Though the people comprising the different Nephite tribes were an aggregation of nondescripts, who in no particular way served the Lord, "yet, they were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government." We observe that there was little else to unite them except their fear of the followers of Jacob, who were indeed the Gadianton Robbers. This appears to have led to a confederacy for purposes of defense. They agreed to keep the peace with one another, and to establish laws to prevent one tribe trespassing upon the rights of the others. The result was a multiplicity of laws; each tribe adopting measures which the leaders thereof thought would in the end inure to its own benefit.
Nevertheless, and in spite of their many laws to secure what they mistook for mutual concord, there hovered over them an uneasy peace. They wanted peace. That was the reason for their separation into tribes; to rid themselves of the tyranny of the few. There is one, and only one, real and lasting peace; that is the peace of righteousness. Of that they knew little. Any peace in opposition to righteousness, is all Peace! Peace! when there is no peace. (III Nephi 22:13)
An approximate count of the tribesmen, and the men of the secret combination, showed that the tribesmen were a majority. This, we may presume, angered Jacob, who had dreamed of power and great authority over all the people. In his impetuosity Jacob commanded his people to flee into the most northerly parts of the land where they could build up a kingdom to themselves. They carried out this plan, and their flight was too speedy to be intercepted. In the north they built a large city which they named Jacobugath.)1