MANAGEMENT OF AFFAIRS IN NAUVOO—ARRIVAL OF SIDNEY RIGDON—ARRIVAL OF THE TWELVE—RIGDON REJECTED AS LEADER—THE TWELVE CHOSEN—PROSPERITY—UNIQUE ORGANIZATION—MOBBINGS—AGREEMENT TO LEAVE NAUVOO—BOLD SPEECHES OF ELDER TAYLOR—"THE LORD WAS WITH ME."

Soon after the return of Elder Taylor to Nauvoo, he, in connection with Willard Richards and W. W. Phelps, issued an address to the Saints, beseeching them to hold fast to the faith and to be peaceable citizens, doing the works of righteousness. The address also stated that as soon as the Twelve and other authorities could assemble, or a majority of them, the onward course for the great gathering of Israel, and the final consummation of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, would be pointed out.

Elders Taylor and Richards were the only members of the quorum of the Twelve in Nauvoo at the time, the others all being absent in the East on Missions.

In a few days Parley P. Pratt arrived and united with these brethren in directing the affairs of the Church. The council meetings of these apostles were held at the house of Elder Taylor, in order that he might take part in them, being still confined to his room by his wounds.

About the time Elder Pratt reached Nauvoo Sidney Rigdon, one of the counselors to the martyred Prophet, arrived from Pennsylvania. He was invited to join them in their movements, but this he declined, as he had his own selfish ambition to gratify. He was determined to become the leader of the Church; and to accomplish this, he began in an underhanded way to work up a feeling in his own favor.

Afraid to put in a claim to be made President outright, he sought to be appointed "guardian" to the Church, to build it up to Joseph. He held secret meetings among those favorable to his plans, circulated wonderful "revelations" among them, and ordained men to offices heretofore unheard of in the Church; and at last appointed a day for the Church to assemble and select a "guardian." The day appointed was the 8th of August.

By that time President Young and a majority of the Twelve had arrived. Elder Rigdon had full opportunity to present his claims to the people, but they rejected him, and almost unanimously chose the apostles to preside over the whole Church.

Disappointed in his ambitious designs, Elder Rigdon sought to divide the people; but as his influence in Nauvoo was limited, he did not succeed further than to induce a very few to accompany him to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he gathered about him a few other followers. He was shortly afterwards excommunicated from the Church, as he manifested no disposition to repent of his course.

Other restless, ambitious characters, among them James J. Strang and James Emmet sought to divide the Church, since they could not preside over it, and did lead some away; their vaulting ambition overleaped itself, however, and they miserably failed.

The Twelve being sustained as the presiding authority, they took the direction of affairs and issued a general epistle to the Church, in which they expressed a determination to carry on the work so well begun by the Prophet Joseph. Nauvoo must be enlarged, the temple completed and the gathering of Israel go on. "The gospel in its fullness must now roll forth," said they, "through every neighborhood of this wide-spread country, and to all the world, * * * until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ."

Capitalists were invited to Nauvoo to establish manufactories, and were assured that the people there had sufficient skill and ingenuity among them to carry on nearly all kinds of industry. Elder Taylor took a prominent part in these temporal affairs as well as in things spiritual. On his recommendation and under his supervision a "Trades Union" was formed, an organization having for its object the establishment of industries that would produce, as far as possible, everything needed by the people of Nauvoo, and a surplus for exportation.

Suggestions were made to secure a charter for the association, but as there was every prospect that the city and other charters granted to the people of Nauvoo would be repealed by the state legislature, Elder Taylor proposed a plan of organization that was at once novel and not likely to be interfered with by the state:

First, Twelve men to be appointed, forming a Living Constitution, with a president, secretary, etc., to take the lead in all the affairs of the association.

Second. Separate trustees to organize themselves and have their own laws, but to be subject to the living constitution.

These movements gave an impetus to industry, and an era of prosperity dawned upon Nauvoo such as she had never before witnessed. Immigration rapidly increased her population, factories of various kinds sprang into existence, and the diversity of industries thus created, made an exchange of home productions possible and very profitable.

After the ruthless murder of the prophets there was a cessation of active hostilities against the Saints, and even a reaction of popular sentiment in their favor. This, however, was but momentary. It grew out of the awe inspired by the dastardly murder committed at Carthage, sufficient in atrocity to make hell itself stand aghast and tremble. It was sufficient, also, to silence the tongue of slander in Illinois for the moment; and even fired some with boldness enough to denounce the deed and call for the enforcement of the law against the murderers.

Brave souls! Kind hearts, to weep over the wounded honor of the state! Their tears were gracious drops! But at the first cry of "thieves, thieves, thieves in Nauvoo!" a cry raised by the men whose hands were red with the innocent blood of God's servants—Illinois forgot her horror at the atrocious murder of innocent men while under her protection; and clapped her hands with joy at the prospect of finding even the slightest shadow of palliation for the monstrous crime which dragged her honor in the dust, and stamped the brand of infamy forever on her brow.

