| 294 color of law and legal process. To constitute an extreme emergency, so as to justify a call for the militia, there ought, in my opinion, to be something more than a mere illegal act-something more than a design to resist the law in a single instance. The design ought to be general as in treason, rebellion, or insurrection; in which cases an universality of design is essential to constitute the offence [offense].
If a person resist a constable or sheriff, or other officer charged with the execution of process, with an intention to resist the law in that particular instance; such an act is a misdemeanor at most-is indictable as such, and may be met by the posse comitatus. But something more than a mere misdemeanor must have been contemplated by the law. It would seem to me that it could never have been intended that the Governor should call out the militia in every case where a constable or sheriff may be resisted; and even in a case of a riotous resistance, it would not be an extreme emergency without some military array, some warlike show, or some threatened resistance to the government itself,
In this case, there had been no warkile [warlike] array in the proceedings of Smith and his friends: no exhibition of arms, and no actual force of an illegal character. Mr. Reynolds was not subjected to illegal imprisonment. He was arrested on lawful process, and although that process may have been wrongfully obtained, yet his arrest was not riotous or unlawful, but according to the forms of law. Mr. Reynolds continued in the custody of the sheriff by virtue of that process until he was taken to Nauvoo; and although he was taken to that city against his will, and was by that means compelled to take his prisoner there, yet was he taken by lawful process; by an authorised [authorized] officer who acted, so far as I have any evidence, freely and voluntarily in so doing. In no one aspect of the case can I consider the present an extreme emergency, warranting a call for the militia according to the provisions of law in this State.
Thus, sir, I have stated to you the principal reasons which have influenced me in refusing to order a call of the militia. To my mind they are entirely satisfactory; and I hope they will meet with the approval of your excellence, and the citizens of Missouri.
I have the honor to be your excellency's most obedient servant.
THOMAS FORD.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is sending messengers to almost all nations, for the purpose of spreading gospel light, that the inhabitants of the earth may be correctly informed of things pertaining to eternity.
COMMUNICATIONS.
For the Times and Seasons
PEKIN, ILL, May 24th, 1843,
DEAR BROTHER:
Agreeable to council, I now proceed to give you a short account of my journey from Nauvoo to this place. On my way to Fort Wayne, Indiana.
I gave the people an opportunity to hear preaching in every neighborhood through which I passed; but no desire was manifested for the word, with two exceptions, until I arrived at this place. Some wished to hear in Cuba, ten miles west of Canton; but Mr. John Rigdon, a Campbellite preacher, would not let us have the use of their meeting house, it being the only suitable house in that place, unless I would give him testimonials of my good moral character, and suffer him to say what he chose in reply. I informed him he should have full liberty to reply to any thing I should advance, and correct me if [I] should take any position contrary to the Bible. But I had no letters of recommendation from the popular sects of the day, and wanted none, being sent by the authority of Jesus Christ. He replied, "Well sir, with this recommendation you cannot be admitted. A recommendation from your church," continued he, "will not do, for the world has condemned it already.' * This reminds me of the case of elder Hyde's applying to a clergyman in England for a similar favor, and was treated in like manner. Also of the words of our Savior, "I am come in my father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him will ye receive." I replied: "Sir, if you have a
[ * He might have also added, "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." It would seem that Mr. Rigdon places the Latter Day Saints in the same situation that a notorious character of old was placed by similar people to himself, of whom it is said, "Whom the world CANNOT receive!!" and assigns that as a sufficient reason for not allowing him to preach in his meeting house. The prophets, apostles, our Savior, and all good men that ever lived, were condemned by the world; and if Mr. Rigdon will shew [show] us a man of that stamp who is not, or refer us to one that ever did exist, who was not, we think that we shall discover something "new under the sun." Perhaps we ought to have made an honorable exception of himself.-EDITOR TIMES AND SEASONS]
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