The  Mormons.

The last Keokuk Argus says, that a large body of Mormons are encamped on Sugar Creek, in Lee county, Iowa, about eight miles from Nauvoo. Others are constantly crossing over to the encampment. A new prophet, Strang, id creating a schism among them, by trying to prevent them from going. He wishes to induce them to go to Wisconsin. The famous "Twelve" are said to be in the company, and also all against whom there are any writs. The Quincy Whig says, there is a default in the Nauvoo Post Office of about $4,000; Elias Smith, a cousin of the late grand ringleader Joe, claims the funds as his own. A draft from the Department was drawn upon him. He put off the person who presented it with one story and another for some time, but finally told him, that he had need of the money himself; but that the Government need not complain, as it had robbed the Mormons of thousands of dollars in Missouri, and refused to make them compsensation.

---

William Smith, a younger brother of the late leader, is fulminating his proclamations from Cincinnati. In one of them he cuts off the unholy Twelve, because they have been indicted for counterfeiting the coin of the United States; also a Brother Rurley, an elder, because he is in the penitentiary at Alton, awaiting his trial for life.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Voree and the Prophet.

Voree, the present place of gathering of the Mormons, is situated on White River, a branch of the Fox in Wisconsin Territory, thirteen miles north of the Illinois line, 25 miles west of Lake Michigan, and on the line of Racine and Walworth counties. It combines many advantages for the building of a town, and is peculiarly adapted to the present condition of that people, deprived as they are of most of their means. The country around for a great distance consists of large farms, generally well improved, very productive, and in the immediate vicinity of good cash markets, consequently furnishing employ for great numbers of agricultural laborers who have not means to open farms of their own. Men of all trades find a ready market for their wares, as they must in any country too new to be well supplied and prosperous enough to pay. White River furnishes one of the best water powers for milling purposes found any where in the Territory. The improvement thereof and the building necessarily going on this season, will make it a most busy place, and give full employ to every one; and the facilities for business will hereafter give employ to a large population. The principal road through the Territory passes here, and there are four ports on Lake Michigan, each within a day's drive of the place. The flourishing village of Burlington, at which are mills and a large woolen factory, the property of those enterprising citizens, E. Perkins & Son, is but one mile distant.

In point of beauty, the place can hardly be equaled. It is situated on the south end of Gardner's Prairie which consists of dry lime gravel soil, generally rolling, a mile and a half wide, and three miles long, crossed by three large streams and watered by many springs; rising from six to twenty feet above the river and entirely surrounded by hills of moderate ascent, which are covered with timber. It is needless to say that such a place is healthy. If the Mormons shall there conduct themselves properly nothing is wanting to their prosperity and happiness.

The Prophet is thirty-three years old, rather below the middle size, slender constitution, of nervous temperament, enjoys very indifferent health, of mild temper and retiring habits, and apparently honest and earnest in all he says. Phernologically the moral and intellectual faculties predominate most decidedly, in a large head; among the other organs, self esteem is rather large and the organs of the animal passions are quite deficient. Mr. Strang was bred to the law, is entirely self-educated and a man of extensive and general reading. He is now engaged in connection with several leading citizens, in devising an enlarged and liberal system of com. schools for Wisconsin; is a warm advocate of temperance, and more or less connected with most of the benevolent enterprises of the age. In public speaking, his enunciation is tolerably distinct, very rapid and somewhat too loud. He is a close debater, generally mild in criticism, but in invective comes down like an avalanche. -- Both his views and his plans are very comprehensive and look forward to future generations as much as to the present.

He deprecates both the military and the mob spirit; looks upon the organization of military bands in the church as uncalled for, and a most fruitful source of opposition and jealousy, and goes very near as far as the Quakers for non-resistance; looking to peaceful avocations as a better security against molestation, than any armed defence whatever.

It is not his design to gather all the church into one place, but to appoint new places of gathering from time to time, assembling a few thousand at a place so as to secure a full enjoyment of the peculiar rites and ceremonies of his church, and at the same time, avoiding those jealousies which the assembling of the whole church at one place naturally engenders.