The murderers of the prophets were so industrious in crying "thieves" and charging the Mormons with crimes which were never committed, that soon they not only made Illinois forget her shame in permitting the prophets of God to be murdered, but had her applauding the deed. So bold were the mob in their determination not to be brought to justice, that they threatened Governor Ford, and said if he insisted on pushing the investigation they would make him an accessory to the crime. Nine of the mob, however were finally brought to trial; and such trial! it was but a travesty on the term. The testimony of the chief witnesses for the prosecution was thrown out of evidence; and though the accused were notoriously guilty, they were acquitted.

Made bold by the impunity with which scoundrels had preyed upon the Saints, there was a further gathering of thieves, blacklegs and counterfeiters into Hancock County, and all their desperate crimes were credited to the Mormon people, together with many which had no existence, except as they were coined by the lying tongues of men bent on the destruction of the Saints. The city council of Nauvoo took up the matter, investigated it, and defied the world to substantiate a single instance where they had screened criminals from the law. The citizens in mass meeting assembled denied the slanderous allegations; the deputy sheriff of Hancock County denied them over his signature; Governor Ford investigated them, and in his annual message to the legislature, said: "I have investigated the charge of promiscuous stealing and find it to be greatly exaggerated. I could not ascertain that there were a greater proportion of thieves in that community than in any other of the same number of inhabitants, and perhaps it the city of Nauvoo were compared with St. Louis, or any other western city, the proportion would not be so great."

Regardless of these denials the charges of thieving, counterfeiting and shielding criminals were repeated until popular prejudice was thoroughly aroused against the inhabitants of Nauvoo, and began to demand their extermination. Made utterly reckless by the success of their misrepresentations, the anti-Mormons held a meeting to devise means for getting rid of the Saints. A number of their own crowd fired upon the house where the meeting was being held. This was charged to the Mormons, and made a pretext for burning the houses and stacks of grain belonging to the Saints in Morley settlement, near which the aforesaid meeting was held.

This outrage was not avenged by the citizens of Nauvoo, though their means of doing so were ample. They laid the matter before the authorities and there let it rest. Meantime the mob was making similar assaults on all the out-lying settlements. Houses and stacks of grain were burned, the sick and helpless driven from their homes to the open prairie. Mr. Backenstos, sheriff of Hancock County, called for a posse of the law-abiding citizens outside to put down mob violence. He thought it best to call upon citizens outside of Nauvoo to quell the disturbance lest the operations of a posse from Nauvoo should be made a pretext for the opening of civil war. There was no response to the sheriff's call, and house-burning and other acts of violence went on unchecked.

In the midst of these exciting scenes a mass meeting in Quincy resolved that the only hope for peace was in the removal of the Mormons from the state, and they appointed a committee to wait upon the Church authorities to lay these conclusions before them, and request them to leave. Weary with being continually harassed with illegal prosecutions and mob violence, the Saints agreed to leave the state in the spring, providing the citizens in Hancock and surrounding counties would use their influence in assisting them to rent or sell their property, that they might have means with which to remove; and further that they would cease vexatious lawsuits against them, as they had violated no law. This proposition was accepted by the people of Quincy and also by the anti-Mormons in Hancock County. The civil authorities were largely superceded by the military, Major Warren being sent into Hancock County with a company of militia to keep the peace.

These events occurred in the fall of 1845; and the Saints the winter following began extensive and active preparations for their departure in the spring. Meantime the anti-Mormons were breaking their part of the treaty almost daily. Illegal writs were issued for the arrest of the Twelve, and efforts made to serve them. House-burning and even murder went right on under the very eyes of Major Warren. At last, being exasperated beyond endurance, Elder Taylor declared he would submit no longer to the injustice being heaped upon himself and the people. President Young made a similar declaration. This led Major Warren to seek an interview with the authorities in which he upbraided them for their declared "resistance to law." In the course of that interview Elder Taylor made the following answer to the remarks of the major:

"Major Warren, I stand before you as a man who has received deep injury from the citizens of this state, and consequently have some feelings. You talk, sir, about 'the majesty of the law, and maintaining the law:' why, sir, the law to us is a mere farce. For years past the law has been made use of only as an engine of oppression. We have received no protection from it. I have suffered under its cruel influence. You talk about your troops being efficient, supporting law and preserving peace. This tale may do to tell some, but it fails to charm us. I stand before you as a victim of such protection. I went from this place some time ago in a time of difficulty like the present, as one of a committee by the special request of Governor Ford, who solemnly pledged his honor for my protection; but how was I protected? I was shot nearly to pieces, and two of the best men in the world were shot dead at my side. This is a specimen of your protection!"

