| 393 Executive of Illinois. Can it be supposed that the people of Missouri would thus tamely submit to the commission of treason by a portion of their citizens, and make no effort to punish the guilty, when they were thus publicly living in an adjoining State? Is not this passiveness evidence [that] they knew the 'Mormons' were innocent and the citizens of Missouri wrong?
"But to return to the operations of General Lucas before Far West; we need only say that the exterminating order of Governor Boggs was carried into full effect. After the above-named individuals were taken prisoners, all the 'Mormons' in Far West, about five hundred in number, surrendered up their arms to the militia without any resistance. The 'Mormons' now fled in every direction-women and children, through the dead of winter, marked their footsteps with blood as they fled from the State of Missouri.
"The orders of the Governor were that they should be driven from the State or destroyed. About fifteen thousand souls, between the sacking of Far West and spring, abandoned their homes, their property, their all, hurried by the terrors of their armed pursuers, in want of every necessary of life, with bleeding hearts sought refuge in the State of Illinois, where they now reside.
"We cannot trespass upon your time by the relation of cases of individual suffering; they would fill a volume. We forbear for our regard to humanity, to detail the particulars of the conduct of the Missouri militia. We could relate instances of house burnings, destruction of property, robbings, rapes, and murder, that would shame humanity. One instance as a sample of many which they enacted: Two hundred of the militia came suddenly upon some 'Mormon' families emigrating to the State, and then encamped at Haun's mill in Caldwell County. The 'Mormon' men and children took refuge in an old log house which had been used as a blacksmith's shop. On seeing the militia approach, the 'Mormons' cried for quarter, but in vain; they were instantly fired upon; eighteen fell dead; and their murderers, putting the muzzles of their guns between the logs, fired indiscriminately upon children, upon the dead and
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