as the members of the militant order of the Mormon Church styled themselves.  Early in the year 1845, the Nauvoo Charter was repealed; and Governor Ford warned his quondam friends confidentially that they had better betake themselves westward, suggesting California as “a field for the prettiest enterprise that has been undertaken in modern times.”  Disgraceful outrages filled the summer months of 1845 in Hancock County.  A band of Mormon-haters ravaged the county, burning houses, barns, and grain stacks, and driving unprotected Mormon settlers into Nauvoo.  To put an end to this state of affairs, Governor Ford sent Judge Douglas and Attorney-General McDougal, with a force of militia under the command of General Hardin, into Hancock County.  Public meetings in all the adjoining counties were now demanding the expulsion of the Mormons in menacing language.[196] While General Hardin issued a proclamation bidding Mormons and anti-Mormons to desist from further violence, and promised that his scanty force of four hundred would enforce the laws impartially, the commissioners entered into negotiations with the Mormon authorities.  On the pressing demand of the commissioners and of a deputation from the town of Quincy, Brigham Young announced that the Mormons purposed to leave Illinois in the spring, “for some point so remote that there will not need to be a difficulty with the people and ourselves.”

There can be little doubt that Douglas’s advice weighed heavily with the Mormons.  As a judge, he had administered the law impartially between Mormon and non-Mormon; and this was none too common in the civic history of the Mormon Church.  As an aspirant for office, he had frankly courted their suffrages; but times had changed.  The reply of the commissioners, though not unkindly worded, contained some wholesome advice.  “We think that steps should be taken by you to make it apparent that you are actually preparing to remove in the spring.  By carrying out, in good faith, your proposition to remove, as submitted to us, we think you should be, and will be, permitted to depart peaceably next spring for your destination, west of the Rocky Mountains....  We recommend to you to place every possible restraint in your power over the members of your church, to prevent them from committing acts of aggression or retaliation on any citizens of the State, as a contrary course may, and most probably will, bring about a collision which will subvert all efforts to maintain the peace in this county; and we propose making a similar request of your opponents in this and the surrounding counties."[197]

Announcing the result of their negotiations to the anti-Mormon people of Hancock County, the commissioners gave equally good advice:  “Remember, whatever may be the aggression against you, the sympathy of the public may be forfeited.  It cannot be denied that the burning of the houses of the Mormons ... was an act criminal in itself, and disgraceful to its perpetrators....  A resort to, or persistence in, such a course under existing circumstances will make you forfeit all the respect and sympathy of the community.”