, 1845.
Fresh disaster now approached Nauvoo. Th ■
whigs and the democrats of IlUnois had both sought
to secure the Mormon vote, until finally they began
to declare that Mormonism signified a government not
in accord with that of the United States. The city
charter had been repealed in January 1845, and Dan-
iel Spencer, who had been elected to fill the remain-
der of the term of the murdered mayor, was deposed,
as were all the other city officers; a new charter was
before the legislature, but never granted. These and
like measures, followed as they were by the discharge
of Joseph Smith's assassins, imparted to the gentiles
renewed courage. The crimes of the whole country
were laid at the door of the saints. Nauvoo was de-
nounced as a den of counterfeiters, cattle-thieves, and
assassins,^^ the leaders of the gang being men who in the
name of religion outraged all sense of decency. The
saints retaliated in kind; and shortly it came about that
in sections settled by Mormons gentiles feared to travel,
and in sections settled by gentiles Mormons feared
to travel. In view of this state of affairs, which was
more like old-time feudalism than latter-day repub-
licanism. Governor Ford made an inspection of the
city, and declared that fewer thefts were committed
in Nauvoo in proportion to population than in any
other town in the state. The cause of this, however,
may have lain in the fact that the population of Nau-
voo was chiefly Mormon, and whatever might be their
depredations upon the gentiles, the saints were not
accustomed to steal from each other.
At a place called the Morley settlement, in Han- cock county, in September 1845, the people held a meeting to devise means for the prevention of thievery. Though few definite charges were advanced, there was much said derogatory to Mormon honesty. Presently the discharge of a gun was heard, once or twice, perhaps more. It was said the shots were fired
'^ For specimens of the accusations brought against them, see Hcdl's Mot' monism Exposed, 24-34.
