Mormon History, Dec 18, 1843

-- Dec 18, 1843
[Joseph Smith Diary] Monday, December 18th At home. After Dinner, Constable Follet returned with Elliot. Trial in the Assembly room for examination/before Aaron Johnson/. [Elliot was] found guilty of Kidnapping and bound over for trial to the Circuit Court in the sum of $3,000.

During the investigation testimony appeared to show Elliot had threatened my life and for this I brought him to trial /before R[obert] D. Foster, J[ustice] [of the] Pieace]/, immediately af[ter] the sentance of Esq[ui]r[e] Johnson. In testimony it appeared the prisoner had said in relation to myself "We will pop him over" as though he knew a plan had been laid to take my life by some body or co[mpany] of individuals.

Lawyers Marr and Stiles spoke in behalf of the State, followed by W[illiam] W. Phelps in a masterly speech in which he pourtrayed the enormyty of the offence in its true colors. I followed in a lengthy speech in which I was engaged when at about 10 o'clock 2 young men arrived as express from Warsaw stating that the Mob were collecting at Warsaw. Also around Col[onel] Levi Williams [who was sought by the court as the principal in the kidnapping] and messengers had gone to M[iss]o[uri] to reinforce the mob.

/Before closing my speech I withdrew the action and told the court I would forgive Elliot and the 2 men who followed him from 4 1/2 miles below Warsaw [with the intent of recapturing him] and take them home [and] give them supper and lodging and breakfast and see that they were protected and the court discharged Elliot.

/Esqu[ire] Johnson [who had issued a writ for the arrest of Levi Williams] made a demand on me as Mayor for a detachment /possey/ of to send to Hosea Sto[u[t's assistance whom he had sent with a workout this afternoon to apprehend Col[onel] Williams as being concerned in kidnapping Avery which demand I complied with. Gen[eral] Law, by my instruction, detached Col[onel] Markham with 1,000 men. Also an affidavit of Dr. Richards that the peace of the city was in danger. I, as commander of the Nauvoo Legion, installed Gen[eral] Law to have the troops in readiness to repel invasion and returned home to rest about 1 o'clock in the morning of the 19th. (1)

-- Dec 19, 1843
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 19th A warrant was also issued against Col Williams who was the leader of the kidnaping scrape but he had gatherd a mob around him & swore defiance against the law or comeing to Nauvoo. So the officers returned to Nauvoo for Council assistance &c. (2)

-- Dec 19, 1843 (Tuesday)
The Nauvoo Legion paraded near the Temple, was inspected by the officers and instructed to prepare for meeting the mob, which was gathering in the neighborhood. (3)

-- Dec 19, 1843
[Joseph Smith] The 100-man detachment of the Nauvoo Legion parades near the temple for inspection in readiness against the mob possibly forming in Warsaw. One man is wounded when his own gun accidentally discharges. Josiah Stowell, the man who had originally hired Joseph as a "money digger" in 1825, writes Joseph from New York, stating "his faith is still good concerning the work." (Brigham Young University Studies (various issues), Sp '70, 377.) (4)

[Joseph Smith Diary] Tuesday, December 19th 1843 At home. About 9 o'clock a part of the co[mpany] who went with Hosea Stout returned and stated that they went within two miles of Col[onel] Williams, when they were informed that a body of men had collected around him armed with rifles, &c. &c. They judged it prudent to return for weapons and help. Also that Bro[ther] Loveland told them that he saw 30 armed men follow the Constable King [Follet] some miles on his way as he had charge of Elliot. Esq[ui]r[e] Johnson immediately wrote to Loveland to have him come to Nauvoo and Make affidavit of the War-like movements of the mob that he might send to the Gov[enor] & [blank].

1 o'clock P.M. The Legion met near the Temple and &c. See Nauvoo Neighbor of the 20th. [several lines left blank]

Took Amos S. Chase Affidavit. [several lines left blank] Clear and cold. (1)

-- 1843: 19 December
[Patriarchal Blessings] Eliza R. Snow. (Given by Isaac Morley.)

"Sister Eliza, In the name of Jesus Christ I lay my hands upon thy head, and I confirm all thy former blessings together with the blessings of a Patriarch upon thee. Let thy thoughts, thy mind and thy affections be stay'd upon the mighty God of Jacob.

Thou hast the blessing and gift to know in whom thou has put thy trust--he is thy friend and thy great Benefactor. He has been mindful of thee and has given thee an intellect capable of receiving & understanding all things necessary, pertaining to thy present and everlasting welfare; and thou hast & shall have the blessing to improve upon every talent and gift that the God of nature has bestow'd upon thee. The powers of thy mind are fix'd as firmly as the pillars of heaven, to comply with the requisitions of thy Creator, and thou shalt never be disappointed in the cause thou hast espous'd. The Lord thy Savior loves thee and has been bountiful in pouring his blessings upon thee, and thou shalt have the blessing to be admired & honor'd by all good men. Thou hast the blessing to speak in wisdom & to counsel in prudence, and thou shalt have the blessing to be honor'd by those who have spoken reproachfully of thee; and thou shalt yet stand in high & holy places, to be honr'd and
admired for the integrity of thy heart. Thy fidelity has reach'd the heavens, and thy name is honor'd & admir'd by the heav'nly hosts. Thy steps shall be trac'd in prudence--thy examples are worthy of imitation, and thou mayest ever confide in the friend of thy bosom. Thou mayest open thy mind to thy Creator and thy requests shall be granted because thou hast an advocate even Jesus, & in his name thou art invited to pay thy devotions to the Most High, and in and thro' his name thou mayest ever rejoice in the New & everlasting covenants; Ask, and thou shall be given an additional blessing to thee; and thou shalt have influence & power over all those who have sought to injure thee, to do good unto them; and to cause them to become a blessing to thee. Thy influence shall be great--thy examples shall not be excel'd. Thou hast a heart to be enlarg'd and a mind capable of expansion; and for thy comfort remember in thy retired walks, that yonder sun is typical of a crown of glory t
hat shall be sealed upon thy head: The stars that twinkle in yonder sky shall show to thy mind the workmanship of thy Creator, and by those glories thou shalt read the destinies of man, and be capable with thy pen to communicate, to thy fellow man the blessings & glories of futurity: and thy blessing shall roll and continue to thee until time is lost in eternity: and thy name shall be handed down to posterity from generation to generation: and many songs shall be heard that were dictated by thy pen and from the principles of thy mind, even until the choirs from on high and the earth below, shall join in one universal song of praise to God and the Lamb.--These blessings, together with Eternal life I seal upon thy head in the name of thy Redeemer, Amen." (From "Eliza R. Snow's Nauvoo Journal," in BYU Studies 15:413-14, 1975.) [Age, 39; Scribe, A. Leonora Leavitt.] (5)


Footnotes:
1 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843-44, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries
2 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
3 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
4 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
5 - Selected LDS Patriarchal Blessings, New Mormon Studies CD ROM, Signature Book, 2009, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies


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