FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.

NEW SERIES.

VOL. VI.	B E T H A N Y,   V A. DECEMBER, 1842.	NO. XII.

      From the testimony of Sampson Avard, before referred to:--

      "Smith said, on some occasions, that one should chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight; that he considered the United States rotten. He compared the Mormon church to the little stone spoken of by the Prophet Daniel; and the dissenters first, and the state next, was part of the image that should be destroyed by this little stone. The council was called on to vote the measures of Smith; which they did unanimously. On the next day Captain Patten (who was called by the Prophet Captain Fearnaught) took command of about one hundred armed men, and told them that he had a job for them to do, and that the work of the Lord was rolling on, and they must be united. He then led the troops to Gallatin, saying he was going to attack the mob there. He made a rush into Gallatin, dispersed the few men there, and took the goods out of Strolling's store, and carried them to Diahmon, and I afterwards saw the storehouse on fire. When we returned to Diahmon, the goods were deposited in the Lord's storehouse, under the care of Bishop Vincent Knight. Orders were strictly given that all the goods should he deposited in the Lord's storehouse. No individuals were to appropriate any thing to themselves until a general distribution should be made. Joseph Smith, Jr., was at Adam on Diahmon, giving directions about things in general connected with the war. When Patten returned from Gallatin to Adam on Diahmon, the goods were divided or apportioned out among those [538] engaged; and these affairs were conducted under the superintendence of the first presidency. A part of the goods were brought to Far West. On their arrival, under the care of Captain Fearnaught, President Rigdon shouted three hosannas to the victors. On the day Patten went to Gallatin, Colonel Wright went to Millport, as I understood. I saw a great many cattle, beds, furniture, &c., brought into our camp by the Mormons. After we returned to Far West, the troops were constantly kept in motion, and there was a council held at the house of President Rigdon, to determine who should be chiefs." Cong. Doc. No. 189, p. 3, 4.

      "George M. Hinkle, a [Mormon] witness for the state, produced, sworn, and examined, deposeth and saith:--

      "There was much mysterious conversation in camps, as to plundering and house-burning; so much so, that I had my own notions about it; and, on one occasion, I spoke to Mr. Smith, Jr., in the house, and told him that this course of burning houses and plundering, by the Mormon troops, would ruin us; that it could not be kept hid, and would bring the force of the state upon us; that houses would be searched, and stolen property found. Smith replied to me, in a pretty rough manner, to keep still; that I should say nothing about it; that it would discourage the men; and he would not suffer me to say any thing about it.

      "I saw a great deal of plunder and bee-stands brought into camp; and I saw many persons, for many days, taking the honey out of them; I understood this property and plunder were placed into the hands of the Bishop at Diahmon, named Vincent Knight, to be divided out among them, as their wants might require.

      "There were a number of horses and cattle drove in; also, hogs hauled in dead with the hair on; but whose they were I know not.--They were generally called consecrated property. I think it was the day Gallatin was attacked. I saw Colonel Wright start off with troops, as was said, to Millport; all this seemed to be done under the inspection of Joseph Smith, Jun. I saw Wright, when he returned; the troops from Gallatin returned about the same time; and I heard Smith find fault with Wright for not being as resolute as to serve Millport as they had served Gallatin; this was remarked to me alone." Ib. p. 21, 22.

      "Allen Rathbun, a witness for the state, produced, sworn, and examined, deposeth and saith:--

      "On the day before the battle with Bogart, I was in Far West; and early in the morning Daniel Carn, one of the defendants here, asked me to help him grease his waggon. I did so, and asked him where he was going. He said he was going out to Raglin's, in Daviess county; that there were about forty bee-stands there that they were going for. Directly after, I was down in Morrison's store, in Far West. There was a company of ten or a dozen men there, with two or three waggons. I heard Mr. Huntingdon ask for brimstone. Some of the company said they had two pounds. Huntingdon said that would do--Mr. Hunter, of the defendants, here gave the word of command, and they marched off. Mr. Daniel Carn was in the waggon with them. Late that evening I saw Mr. Carn's waggon at his grocery down in Far West. I saw Carn and Huntingdon unloading it. The waggon [539] was loaded with one bee-gum, and household stuff, consisting of beds, or bed-clothes, kinder tied up; also, there were onions in the waggon. Mr. Carn that evening remarked that there would be in that evening a considerable number of sheep and cattle; and further remarked, that it looked to him sometimes that it was not right [!] to take plunder, but that it was according to the directions of Joseph Smith, Jun., and that was the reason why he did it. The next morning I saw a considerable number of sheep on the square, in Far West, near about one hundred." Ib. p. 26.

