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Originally Posted by ErikJohnson

But use your position to destroy a privately owned printing press…--Erik

Are you talking about this printing press:
Book of Commandments - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

W. W. Phelps publisher of the book, ran a press in Independence, Missouri. A faithful Mormon, Phelps also edited an historically important Mormon periodical, The Evening and Morning Star from September 1831 to July 1833. Most revelations in the Book of Commandments were previously published by Phelps in the Star.

The title page of the book reads "Book of Commandments, for the government of the Church of Christ, organized according to the law on the 6th of April, 1830. / ZION: published by W. W. Phelps & co. / 1833."

On July 20, 1833 an anti-Mormon and pro-slavery mob destroyed the press. The mob, purportedly frightened of Mormon political power, was incensed by an editorial in Phelps' Evening and Morning Star perceived to be abolitionist. Breaking down the door, they razed Phelps' home and business in less than an hour. At that point, 65 revelations of the Book of Commandments, about two thirds the total, were already printed. Totaling 160 pages, most of the uncut and unbound sheets were destroyed in the ensuing fire. However, some neighbors including teenage sisters Caroline and Mary Elizabeth Rollins[1] saved remnants of nearly 100 copies.

LDS.org - Sunday School Chapter Detail - Establishing Zion in Missouri

The mob next seized Bishop Edward Partridge and Charles Allen. They were taken to the public square in Independence and commanded to renounce the Book of Mormon and leave the county. Bishop Partridge said, “I told them that the Saints had suffered persecution in all ages of the world; that I had done nothing which ought to offend anyone; that if they abused me, they would abuse an innocent person; that I was willing to suffer for the sake of Christ; but, to leave the country, I was not then willing to consent to it.”

With this refusal, the men were stripped of their outer clothing and their bodies were covered with tar and feathers. Bishop Partridge observed, “I bore my abuse with so much resignation and meekness, that it appeared to astound the multitude, who permitted me to retire in silence, many looking very solemn, their sympathies having been touched as I thought; and as to myself, I was so filled with the Spirit and love of God, that I had no hatred towards my persecutors or anyone else

Or are you talking about this printing press:
Nauvoo Expositor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Nauvoo Expositor was a newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue, which was dated June 7, 1844. The Expositor was founded by several disaffected associates of Joseph Smith, Jr., some of whom claimed that Smith had attempted to seduce their wives in the name of plural marriage.

The bulk of the Expositor's single issue was devoted to criticism of Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement and the mayor of Nauvoo. After two days of consultation, Smith and the Nauvoo city council voted on June 10, 1844 to declare the paper a public nuisance, and ordered the paper's printing press destroyed.[1] The town marshal carried out the order that evening.[2] These actions generated considerable disturbance, and culminated in Smith's assassination by a vigilante group while he was in legal custody and awaiting a trial in nearby Carthage.

Since the events there has been much discussion as to whether the council's actions were legal insofar as the law would have been contemporarily understood. In any event, whether or not the council's actions were strictly legal, there is general agreement among historians that the press's destruction escalated the continuing conflict between the Mormon community and their critics, leading ultimately to Smith's assassination.

Let's take a moment to compare and contrast these two cases where a printing press was destroyed.

The Destructions of W W Phelps printing pressing in 1833:
1.) Phelps' printing press was destroyed by an illegal mob who broke a lot of laws in the process.
2.) LDS leaders were tarred and feathered and considerable property other than the printing press was destroyed. They burned W W Phelps home and business to the ground.
3.) The Mob was guilty of breaking and entering, assault and destruction of property and violation of freedom of speech.
4.) There was no legal or legitimate process even attempted by the Missouri Mob.
5.) No member of the Missouri Mob would ever be brought to justice nor penalized in any way for the destruction of the printing press nor any subsequent actions.
6.) The fact that the government of Missouri and the United States turns a blind eye to this event sets a common-law precendent that, at minimum, destruction of an offending printing press is fair game.
7.) Consistent in both cases, the destruction of the printing press was the starting point for completely inhuman and illegal actions taken against the "Mormons" by their enemies. Apparently, if somebody destroys a printing press, it's a cue to start assaulting, robbing, raping and murdering Mormons. I'm not sure why that makes sense, but that certainly is the way history played out in both cases. Ironically, it didn't matter who did the destroying, the same form of violence against "the Mormons" resulted.
8.) Clearly, the laws of the United States are good enough to punish "Mormons" but they're not good enough to protect them.

The Destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor Printing Press in 1844:
1.) The legally constituted and recognized government authorities deliberated about the possibility of destroying the Nauvoo Expositor and it's printing press for two days. Since the power of the Nauvoo city council was explicitly equal to the power of the State of Illinois (but only within Nauvoo of course) there would have been no need to appeal to the State govenment.
2.) The reasoning behind shutting down the Nauvoo Expositor was based upon the opinion that the Nauvoo Expositor existed for the sole reason of inciting prejudice and hatred against the Saints. It was believed that leaving the Expositor in place would only lead to chaos and violence. So the stated reason for shutting down the Expositor is to keep the peace. Obviously, that backfired.
3.) The City Council of Nauvoo felt that they had adequate legal precedent for the action. The legality of the action is questionable. The Law of the Land as constituted in Illinois in 1844 can be convincingly argued either way. Obviously, the action would be seen as a violation to the US Constitution today, but since the destruction of Phelps' printing press in 1833 was fine and well, then one would assume that the same would be true of Nauvoo Expositor.
4.) After the Nauvoo City Council determined that the Nauvoo Expositor was a public nuissance, the city marshall (an officer of the law) carried out the order. No breaking and entering, etc. All formality of legal process was preserved.
5.) The actions against the Nauvoo Expositor were perfectly legal at best and highly questionable at worst. On the other hand, there is absolutely no way to argue that the actions against Phelps and his property were legal.
6.) Following in the tradition of the 1833 incident, the destruction of this printing press leads to one of the greatest overreactive responses in US History:
----The Mayor and 15 members of the city council are arrested.
----All those who were not released on bond were to be taken to Carthage Illinois, a known hot spot for Anti-Mormon violence.
----Joseph Smith and several others went to Carthage after Governor Ford promised that they would be protected and that he (Ford) would personally stay in Carthage to further ensure Smith's protection.
----Once Joseph Smith and his companions were securely inside Carthage Jail, Governor Ford promptly left town, went off to Nauvoo. Fords message to Nauvoo? "You brought this on yourselves!"
---- The militia pretending to be there to protect Joseph Smith surrenders to and then joins with the mob. They storm the jail, killing Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith and severely injuring John Taylor.
7.) Once again, none of the Anti-Mormon criminals are every brought to trial. No real effort to seek justice for these murders is ever undertaken by the State of Illinois.
8.) The Latter Day Saints are subsequently driven out of the State of Illinios -- another illegal action -- and deprived of their homes and property. No proper compensation of any of the property lost there or in any other state the Saints were driven out of has ever occurred. None of their attackers are ever found guilty of anything.
9.) Again we see that the Laws of the United States are good enough to punish "the Mormons" but they're not good enough to protect them.
10.) Apparently, one printing press is worth an entire city and the lives and property of it's people. Destroying one is punishable by death. Can anyone think of any case in US History where the government overreacted to such an extent? Such cases may exist, but I doubt anyone is trying to justify that sort of behavior.