Page:History of Utah.djvu/195



CHAPTER VI.

THE STORY OF MORMONISM.

1840-1844.

The City of Nattvoo— Its Temple and University — The Nauvoo Le- gion—The Mormons in Illinois— Evil Eepoets— Revelation on Polygamy— Its Reception and Practice— The Prophet a Candi- date FOR THE Presidency — The ' Nauvoo Expositor ' — Joseph Ar- rested — Governor Ford and his Measures — Joseph and Hyrum Proceed to Carthage — Their Imprisonment— The Governor's Pledge— Assassination of the Prophet and his Brother — Char- acter OF Joseph Smith — A Panic at Carthage— Addresses of Rich- ards AND Taylor — Peaceful Attitude of the Mormons

To the saints it is indeed a place of refuge, the city of Nauvoo, the Holy City, the City of Joseph.^ It stands on rolling land, covering a bed of limestone yielding excellent building material, and bordered on three sides by the river which here makes a majestic curve, and is nearly two miles in width. The abo- rigines w^ere not indifferent to the advantages of the spot, as the presence of their mounds testifies. In area it is three miles by four. The city is regularly laid out in streets at right angles, of convenient width, along which are scattered neat, whitewashed log cabins, also frame, brick, and stone houses, with grounds and gardens. It is incorporated by charter,^ and contains the best institutions of the latest civilization; in the

^ 'Among the more zealous Mormons, it became the fashion at thts time (1845) to disuse the word Nauvoo, and to call the place the holy city, or the city of Joseph.' Mackay's The Mormons, 191.

^ The charter granted by the legislature was signed by Gov. Carlin Sept. 16, 1S40, to take effect Feb. 1, 1S4I. ' So artfully framed that it was found that the state government was practically superseded within the Mormon cor- poration. Under the judicial clause its courts were supreme.' McBride in International Review, Feb. 1882. Charters were also granted to the university and the Nauvoo legion. Times and Seasons, ii. 281.

(143 J