      "And now I say unto you, Keep these things from going abroad unto the world, until it is expedient in me, that ye may accomplish this, work, &c.,--in the eyes of your enemies, that they may not know your work until ye have accomplished the thing which I commanded you." Doc. and Cov., p. 132.

      "Sampson Avard, a witness, produced, sworn, and examined, in behalf of the state, deposeth and saith:--

      "That about four months since, a band called the Daughters of Zion, (since called the Danite Band,) was formed of the members of the Mormon church, the original object of which was to drive from the county of Caldwell all those who dissented from the Mormon church; in which they succeeded admirably, and to the satisfaction of all concerned. I consider Joseph Smith, Jun., as the prime mover and organizer of this band. The officers of the band, according to their grades, were brought before him, at a school-house, together with Hiram Smith and Sidney Rigdon; the three composing the first presidency of the whole church. It was stated by Joseph Smith, Jun., that it was necessary this band should be bound together by a covenant, that those who revealed the secrets of the society should be put to death. The covenant taken by all the Danite Band was as follows, to wit:--They declared, holding up their right hand, 'In the name of Jesus Christ, the son of God, I do solemnly obligate myself ever to conceal and never to reveal the secret purposes of this society, called the Daughters of Zion. Should I ever do the same, I hold my life as the forfeiture.'" Cong. Doc. No. 189, p. 1, 2.

      "John Cleminson, a [Mormon] witness, produced, sworn, and examined, for the state, deposeth and saith:--

      "Some time in June I attended two or three Danite meetings; and it was taught there as a part of the duty of the band, that they should support the presidency in all their designs, right or wrong; that whatever they said was to be obeyed, and whoever opposed the presidency in what they said or desired done, should be expelled from the county, or have their lives taken.

      "Dr. Avard further taught as a part of their obligation, that if any one betrayed the secret designs of the society, they should be killed and laid aside, and nothing said about it." Ib. p. 15.

      Some of the language used in the Book of Mormon proves that book to have been written, or put into its present shape, since 1827, as it [540] quotes much of the language used about that time concerning Free Masonry; and hence it denounces secret societies, oaths, &c. But by this testimony it is proved that the Mormons have their 'secret societies,' and we believe they have them in New York, Philadelphia, and most of the places where they have made converts to their delusion.

      From the testimony of Dr. Avard:--

      "Joseph Smith, Jun., the Sunday before the late disturbances in Daviess, at a church meeting, gave notice that he wished the whole county collected on the next day, at Far West. He declared that all who did not take up arms in defence of the Mormons of Daviess, should be considered as tories, and should take their exit from the country." Cong. Doc., 189, p. 2.

      In the paper signed by eighty-four Mormons, and addressed to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmar, John Whitmar, Wm. W. Phelps, and Lyman E. Johnson, we have the following:--

      "There are no threats from you--no fear of losing our lives by you, or by any thing you can say or do, will restrain us; for out of the county you shall go, and no power shall save you. And you shall have three days after you receive this communication to you, including twenty-four hours in each day, for you to depart with your families peaceably; which you may do undisturbed by any person; but in that time, if you do not depart, we will use the means in our power to cause you to depart; for go you shall." Ib. page 6.

      "Morris Phelps, a [Mormon] witness, produced, sworn, and examined for the state, deposeth and saith:--

      "That Parley P. Pratt was in the battle with Bogart. Darwin Chase was one of the expedition, but not in the battle. Lyman Gibbs was in the battle; thinks Benjamin Jones was in the battle. Norman Shearer was also, and wounded. I was called upon by Charles C. Rich to go down to Crooked River to help relieve some Mormon prisoners, who, it was said, had been taken by a mob. I first refused to go; but, being threatened with force, I consented to go. Rigdon, in speaking of dissenters, who were unwilling to fight mobs, said that they ought to be pitched upon their horses with pitchforks and bayonets, and forced into the front of the battle, and their property confiscated to the use of the army." Ib., page 12.

