Page:Senate Document 189 on the Trial of Joseph Smith.djvu/2

[189] holding up their right hands, "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." The prophet Joseph Smith, jr., together with his two counsellors, (Hiram Smith and Sidney Rigdon,) were considered as the supreme head of the church; and the Danite band feel themselves as much bound to obey them, as to obey the Supreme God. Instruction was given by Joseph Smith, jr., that if any of them should get into a difficulty, the rest should help him out; and that they should stand by each other, right or wrong. This instruction was given at a Danite meeting, in a public address. As for Joseph Smith, jr., and his two counsellors, the witness does not know they ever took the Danite oath. He knows that all the rest of the defendants are Danites, except Sidney Tanner, Andrew Whitlock, Zedekiah Owens, Thomas Rich, John J. Tanner, Daniel S. Thomas, David Pettigrew, George Kimble, Anthony Head, Benjamin Jones, and Norman Shearer.

At the election last August, a report came to Far West that some of the brethren in Daviess county were killed. I called for twenty volunteers to accompany me to see into this matter. I went; and about one hundred and twenty Mormons accompanied me to Adam on Diahmon—Mr. Joseph Smith, jr., in company. When I arrived there, I found the report exaggerated. None were killed. We visited Mr. Adam Black—about 150 or 200 men of us armed. Joseph Smith was commander; and if Black had not signed the paper he did, it was the common understanding and belief that he would have shared the fate of the dissenters. Sidney Rigdon and Lyman Wight were at Adam when we went to Black, and advised the movement.

As regards the affair at De Witt, I know little personally; but I heard Mr. S. Rigdon say they had gome down to De Witt, where it was said a mob had collected to wage war upon the Mormons residing in Carroll county; and that Joseph Smith, jr., with his friends, went down to De Witt to give aid and help to his brethren. The company, as I presume, were armed. They returned armed. Hiram Smnli and George W. Robinson were in the company. Amasa Lyman went to see what was going on. He heard these persons say they were in Hinkle's camp (at De Witt) several days. When the Mormons returned from De Witt, it was rumored that a mob was collecting in Daviess county. Joseph Smith, jr., 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 (Monday) at Far West. He declared (on Sunday or Monday—I don't recollect which) 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.

At the meeting on Monday, when persons met from all parts of the county of Caldwell, Joseph Smith, jr., took the pulpit, and delivered an address, in which he said that we had been an injured people, driven violently from Jackson county; that we had appealed to the Governor, magistrates, judges, and even to the President of the United States, and there had been no redress for us; and that now a mob was about to destroy the rights of our brethren of Daviess county, and that it was high time that we should take measures to defend our own rights. In the address, he related an anecdote about a captain who applied to a Dutchman to purchase potatoes, who refused to sell. The captain then