| 242 disposed to put a stop to that executive influence which had sought the destruction and overthrow of Mr S.] Mr S. returned in peace to the bosom of his family, and was received with joyous acclamation by a numerous host of friends who felt to rejoice that innocence had triumphed over persecution, fanaticism, and despotism.
Once more at peace, Mr, Smith flattered himself that his relentless persecutors must have satiated their rage and exausted [exhausted] their ingenuity to find means to prosecute; and he had favorably hoped that had they invented anything else, that the executive of this state, alive to the injustice that Mr Smith had already experienced from the hands of Missouri, would not have countenanced or furthered any demands that might be made by that state upon the executive of this, for the person of Joseph Smith.-This we believe he had reason to expect; he was in hopes that the time of his trials, pertaining to the tyrrany [tyranny] of that state, was at an end, and that he would be allowed to enjoy the precious boon of liberty, and to dwell in peace in the bosom of his family, and with his friends.-Feeling perfectly secure, he set off with his family to Mr. Wassons', to visit his wife's sister, Mrs Wasson and family, who resided about twelve miles from Dixon, Lee County, in this state. While he was there, a Mr. J. H. Reynolds, Sheriff of Jackson county, Missouri, (so he says) and Mr. Harman Wilson, of Carthage, arrived at Dixon, professing to be Mormon preachers; from thence they proceeded to Mr. Wasson's, at whose house Mr. Smith was staying. They found Mr. Smith outside of the door, and accosted him in a very uncouth ungentlemanly manner, quite in keeping however, with the common practice of Missourians. The following is as near the conversation as we can gather. Reynolds and his coadjutor Wilson, both stepped up at a time to Mr. Smith with their pistols cocked, and without shewing [showing] any writ or serving any process, Mr. Reynolds with his pistol cocked at Mr. Smith's breast, cried out, "G-d d-n you if you stir I'll shoot-G-d d-n you if you stir one inch I'll shoot you, G-d d-n you-be still or I'll shoot you by G-d." "What is the meaning of this?" interrogated Mr. Smith. "I'll show you the meaning by G-d, and if you stir one inch I'll shoot you, G-d d-n you." "I am not afraid of your shooting, answered Mr. Smith, I am not afraid to die." He then bared his breast, and said "shoot away, I have endured so much oppression I am weary of life and kill me if you please. I am a strong man however, and with my own natural weapons could soon level both of you; but if you have any legal process to serve, I am at all times subject to law and shall not offer resistance," "G-d d-n you if you say another word, we'll shoot you, by G-d." "Shoot away" answered Mr. Smith, "I am not afraid of your pistols." They then hurried him off to a carriage that they had, and without serving process, were for hurrying him off without letting him see, or bid farewell to his family or friends. Mr. Smith then said, "gentlemen if you have any legal process I wish to obtain a writ of Habeas Corbus [Corpus]." and was answered, "G-d d-n you, you sha'nt have one." Mr. Smith saw a friend of his passing and said these men are kidnapping me, and I wish a writ of habeas corpus to deliver myself out of their hands. This friend immediately proceeded to Dixon whence the Sheriff also proceeded to full speed; on arriving at the house of Mr. McKennie, tavern keeper, Mr. Smith was thrust into a room and guarded there without being allowed to see anybody, and horses were ordered in five minutes. Mr. Smith then stated to Reynolds: "I wish to get counsel," and was answered "G-d d-n you , you sha'nt have counsel, one word more G-d d-n you and I'll shoot you." "What is the use of this so often," said Mr. Smith, "I have often told you to shoot, and I now tell you again to shoot away;" and seeing a person passing he said, I am falsly [falsely] imprisoned here, and I want a lawyer. A lawyer came, and had the door banged in his face with the old threat of shooting if he came any nearer, another afterwards came and received the same treatment. Many of the citizens of Dixon by this time being apprised of his situation stepped forward, and gave the Sheriff to understand, that if that was their mode of doing business in Missouri, they had another way of doing it here, that they were a law-abiding people, and republicans, that Mr: Smith should have justice done him, and have the opportnnity [opportunity] of a fair trial, but that if they persisted in their course, they had a very summary way of dealing with such people-and gave them; to understand that Mr. Smith should not go without a fair and impartial trial. Mr. Reynolds finding further resistance to be useless allowed one or two attorneys to come to Mr. Smith, who gave them to understand that he had been taken up without process; that they had insulted and abused him, and he wanted a writ of habeas corpus. Up to this time they had altogether refused to allow the counsel to have private conversation with him.
A writ was sued out by Mr. Smith against Harman Wilson for a violation of the law in relation to writs of habeas corpus, the
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