History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

134
THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
It did not seem possible to a community convicted of
no crime, and living in the nineteenth century, under
the flao- of the world's foremost republic, that such flagrant
wrongs as the Boggs exterminating order, and
the enforced treaty under which they were deprived of
their property, could be carried into effect. They ap-
pealed, therefore, to the legislature, 43 demanding jus-
tice. But that body was too much with the people
and with Boggs to think of justice. To make a
show of decency, a committee was appointed and sent
to Caldwell and Daviess counties, to look into the
matter, but of course did nothing. Another was
appointed with like result. Debates continued with
more or less show of interest through the month of
December. In January, 1839, the Mormons were
plainly told that they need expect no redress at the
hand of the legislature or other body of Missouri.
who encouraged the mob answer.' Correspondence Joseph Smith, 2. On the
lGth of March, 1839, the editor of the Quincy Argus wrote as follows: 'We
have no language sufficiently strong for the expression of our indignation and
shame at the recent transaction in a sister state, and that state Missouri, a
str.^e of which we had long been proud, alike for her men and history, but
now so fallen that we could wish her star stricken out from the bright constellation
of the Union. We say we know of no language sufficiently strong
for the expression of our shame and abhorrence of her recent conduct. She
has written her own character in letters of blood, and stained it by acts of
merciless cruelty and brutality that the waters of ages cannot efface. It will
be observed that an organized mob, aided by many of the civil and military
officers of Missouri, with Gov. Boggs at their head, have been the prominent
actors in this business, incited, too, it appears, against the Mormons by political
hatred, and by the additional motives of plunder and reveDge. They
have but too well put in execution their threats of extermination and expulsion,
and fully wreaked their vengeance on a body of industrious and enterprising
men who had never wronged nor wished to wrong them,_ but on the
contrary had ever comported themselves as good and honest citizens, living
under the same laws, and having the same right with themselves to the sacred
immunities of life, liberty, and property.' 'By enlightened people the Mormons
were regarded as the victims of misguided vengeance in Missouri. The
ruffianly violence they encountered at the hands of lawless mobs, in several
instances eventuating* in deliberate murder, finds no extenuation in any alleged
provocation. The due process of law might have afforded adequate redress
for the criminalities of which they should be found guilty on legal trial.
Such was the view of the subject rightly taken by the people of Illinois and
of the world, though it may have been wrongfully applied in favor of the
cause of the persecuted. ' Tucker's Mormonism, 166.
43 A memorial was sent to the legislature of Missouri, dated Far West,
Dec. 10, 1838, setting forth these facts, and praying that_ the governor's
novel, unlawful, tyrannical, and oppressive order be rescinded. It was
signed by Edward Partridge, Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor, Theodore
Turley, Brigham Young, Isaac Morley, George W. Harris, John Murdock,
John M. Burk.