17 And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he was exceeding wroth, because of the stubbornness of those people, whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he was exceeding wroth; his soul was filled with anger against them.
18 And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he should read it, and give him [Moroni] power to compel those dissenters to defend their country, or to put them to death;
19 For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction.
20 And it came to pass that it was granted, according to the voice of the people.
21 And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and their nobility, and level them with the earth, or they should take up arms and support the cause of liberty.
22 And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility, insomuch, that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight against the men of Moroni, they were hewn down, and leveled to the earth.
23 And it came to pass that there were four thousand of those dissenters, who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their leaders who were not slain in battle, were taken and cast into prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period;
24 And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than to be smote down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defense of their country.
25 And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an end to the stubbornness, and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility;
26 But they were brought down to humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight valiantly for their freedom from bondage.
27 Behold, it came to pass that while Moroni was thus breaking down the wars and contentions among his own people, and subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites had come into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the seashore.