He has no connection with those who have recently exercised authority in Nauvoo, but regards them as usurpers. On the death of Joseph Smith, Strang claimed to be his successor by virtue of an appointment from Smith, but was rejected by the principal men in the church with so much promptness that most of the church did not hear of him at all. Poor, sick and friendless, but not discouraged, he sat down quietly to bide his time and prepare for the future. From this time the public scarcely heard of him till the first of January, when he came out with the first number of the "Voree Herald." This placed him antagonist to those in authority in Nauvoo in almost every point, and claiming to exercise authority over them, he immediately followed it up by summoning the principal men among them before him to answer for usurpation. Several among them, including two of the Twelve, responded to the summons, acknowledged his authority and are now preaching Strang the Prophet with great success. His friends estimate that he has now a majority of the church on his side. Teams are crowding to the new place of gathering from every direction, and Voree looks more like an encampment than a town. The Prophet lives in a most unostentatious style, in a room eight feet by twelve; furnished with a stove, table and two chairs. This with a small sleeping apartment, makes the accommodation for him, his amiable wife and two children. Well will it be for his people if they do not make him proud by flattery and adulation.

---

The Mormon Prophet.

We are situated this moment in a very peculiar situation -- a situation that the thoughts of ought, perhaps, to make us feel -- feel, -- well, wonderfully solemn, at least. But, perhaps, we don't realize that we are in the presence of "the prophet, high priest, and seer of the most high God." We don't feel queer, a particle -- we are as calm and cool as a cucumber. Indeed, we are much disposed to [quit] our most august visitor, notwithstanding he gravely and with nonchalance that is certainly beyond our ingenuity to unravel, undertakes to make us believe that he is the prophet of the most high.

James J. Strang, the Mormon prophet, sits beside us. He is a plain spoken man, about five feet nine or ten in height, a very high and uncommonly prominent forehead, light and very fine hair, freckled and somewhat florid complexion, and light hazel eyes, which are rather small and by no means indicative of his great intelligence. He has a great flow of language, and seems never to be at a loss for words to express himself. He is slow, and walks rather sluggishly, dresses very plain, and what would generally be called shabbily. Take him all in all, we must say if we had seen him in a crowd we should not have taken him for a prophet, or even anything above a common man. There is nothing about him to excite attention, and we certainly did not see anything extraordinary in his personal appearance and address. All men know, we suppose, the respect and awe that naturally fills the human breast in the presence of great or distinguished personages -- men known to fame and history. We have felt great embarrassment in the presence of superiors and have no doubt that were we in the presence of Clay, Polk, Webster, Calhoon, Sir Robert Peel or Louis Phillip, instead of James J. Strang, we should feel far from laughing them in the face. But we do feel just that way now, and it is, we think, a very expressive feeling of our opinion of this new Mormon prophet.


Note: The exact dates and the full contents of the two articles article providd above remain undetermined. The text is taken from a reprint published in the April, 1846 issue of the Voree Herald.

From Nauvoo.

The last State Register has a long and well written communication from a gentleman who is spending a week or two at Nauvoo, from which we make a few extracts. The writer takes a calm, and, as we conceive, a correct view of affairs in that region, and comes to the conclusion that at least latterly, the Mormons have been more "sinned against than sinning." We confine our extracts, however, to his mere statement of the present condition of things there, omitting reluctantly, for want of room, his severe but just comments on a recent article in the Quincy Whig, the reckless bloodthirstiness of which is worthy only of such a desperado as Bartlett.

I found, that the fact that the great body of the Mormons were about to leave, had drawn general attention to Hancock county, and Nauvoo was thronged with strangers, having an eye to speculation in real estate. The city contains several hundred good brick houses, with ground plots of an acre or more, many of which are now untenated, and most of which are for sale at very low price, not half their cost. A large amount of property has already changed hands, and it is presumed that, in a few months, the number of the Mormons in Nauvoo, will be less than half the population. The city has been overstocked; and, when the changes which have been going on shall have been completed, the sum total of inhabitants will be at least one third less than it has been. I think it will settle down to 7 or eight thousand. The estimated falling off, within the past month, is about 3000 out of 11,000; but it must be borne in mind, that very few of the new purchasers have as yet, moved in. Several fine farms have been recently sold, and great numbers are offered. An agent gave me a list of near forty, highly improved plantations, which will be disposed of on the lowest kind of terms.

