ready to put your armor on, and spread your banners on the air! for if the battle MUST be fought, I will lead you on to glorious victory in this great moral struggle, where the cause of morality and true religion is bleeding at every pore. Arise in the plenitude of your strength, and assert your rights, and, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, lay the rebels low! Vox populi vox Dei.

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF GOVERNOR BOGGS.

Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, in a public congregation in the city of Nauvoo, in the year 1841, PROPHESIED that Lilburn W. Boggs, Ex-Governor of Missouri, should die by violent hands within a year. Mr. C. S. Hamilton, of Carthage, Illinois, stated in my presence, and in the presence of several other gentlemen, at the tavern-house of Mr. R. L. Robertson, in Warsaw, Illinois, on Sunday, the 10th day of July, 1842, that he was présent, and heard Smith make this prophecy. I was likewise present, and heard it. Smith was speaking of the Missouri difficulties at the time, and said that the exterminator should be exterminated, and that the DESTROYING ANGEL should do it by the right hand of his power. "I say it," said he, “in the name of the Lord God!"

In the spring of the year 1842, Smith offered a reward of five hundred dollars to any man that would secretly assassinate Governor Boggs. I heard the offer made at a meeting of the DAUGHTER OF ZION, (Danites,) in the Nauvoo lodge-room, at which meeting several of the members of the DESTROYING ANGEL (Destructives) were present. As a member of the First Presidency, I had a right to be present at all meetings of the various departments of the Church, and witness their operations; and, in this matter, as one of his councillors, I advised the Prophet to desist, and abandon his purposes in relation to Governor Boggs and the Missourians. His reply was, "The Destroying Angel will do the work; when God speaks, his voice must be obeyed." Mr. Jotham Clark, of Hancock county, Illi

nois, stated in Carthage, on the 6th of July, 1842, in the presence of Dr. Thomas L. Barnes, Jonas Hobart, myself, and others, that a Mr. Taylor, an English emigrant, told him that he heard Smith make the same offer, (five hundred dollars for any man who would kill Governor Boggs,) and that he (Taylor) had, in consequence thereof, apostatized from the Mormon faith, and written home to his friends in Europe, detailing the horrible facts. This was in the early part of the spring of 1842.

Mr. O. P. Rockwell left Nauvoo from one to two months prior to the attempted assassination of Governor Boggs, and returned the day before the report reached there. Colonel Francis M. Higbee told me, in Carthage, in the presence of General George W. Robinson, that Professor Orson Pratt, and his wife, Sarah M. Pratt, told him, that Mr. O. P. Rockwell, in a conversation with them, at Mr. Pratt's residence, in Nauvoo, stated that he (Rockwell) had been in Governor Boggs's neighborhood, in Missouri, and had had the honor of standing on the corner of the Temple lot in Independence. Mrs. Pratt told me the same before I left Nauvoo, and that he (Rockwell) stated that he came down the Missouri River to the Mississippi, thence down to St. Louis, Missouri, thence up to Nauvoo, Illinois.

"The (Nauvoo) Wasp," of May 28, A. D. 1842, a paper edited by William Smith, one of the Twelve Mormon Apostles, and brother of the Prophet, declared, “Who did the NOBLE DEED remains to be FOUND OUT."

Some weeks after Rockwell left Nauvoo, I asked Smith where he had gone. "Gone?" said he; "gone to fulfil PROPHECY," with a significant nod, giving me to understand that he had gone to fulfil his prediction in relation to the violent death of Governor Boggs. Soon after Rockwell's return, Smith said to me, speaking of Governor Boggs, "The Destroying Angel has done the work, as I predicted, but Rockwell was not the man who shot; THE ANGEL did it." Rockwell is one of the Daughter of Zion, (a Danite,) but I do not think that he belongs to the Destroying Angel.

On Friday, the 1st of July, 1842, I went to Carthage, and on the 5th, I had a call from Mr. O. P. Rockwell, the result of which is detailed in the following affidavits,

to wit:

·

"Personally appeared before me, Samuel Marshall, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, John C. Bennett, who, being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith, That on the 5th of July, 1842, at the house of Mr. Hamilton, in Carthage, Mr. O. P. Rockwell came to him and desired a private interview, to which deponent replied, that if he (Rockwell) had any thing to say, he could speak it out before the gentlemen present. Rockwell said it was a private matter which interested them only. Deponent then went out with him. Rockwell said, 'Doctor, you do not know your friends; I am not your enemy, and I do not wish you to make use of my name in your publications.' Deponent replied, that he recognized Joe Smith and all his friends as his personal enemies; to which Rockwell replied, 'I have been informed by Warner and Davis that you said Smith gave me fifty dollars and a wagon for shooting Boggs, and I can and will whip any man that will tell such a cursed lie; did you say so or not? After looking at him for a moment or two, deponent said, 'I never said so, sir; but I did say, and I now say it to your face, that you left Nauvoo about two months before the attempted assassination of Ex-Governor Boggs, of Missouri, and returned the day before the report of his assassination reached there; and that two persons, in Nauvoo, told me that you told them that you had been over the upper part of Missouri, and in Boggs's neighborhood;' to which Rockwell replied, Well, I was there; and if I shot Boggs, they have got to prove it. I never did an act in my life that I was ashamed of, and I do not fear to go any where that I have ever been, for I have done nothing criminal.' Deponent replied, Certainly they have got to prove it on you, if you did shoot him; I know nothing of what you did, as I was not there. I only know the circumstances, and from them I draw my own inferences, and the public will theirs; and now, sir, if either you, or Joe Smith, think you can intimidate me by your threats, you are mistaken in your man, and I wish you to understand, distinctly, that I am opposed to Joe and his holy host. I shall tell the truth fearlessly, and regardless of consequences.' Rockwell replied, If you say that Joe Smith gave me fifty dollars and a wagon to shoot Boggs, I can whip you, and will do it in any crowd.' Deponent then said, Why are you harping on what I have not said? I have told you what I have said, to your face, and in the presence of these gentlemen, and you have acknowledged the truth of all I have said, and I shall say it again; and if you wish to fight, I am ready for you.' The conversation then ceased on that subject. Rockwell told deponent that he had been accused wrongfully of wishing to assassinate him, or of being ordered by Smith to do so; but deponent said, 'I believe that Joe ordered you to do it. I know that orders went from him to the Danites for that purpose.' Rockwell said that Smith had never given him any such orders, neither was it his intention; and further this deponent saith not.

