These covenants did not originate with Gadianton or any of his crew. They were as old as the days of Cain, into whose ear the Son of Perdition whispered these bloodthirsty and infernal suggestions. These same secret societies flourished among the Antediluvians, and had place with the Jaredites and other peoples of antiquity. In the end they invariably wrought ruin and destruction wherever they found a foothold. To their abominations can be traced the fall and extinction of both the Jaredite and Nephite races.
As time went on, the Gadiantons among the Nephites aspired to rule the republic. When, by their combinations, they could not carry their point at the elections, they would murder, or attempt to murder, any judge or other officer who was distasteful to them, and place a more acceptable man in his seat. So fell more than one of the Nephite chief judges. But they frequently had no need to do this, for as the people increased in iniquity they could easily carry the majority or the voice of the people with them. In this way several of their numbers were elected to the chief judgeship.
After the time of the conversion of the Lamanites by Lehi and Nephi (B. C. 30), the Gadianton robbers took their place in the history of ancient America. The divisions then became the righteous Nephites and Lamanites on one side, and the Gadiantons on the other. And, strange as it may appear, these robber bands received greater encouragement and attained to greater power among the Nephites than among the Lamanites; but the fact is, that in that era the Lamanites were a growing race, while the Nephites were a decaying one. Many wars ensued between these two divisions, ending sometimes in the temporary suppression of the robbers, as in the year B. C. 17. But they soon reappeared, as they did five years after the instance here mentioned (B. C.
