Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-08-04
OLD SERIES, VOL. 10. NO. as.
THE CITY OF NAuvcO.

The editor of the Iieokuk Gate City thus
describes Nauvoo, lllin5s, the former city OF
the Mormons as ii appeared to him on late
visit
Putting np at the 'Nauvoo Mansion,' the
former residence Of Joe Smith, and the rem
devious Of his elan, we found il cool, coun
! triied hotel, surrounded by shrubbery, every
thing neatly kept and cared for, and impair
| ting fresh, wholesome Gir. The hostess
was the former wife Of Joe, who with her
I present husband and children by her former
/ sponse, still resides on the premises she en-
tered with the prophet, when the Saints first
/ founded the city. She informed us q at she
had resided in the mansion for sixteen years
During that period she has witnessed the
origin, growth, and decay Of the city; the
! inception of q new religion, the most strange
conglomerate Of truth, fanaticism, superstl-
ton and arrant cheating that was ever inau-
gurated in civilized community; has wit
messed its developement, been familiar with
its spirit and character, and cognizant of the
motives which rnled its leaders /; seen the first
and the last of all the strange things enacted
there passed through all the social changes
incidental to that community; observed all
of the important facts Of its singular and in
teresting history, and at last finds herself the
quiet housewife of O pleasant country tavern,
which was but recently the home and head
quarters Of band of men Of peculiar charac-
ter and pretensions, and of her husband, who
was their chief Nauvoo, and particularly
the mansion must possess strange and
remarkable interest for her.
"a daughter, (now widow and several
sons, children of Smith, compose her family.
The property held by Smith, and falling to
the family, has left them very wealthy, but
there are no signs of ostentations life or in
clinations among them. Ascending the hill
TO examine the temple and its surroundings,
we come upon the community ofMons. CADET.
who were gathered for dinner in q large house
in the rear, which seemed to be the common
eating room Of the Icarians. The meal, Geo.
nomcally provided, and with entire uniformity
in its character, was enlivcned by band Of
instrumental music, numbering some thirty
performers and they seemed to be as intent
on celebrating in their own way, the great
anniversary, as anybody else.
"An address was pronounced by Mons.
CADET, in the forenoon, in French, and other
addresses were made in German and English.
"The temple is pile of ruins, as most
people know, except the front. That, with
the exception of the tower, still remains
There is enough in that to afford some idea
of its almost wand like, incongruoas, heathen-
ish, hut fresh and vigorous architecture. 1t
is deeply TO be deplored than vandal hands
| should have consigned it to destruction. 1t
should have been permitted to remain as
monument of the strange religion that caused
| it to be erected, and the strange worship to
which it was dedicated The entrance to an
underground avenue is still discernible among
the rubbish on the south side Of it. This
avenue, and others, which the husband of
Mrs. Smith informed us, existed beneath tho
surface Of the ground, led by connection with
them to several points where the leaders for
various purposes assembled TO conduct the
affairs Of the community concoct their
schemes and execute their plans.
"Ihe large, and SO far as completed, thor
oughly built hotel, which is situated close by
the mansion is to be flushed up for mill
and machinery which the heirs Of the Pro
phet design putting into it. Many Of the
once fine but now dilapidated residences havo
latterly been occupied. and the town is eyi-
IDENTIFY improving. With q magnificent loca-
tion, and point which, had it preserved its
population and business, might have become
a commercial centre Of Importance by this
! time, in the ordinary course of events, Nau-
voo with the usual character of population,
might have been one of the largest and most
/ prosperous towns in the West. But now it
is simply the residence Of the fag ends of
several fanaticisms, comprising the mem orials,
social and architectural, of religion whose
! founder, character and influence have won an
unenviabe but enduring fame in history
there n Procureur- General Of France preSides
over hog-pens, distilleries, and the general
economies of a new social organization, and a
! few people with common ideas, are seeking
happiness and prosperity in the ordinary way;
and that is all of city that might have been
great and powerful and once bid fair to be
So"