IN THE OLD WEST 305 



of the Church at moderate prices. All this time 

 their numbers increased in a wonderful manner, 

 and immigrants from all parts of the States, as 

 well as Europe, continually joined them. As they 

 became stronger, they grew bolder and more arro- 

 gant in their projects. They had hitherto been 

 considered as bad neighbors, on account of their 

 pilfering propensities, and their utter disregard of 

 the conventional decencies of society exhibiting 

 the greatest immorality, and endeavoring to estab- 

 lish amongst their society an indiscriminate con- 

 cubinage. This was sufficient to produce an ill 

 feeling against them on the part of their neighbors, 

 the honest Missourians; but they still tolerated 

 their presence amongst them, until the Saints 

 openly proclaimed their intention of seizing upon 

 the country, and expelling by force the present oc- 

 cupants giving, as their reason, that it had 

 been revealed to their prophets that the " Land of 

 Zion " was to be possessed by themselves alone. 

 The sturdy Missourians began to think this was 

 a little too strong, and that, if they permitted such 

 aggressions any longer, they would be in a fair 

 way of being despoiled of their lands by the Mor- 

 mon interlopers. At length matters came to a 

 crisis, and the Saints, emboldened by the impunity 

 with which they had hitherto carried out their 

 plans, issued a proclamation, to the effect that all 

 in that part of the country who did not belong 

 to the Mormon persuasion must " clear out," and 



