Illinois, and not
within the jurisdiction of Missouri laws, he was not a fugitive
from justice within the provision of the Constitution of the United
States. The decision excited much comment at the time, but, as
stated by Judge Blodgett, it "has borne the test of criticism, and
is now the accepted rule of law in interstate extradition cases."

This for a time inclined the Mormons to the support of the Whig
party. Again arrested, the prophet, under similar proceedings,
was discharged by a Democratic Judge. This, as Governor Ford says,

"Induced Smith to issue a proclamation to his followers declaring Judge
Douglas to be a master spirit, and exhorting them to vote for
the Democratic ticket for Governor. Smith was too ignorant to know
whether he owed his discharge to the law or to party favor. Such was
the ignorance of the Mormons generally, that they thought anything
to be law which they thought expedient. All action of the Government
unfavorable to them they looked upon as wantonly oppressive, and
when the law was administered in their favor they attributed it to
partiality and kindness."

The last hope of the Whigs for Mormon support was abandoned in
1843. In the district of which Hancock County was a part, the
opposing candidates for Congress were Joseph P. Hoge, Democrat,
and Cyrus Walker, Whig, both lawyers of distinction. The latter
had been counsel for Smith in the Habeas Corpus proceedings last
mentioned. Grateful for the services then rendered, Smith
openly espoused the candidacy of Walker in the pending contest.
That there were tricks in politics even more than sixty years ago,
will now appear. One Backinstos, a politician of Hancock County,
declared upon his return from the State capital that he had assurances
from the Governor that the Mormons would be amply protected as long
as they voted the Democratic ticket. It is hardly necessary to
say that the Governor denied having given any such assurance.
However, the campaign lie of Backinstos, like many of its kind
before and since, proved a "good enough Morgan till after the
election." This, it will be remembered, was before the days of
railroads and telegraphs, and the Mormon settlement was far remote
from the seat of government. A partisan jumble, in which the
"saints" were the participants, and the low arts of the demagogues
and pretended revelations from God the chief ingredients, is
thus described by the historian just quoted:

"The missi