Chapter XXXVIII. Joseph Spurns the Politicians

His Prophecy to Judge Douglas. Missouri's Persistent Malevolence. Speech at Nauvoo. A Dramatic Incident. Again Triumphant.

Nauvoo, Jan. 23d, 1843. Editor of "Wasp."

Dear Sir: — I have of late had repeated solicitations to have something to do in relation to the political farce about dividing the county, but as my ideas revolt at the idea of having anything to do with politics, I have declined, in every instance, having anything to do on the subject. I think it would be well for politicians to regulate their own affairs. I wish to be let alone, that I may attend strictly to the spiritual welfare of the church.

Please insert the above, and oblige

Joseph Smith.

Nothing of special historical interest occurred to the saints during the first half of 1843, though it should be understood that Nauvoo was growing

rapidly, the elders going on missions and returning, while the work in Great Britain nourished greatly. On the 1 8th of May, however, occurred the famous prophecy of Joseph to Judge Douglas, which is certainly worthy of record. The occasion was an after dinner talk with Judge Douglas, at Carthage, at which the Judge warmly seconded some remarks by Joseph concerning the treatment of the saints by Missouri. Turning to him he said, impressively : "Judge, you will aspire to the Presidency of the United States, and if you ever turn your hand against me or the Latter-day Saints, you will feel the weight of the hand of the Almighty upon you, and you will live to see and know that I have testified the truth to you ; for the conversation of this day will stick to you through life."

And the evidently implied meaning was, that if Douglas kept faith with the Prophet, he should be President of the United States.

The time foretold did come, although at the date of the prophecy Judge Douglas had not yet reached Congress. And at the time of its fulfillment not only the fate of Douglas, but of the Democratic party, was in the balance.

For years the elders, remembering Joseph's prophecy, watched with interest the rise of the " Little Giant" toward the pinnacle of his ambition, hoping and trusting that he would deserve, and reach, fruition ; but when, in his great Lexington speech, he cried to the nation, concerning Utah, "cut the loathsome ulcer out," with one accord, in every land, they exclaimed, "Douglas has proclaimed his own doom!"

It is but just, however, to state that during the

lifetime of Joseph, Douglas was true to his covenant.

But Missouri's persistent malevolence again manifested itself, and a fresh warrant was issued for the purpose of arresting the Prophet and dragging him before the courts of that State.

This warrant was served, and the arrest made in a most brutal and hasty manner, while Joseph was unprotected and alone with his family on a visit to his sister-in-law, near Dixon, in Lee County, and he was hurried away without a moment's respite, with the evident intent on the part of the officers to get him out of the State before the machinery of the law could be put in motion to release him. They were compelled to halt at Dixon, however, where the indignation of the citizens was aroused by their brutal conduct. Prompt measures were also instituted by his friends, and a writ of habeas corpus was quickly procured.

In the meantime the brethren at Nauvoo were not inactive. The news of Joseph's forcible abduction soon reached their ears. A company of 175 horsemen, under command of Generals Law and Rich, started the same evening in pursuit, with Apostle Woodruff's blessing on their heads and a barrel of gunpowder in their flasks, which he had donated for the expedition. It is unnecessary to add that although this company lost no time in overhauling the officers, they were not needed in the case, as the Prophet was already under the sheltering arm of the law. Owing to the absence of the nearest judge before whom the writ of habeas corpus could be returned, a journey to Quincy, 250 miles

distant, was determined upon. On the journey the purpose of the officers to forcibly abduct their prisoner was fully betrayed, but the brethren took good care that their purpose should be defeated. [ Finding that writs of habeas corpus could be heard -and determined at Nauvoo, the officer in charge decided to proceed thither, instead of to Quincy, which point (Nauvoo) the party, after a fatiguing journey, reached on the 30th, being met on the outskirts of the town by a concourse of citizens, a band of music, &c, and escorted to the Prophet's home amid cheers of welcome and salvos of artillery.

