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.