| 386 his instrumentality the 'Mormons' were driven off, and now retains both their money and the improvement.
"As soon as the above reports reached the ears of the said Smith and Wight, they determined immediately upon the course they ought to pursue, which was to submit to the laws. They both surrendered themselves up to Judge King, underwent a trial, and in the absence of all sufficient testimony they were discharged. They hoped that this voluntary submission of theirs to the law, and their triumphant vindication of the charge, would allay the excitement of the community. But not so-the long-desired opportunity had arrived when the oppression and extermination of the 'Mormons' might be made to assume the form of legal proceeding. The mob that had assembled for the pretended purpose of assisting the officers in the execution of process did not disperse upon the acquittal of Smith and Wight, but continued embodied with the encampments and forms of a military force, and committing depredations upon 'Mormon' property. The 'Mormons' in this extremity called upon the laws of the land and the officers of the law, for protection. After much delay, the militia under Generals Atchison, Doniphan, and Parks, were sent to their relief. They arrived on the 13th September, and encamped between the 'Mormons' and the mob.
"The above officers made no attempt to disperse the mob, excusing themselves by saying, 'that their own men had sympathies with the mob.' After remaining there for several days, those officers adopted the following expedient of settling the difficulties: they mustered the mob, and enrolled them with their own troops, and then disbanded the whole, with orders to seek their several homes. The officers went home, excepting Parks, who remained for their protection, with his men.
"The 'Mormons' made an agreement with the citizens of Daviess to buy out their lands and preëmption rights, and appointed a committee to make the purchase, and to go on buying till they had purchased to the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars. While these purchases were going on, the citizens were heard to say that as soon as they had sold
(page 386) |
