Taylor demonstrated similar resolve two days earlier. According to several accounts, U.S. marshal Peter Van Bergen had threatened that if Brigham Young refused to allow him to serve his writ he would “leave the writ in the hands of some of the officers either in Carthage or Warsaw, so that we may continually be harassed by it.” In his Sunday discourse, with the marshal in attendance, Taylor “spoke plainly on these things, and said that he [Van Bergen] was a mobber, or he never would have used such language, and stated that the saints would defend themselves and not suffer themselves to be imposed upon; and that if any mobbers came here, they came here at their own risk; that they had shed innocent blood, and the murderers were still prowling around; but in the name of Israel’s God, they should not do it again with impunity; and all the congregation said Amen.” (Clayton, Journal, 13 Apr. 1845; Taylor, Journal, 13 Apr. 1845, 54; see also Stout, Journal, 13 Apr. 1845; and “The Late Writs,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 23 Apr. 1845, [2].)

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

Taylor, John. Journal, Dec. 1844–Sept. 1845. CHL.

Stout, Hosea. Journal, Oct. 1844–May 1845. CHL. MS 1910.

Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.