Warren doubtless saw the storm that was coming and at this point interrupted to say that he did not wish to enter upon this exciting subject, but wished to speak relative to the present.

Elder Taylor: "I will touch upon the things of the present in a moment.—You may think this outrage was an outbreak—a sudden ebullition of feeling that the governor could not control; but who was it that did this deed? The governor's troops, sir, were among the foremost of that bloody gang. And where, sir—tell me where is our redress? You talk about the majesty of the law! What has become of those murderers? Have they been hung or shot, or in any way punished? No, sir, you know they have not. With their hands yet reeking in blood, having become hardened in their deeds of infamy, knowing that they will not be punished, they are now applying the torch to the houses of those they have already so deeply injured. What has been done to them under your administration? Have they been brought to justice, have they been punished for their infamous proceedings? No, sir; not one of them. They are still burning houses under your supervision; and you have either been unwilling or unable to stop them. Houses have been burned since your arrival here; men have been kidnapped, cattle stolen, our brethren abused and robbed when going after their corn. Are we to stand still and let marauders and house-burners come into our city under the real or assumed name of "governor's troops," and yet offer no resistance to their nefarious deeds? Are we to be held still by you, sir, while they thrust the hot iron into us? I tell you plainly for one I will not do it. I speak now on my own responsibility, and I tell you, sir, I will not stand it. I care nothing for your decrees, your martial law or any other law, I mean to protect myself; and if my brethren are to be insulted and abused in going after their own corn, and pursuing their lawful business—if nobody else will go to protect them I will. They shall not be abused under pretext of law or anything else; and there is not a patriot in the world but what would bear me out in it.

"Where is the spirit of '76? Where is the fire that burned in the bosoms of those who fought and bled for liberty? Is there no one who will stand up in defense of the oppressed? If a man had the least spark of humanity burning in his bosom—if he were not hardened and desperate, he would be ashamed to oppress a people already goaded by a yoke too intolerable to be borne, and that, too, in a boasted land of liberty. Talk about law! Sir, I stand before you as a victim of law. I feel warm on this subject—who would not? I have seen my best friends shot down while under legal protection. What is our governor? These scenes have been enacted under his supervision. What are our generals and judges? They have aided in these matters. If an honorable jury is legally selected, a house-burner or perhaps a murderer makes affidavit that he has reason to believe they are partial and the judge will order a mobocratic sheriff and jury for the purpose of acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent. What are all these legal men but a pack of scoundrels? And you will talk to us of law and order, and threaten us with punishment for disobeying your commands and protecting our rights! What are we? Are we beasts? I tell you for one, sir, I shall protect myself, law or no law, judge or no judge, governor or no governor. I will not stand such infernal rascality, and if I have to fight it out, I will sell my life as dearly as I can."

A few days after this, Major Warren again rode into Nauvoo with his troops. It was reported that he had writs for the Twelve, but he sent word that he wanted an interview with them and pledged his word that no writs should be served. In the interview which followed he read a letter from Mr. Brayman, attorney general of the state Pro tem., asking if the statement made by Mr. Young and Mr. Taylor to the effect that they would not be subject to any law and would resist all civil process, was to be looked upon as sincere.

They denied having made such statement. What they complained of was mal-administration and illegal prosecution. They had always been subject to law. They had always sustained it and still felt disposed to do so. "But I wish to make a few remarks concerning my own individual feelings," said Elder Taylor. "I have endured as much as I feel willing to endure under this government. I feel myself oppressed and wronged. I have never violated any law in the United States, and to be vexed and annoyed continually with vexatious lawsuits and illegal prosecutions I do not feel disposed tamely to submit to. If it is not enough for me to be deprived of my rights and my liberty; if it is not enough for me to sacrifice my property and to become an exile; if I cannot have the short space of six months to dispose of my effects and to leave the state—if the governor will only tell me, I will leave now; but I cannot and will not endure a continuation of these wrongs. I do not mean to be taken by any unjust requisition and thrust into prison; if I am, I must go there dead; for they shall not take me there alive. I have no personal feelings against you, Major Warren, but I will not put up with these accumulated wrongs."

The Warsaw Signal in speaking of this affair said that the troops had writs to serve on the Twelve, and although Major Warren had pledged his honor to the Twelve that no writs should be served, yet he was under promise to assist those holding them the day following; but after hearing the remarks of Elder Taylor fear seized upon them and they were afraid to make any attempt at serving them. Judge Purple also advised them not to serve them as he had no doubt there would be blood shed. Warren accordingly left with his troops.

"I had felt surprised at myself at the manner in which I had spoken," remarks Elder Taylor, "but I have no doubt I was directed by the Spirit of the Lord."