306 IN THE OLD WEST 



give up possession of their lands and houses. The 

 Missourians collected in a body, burned the print- 

 ing-press from which the proclamation had ema- 

 nated, seized several of the Mormon leaders, and,, 

 after inflicting a summary chastisement, tarred 

 and feathered them, and let them go. 



To revenge this insult, the Mormons marshaled 

 an army of Saints, and marched upon Independ- 

 ence, threatening vengeance against the town and 

 people. Here they met, however, a band of sturdy 

 backwoodsmen, armed with rifles, determined to de- 

 fend the town against the fanatic mob, who, not 

 relishing their appearance, refused the encounter^ 

 and surrendered their leaders at the first demand. 

 The prisoners were afterwards released, on con- 

 dition that the Mormons left that part of the coun- 

 try without delay. 



Accordingly they once more " took up their 

 beds and walked," crossing the Missouri to Clay 

 County, where they established themselves, and 

 would finally have formed a thriving settlement 

 but for their own acts of willful dishonesty. At 

 this time their blasphemous mummery knew no 

 bounds. Joe Smith, and other prophets who had 

 lately arisen, were declared to be chosen of God; 

 and it was the general creed that, on the day of 

 judgment, the former would take his stand on the 

 right hand of the judgment-seat, and that none 

 would pass into the kingdom of heaven without his 

 seal and touch. One of their tenets was the faith 