At five o'clock in the afternoon of the same day Joseph met "the boys" in the grove by appointment, and delivered the following ringing speech:

" * * I meet you with a heart full of gratitude to Almighty God, and I presume you all feel the same. I hardly know how to express my feelings. I feel as strong as a giant. I pulled sticks with the men coming along, and I pulled up with one hand the strongest man that could be found. Then two men tried, but they could not pull me up. And I continued to pull, mentally, until I pulled Missouri to Nauvoo. * * * It is not so much my object to tell of my afflictions, trials and troubles, as to speak of the writ of habeas corpus, so that the minds of all may be corrected. It has been asserted by the great and wise men, lawyers and others, that our municipal powers and legal tribunals are not to be sanctioned by the authorities of the State ; and accordingly they want to make it lawful to drag away innocent men from their families and friends, and have them put to death by ungodly men for

their religion. Relative to our city charter, courts, rights of habeas corpus, &c, I wish you to know and publish that we have all power ; and if any man from this time forth says anything to the contrary, cast it into his teeth.

" There is a secret in this. If there is not power in our charter and courts, then there is not power in the State of Illinois, nor in the Congress or Constitution of the United States; for the United States gave unto Illinois her constitution or charter, and Illinois gave unto Nauvoo her charters, ceding unto us our vested rights, which she has no right nor power to take from us. All the power there was in Illinois she gave to Nauvoo. I want you to hear and learn, O, Israel, this day, what is for the happiness and peace of this city and people. If our enemies are determined to oppress us and deprive us of our constitutional rights and privileges, as they have done, and if the authorities that are on the earth will not sustain us in our rights, nor give us that protection which the laws and Constitution of the United States, and of this State, guarantee unto us, then we will claim them from a higher power — from heaven — yea, from God Almighty.

" I have dragged these men here by my hand, and will do it again ; but I swear I will not deal so mildly with them again, for the time has come when forbearance is no longer a virtue. * * * I have no doubt but I shall be discharged by the municipal court. Were I before any good tribunal I should be discharged, as the Missouri writs are illegal and good for nothing — they are ' without form and void.' But before I will bear this unhallowed persecution

any longer, before I will be dragged away again among my enemies for trial, I will spill the last drop of blood in my veins. * * To bear it any longer would be a sin. * *

" I wish the lawyer who says we have no powers in Nauvoo may be choked with his own words. Don't employ lawyers nor pay them money for their knowledge, for I have found that they don't know anything. * * If mobs come upon you any more here, dung your gardens with them. We don't want any excitement ; but after we have done all, we will rise up, Washington like, and break off the hellish yoke that oppresses us. * *

" It did my soul good to see your feelings and love manifested towards me. I thank God that I have the honor to lead so virtuous and honest a people ; to be your leader and lawyer, as was Moses to the children of Israel. Hosannah to Almighty God, who has delivered us thus from out of the seven troubles. I commend you to his grace, and may the blessings of heaven rest upon you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

On Saturday, July ist, the municipal court of Nauvoo met for the purpose of adjudicating the question of Joseph's delivery to the agent of Missouri, the question turning on the establishment or non-establishment of the charge of treason, preferred against him by that State through its Executive. Hyrum Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Brigham Young, Geo. W. Pitkin, Lyman Wight and Sidney Rigdon were examined as witnesses in the case. Their testimony was unanimous as to the law-abiding and untreasonable character of the prisoner,

and also embodied a voluminous and circumstantial history of the Missouri difficulties, all tending to show that the prisoner was entitled to his discharge on the merits of the case. The findine of the court was then duly pronounced, and Joseph was once more free from the toils of his enemies.