The whole number of Mormons who have left amounted to 4,500, on the [third] of March. Several have gone east to ship via NewYork to California. Many have departed to parts unknoen, and quite a number have left for Wisconsin. Most of the latter are Strangites, and will form a community at Voree. The number in camp, and on their way westward, [falls but little] short of two thousand, and was [daily] augmenting by the addition of stragglers, pushing forward to join main body; which, like all large bodies, will move slowly. This body is led by the Twelve, and nothing but the necessary means has prevented the Mormons from accompanying their leaders, en masse. The universal desire seems to be to get away to a land of peace, but some are too poor to procure an outfir, and others are unable, as yet, to sell their property, at any price. Another company will leave in May, to be followed by another in June, by which time the Temple will be well nigh finished. The completion of this edifice is considered a religious duty, and the Mormons will die in their tracks, sooner than relinquish it before.

The idea of the 'Great Wall,' is abandoned, and a picket fence will be substituted. Strangers have free access to every part of the Temple, which contains nothing but lumber, tools, and old furniture. When in it, near a week ago, I noticed some 20 or 30 men engaged in the manufacture of waggons, and about one hundred at work on the vuilding itself. Several stores had been opened recently by [new] comers, and a majority of the Merchants in Nauvoo, at this time are other than Mormons. A social circle, composed of this class has been formed, and, in a few months Nauvoo will contain a mixed society, and, in this respect, will resemble other large river towns. The Mansion House is still kept by Mrs. Smith, but she leaves it in a few weeks, to give place to a landlord from St. Louis. The Great Nauvoo House is to be completed, and sold to the highest bidder. The Masonic Hall, and various other public buildings, are for sale dog cheap. The Temple will be left in the hands of agents, who will rent out the different halls in it for public meetings, and places of worship for any other denominations. The trustees of the Mormon property offer to furnish any religious sect with buildings in which to worship, free of charge, and the Catholics and Methodists are about organizing congregations. * * *.

I visited the Mormon camp last week, 8 miles west of Montrose; and were it not for the suffering of women and children, the sight would have been an exhilerating one. They number about 400 waggons with a train of 5 pieces of artillery, a printing press, a band of music and the star spangled banner, which they intend planting in California. They have with them most of the munitions of war, that were stored in Nauvoo, together with a kind of ponton train; and will open the way for those who are to come after them. They will stop on this side of the Rocky mountains, and put in a crop, wait to harvest part of it, and then move on to their ultimate destination before winter sets in. It is expected that they will assemble some 30 or forty thousand strong on the plains of California, and save Uncle Sam the trouble of negitiating for that privince. Great numbers are preparing to leave England and the eastern states, for the bay of St. Francisco. Those who have left Hancock county are as true hearted and patriotic a band of Americans as I ever met, and they [scorn] the idea of carrying any other flag than the 'stripes and stars.' 'They may expel us from the land,' observed one of the rank and file, 'but they cannot drive from our hearts the love of country.'

The statistics of the Mormons show upwards of 200,000 members in the United States.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Movements of the Mormons. -- The Mormon Expedition is now encamped about ten miles from Keosauqua, Iowa, and about fifty miles from Nauvoo. From their encampment empty wagons are daily returning to Nauvoo and some persons have returned on foot. The notorious O. P. Rockwell and Jack Redding have returned. On their way being asked why they came back, the said they were after some scalps.

The Mormons have now been encamped at Keosauqua several days. Their men hire themselves out to the farmers in the neighborhood and they seem disposed to remain for some time. There is some mystery in this movement, and much curiosity to know what it means. We suspect the secret lies here. -- When the Twelve arrived at Keosauqua they learned that Bill Smith had returned and was figuring largely in Nauvoo. They also learned that the Strangites had gained considerable strength after they left. They therefore determined to halt and send back empty wagons for more provisions and send back their bullies, Rockwell and Redding, to frighten certain obnoxious persons out of Nauvoo.

In the mean time, a revelation by Orson Hyde, has been published, in which he denounces Strangism in the strongest manner. -- It is evident that Smith and Strang are giving the Twelve much trouble and if accounts from Nauvoo can be credited, will soon contend for the Holy City.

Many of the teams that return from the camp cross over the Island, instead of going to the city. This looks suspicious, for this Island is the theatre of more villainy than the City itself.

There have been a large number of births in the Mormon camp. The children nearly all died or were out to death. They were buried [under] brush heaps near the camp. -- Warsaw Sig., March 25


Notes: (forthcoming)

TEMPLE  TO  LEASE.

The undersigned Trustees of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, propose to lease on favorable terms, for a period of twenty years, “The Temple” in this city for religious or literary purposes.

---

Dedication of the Temple of God in the City of Nauvoo. -- This splendid edifice is now completed and will be dedicated to the Most High God on Friday the last day of May, 1846. Tickets may be had at the Watch House, near the door of the Temple, at One Dollar each.

