The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-04-02


slaughter On all their enemies. This speech
the more sanguine portions of it especially
were received with wild shouts of applause
1t was in vain for the peacefully disposed t.
stem this torrent of passion. A mild polio,
was advised by the prudent; but the advo.
Gates Of peace had their voices drowned il
hlsses, shouts, and execratione, which burst
from the uncomfortable Mormons. Onl,
such as were known to be in the interest 'ol
the fanatics were suffered to give any ex.
preston OF their views. The contract whict
had been agreed to between the Anti Nor
mons and the delegates of the new citizens
was proposed in the meeting for ratification
and rejected by an overwhelming majority
1t was then proposed by tho Mormons tha,
the city be Immediately put in state of de.
tense, to meet the invasion of the gentle
rabble which was mcnacing it. This propo.
sltlon was received by dcafenng thunders
OF applause. The meeting adjourned about
midnight; but even Their, SO great was the
excitement, no one took any thought OF
repose. The streets were still crowded with
the bustltng, excited, and vindctive Nor
mons. Shout after shout arose upon the
night air. Guns were continually fired at
all hours of the night, and it was sonsidered
reasonable to be without arms to defend the
city.
In the mean time the Anti Mormon en-
campment received intelligence of the return
OF the sheriff, and of the courage and entbu-
siasm inspired by his presence. In taking
up their position at Point Golden, they had
| mistaken the force of the enemy and their
own. They had supposed their call for rein.
forcements would be promptly answered by
| the nine counties confederate with Hancock
for the removal of the Mormons and that
force could de Immediately collected, suf-
tciently powerful to capture Nauvoo, and
expel the Mormons without striking a blow.
In this, however, they were mistaken. AL.
though deputa:lons had visited all the vari-
Gus counties, soliciting " material aid, >" they
wre received coldly and with but little ap-
probation. Scarcely man could be found
who was willing to abandon the cultivation
of his crops for the sake of active " inter-
ventlon" against the Mormons. The con-
sequence was, that instead Of two thousand
well-armed and appointed troops, which had
been pledged to them by the neighboring
counties, whenever it should be signified
! that their presence was needed, thev had
only some three or four hundred collected
OF their own county, and they in great
measure destitute of arms and amunition.-
From the best information which they could
procure, the number of The Mormons exceed
ed them two to one, were we'll armed, and
had abundant supplies of ammunition. 1t
was therefore considered highly inpoitic to
think OF making a stand against them. The
expedition was accordingly disbanded and
whilst the Mormons were concoctiDg their
plans Of vengeance, and shouting in their
desperation, the soldiers Of Camp Golden,
under the cover of night, were making the
best of their way homeward, satisfied that
but little glory was to be won at present on
the tented field.
The assemblage at Point Golden unques-
tionably proved highly disastrous to both
parties. By its sudden and unexpected ter
mination, the Mormons were induced to be-
lieve that their enemies could never raise q
sufficient force to dislodge them from Nau-
VOC. A great portion of them, who had al
ways looked with but little enthusiasm on
their Western pilgrimage, now expressed
their determ nation to remain at Nauvoo,
regardless of any attempts which might be
the nretenslons of the Anti -Mormons to
soIdiership. Their newspaper published at
Nauvoo manifested the highest cxultatlon
over the result Of the campaign. High en-
conlums were pronounced on the character
Of the meetings which had been held at
Nauvoo. All Of the warlikc demonstrations,
the general armng for the battle, were at
tributed to the new citizens, who were rep
resented by the Mormon organ as altogether
hostile to the Anti Mormons, and friendly to
the prosecuted scctaries. The Anti Nor
mons, deeply mortified at the result of their
expedition, were highly incensed by the in
soent brayado and sneers of the Mormons.
They began 20 view the new citizens with a
great deal of mistrust. The Nauvoo paper
represented them as being wholly devoted
to Mormon interests; and they had already
found that many Of them were secret pro-
fcssors of Mormonism. Notwithstanding
various causes of complaint were contually
arising between the belligeients, there was
now a period of several weeks of compara-
tive quiet. The Anti Mormons were enga-
ged in harvesting their crops and although
mutterings of discomfort and threats Of in
vasion were continually borne to Nauyoo,
they were treated with contempt by the Nor
mons, who fanced that their gentle neigh
bors were elfectually discouraged by their
untlmcly retreat from Poin, Golden.
In the latter part of July, NJ Jrmon resi-
ding 10 Nauyoo, who owned "A large farm s
miles no tn, in "a strong Ant-Mormon neigh
borhood, found 1t necessary to employ and
send to his farm eight laborers, all Of whom,
with a single exception. were Mormons. To
guard themselves against attack, these la
borers all armed themselves with rifles,
! which was a source of no inconsiderable an
noyance and alarm to their neighbors, none
of whom could look with any degree of fa-
vor on the intruders. Nor did these labor
ers conduct themselves with strict propricty.
Instead of attending to their labors rs direct
ed, it is alleged that they spent their time
securing the cDunry, shouting, firing their
guns, and denouncing and curslng as mob
bers every person who might happen to cross
their path. Several days passed without
any hostility between the parties. The Nor
mon lahorers formed the conclusion that
there was no danger of an encounter with
their enemies. 1t was, therefore, with sur
prise rs well as alarm, that they witnessed
an Anti Mormon party, numbering at least
ten times their force, well-armed and mount
cd, advancing towards them, evidently with
the most hostile intention. This threatening
party rode to an adjacent skirt Of timber,
where they dismounted, and held a consulta-
ton in low and hurried tones, relative to theiI
course Of procedure. Their conclusions
were soon formed; and no sooner were theil
deliberations ended than they surrounded
the astonished and terrified Mormons, took
possession of their arms, and marched them
into the skirt of timber where they had just
consulted together. Arriving at that point.
they deliberately cut from the impending
boughs a large number of heavy goads, and
peremptorily ordered their prisoners to lie
down on their faces, and receive at tbei,
hands the punishment which they merlted
and which, in solemn council, they had re-
solved upon intlicting. Against this violen,
course Of procedure the Mormons yentured
to demonstrate, insisting that if they had ir
any way disturbed the peace of the neighbor.
hood, they were liable to be prosecuted and
punished in legal way and pledging theil
honor, that if suffered to escape, they would
hasten to Nauvoo, and not again disturb tht
Anti Mormons by their presence. This rea.
sonable proposition was received by the in
dignan, Anti -Mormnos with contemptuous
indifference. The only response 1t ELECTED
was still moro decided command to pros