A deputation of Pottawatamie chiefs having been in waiting several days to see the Prophet, he hastened to meet them, at the first practical moment after the trial, when the following remarkable interview took place :

The orator of the delegation being assured that all present were Joseph's friends, and that he might therefore speak confidentially, arose and, through the interpreter, said : " We as a people have long been distressed and oppressed. We have been driven from our lands many times. We have been wasted away by wars, until there are but few of us left. The white man has hated us and shed our blood, until it has appeared as though there would soon be no Indian left, \yrf~e have talked with the Great Spirit, and the Great Spirit has talked with us. We have asked the Great Spirit to save us and let us live, and the Great Spirit has told us that he had raised up a great prophet, chief, and friend, who would do us great good and tell us what to do ; and the Great Spirit has told us that you are the man (pointing to Joseph). We have now come a great way to see you and hear your words, and to have you tell us what to do. Our horses have become poor, traveling, and we are hungry. We will now wait and hear your words/]\

Joseph was affected to tears. He arose and said:

" I have heard your words. They are true. The Great Spirit has told you the truth. I am your friend and brother, and I wish to do you good' Your fathers were once a great people. They worshiped the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit did them good. He was their friend, but they left the Great Spirit, and would not hear his words nor keep them. The Great Spirit left them, and they began to kill one another, and they have been poor and afflicted until now.

" The Great Spirit has given me a book, and told me that you will soon be blessed again. The Great Spirit will soon begin to talk with you and your children. This is the book which your fathers made. I wrote upon it (showing them the Book of Mormon). This tells me what you will have to do. I now want you to begin to pray to the Great Spirit. I want you to make peace with one another, and do not kill any more Indians: it is not good. Do not kill white men ; it is not good ; but ask the Great Spirit for what you want. And it will not be long before the Great Spirit will bless you, and you will cultivate the earth, and build good houses like white men. We will give you something to eat and to take home with you."

At the close of the interview Joseph had an ox killed for them, and they were furnished with some more horses, and went home satisfied and contented.

It may be parenthetically remarked that this deed of kindness was indeed like "bread cast upon the waters," for in the dark days of the exodus the saints found welcome and rest for a season under the guardianship and shelter of the friendly Pottawatamies.

On Monday, July 3d, a special conference was called, when some eighty or more of the elders were chosen to go among the citizens of the various counties of Illinois, for the purpose of disabusing the public mind as to the attitude of the saints with regard to the laws of the land.

At a grove meeting, on Sunday, the 8th, Joseph addressed the saints, among other things of doctrine and precept pronouncing the following golden sentiments :

" The saints can testify whether I am willing to lay down my life for my brethren. If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a * Mormon,' I am bold to declare before heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination ; for the same principle which would trample on the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination that may be unpopular and too weak to defend itself.

" It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul — civil and religious liberty to the whole of the human race. Love of liberty was diffused into my soul by my grandfathers while they dandled me on their knees. * * *

" One of the grand fundamental principles of ' Mormonism ' is to receive truth, let it come whence it may. * * *

" If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down ? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way, too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to

believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way."

And from his sermon of the following Sabbath we excert this gem :

" Let me be resurrected with the saints, whether I ascend to heaven, or descend to hell, or go to any other place. And if we go to hell, we will turn the devils out of doors and make a heaven of it. Where this people are, there is good society. What do we care where we are, if the society be good ?"

Two days later, July 12th, 1843, was given the famous revelation on the eternity of the marriage covenant, including plurality of wives. But as this revelation was not published to the world until after Joseph's death, it does not properly belong to this work.

But the Missourians, loth to abandon their purpose against the life of the Prophet, took the ground that the action of the authorities at Nauvoo was in the nature of a rescue of a prisoner from lawful authority, and that he should be delivered into their hands the same as though such action had not been taken. Taking this view of the case, and knowing that the citizens of Nauvoo would resist any further attempt to arrest Joseph, Gov. Reynolds, of Missouri, applied to the Governor of Illinois, requesting him to call out a militia force and compel Nauvoo to deliver him up. This Gov. Ford politely but promptly refused to do. And thus, for the time, Joseph completely won the issue.