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Warsaw (IL) Signal, 19 June 1844, [1]; S. Otho Williams, Carthage, IL, to John A. Prickett, Alton, IL, 10 July 1844, in Chicago Historical Society, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, CHL.
Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.
Chicago Historical Society, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, 1832–1954. Microfilm. CHL. MS 8136.
Warsaw (IL) Signal, 19 June 1844, [1]–[2].
Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.
Illinois Constitution of 1818, art. 3, sec. 10; An Act for the Organization and Government of the Militia of This State [2 Mar. 1833], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois, p. 483, sec. 43; see also “Illinois and Missouri,” Times and Seasons, 15 Aug. 1843, 4:292–294; and Letter from Thomas Ford, 12 Dec. 1843.
Illinois Office of Secretary of State. First Constitution of Illinois, 1818. Illinois State Archives, Springfield.
The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
S. Otho Williams, Carthage, IL, to John A. Prickett, [Alton, IL], 10 July 1844, 2; Lima Guards Roll, [1844]; Farmers’ Guards Company Return, 21 Nov. 1844; Camp Creek Company Return, 21 Nov. 1844; Illinois Militia, 5th Division, 4th Brigade, 59th Regiment Muster Roll, 4 Dec. 1844, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, Abakanowicz Research Center, Chicago History Museum, Chicago; Message of the Governor of the State of Illinois, 3.
Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, 1832–1954. Abakanowicz Research Center, Chicago History Museum, Chicago. Microfilm copy in Chicago Historical Society, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, 1832–1954, CHL.
Message of the Governor of the State of Illinois, in Relation to the Disturbances in Hancock County, December, 21, 1844. Springfield, IL: Walters and Weber, 1844.
William Blackstone, whose commentaries on English law were highly influential in the United States, explained that martial law had no place in “the permanent and perpetual laws” of England and that it was “built upon no settled principles” but was “entirely arbitrary in its decisions.” It was “in truth and reality no law, but something indulged rather than allowed as a law.” Blackstone contended that it could not be imposed in peacetime when the courts of law operated freely. Although JS cited Blackstone and other legal commentaries when performing his responsibilities as mayor and a justice of the peace, it is unknown whether he consulted such resources when preparing his declaration of martial law. (Friedman, History of American Law, xx, 71, 83; Blackstone, Commentaries, vol. 1, bk. 1, p. 413; Trial Report, 4–22 Mar. 1843 [Dana v. Brink]; Letter to Thomas Ford, 22–23 June 1844.)
Friedman, Lawrence M. A History of American Law. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019.
Blackstone, William. Commentaries on the Laws of England: In Four Books; with an Analysis of the Work. By Sir William Blackstone, Knt. One of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas. In Two Volumes, from the Eighteenth London Edition. . . . 2 vols. New York: W. E. Dean, 1840.
“Latest News,” and “Postscript,” Warsaw (IL) Signal, 19 June 1844, [2].
Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.
Ford named John A. Hicks, Henry Norton, Andrew J. Higbee, John Eagle, P. J. Rolfe, Peter Lemon, and J. G. Rolph as the detainees. (Letter from Thomas Ford, 22 June 1844.)
Ford, Message of the Governor, 3.
Message of the Governor of the State of Illinois, in Relation to the Disturbances in Hancock County, December, 21, 1844. Springfield, IL: Walters and Weber, 1844.
JS, Journal, 22 June 1844. In a letter written to Ford during the night of 22–23 June 1844, JS defended his decision to call out the legion as a necessary measure to protect the city and argued that any detentions were made for breaches of the peace. He also assured the governor that the detained individuals had been released. (Letter to Thomas Ford, 22–23 June 1844.)
