EXODUS FROM MISSOURI.
It will perhaps be remembered that the saints at Diahman were given
a very limited time by General Wilson in which to leave for Far
West--only ten days. Therefore in their flight to Far West they left
much of their stock and property behind them.
On the first of December the "Mormon" committee that had been granted
the privilege of moving freely between Diahman and Far West for a
limited time proposed to a committee of Daviess County citizens,
viz., W. P. Peniston, Dr. K. Kerr, and Adam Black, that the "Mormon"
committee be allowed, first, to employ twenty teams and their drivers
to move the property of the saints from Diahman to Far West; and,
second, that they be allowed to collect all stock the "Mormon" people
owned in Daviess County, and that on a given day a committee from said
county examine the stock and accompany the "Mormon" committee and the
stock out of the county, the brethren binding themselves on their part
not to take any stock from the county after this general drive. These
propositions were accepted by the Daviess County committee, and duly
executed, though much of the stock belonging to the saints had been
driven away, or shot down to supply the mob forces with beef.
It was during these trying times that Brigham Young, afterwards the
President of The Church, began to exhibit those executive qualities
which so eminently fitted him as a great leader. By the apostasy of
Thomas B. Marsh, the presidency of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles
devolved upon him, hence also the leadership of The Church during the
absence of the First Presidency. Was God training him for leadership in
that greater exodus to take place a few years later?
He called together those members of the High Council of the Far West
stake of Zion that still remained in Far West, and enquired of them as
to their faith in the Latter-day work, first telling them that his own
faith was unshaken. All the members present expressed their undying
faith in the gospel, and their confidence in Joseph Smith as a prophet
of God. The council was then reorganized; the vacancies caused by
absence or apostasy were filled up, and the council was prepared to do
business.
Elders John Taylor and John E. Page, both of whom had previously been
chosen by revelation for the office, were ordained members of the
quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on the nineteenth day of September,
under the hands of Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. This work of
setting in order the High Council and filling the vacancies in the
quorum of the Apostles being accomplished, Elder Young waited upon
Bishop Partridge and proposed to him that they adopt some plan to
remove the poor from the State, that they might not fall victims to
the governor's exterminating order. The bishop's reply was rather
ungracious, for he said: "The poor may take care of themselves, and I
will take care of myself!" "Well," said Elder Young, "if you will not
help them out, I will." Here, however, I would suggest to the reader
not to judge the bishop too harshly for the petulant expression he
allowed to escape him at that moment. Let it be remembered that when
the bishop first became connected with The Church he was a man of
considerable means: and now, in consequence of frequent drivings, and
caring for his brethren, he found himself stripped of nearly all his
earthly possessions, and sorely perplexed as to the future. No wonder
then, if, in a moment of forgetfulness, he made the remark quoted
above. Those were days that tried men's souls, be not surprised if good
men and true had their periods of despondency.
Elder Young's activity and zeal in the matter of caring for the poor
were unbounded. A public meeting was called, not only of the saints but
also of the citizens of Caldwell County and the poverty and distress
of many of the saints presented to them. Several gentlemen, not
members of The Church, expressed themselves as being of opinion that
an appeal should be made to the citizens of upper Missouri, inviting
their assistance towards furnishing means to remove the poor from
Caldwell County. Whether such an appeal was made or not, I cannot say,
but rather think not, as a resolution was adopted at this meeting as
follows: "_Resolved,_ That it is the opinion of this meeting that an
exertion should be made to ascertain how much [means] can be obtained
from individuals of the society [church]; and that it is the duty of
those who have, to assist those who have not, that thereby we may, as
far as possible, within and of ourselves, comply with the demands of
the Executive." So that the generosity of the people of upper Missouri
I think was not appealed to by the saints that were driven from among
them.
At a subsequent meeting, similar in character to the one alluded to,
Elder Young offered this resolution: "_Resolved,_ That we this day
enter into a covenant to stand by and assist each other, to the utmost
of our abilities, in removing from this State, and that we will never
desert the poor who are worthy, till they shall be out of the reach of
the general exterminating order of General Clark, acting for and in the
name of the State." This resolution was adopted, and a committee of
seven appointed to superintend the removal of the saints. A committee
was also appointed to draft a covenant that should bind the saints in
an agreement to assist each other to the extent of their available
property to remove from the State of Missouri, in accordance with the
orders of the governor; this covenant was drawn up in due form and
signed by the faithful brethren. Elder Young secured eighty names to
this covenant the first day he took hold of it, and three hundred the
next. The Prophet Joseph, not willing to be behind the other brethren
in the good work, hearing what was going on through those who visited
him while in prison, from his gloomy dungeon at Liberty, sent the
brethren a hundred dollars to assist in removing the Saints.
Charles Bird was appointed to go down towards the Mississippi and
make deposits of corn for the use of the saints as they should make
their way out of the State. He was also to make contracts for ferriage
and arrange whatever else might be necessary for their comfort and
security. Thus all things were prepared for the exodus of The Church
from the unfriendly State of Missouri.
No sooner had these arrangements been perfected than Elder Young, whose
wisdom and activity had doubtless given offense to the enemies of The
Church, had to flee from Far West to escape the vengeance of the mob.
He went to Illinois. In his labors, Elder Young had been materially
assisted by the support and counsels of Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor
and the members of the various committees that had been appointed, to
whom was now left the execution of the plans that had been laid for the
removal of The Church.
I can not dwell upon all the details of that exodus. All I need say
here is that it was managed with consummate wisdom; and, in view of all
the difficulties in the way, with less suffering than could have been
expected.
By the twentieth of April nearly all the saints, variously estimated
from twelve to fifteen thousand, had left the State where they had
experienced so much sorrow; and found a temporary resting place in the
State of Illinois, chiefly in the city of Quincy and vicinity, but a
few settled in the then Territory of Iowa.