| 169 stripped of his clothing, and his back cut to pieces with a whip, for no other reason than because he was a Mormon, and too old to make a successful resistance. Conduct of this kind would disgrace a horde of savages.' In August a party consisting of Phineas H. Young, his son Brigham, and three others who were found outside the City, were kidnapped by a mob, hurried into the thickets, passed from one gang to another-men from Nauvoo being in hot pursuit-and for a fortnight were kept almost without food or rest, and under constant threat of death.
"Fears are now entertained that, by reason of the popular feeling throughout the country, Nauvoo city will be again attacked; the Gentile citizens therefore ask Governor Ford for protection, whereupon Major Parker is sent to their relief. All through August troubles continue, the anti-Mormons almost coming to blows among themselves. Before the end of the month about six hundred men are assembled at Carthage, by order of Thomas [John] Carlin, a special constable, ostensibly to enforce the arrest of Pickett, but in reality to enforce the expulsion of the Mormons. Major Parker orders the constables posse to disperse, otherwise he threatens to treat them as a mob. The constable replies that if the major should attempt to molest them in discharge of their duty he will regard him and his command as a mob and so treat them. 'Now, fellow-citizens,' declares a committee selected from four counties, in a proclamation issued at Carthage, 'an issue is fairly raised. On the one hand, a large body of men have assembled at Carthage, under the command of a legal officer, to assist him in performing legal duties. They are not excited-they are cool, but determined at all hazards to execute the law in Nauvoo, which has always heretofore defied it. They are resolved to go to work systematically and with ample precaution, but under a full knowledge that on their good and orderly behavior their character is staked. On the other hand, in Nauvoo is a blustering Mormon mob, who have defied the law, and who are now organized for the purpose of arresting the arm of civil power. Judge ye which is in the right.'
(page 169) |