JS prosecuted Spencer in the Nauvoo mayor’s court on 26 April 1844 for attacking his brother Orson Spencer and for making derogatory comments about the church. When Augustine Spencer was detained, Chauncey L. Higbee, Robert D. Foster, and Charles A. Foster, all of whom later became proprietors of the Nauvoo Expositor, refused to assist in his arrest after being called upon by city officers to do so. Spencer’s subsequent activities in Nauvoo are unknown. Robert D. Foster referred to Norton as one of his “boys.” In mid-June 1844, Hancock County justice of the peace Aaron Johnson tried and acquitted Norton for allegedly trying to burn down the Expositor office at the behest of Foster. On 18 June, Norton reportedly threatened JS’s life. However, after an examination before an unidentified justice of the peace, he was discharged. Finally, Norton was detained under JS’s martial law order. Norton’s interactions with Hyrum Smith during this time are unknown. (Introduction to City of Nauvoo v. A. Spencer; “Prospectus of the Nauvoo Expositor,” Nauvoo Expositor, 7 June 1844, [4]; Letter, Robert D. Foster to John Proctor, 20 June 1844; Docket Entry, ca. 14 June 1844, State of Illinois v. Norton [J.P. Ct. 1844], Hancock Co., IL, Robinson and Johnson Docket Book, 256, in Chicago Historical Society, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, CHL; JS, Journal, 14 and 18 June 1844; Clayton, Journal, 27 June 1844; Letter from Thomas Ford, 22 June 1844; see also “For the Neighbor,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 16 [26] June 1844, [2].)
Chicago Historical Society, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, 1832–1954. Microfilm. CHL. MS 8136.
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
Justice Smith referenced the complaints in the warrants he issued for JS and Hyrum Smith. (Warrant, 24 June 1844–A [State of Illinois v. JS and H. Smith for Treason]; Warrant, 24 June 1844–B [State of Illinois v. JS and H. Smith for Treason].)
An Act relative to Criminal Jurisprudence [26 Feb. 1833], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois, p. 202, sec. 20.
The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.
Ford, who had previously served as a justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, noted in his 1854 History of Illinois that he viewed the question of JS’s guilt or innocence as hinging on the motives of the volunteers who assembled to join the posse comitatus. If they truly intended only to assist the civil authorities in bringing JS into custody, then JS’s actions might have proven treasonous. If the volunteers were instead vigilantes, intent on murdering JS—as, Ford conceded, actually happened—then JS’s actions would have probably not been deemed treasonable. (Ford, History of Illinois, 337, italics in original; see also Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844.)
Ford, Thomas. A History of Illinois, from Its Commencement as a State in 1818 to 1847. Containing a Full Account of the Black Hawk War, the Rise, Progress, and Fall of Mormonism, the Alton and Lovejoy Riots, and Other Important and Interesting Events. Chicago: S. C. Griggs; New York: Ivison and Phinney, 1854.
Hyrum Smith was appointed chaplain of the legion in 1841. At some point, he received the honorary title of brevet major general, but this did not grant him command in the organization. (Militia Returns, Nauvoo Legion, 23 Mar. 1841, [2], Illinois Governor, Military Correspondence, microfilm, CHL; John C. Bennett, “Officers of the Nauvoo Legion,” [1], Nauvoo Legion Records, CHL; Nauvoo Legion Minute Book, 20 May 1843, 32.)
Illinois Governor. Military Correspondence, 1839–1844. Microfilm. CHL. MS 8716.
Nauvoo Legion Records, 1841–1845. CHL. MS 3430.
Nauvoo Legion Minute Book, 1843–1844. Nauvoo Legion, Records, 1841–1845. CHL. MS 3430, fd. 1.
Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844; Warrant, 11 June 1844 [State of Illinois v. JS et al. for Riot–A]; Hugh T. Reid, “Statement of Facts!,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:561–562; James W. Woods, Statement, Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:563.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844; Mittimus, 25 June 1844 [State of Illinois v. JS and H. Smith for Treason]; Note from Thomas Ford, 26 June 1844; Hugh T. Reid, “Statement of Facts!,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:562.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844; Gregg, History of Hancock County, 302, 748–750; Introduction to State of Illinois v. JS et al. for Riot–A, State of Illinois v. JS for Riot on Habeas Corpus, State of Illinois v. H. Smith et al. on Habeas Corpus, and State of Illinois v. JS et al. for Riot–B; Perrin, History of Cass County, 239; List of Witnesses, 26 June 1844 [State of Illinois v. JS and H. Smith for Treason]; Mittimus, 26 June 1844 [State of Illinois v. JS and H. Smith for Treason].
Gregg, Thomas. History of Hancock County, Illinois, Together with an Outline History of the State, and a Digest of State Laws. Chicago: Charles C. Chapman, 1880.
Perrin, William Henry, ed. History of Cass County Illinois. Chicago: O. L. Baskin, 1882.
See the editorial note following the entry for 27 June 1844 in Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844.
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