L. B. Fleak to Governor Reynolds, August 8, 1842
Source Note
Laban B. Fleak, Letter, Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa Territory, to Thomas Reynolds, August 8, 1842. Published in Warren A. Jennings, “Two Iowa Postmasters View Nauvoo: Anti-Mormon Letters to the Governor of Missouri,” BYU Studies 11, no. 3 (1971): 280.
Historical Introduction
Throughout July, realizing the possibility of extradition to Missouri, the Nauvoo city council and Nauvoo municipal court worked to expand the municipal court’s authority so that all outside arrest warrants could be examined by the court under habeas corpus. Many, including Governor Thomas Carlin, felt that the ordinance exceeded its intended purpose.1
Evidence appeared to be piling up against Smith and Rockwell when Lilburn Boggs signed an affidavit that he had evidence that Smith had ordered Rockwell to assassinate him. Reynolds responded by signing a requisition to extradite Smith and Rockwell on July 22. Carlin, who had been hesitant to take sides and offend the large voting block that the Saints represented, discovered on August 1 that he had lost the upcoming election to Thomas Ford. He signed a warrant on August 2 and sent three officers to arrest Smith. However, when officers arrived to arrest Smith and Rockwell, the Nauvoo municipal court claimed protection through habeas corpus, and the confused sheriff, Thomas King, left Smith in Nauvoo and went to Carlin in Quincy, Illinois, for instruction.2 Fleak’s surety that “Nothing can save Smith this time” turned out to be premature.
Document Transcript
Keokuk I. T. Augt 8th 1842
His Excellency Gov Reynolds
Dear Sir
I have just this hour recd intelligence from Nauvoo that the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith has this day been arrested on your requisition. He sent down for one of our attorneys & it was from him that I obtained the above information. The amount of it will be this Smith will be rescued by those devils which surround him & there will be another war more bloody than those villians say theirs was in Mo
Nothing can save Smith this time, nine tenths of our Citizens will support the Sheriff although he belongs to another State. The news of his arrest had not been here one hour before every Mormon in Our Town had left for Nauvoo I shall be with the Sheriff this evening and on my return again I will write you & from this time until he is safely conveyed into your State you may expect a note from me every Mail.
You could have done nothing else that would have given the people of this Country & of Illinois the satisfaction that this requisition has given them.
. . .
L. B. Fleak
