The "Martyrdom Trail"

This is a very sobering time here in Nauvoo.  I noticed the other day that the calendar of June, 2013 coincides exactly with June 1844, except in 1844 it had 31 days. With this as an easy way of relating to that time period, I thought I would recite a few events that ocurred then, that happened on the same day of the week that we are experiencing in 2013, as we approach the mortal end of the greatest Prophet that ever lived on the face of this earth.
During his time in Liberty jail, when he was in dispair, Joseph was given to know that his enemies would have no power to take his life for at least 5 years. That time period was up at the end of 1843.
He knew now that the events now taking place would culminate in his personal sacrifice for the sealing of his testimony.
Last Friday, June 7, 1844 the first and only paper of the Expositor came off the press in its print shop on Mulholland St. two blocks east of the Temple, (which the outside walls were finished up to the row of circular windows).
On Saturday June 8, the City Council with Joseph in his capacity as Mayor, met for 6 hours  pouring over their options, using Blackstone' Law Dictionary, the Illinois Constitution and the Nauvoo Charter (which by the way, was supported in the state legislature a few years earlier by Abraham Lincoln)  trying to come up with the best plan to stay within the Law in dealing with this situation.
Sunday June 9th, Joseph was speaking in Church Services in the Grove.
Monday, (today) June 10, the City Council again met for 6 hours.  The Mayor, alderman, and members of the city council were all given time to freely express themselves.
Joseph stated:  "The conduct of such men and such papers are calculated to destroy the peace of the city, and it is not safe that such things should exist, on account of the mob spirit which they tend to produce.. . . . What the opposition party wants is to raise a mob on us and take the spoil from us, as they did in Missouri. I would rather die tomorrow and have the thing (the expositor) smashed, that live and have it go on. . ."
Alderman Orson Spencer stated:  "I do not consider it wise to give them the time to trumpet a thousand lies.. . . .   If we pass only a fine or imprisonment, have we any confidence that they will desist?  None at all"
Council member Hyrum Smith stated:  "The best way is to smash the press and pi  (meaning completely disorganizing the small letters of type) the the type"
The whole City Council voted to do just that., and commissioned the City Marshal to do it.
At about 8 pm, (tonight), Marshal Green will return to report to the Mayor that the order had been carried out. What happened was that the Marshal met with resistance from those inside when he tried to enter the building, whereupon the Marshal stepped aside and "Porter Rockwell kicked the door in.  The press was destroyed and the newspapers burned in the street in an orderly manner and without a ruckus".
Joseph then called a meeting at his own house this evening after 8 pm. (While Sis. Ririe and I will be performing in the Sunset by the Mississippi production and then watching the production by the BYU Folk Dancers with our investigator Anne),  He will announce that he had met the crises in a way that he felt could be defended in a court of law.  It had also focused the blame on himself, thereby denying the mobs the excuse they needed for coming upon the city. He also told the people that God showed him in an open vision in daylight that if he did not destroy the press it would cause the blood of the Saints to flow in the streets.
He also will write a letter to Gov. Ford deliniating all of the above legal proceedings, (which by the way, Gov. Ford will deny ever receiving such letter).