One object of the above is, to raise funds to enable the workmen who have built the Temple to remove to the west with their families, and all who are disposed to see the Mormons remove in peace and in quietness so soon as circumstances will allow, (which is the ernest wish of every Latter-day Saint) are respectfully invited to attend. We expect some able speakers from above to favor us.

Done by order of the Trustees in Trust.
James Whitehead, clerk.

---

PROSPECTUS.

THE HANCOCK EAGLE.

THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS.

... Our object in commencing the publication at this juncture, is to anticipate the new order of things which will inevitably result from the changes now taking place in the civil, ecclesiastical, and domestic polity of this large city and the country adjacent.

Nauvoo and its immediate suburbs, until recently, contained over 15,000 inhabitants -- the greater part of whom were known as 'Mormons' -- of these, some two or three thousand have already left together with an equal number from the country. A majority of those remaining, will, in due season depart upon their pilgrimage towards the setting sun. The high council is dissolved, and the church organization has been entirely broken up to be reestablished, we opine, in some distant region whose waters flow into the Pacific Ocean. The Twelve with their thousands of followers have abandoned their Temple and their city; with them, goes all that the enemies of Mormonism regard as inimical to the genius of our institutions and the well being of the community at large....


Note: The Voree Strangites were not impressed with the Hancock Eagle's claims of purported neutrality in the mormon/anti-Mormon struggles at Nauvoo. See the April, 1846 issue of the Voree Herald.

[Editorial reaction to a letter from Major Warren, saying that Gov. Ford would soon disband the troops] Should a rigid enforcement of the governor's construction of the Mormon stipulation be carried into effect, the most that can come of it will be either an indiscriminate slaughter of women and children, or the infliction of a burthen upon other countries in the shape of paupers. On the contrary, if the Mormons are permitted to retreat peaceably, with all the despatch they can possibly make, we shall, in due time, be rid of their presence, and save our character for leniency and humanity.

---

The  "Camp  of  Israel"

This is the "title and address," which has been adopted by the company of Mormons now on their way Westward.

A mail carrier arrived here on Monday last from the Camp, and reported the pioneer party, or head of the Column, as having crossed the tributaries of the Chariton river, over 150 miles distant. By this time they are probably on the Banks of the Missouri.

Thus far, everything has gone favorab[ly] with the exception of the breaking down of a few overladen wagons. The party is in good health and spirits -- no dissensions exist; and the Grand Caravan moves on slowly but steadily and peacefully. Their progress has been materially retarded by the want of fodder for their live stock; -- the grass not having fairly started, reduced them to the necessity of laboring for the farmers on the route to supply the deficiency.

They travel in detached companies, from five to ten miles apart and in point of order, resemble a military expedition.

We visited the Camp before it broke up on the opposite side of the River, and, with other strangers, were highly interested in the romantic and exciting display of border enterprise.

It bore the appearance of a moveable town, the wagons and tents being arranged on either side of large streams, and public spaces left for the cattle, as we see in some of our River cities. Tattersals never turned out a lot of such broken down nags as are to be found attached to this expedition.

If they ever reach California, their dependence must be partly upon slow traveling and partly upon miracle -- but chiefly upon the latter.

Our visit was made during the intensely cold weather of February, and notwithstanding the tents were blocked in by snow drifts and their occupants subject to the rigor of a hyperborean tempest, the scene presented a cheerful and animated aspect.

We ventured to express our surprise, that notwithstanding the severity of the weather and their apparent lack of household conveniences that such a manifestation of hilarity should every where prevail. A Mormon philosopher satisfied us on this point by saying that "their good spirits was their chief dependance and pretty much all they had to rely upon for comfort."

He might have stolen this doctrine from Hamlet but at any rate deserves credit for the practice of it.

The bulk of mankind reverse this principle and trust to bodily comforts for the maintainance of cheerfulness.

Like any person who may visit the "Camp of Israel," and is in possession of the common necessities of life, will leave it better satisfied with his condition in life.

If the Mormons do not suffer some before they reach California we are not gifted with the spirit of prophecy.

It is the intention of at least some of the companies that leave this spring to halt in the valley of the Sweet Water River and put in a crop for the subsistence of themselves and others who may follow.


Note: The second article reproduced above may have actually appeared in the April 10th issue of the Eagle. The text is taken from reprints in the April, 1846 issue of the Wisconsin Voree Herald and the May 9, 1846 issue of the Lacon Illinois Gazette.