"JOHN C. BENNETT. "Sworn to, and subscribed, this 7th day of July, 1842, before me, at my office, in Carthage.

"SAMUEL MARSHALL, Justice of the Peace."

"STATE OF ILLINOIS, SS.

Hancock County,

"Personally appeared before me, Samuel Marshall, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Clayton Tweed, who, being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith, That on the 5th day of July, 1842, at the house of Mr. Hamilton, in Carthage, Mr. O. P. Rockwell came up to General John C. Bennett, and said to him, 'I wish to have some private conversation with you; will you come out of doors with me?' To which Bennett replied, 'No, sir; if you have any thing to say to me, speak it out before these gentlemen.' Rockwell then observed, It is a matter which interests you and myself alone, and I should like much to see you a few minutes by ourselves.' They then went out, and were some time in conversation, when loud words ensued, and deponent came up, much agitated, fearing there would be a fight, and heard Bennett say, 'I now say to your face what I said behind your back,- that you left Nauvoo about two months before the attempted assassination of Ex-Governor Boggs, of Missouri, and returned the day before the report of his assassination reached there, and that two persons in Nauvoo told me that you told them, that you had been over to the upper part of Missouri, and in Boggs's neighborhood;' to which Rockwell replied, 'If I shot Boggs, they have got to prove it.' Bennett said, Certainly, they have got to prove it on you if you did shoot him. I know nothing of what you did, as I was not there. I only know the circumstances, and from them draw my own inferences, and the public will theirs. And now, sir, if either you or Joe Smith think you can intimidate me by your threats, you are mistaken in your man; and I wish you to understand, distinctly, that I am opposed to Joe and his holy host. I shall tell the truth fearlessly, and regardless of consequences.' Bennett further remarked, 'Why are you harping about what I have not said? I have told you what I have said, to your face, and you have acknowledged the truth of it, and I will say it again; and if you wish to fight, I am now ready for you; you will never have a better time." The conversation then ceased, and the parties separated; and further this deponent saith not. CLAYTON TWEED.

"Sworn to, and subscribed, before me, this 7th day of July, 1842, at my office, in Carthage. "SAMUEL MARSHALL, Justice of the Peace."

"Personally appeared before me, Samuel Marshall, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Jonas Hobart, who, being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith, That on the 5th day of July, 1842, at the tavern-house of Mr. Hamilton, in Carthage, he came up to where General John C. Bennett and Mr. O. P. Rockwell were in angry conversation, when he heard Rockwell say, that if any man said that Joe Smith hired him to shoot Boggs, he stated what was false. There was then some warm talk about fighting,

and Bennett said, 'I tell you, sir, to your face, what I have said behind your back, and if you are for fight, now is as good a time as you will have.' Rockwell said he had been up into Boggs's neighborhood, in Missouri; and said he, 'If I shot Boggs, they have got to prove it.' Bennett said, Certainly they have; I do not know what you did; I only know the circumstances. I have told them, and I have now told them to your face, and you have acknowledged them; and I shall tell them again, fearless of consequences;' and further deponent saith not.

"JONAS HOBART.

"Sworn to, and subscribed, this 9th day of July, 1842, before me, at my office, in Carthage. "SAMUEL MARSHALL, Justice of the Peace."

"Personally appeared before me, Samuel Marshall, Justice of the Peace in and for said county, John H. Lawton, who, being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith, That on the 5th day of July, 1842, he came up to where General John C. Bennett and O. P. Rockwell were in conversation, at the house of Mr. Hamilton, in Carthage, and heard Rockwell say that he had been up in Boggs's neighborhood, in Missouri, and that if he had shot Boggs, they had to prove it; and then began to talk of whipping Bennett, whereupon Bennett replied, 'I have said nothing behind your back but what I now say to your face, and if you wish to fight now, I am ready for you.' The conversation then ceased, and the parties separated; and further this deponent saith not. JOHN H. LAWTON.

"Sworn to, and subscribed, this 6th day of July, 1842, before me, at my office, in Carthage. SAMUEL MARSHALL, Justice of the Peace."

I would further say, that before Rockwell left Nauvoo, he was abjectly poor; but since his return, he left his family in the lower part of the city, and took up his residence at the tavern of Captain Amos Davis; has an elegant carriage and horses at his disposal, and his pockets filled with gold. Captain Davis can testify about this matter. These horses and carriage belonged to Smith, and the gold was furnished by him. Smith told me that he furnished the carriage, horses, and gold sovereigns, to Rockwell. But said he, "It is to enable him to convey passengers from the steamboats to the Temple and back again!" Bah! My opinion is, that Smith procured