grindael wrote:On Page 326 of the History of Illinois, Ford says it was illegal. https://books.google.com/books?id=GAyA6 ... &q&f=false
No he doesn't. He disapproves of it, but page 326 doesn't mention the legality of the destruction of the press at all. He goes on and on about how inadvisable it was, but not its legality. As well, he wasn't in any position to declare the legality of anything. That's a matter for the law courts.
I also never claimed that Gov. Ford was enamored of the Mormons or of Mormonism. He wasn't.
Go a little further down, to page 368 and 369. My claim was that the destruction of the press was found to have been legal in a court of law. Gov. Ford didn't LIKE it, but then he didn't like the results of the trial of the men who committed the 'foul murder' (his words) of Joseph Smith, either.
.....as I said, "a pox on both their houses."
I found Gov. Ford's book to be a very interesting read, as it was written by someone who was absolutely disgusted by the entire situation. I mean, really; if you can't have a truly objective and unbiased observer, the next best is someone who dislikes everybody involved. ;)