      From the testimony of John Corrill:--

      "President Rigdon, in a speech, said, that those who were unwilling to go into the war, ought to be put upon their horses with guns and bayonets, and forced into the front of the war. No persons were suffered to leave the country in those extreme times." Ib., page 13.

      From the testimony of John Cleminson:--

      "On the Monday prior to the last Daviess expedition, I heard Mr. Rigdon say that those who had heretofore been backward in taking up arms in defending themselves, ought to, or should, be put upon their horses with bayonets and pitchforks; and Smith said, forced into the front of the battle; and that the property of those who would not go into the war should be consecrated to the use of those who did. Mr. Smith said their beef, corn, and potatoes they would take. [541]

      "I went in the expedition to Daviess, in which Gallatin was burnt, as I felt myself compelled to go from the regulations which had been made." Ib. page 16.

      From the testimony of Reed Peck:--

      "Such men as would oppose things undertaken, as being unlawful, and such as they feared was a violation the law, I have heard Smith and Rigdon, in their public addresses, denominate, 'O don't men.' These I understood to be those who were denominated, also, dissenters; and in reference to men who were hanging back, and did not wish to engage in their expeditions, they were called traitors; and referring to such, as I understood, Mr. Rigdon proposed that blood should first begin to flow at Far West, [that is, that these men should be put to death!] The proposition was then made and carried unanimously, that those who thus hung back should be pitched upon their horses and made to go, and placed in the front of the army.

      "I heard Dr. Avard say, that it was a regulation of that society [Danite Band] that no one should speak against them, or hear any one else do it with impunity." Ib., page 18.

      "Burr Riggs, a [Mormon] witness for the state, produced, sworn, and examined, deposeth and saith:--

      "Joseph Smith, Jun., said there were certain men using their influence against the proceedings of the presidency, and if they were suffered to go on, they would do great injury. And Smith told Robinson that the first man he heard speaking against the presidency, and against their proceedings, he must tie him up and give him thirty-nine lashes; and it that would not do, give him thirty-nine more, until he was sorry for what he had said; and Robinson said he would do it."

      "While the last expedition was going on in Daviess, there was a meeting in Far West, in which Mr. Sidney Rigdon presided. There were present about 60 or 100 men; a guard was put around the house, and one was placed at the door. Mr. Rigdon said that the last man had run away from Far West that was a-going to; that the next man who started he should be pursued and brought back, dead or alive.--He further said that on man had slipped his wind yesterday, and had been thrown aside into the brush for the buzzards to pick, and the first man that lisped it should die." Ib., p. 29, 30.

      "John Whitmar, a [Mormon] witness for the state, produced, sworn and examined, deposeth and saith:--

      "Mr. Smith said that any person who spoke or acted against the presidency or the church, should leave the country, or die." Ib. p. 33.

      "Benjamin Slade, a [Mormon] witness for the state, produced, sworn and examined, deposeth and saith:--

      "I was in a meeting in a school-house in Far West, while the Mormon troops were in Diahmon, in the last expedition. After the assembly had got into the house a guard was placed at the door. Mr. Rigdon got up, and in a speech said that the time had now come in which every man must take his part in this war; and that they had been running away and leaving Caldwell county, and that the last man had now left the county that should be suffered to do so. A formal vote, by way of resolution, of covenant, was put--that, if any man attempted to leave the county, any one of the company then present was to kill him, and say nothing about it, and throw him into the brush.-- [512] When this was put to vote I heard no one vote against it. Rigdon then called for the negative vote, and said he wanted to see if any one dared to vote against it. There was no negative vote." Ib., p. 37.

      "Addison F. Green, a [Mormon] witness for the state, produced, sworn, and examined, deposeth and saith:--

      "I heard Sidney Rigdon, (speaking of those, who would attempt to leave the county at that time) say, 'it was the duty of any present, if they saw such movements, to stop the men,' and if they persisted in going, he said something about sending them to the other world to tell their hellish news, or something like this." Ib. page 38.

[The Millennial Harbinger, New Series, 6 (December 1842): 538-543.]