Minutes and Testimonies, 12–29 November 1838 [State of Missouri v. Gates et al. for Treason]
Source Note
Minutes and Testimonies, , Ray Co., MO, 12–29 Nov. 1838, State of MO v. Gates et al. for Treason (Fifth Judicial Circuit of MO 1838); unidentified handwriting; 126 pages; Eugene Morrow Violette Collection, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia.
part of — I He thinks the evening the militia arrived, Smith had a disposition not to fight them, from what I could understand, more on account of their numbers, than their character— I heard it said <but> whether it was in the council where was appointed commander in chief, or where, I do not recollect, but I heard it stated as I think by Jos Smith Jr that the militia was a mob, <&> that the state of was a mob, that the was a mob man or words to that effect— When opposing Pres Smith at above referred to about the plu[n]dering of property, he remarked it was impossible so many people could subsist there without resorting to something of that kind— And further this saith not.
After we came in from , <from the last expedition there> to Jos Smith Jr said to <he> intented to hoist a new flag or strandard, on the square <of > on which he would intended to white write “Religion aside & free toleration to all religions & to all people that would flock to him it— & that he believed thousands in the surrounding country would flock to it, & give him force sufficient to accomplish his designs, in maintaining his flock flag, & <in> carrying on the war— The Morning that I marchd out of to march meet upon the militia to confer with them, as above refered <to> Jos Smith Jr made a speach to the troops who were called together in which he said That the troops <that> were gathering thro’ the country were a damn mob, that he had tried to please them long enough that we had tried to keep the law long enough but as to keeping the law of any longer [p. [43]]