps to be apprehended and brought to
justice all concerned in the violation of the laws, as may be proper.
3d. Resolved, That we believe that Joseph Smith, Jr. and Lyman Wight, are
the leaders of this measure, and that we urge upon judge King, the necessity of
his action in his official capacity, to have said Smith and Wight brought to
immediate justice.
4th. Resolved, That this meeting deprecate any hasty or improper action
on the part of the citizens of this county, and that they will do no act which
is not justified by the laws of the land.
5th. Resolved, That a committee of vigilance be appointed on the part of
this county whose duty it shall be to collect all the information on the subject
of the movements of the Mormons, and inform the citizens of this county thereof
-- and that they also give any information which they deem necessary to other
counties -- and that they be authorized to call a meeting of the citizens of
this county when in their opinion it shall be necessary.
6th. Resolved, That a committee be appointed on the part of the people of
this county to visit Daviess and Caldwell counties, and collect all the facts in
relation to the difficulties between the Mormons and other citizens of Daviess
county, and report to the committee of vigilance of this county.
7th. Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the
newspaper printed in Liberty; together with the documents herewith returned.
On motion of Dr. R. B. Ellid,
the committee of vigilance was composed of seven persons to be appointed by the
chair. Whereupon, the chair proceeded to appoint the following persons to
compose that committee, viz: Robert B. Ellis, Dr. Thomas Allen, Moses F.
Rainwater, Chas. R. Morehouse, Wiley D. Williams, Joseph Ewing, and William
Hudgens.
On motion the committee to visit Caldwell and Daviess counties under the 6th
resolutions, was composed of three persons to be appointed by the chair. --
Whereupon, the chair proceeded to appoint the following persons to compose that
committee, viz: -- Thomas Hamilton, Israel R. Hendley, and William Hudgens,
Esquires.
On motion, it was agreed that the traveling expenses of the traveling committee
be paid by this meeting.
On motion, it was agreed that this meeting adjourn.
WILLIAM
B. MARTIN,
Cha'm.
AMOS
REES,
Secretary.
Note 1: Caldwell County (named after: Capt. Matthew Caldwell) was
organized on December, 26, 1836, with its administrative center at the new
Mormon settlement of Far West. The county was created out of Ray County by the
Missouri Legislature as a kind of reservation for the troublesome Mormons. It is
interesting to read that as early as 1838 residents of neighboring counties were
attempting to "repeal the law organizing Caldwell county." At that time the
county's population had reached about 5,000 -- only about 100 of whom were
non-Mormons.