William Smith is at Nauvoo. He says his object is, to gather his family together, and with such Mormons as will go with him to remove immediately out of the state. -- He intends, if possible, to secure to the church all the real estate which justly belongs to them. -- Sang. Jour.


Notes: (forthcoming)

The  Mormons.

We have just received the Hancock Eagle of Friday last, in which we find a letter from Maj. Warren, in which he announces to the citizens of Hancock county that "he has been directed by the governor to disband the force under his command, on the first of May, [pro-----]." The Maj. also says that "ot appears to be the understanding of the governor and the state at large that the term stipulated for will expire on that day," "that the removal of the entire Mormon population has been looked forward to as the only event that can restore peace and quiet to that portion of the state;" and that "for the peace of the inhabitants and honor of the state, public expectation must be satisfied."

The editor of the Eagle, although he declares that he is anxious as any one for the speedy removal of the Mormons, protests against the rigid enforcement of this "understanding" of the governor, abd affirms that instead of hastening it will delay their departure. If the horrors of war, he says, are to be let loose on all who cannot get away by the time appointed, it will induce many to stand by their friends, who, but for this, would soon be on their way to the regions washed by the Pacific Ocean. "No earthly exertion," he continues, "appears to be spared to fit out and send off families with all possible dispatch, and the most exorbitant prices are paid for wagons, horses, and oxen, rather than suffer a temporary delay by sending for them elsewhere. In fact, all the energies of man are taxed to provide the means of an immediate removal. We submit it to every stranger who has visited this city, if such is not the fact."

"Now if these preparations are permitted to go on uninterrupted -- if the Mormons are allowed to go off peaceably, as fast as they can collect the means for a subsistence in the wilderness -- but a few weeks will elapse before their numbers here will be reduced so low that the remainder can be dealt with as circumstances may dictate." But should a rigid enforcement of the governor's construction of the Mormon stipulation be carried into effect, the most that can come from it, will be either an indiscriminate slaughter of women and children; or the infliction of a burthen upon other counties in the shape of paupers. On the contrary, if the Mormons are permitted to retreat peaceably, with all the despatch they can possibly make -- we shall, in due time, be rid of their presence, and save our character for leniency and humanity."

The case of the Mormonsm it cannot be disguised, is a hard one. They have built a large city and made a number of fine farms. To be obliged to forsake these even if paid for them, is hard enough; but to be driven from their homes like banditti, the innocent with the guilty, without receiving any remuneration for the property they leave, is a cruelty disgraceful to our state and the age in which we live.

---

Nauvoo.

The holy city of Nauvoo, under the domination of the Prophet and the Twelve, was greatly benighted, the Warsaw Signal and Quincy Whig had convinced us long ago; but it was not until we received the second no. of the Hancock Eagle that we were able to find out more specifically in what respect the city was so greatly behind the enlightenment and civilization of the age. It appears the new editor, on his first advent into the holy city, looked about him, as a civilized and enlightened man naturally would, for one of those indispensible adjuncts of civilization, a grocery, but to his infinite surprise and chagrin, he was unable to find a single one. He next visited the hotels, thinking at least there he might obtain a drop of civilized aqua vitae, but it was "no go," and upon further prosecuting his researches, he actually found that such a thing as a julep, sling, cobler, punch, white eye, or anything whatever in the shape of a phleghm-cutter or anto-fogmatic was not to be purchased within all the boundaries of the holy city. What makes the matter the more remarkable is, that there is not a temperance society in the city, nor is the sale of liquor forbidden by any municipal enactment or regulation. The editor consoles himself, however, by the reflection that, "At the [rate] which a new order of beings are gathering here, it is fair to to presume that this barbarous state of things will not long continue, as it is supposed that the emigrants now concentrating upon Nauvoo, will bring with them a "touch of civilization."


