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156 THE STORY OF MOEMONISM.

provision the saints allowed themselves rather a wide latitude, even assuming authority opposed to superior powers, and sometimes questioning the validity of state documents not countersigned by the mayor ofNauvoo. The counties surrounding Hancock, in which was Nau- voo, were fearful of the prosperity of the saints, and of their political influence; there were angry words and bickerings between the opposing societies, and then blows. The old Missouri feud was kept alive by suits instituted against Smith and others/^ An attempt made to assassinate Governor Boggs was, of course, charged to the Mormons, and probably with truth. In fact, if we may believe their enemies, they did not deny it. Boggs had unlawfully ordered all the Mor- mons in Missouri killed if they did not leave the state: why had not they the same right, they argued, to break the law and kill him V^

Among the reports circulated, besides those of assassination and attempted assassination, the follow- ing will serve as specimens: That the plan of Smith

^^ When on his return from Quincy, to which place he had accompanied Hyriun Smith and William Law, who were on a mission to the east, Joseph was arrested tlie 5th of June, 1S41, on a warrant from Gov. Carlin to deliver huu to the Missouri state authorities. In return, Joseph Smith brought suit against J. II. Reynolds and II. G. Wilson for false imprisonment. This as well as other affairs of the kind kept up a bitter excitement.

^'On the Cth of May, 1S42, Gov. Boggs was fired at through a window, and narrowly escaped being killed. The crime was charged to 0. P. IJock- well, ' with the connivance and under the instructions of Joseph Smith. ' Hyde's Mormoimm, 105, 206. Boggs swore he believed Smith a party to the at- tempted assassination, and instituted legal proceedings. Maclcay's The j\[or- mons, 1.30. Bennett, Hist. Saints, 2SI-2, labors hard to prove that Smith wanted Boggs killed, and said as mucli, which it seems to me few would deny. Bennett states that in 1S41 Smith prophesied that Boggs would die by violent hands within a year. ' In the spring of the year 1842 Smith offered a reward of $500 to any man who would secretly assassinate Gov. Boggs. ' Joseph O. Boggs, brother of the governor, writes Bennett, Sept. 12, 1842, 'We have now no doubt of the guilt of Smith and Rockwell.' Id., 286. Rockwell was arrested, discharged, and went to Utah. ' Brigham has had him into the pulpit,' says Hyde, 'to address the meetings.' Wcread: ' Grin Porter Rockwell, the Mor- mon confmcd in our county jail some time since for the attempted assassination of ex-governor Boggs, was indicted by our last grand jury for escaping from the county jail some weeks since, and sent to Clay county for trial. Owing, how- ever, to some informality in the proceedings, he was remanded to this county again for trial. There was not sufficient proof adduced against iiim to justify an indictment for shooting at ex-governor Boggs; and the grand jr.ry, there- fore, did not indict him for that oli'ence.' I adependent Expositor ; Nihs' llecjis- ter, Sept. 30, 1843,