Alma 23
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, They having established peace between the people of Lehi and the people of Morionton concerning their lands, And having commenced the twenty and fifth year in peace;
2 Nevertheless, they did not long maintain an entire peace in the land, For there began to be a contention among the people concerning the chief judge Pahoron. For behold, there were a part of the people which desired that a few particular points of the law should be altered;
3 But behold, Pahoron would not alter, nor suffer the law to be altered; Therefore, he did not hearken to those who had sent in their voices with their petitions concerning the altering of the law;
4 Therefore, those which were desirous that the law should be altered were angry with him and desired that he should no longer be chief judge over the land; Therefore, there arose a warm dispute concerning the matter, But not unto bloodshed.
5 And it came to pass that those who were desirous that Pahoron should be dethroned from the judgment seat were called Kingmen, For they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the land;
6 And those who were desirous that Pahoron should remain chief judge over the land took upon them the name of Freemen; And thus was the division among them, For the Freemen had sworn or covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their religion by a free government.
7 And it came to pass that this matter of their contention was settled by the voice of the people.
8 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came in the favor of the Freemen; And Pahoron retained the judgment seat which caused much rejoicing among the brethren of Pahoron, and also among the people of liberty, Which also put the Kingmen to silence, that they durst not oppose, but were obliged to maintain the cause of freedom.
9 Now those which were in favor of kings were those of high birth, And they sought to be kings; And they were supported by those which sought power and authority over the people.
10 But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to be among the people of Nephi; For behold, Amalickiah had again stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites against the people of the Nephites; And he was gathering together soldiers from all parts of his land and arming them and preparing for war with all diligence, For he had sworn to drink the blood of Moroni.
11 But behold, we shall see that this promise which he made was rash; Nevertheless, he did prepare himself and his armies to come to battle against the Nephites.