Year: 1859

VOC had sufficient force within its own limit:
, to repel any invasion which could be organ.
lied by the Anti -Mormons; oil they wished
} at present was the official sanction of the
Executive, that they might be able to repel
the imputation that the Nauvoo authorities
were in open conflict with the people and
government of the State. This course Of
procedure was highly satisfactory to the
Governor. He could give the required
sanction to the Mormon policy, and extend
the protection which was solicited, without
incurring any personal exposure to danger,
and without any extraordinary expenditure
from the public treasury. The suggestion
OF Major Bdamon was accordingly acted
upon. The Governor issued his special pro-
clamation to one James Parker, q resident of
Canton, who was sturdy, and withal quite
respectable lacksmith, and ma jor Of mill
tia. commanding him to accept the active
services of ten volunteers, and with them
repair Immediately to Nauvoo, where he was
directed to take the command of as many
volunteers as were willing to enrol themselves
free of charge to the State. Major Parker
was instructed to supercede the service of
all writs now in the hands of the officers ap-
pointed by both parties, and was further
directed to demand and receive into his own
hands all such processes, and with the aid
of his ten men procure their execution. He
was also instructed to defend the city of
Nauvoo against the excursions of the Anti
Mormons, should any attempt be made, on
any pretext whatsoever, to invade the city !;
but was expressly prohibited from marching
bis forces out OF the corporation limits.


Major Bidamon had no sooner received
this proclamation and the accompanying in
structions, than he fastened on his way to
Canton, to place them in the hands of his
friend Major Parker. He found that gallant
warrior sweating over his forge, hammering
piece Of wrought iron, little dreaming Of
the lllustrious honors which Governor Ford
and benifcent Providence were about to
shower in rich profusion on his head. He
had long awaited q period in his life when
his peaceful pursuits should be abandoned
for the more stirring scenes of the tented
field. lie would have volunteered his servi-
ces IN the Mexican war, but he was well
stricken in years. Like the knight of the
hard-fought and chivalrous field Of Shrews-
bury, he was encountered with huge noun
tain OF flesh. He had heard, too, that the
Mexican climate was intensely warm, and
that the vomlto with wonderful fatality
swept into the grave all fat heroes. 1t was
late in the evening when Major Parker re-
ceived his commission bnt notwithstanding
the unseasonableness of the hour, he washed
the coal dust from his ears and whiskers,
and marched into the street in quest of volun-
teers. lie entered a grocery where he found
two recruits, who, for the love Of glory and
auditors warrants, were willing to fight for
the Mormons. A saddlery shop furnished
another, and tailor shop yet another; and
bafora bo,r boI II
staff had pricked his tailors and tinkers
until they roared again; and in another
hour this formidable host was duly armed
and equipped and was on the march to Nau-
VOC.


Major Parker resided about eighty miles
from the seat Of war; but by means of for
ced marches by night as well as in the day
time, and not being much encountered with
a baggage train, he succeeded in reaching
the point of his destination in thirty hours
after he received his marching orders. He
arrived at Nauvoo on the very day on which
the Anti Normons commenced concentrating
their forces at Carthage. in obedience to the
proclamation of their special constable
Ma jor Parker was received with the greatest
Difference by the obsequious Mormons. Or
his arrival q salute was fired by the Mormon
forces then on parade on the temple green
and on reading his instructions to the Nor
mon battalion, the chief command was i'm
mediatey rendered to him, whereupon the
gallant Ma or made speech which hreathed
spirit of royal subordination to law, and
concluded by the application Of harsh cpl
thets to the AntiMormons, which caused him
to be vociferously cheered by the Mormon
allies, who expressed the unanimous opinion
that the "Major was one of 'em."


Ma or Parker was one of those sapguine,
impetuous spirits, who could never rest sat-
lshed when anything was to be accomplished.
Had he been free to act from his own i'm.
pllses, he would have marched his forces,
now mastering three hundred effective men.
right into Carthage, and routed Constable
Carln and scattered his forces to the winds:
but situated as he was, fettered by arbitrary
and as he thought unnecessary restrictions,
which confined all his operations to the de-
fense of the Mormon city, he determined to
try the force of diplomacy on the swugger-
ing constable and his lawless rabble, and if
possible, by sounding and verbose procla-
nation, drive him from the field before his
forces should be sufficiently trained to bring
successfully into actual combat. That this
proclamation might be as "terrible to the
enemy" es possible, one George Edmunds,
| a Mormon attorney, was summoned to the
Maj headquarters to assist in its prepara-
ton. This document, among other things,
Informed Mr.. Carlln and those under his
command of his appointment to take the
command of the Nauvoo forces, and use all
laudable means to preserve the general peace;
that the armed occupation of Carthage or
any part of the county for the purpose of
arresting criminals was wholly unnecessary,
for he alone, under express instructions from
the Executive, had lawful right to serve le-
gal process within the county during the
continuance of the riotous and lawless dem
onstrations now existing; and finally COM
manded the armed assemb!age at Carthage
to disperse forthwith, under the penalty of
being treated as mob and dispersed as
such.


This proclamation was con!ided to the care
of one Of Maj jor Parker's Canton volunteers,
who was Immediately dispatched with it to
Carthage. He was received by the Anti
Mormon force with unequivocal marks of
disapprobation. They had sworn the most
deadly hostility to the Mormons and their
allies, and were determined that no obstacle,
not even the authority of the Executive nor
the menacing threat Of his agents, should
stand between them and their wrath, and
thwart the full measure of their vengeance.
Carln read the proclamation without the
slightest emotion, and then coolly threw it
away, informing the messenger who brought
it that he had collected and organized his
force for the purpose of marching into Nau-
VOC, and that place march he would, despite
of Governor Ford, Major Parker, and the
devil, this was all the answer which he
would condescend to deliver to such Nor
mon tool as he knew Parker to DO.


=, TO BE CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT.


AGOOD REASON


A young lady at Christmas dinner ex-
pressed to her hairy Tipped partner deci-