By order of the Mayor, Smith, and decree of
the Council, the press was seized and destroyed, and the Law brothers
and their few adherents compelled to flee the Holy City. Immediately
upon their arrival at Carthage, they caused warrants to be issued for
the arrest of Joseph and Hiram Smith, John Taylor, and others, for
the destruction of the printing-press. The almost sovereign powers
previously conferred upon the city of Nauvoo now play an important
part in this drama. The persons arrested, as above mentioned, were
at once brought by writs of _habeas corpus,_ issued by the Mayor
of Nauvoo, before the Municipal Court and there promptly discharged.
Governor Ford, whose righteous soul had been vexed to the limit of
endurance by unmerited abuse from Mormon and Gentile alike from
the beginning of this controversy, here indulges in a few expressions
of justifiable irony. Of these proceedings he says:

"It clearly appeared both from the complaints of the citizens
and the admissions of the Mormons, that the whole proceedings of
the Mayor, Council, and Municipal Court were illegal and not to be
endured in a free country; but some apology might be made for
the court, as it had been repeatedly assured by some of the ablest
lawyers in the State of both political parties, when candidates
before that people, that it had full and complete power to issue
writs of _habeas corpus_ in all cases whatever."

"In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being seasoned with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil."

The incidents mentioned added quickly fuel to the flame. A new
warrant was issued by a magistrate in Carthage for the arrest of
the Mormon leaders and placed in the hands of an officer of the
State for execution. The latter at once summoned the citizens
of the county, as a _posse comitatus,_ to aid in the arrests.
At this critical moment Governor Ford, in the interest of peace,
reached Carthage, the county seat. Upon his arrival he found
the situation truly alarming. Several hundred armed men from
the country around had hastily assembled and were encamped upon
the public square. By order of the Governor, this force was
organized into companies and placed under the immediate command of
officers of his appointment. At the conclusion of a speech by the
Governor, the officers and men pledged themselves to aid him in
upholding the laws, and in protecting the Mormon prisoners when
brought to Carthage for tr