| 201 "Boonville, Missouri, October 4,1838.
"Dear Sir-As we passed down the Missouri River on Monday last, we saw a large force of Mormons at De Witt, in Carroll County, under arms. Their commander, Colonel Hinkle, formerly of Caldwell County, informed me that there were two hundred, and that they were hourly expecting an attack from the citizens of Carroll County, who he said were then encamped only six miles from there, waiting for a reinforcement from Saline County. Hinkle said they had determined to fight. News had just been received at this place, through Dr. Scott, of Fayette, that a fight took place on yesterday, and that several persons were killed. Dr. Scott informed me that he got his information from a gentleman of respectability, who had heard the firing of their guns as he passed down. If a fight has actually taken place, of which I have no doubt, it will create excitement in the whole of upper Missouri, and those base and degraded beings will be exterminated from the face of the earth. If one of the citizens of Carroll should be killed, before five days I believe that there will be from four to five thousand volunteers in the field against the Mormons, and nothing but their blood will satisfy them. It is an unpleasant state of affairs. The remedy I do not pretend to suggest to your Excellency. My troops of the fourth division were only dismissed, subject to further orders, and can be called into the field at an hour's warning.
"Samuel D. Lucas."
-Millennial Star, vol. 16, p. 318.
The comment of Joseph Smith on this letter is so appropriate that we give it place:-
"'Base and degraded beings!' Who ever heard, before, of high-minded and honorable men condescending to sacrifice their honor by stooping to wage war, without cause or provocation, against 'base and degraded beings.' But General Lucas is ready with his whole division, at an 'hour's warning,' to enter the field of battle on such degrading terms, if his own statement is true. But Lucas knew better. He knew the saints were an innocent, unoffending people, and would not fight, only in self-defense, and why write such a
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