| 594 public, and industriously circulated them through the country, we shall content ourselves with answering his base falsehoods and misrepresentations, without giving publicity to them, as the public are generally acquainted with them already."-Times and Seasons, vol. 3, pp. 868, 869.
At a mass meeting of the citizens of Nauvoo the following proceedings were had:-
"At a meeting of the citizens of the city of Nauvoo, held in said city at the meeting ground, July 22, 1842, Orson Spencer, Esq., was called to the chair, and Gustavus Hills was appointed clerk.
"The meeting was called to order by the chairman, who stated the object of the meeting to be to obtain an expression of the public mind in reference to the reports gone abroad calumniating the character of President Joseph Smith. General Wilson Law then rose and presented the following resolution:-
"'Resolved, that having heard that John C. Bennett was circulating many base falsehoods respecting a number of the citizens of Nauvoo, and especially against our worthy and respected Mayor, Joseph Smith, we do hereby manifest to the world that so far as we are acquainted with Joseph Smith we know him to be a good, moral, virtuous, peaceable, and patriotic man, and a firm supporter of law, justice, and equal rights; that he at all times upholds and keeps inviolate the Constitution of this State and of the United States.'
"A vote was then called and the resolution adopted by a large concourse of citizens, numbering somewhere about a thousand men. Two or three voted in the negative.
"Elder Orson Pratt then rose and spoke at some length in explanation of his negative vote. President Joseph Smith spoke in reply:-
"Question to Elder Pratt, 'Have you personally a knowledge of any immoral act in me toward the female sex, or in any other way?' Answer by Elder O. Pratt, 'Personally, toward the female sex, I have not.'
"Elder O. Pratt responded at some length. Elder B. Young then spoke in reply, and was followed by Elders
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