[William Clayton Journal]
5 o'clock went to council with the Quorum on the subject of appointing a Trustee in Trust. I was told on the way that R[obert] D. Foster is in Nauvoo having a permit from the Governor to come and settle business. O[rrin] P. Rockwell, M[erinus] G. Eaton and Theodore Turley are raging and threaten his life if he tarry here, consequently the City Council have sent a guard to take care of him. I reasoned with Rockwell and tried to show him the folly of his conduct inasmuch as the Governor had said that if one of those men were assassinated the whole city would be held responsible, and that President Joseph gave himself up into the hands of his murderers for the express purpose of saving the City from being Massacred. But no reasoning seemed to touch him. He swore bitterly he would have revenge and that Foster should not tarry here. I feel grieved at this conduct, for there is now a little prospect that the public sympathy will turn in our favor if we keep still. I was late at the
Council. The brethren had agreed not to appoint a Trustee untill the Twelve came home, and that I should act in the place of Trustee to receive property &c. untill one was appointed.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
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