| 447 in which time, eight embraced the gospel, and many more are believing. I ordained brother Eli Terrill an elder-who expected to remain there until I return, as I expect to return early in the fall, and spend the winter, and I trust that by next spring, we shall be able to gather up quite a company of sons and daughters for Zion.
Yours, in the bonds of the Everlasting Covenant,
Harrison Sagers.
Times and Seasons
City of Nauvoo,
Tuesday, June 15, 1841.
The Late Proceedings.
Much anxiety, undoubtedly, exists in the minds of the saints respecting the late proceedings in reference to Pres. Joseph Smith, and many reports have been circulated calculated to mislead the public mind. We shall, therefore, give a brief account of the proceedings as far as they have come under our notice.
On Saturday, the 5th inst., as Pres. Joseph Smith was on his return from Quincy, to which place he had accompanied Pres. Hyrum Smith and William Law, on their mission to the East, he was arrested, at the Bear Creek Hotel, by two officers of Justice, on a warrant from Gov. Carlin, to deliver him up to the authorities of Missouri. He accordingly returned to Quincy, and obtained a writ of habeas corpus before C. A. Warren, Esq., Master in Chancery; and Judge Douglass happening to come to Quincy that evening, appointed to give a hearing on the Tuesday following, in Monmouth, Warren county, where the court was then sitting. On Sunday evening, he returned to Nauvoo in charge of the officers, and on Monday morning started for Monmouth, accompanied by several of his friends. On arriving at that place we found great excitement prevailing in the public mind, and great curiosity was manifested by the citizens, who were extremely anxious to obtain a sight of the prophet.
On Tuesday morning, Mr. Little, for the defence [defense], motioned that the case of Mr. Smith should be taken up, but was objected to by the States attorney pro tem, on account of his not being prepared, not having had sufficient notice of the trial. It was accordingly, by mutual consent, postponed until Wednesday morning.
Tuesday evening, great excitement prevailed, & the citizens employed several attorneys to plead against the defendant.
At an early hour on Wednesday morning, the Court House was filled with spectators desirous to hear the proceedings.
Mr. Morrison on behalf of the people wished for time to send to Springfield for the indictment, it not being found with the rest of the papers.
This course would have delayed the proceedings, and as it was not important to the issue, the attornies [attorneys] for the defence [defense] admitted that there was an indictment, so that the investigation might proceed.
Mr. Warren, for the defence [defense], then read the petition of the Defendant, which stated that he was unlawfully held in custody, and that the indictment in Missouri was obtained by fraud, bribery, and duress, all of which he was prepared to prove.
Mr. Little then called upon the following witnesses viz: Morris Phelps, Elias Higbee, Reynolds Cahoon and George W. Robinson who were sworn. The council on the opposite side, objected to hearing evidence on the merits of the case, as they could not go beyond the indictment. Upon this a warm and long discussion occurred, which occupied the attention of the Court through the entire day.
All the Lawyers on the opposite side excepting two viz: Messrs. Knowlton and Jennings, confined themselves to the merits of the case, and conducted themselves as gentlemen; but it was plainly evident that the design of the gentlemen above named, was to excite the public mind still more on the subject, and inflame the passions of the people against the defendant and his religion.
The council on behalf of the defence [defense], acted nobly and honorably, and stood up in defence [defense] of the persecuted, in a manner worthy of high minded and honorable gentlemen. Some had even been told, that if they engaged on the
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