History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

132 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
the state in putting down a mob, were forced at the
point of the bayonet to sign an obligation, binding
not only themselves but the civilians within their
settlements to defray the entire expense of the war.
This proceeding was sufficiently peculiar; but, as a
climax to their conduct, some of the officers and men
laid hands on the Mormons' property wherever they
could find it, taking no thought of payment.
General Clark 36 now comes forward, and entering
the town of Far West, collects the saints in the pub-
lic square, reads them a lecture, 37 and selecting fifty
of their number, thrusts them into prison. Next day
forty-six of the fifty are taken to Richmond, 33 and
after a fortnight's confinement half are liberated, 39
36 Pratt says that Clark has been commended by some writers for his
heroic, merciful, and prudent conduct toward the Mormons, but that the
truth is that he openly avowed his approval of all the proceedings of Gen.
Lucas, and said that he should not alter his decrees. Autobiography, 227-8.
37 It runs as follows: 'Gentlemen, You whose names are not attached to
this list of names will now have the privilege of going to your fields to obtain
corn for your families, wood, etc. Those that are now taken will go
from thence to prison, to be tried, and receive the due demerit of their crimes,
but you are now at liberty, all but such as charges may be hereafter preferred
against. It now devolves upon you to fulfil the treaty that you have entered
into, the leading items of which I now lay before you. The first of these you
have already complied with, which is, that you deliver up your leading men
to be tried according to law. Second, that you deliver up your arms; this
has been attended to. The third is, that you sign over your property to defray
the expenses of the war; this you have also done. Another thing yet remains
for you to comply with, that is, that you leave this state forthwith,
and whatever your feelings concerning this affair, whatever your innocence,
it is nothing to me. Gen. Lucas, who is equal in authority with me, has
made this treaty with you. I am determined to see it executed. The orders
of the governor to me were, that you should be exterminated, and not allowed
to continue in the state, and had your leaders not been given up and
the treaty complied with before this, you and your families would have been
destroyed, and your houses in ashes.'
33 Pratt says in his Autobiography, p. 210, that a revelation to Joseph Smith
buoyed up their spirits continually during their captivity. 'As we arose and
commenced our march on the morning of the 3d of November, Joseph Smith
spoke to me and the other prisoners in a low but cheerful and confidential
tone; said he, "Be of good cheer, brethren; the word of the Lord came to me
last night that our lives should be given us, and that whatever we may suffer
during this captivity, not one of our lives should be taken."' 'When we arrived
in Richmond as prisoners there were some fifty others, mostly heads
of families, who had been marched from Caldwell on foot, distance thirty
miles, and were now penned up in a cold, open, unfinished court-house, in
which situation they remained for some weeks, while their families were
suffering severe privations.' Id., 227.
39 A court of inquiry was instituted at Richmond before Judge Austin
A. King, lasting from the 11th to 28th of November. Pratt says: 'The judge
could not be prevailed on to examine the conduct of the murderers and rob-