--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1842 to 1843. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 4 number: 18 published: 1843-08-01 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“The Kidnapping of Gen. Joseph Smith,” *Times and Seasons* 4, no. 18 (August 1, 1843): 288." printed_title: The Kidnapping of Gen. Joseph Smith, source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-08-01_4_18 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v4n18.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-08-01_4_18 start_page: 288 end_page: 288 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1843 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-08-01_4_18 publication_year: 1843 --- # The Kidnapping of Gen. Joseph Smith On the 23d of June, by Reynolds, the Sheriff of Jackson County, Mo. and Wilson, of Carthage, Hancock Co Ill. BY MISS E. R. SNOW. Like bloodhounds fiercely prowling, Their hearts are seats where blindness With pistols ready drawn- O'er foul corruption reigns- With oaths like tempests howling, The milk of human kindness Those kidnappers came on. Flows not within their veins. He bared his breast before them, Their conduct was unworthy But as they hurried near, The meanest race of men; A fearfulness came o'er them- 'Twould better fit the tiger It was the coward's fear. Emerging from its den! Well might their dark souls wither Missouri! O, Missouri! When he their courage dared- You thus prolong your shame Their pity fled, O whither? By sending such as Reynolds When he his bosom bared? Abroad to bear your name. "Death has to me no terrors," Could Jackson County furnish He said, "I hate a life No tamer shrub than he? So subject to the horrors Must legal office burnish Of your ungodly strife." Such wild barbarity? "What means your savage conduct? Go search the rudest forests, Have you a lawful writ? The panther the bear To any LEGAL process As well would grace your suff'rage- I cheerfully submit." As well deserve a share. "Here," said these lawless ruffians, Then might the heartless Wilson, "Is our authority" Thy shame, O Illinois! And drew their pistols nearer Become confed'rate with them In rude ferocity. And teach them to destroy. With more than savage wildness- So much ferocious nature Like hungry beasts of prey; Should join the brutish clan, They bore, in all his mildness, And not disgrace the features The man of God away! That claim to be a man. With brutish haste they tore him But hear it, O Missouri! From her he loves so well, Once more "the prophet's free"- And far away they bore him Your ill-directed fury With scarce the word "farewell"! Brings forth a "jubilee." The Times and Seasons, is edited by JOHN TAYLOR. Printed and published about the first and fifteenth of every month, on the corner of Water and Bain Streets, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, by JOHN TAYLOR AND WILFORD WOODRUFF. TERMS. TWO DOLLARS per annum, payable in all cases in advance. Any person procuring five new subscribers, and forwarding us Ten Dollars current money, shall receive one volume gratis. All letters must be addressed to John Taylor, editor, POST PAID, or they will not receive attention.