PONTIUS PILATE FORD'S ENTRANCE UPON THE SCENE AT CARTHAGE—THE OLD CRY OF "CRUCIFY!"—JOSEPH'S FINAL EFFORT TO AVERT DANGER FROM NAUVOO—LACK OF FAITH AND SUSPICIONS OF COWARDICE—FATAL BLINDNESS—LIKE A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER—THE ARMS DEFENDED—FAREWELL TO NAUVOO—AT CARTHAGE.  
On the 21st day of June, 1844, Thomas Ford, governor of the state of Illinois, arrived at Carthage. What Pontius Pilate was to the divine atonement on Calvary, this man Ford was to the sealing martyrdom at Carthage.[1]
 
He was a politician, a friend to the masses, right or wrong. He submitted himself at Carthage to the direction of the mob leaders. From the moment of his arrival there until the deed was done, he interposed no hand to stay the awful deed. He could not have been so blind as to fail in seeing that murder impended for the Prophet and Patriarch; and that extermination threatened the Saints. A statesman and a true and brave patriot could have put forth his power and dissipated the evils at a stroke; but Ford was not of such mettle. He affected to view Joseph and his brethren as rebels and the mob as law-abiding citizens—at best, he classed them altogether. How he must have cringed when the Prophet asked him:
 
Sir, is it not an easy matter to distinguish between those who have pledged themselves to exterminate innocent men, women and children, and those who have only stood in their own defense, and in defense of their innocent families, and that, too, in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the country as required by the oaths, and as good and law-abiding citizens?
 
On the 21st Ford wrote to Joseph asking for a conference at Carthage with discreet representatives from Nauvoo. Apostle John Taylor and Dr. John M. Bernhisel went at once, in obedience to this request, carrying with them a full account of the situation and the circumstances which had led to it, and a score of affidavits from trustworthy men—some of whom were not connected with the Prophet or his people—showing clearly the purpose of the mob to commit murder. The next day Lucien Woodworth was sent to him from Nauvoo, with further documents and with a letter from the Prophet. When Apostle Taylor and Dr. Bernhisel reached Carthage, they found that the governor had taken the entire mob into his service; that he had passed judicially upon the municipal ordinances and proceedings at Nauvoo; and that, without hearing from them, he had decided upon his course. He received them coolly and as he read their communications aloud, he was surrounded by mobocrats who interrupted him at every sentence with a torrent of profanity and threats. He could listen to no argument and weigh no justice, for the cry was in his ears, "Crucify! Crucify!" By the hands of these brethren he sent a communication back to Nauvoo to require "all who are or shall be accused, to submit themselves to arrest by the same constable, by virtue of the same warrant, to be tried by the same magistrate whose authority had heretofore been resisted."
 
He asked that martial law should be abolished. He sent the constable with a guard to Nauvoo to secure Joseph and his friends. Of this circumstance Ford himself says:
 
Upon the arrival of the constable and guard [at Nauvoo], the mayor and common council at once signified their willingness to surrender, and stated their readiness to proceed to Carthage next morning at 8 o'clock. Martial law had previously been abolished. The hour of 8 o'clock came, and the accused failed to make their appearance. The constable and his escort returned. The constable made no effort to arrest any of them, or would he or the guard delay their departure one minute beyond the time to see whether an arrest could be made. Upon their return, they reported that they had been informed that the accused had fled and could not be found.
 
I immediately proposed to a council of officers to march into Nauvoo with a small force then under my command, but the officers were of opinion that it was too small, and many of them insisted upon a further call of the militia. Upon reflection, I was of opinion that the officers were right in the estimate of our force, and the project for immediate action was abandoned. I was soon informed, however, of the conduct of the constable and guard, and then I was perfectly satisfied that a most base fraud had been attempted; that, in fact, it was feared that the Mormons would submit and thereby entitle themselves to the protection of the law. It was very apparent that many of the bustling, active spirits were afraid that there would be no occasion for calling out an overwhelming militia force, for marching it into Nauvoo, for probable mutiny when there, and for the extermination of the Mormon race. It appeared that the constable and the escort were fully in the secret, and acted well their part to promote the conspiracy.
 
Informed of all the plots against him and seeing the executive weakness or connivance with the mob the Prophet determined to make one final effort to draw the menace from Nauvoo. He addressed a letter to the governor, in which he exposed the fallacy and cowardice of Ford's official proceedings and personal position. Then, after dark on the night of the 22nd of June, he called Hyrum, Willard Richards, John Taylor, W. W. Phelps, A. C. Hodge, John L. Butler, Alpheus Cutler and some others into his house and read to them the letter from the governor, merely remarking: "There is no mercy—no mercy here!"
 
Hyrum said: "No: as sure as we fall into their hands, we are dead men."
 
Joseph then told the brethren that if he and Hyrum should leave Nauvoo the attention of the mob would be attracted away from the Saints and in pursuit of the Prophet and Patriarch; and if the people would go quietly about their business none of them would be harmed. With this purpose he prepared to cross the river and go into the west. That night they bade farewell to their families. As they departed it was seen that Joseph's tears were falling fast, and he uttered not a word while they walked down to the bank of the river. Joseph, Hyrum and Willard, rowed by Orrin P. Rockwell, crossed the Mississippi in a leaky skiff, bailing out the water with their boots and shoes to keep the frail boat from sinking. They found refuge on the Iowa side at the house of Brother William Jordan, and made immediate preparations to depart toward the Rocky Mountains. But while they were packing their provisions, on the 23rd day of June, messengers came from Emma and others in Nauvoo, entreating the Prophet to return and by innuendo accusing him of cowardice in thus leaving the city. It was a fatal blindness on the part of these professed friends. They seemed to fear that the governor, failing to find Joseph and Hyrum, would fall upon Nauvoo with the militia. The Prophet knew better, that Ford would not dare such a thing as this—he might consent to the murder of individuals but he dare not lead an army against an unoffending city. It is pitiable to think that the Saints could have so misjudged their leader as to suspect him of cowardice. But it is often so, that men placed in responsible stations, who act by the light of heaven and for the benefit of their brethren, without one thought of personal safety or advantage, are condemned by the unthinking.
 
"We are going back to be butchered," said Joseph; "if we live or die we will be reconciled to our fate," said Hyrum; as they moved down to the river to cross to Nauvoo on that 23rd day of June. While they walked Joseph fell behind, deep in thought. Someone shouted to him to quicken his steps, and he remarked: "There is time enough for the slaughter."
 
That night, Sunday, June 23rd, 1844, Joseph sent a letter to the governor informing him that he would go to Carthage the next morning to meet his trial. He asked that the governor send a posse to meet him near the Mound, outside of Carthage, about two o'clock on the afternoon of the 24th. Seeing the determination of Joseph, the very friends who had induced him to return would now have interposed; but he was firm. To remain in Nauvoo would be to draw the vengeance of the mob upon that city. The next morning Elder Jedediah M. Grant and Theodore Turley, who had carried Joseph's communication to the governor, returned to Nauvoo and reported their mission. Ford had at first agreed to send a posse to escort Joseph in safety to Carthage, but some of the mobocrats and apostates made bitter speeches to him and he rescinded his promise. He refused to s............