Notes: (forthcoming)

ARREST OF O. P. ROCKWELL. -- O. P. Rockwell was arrested between the hours of 12 and 1 last night by Sheriff Backenstos, assisted by five of the rifle corps, on a writ in which he is charged with the killing of Worrell. He offered no resistance. nor was any attempt made to rescue him this morning, although surrounded by hundreds, and but imperfectly guarded by four or five persons. -- Rockwell was in bed at the time of his arrest, and, on application being made to the house where he lodged, the owner at first refused to give him up. This was met by Backenstos with a threat to force the house unless Rockwell was immediately surrendered. All objections were thereupon withdrawn and the arrest quickly made.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Arrest of O. P. Rockwell. -- The Hancock Eagle of May 1st, says, that O. P Rockwell was arrested between the hours of 12 and 1 last night by Sheriff Backenstos, assisted by five of the rival corps, on a writ in which he is charged with the killing of Worrell. He offered no resistance, nor was any attempt made to rescue him this morning, although surrounded by hundreds, and but imperfectly huarded by four or five persons. Rockwell was in bed at the time of his arrest, and, on application being made to the house where he lodged, the owner at first refused to give him up. This was met by Backenstos with a threat to force the house unless Rockwell was immediately surrendered. All objections were thereupon withdrawn, and the arrest quietly made.

Rockwell, it seems, had returned from the camp, with the mail bag, much to the chagrin of the remaining Mormons. He is, doubtless, a villain of the deepest die, and justice may yet exact its partial penalty in this world.


Notes: (forthcoming)

THE TEMPLE IN THE MARKET. -- the deliberations of the great Mormon Council, which was held on Sunday last (on the occasion of the dedication) resulted in the passage of a resolution to sell the Temple, for the purpose of obtaining funds to effect a removal of the poor from the State...


Note: The above article evidently appeared in either the May 8th or the May 15th number of the Eagle. The text is taken from a reprint which credits the notice to a May 13th issue.

MORMON AFFAIRS, &c. -- A large majority of the mormons have already left the State, and those who still remain are husbanding their resources and working hard in order to procure an outfit. Most of the farmers have either disposed of their property or left it in the hands of agents. The city is half deserted, the bulk of improved property having been sold and the houses vacated. Hundreds of families are preparing to occupy the former homes of the Mormons, as soon as it becomes apparent that mobs have been suppressed and order predominates over anarchy. We know of many who are but waiting for the restoration of tranquility to move in; and under the better auspices which now begin to shed their influence upon the place, it cannot be doubted that Nauvoo will command a large population and enjoy a permanent prosperity.


Notes: (forthcoming)

To the Saints of Hancock County.

The following is a late proclamation of Strang, the new Mormon plate finder:

Beloved Brethren: As many inquiries have been made of me by letter and otherwise, what you ought to do in your present perils especially in regard to disposing of your lands, and gathering to Voree, I have thought proper to address this public epistle to you all. Where you have doubtful and uncertain titles in your lands it is advisable that to avoid litigation and violence, you sell them at what price they will fetch, and that you prefer to sell on the same terms to the adverse claimant rather than any other persons because that will leave peace behind you, as well as bring it with you. Where your titles are good, continually offer the lands for sale at prices decidedly moderate until you get a bargain; but don't give away your lands. If you cannot sell at all, rent your lands on the best terms you can; so that they are taken care of and you have means to come to Voree. If you have not the means to come to Voree, but can come part way, take the Mississippi route; seek employ in the mineral country or the Illinois route and seek employ on the Illinois and Michigan canal, and among farmers till you can gather with your brethren.

But if you cannot, in any honest way, get the means of leaving Hancock county, go to work there like industrious peaceable citizens. Come as soon as you are able; but until then, neither fight nor run. If men put torches to your houses, don't run from them. Non-resistance is a stronger defense than all the artillery on the earth. If your enemies smite you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.

In selling lands you may consider good cattle and horses, fit for immediate service, as good as cash at 6 months. All kinds of property is good at its value at Voree, except guns and watches. We are too poor to purchase watches, and too peaceable to need guns and neither will buy lands of unbelievers, nearly all kinds of personal property you have on hand will bear transportation to this place.
                                Voree, April 1846.
                                James J. Strang.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Query, Will honorable men, Officers in the Army, be willing to have this Captain Backenstos thrust into their society, by this appointment, and be compelled to treat him as an equal? -- a person too, who we were informed by a gentleman of Menard County, was so well known in that region that 1,000 respectable persons could there be found, who would make oath that, according to the best of their knowledge and belief, he, (Backenstos) is the most unprincipled rascal in the U. States? Again we ask who recommended this appointment?


Note: The above question was put to the the Army and the public upon the appointment of former Hancock Co. Sheriff, Jacob. B. Backenstos, to the rank of captain in the regular Army, in May of 1846. According to the New York Tribune, a year before, Backenstos had been appointed "by the President to some lucrative office in the Lead Mines." The infamous "Jack-Mormon" thus severed his ties with his LDS allies and seems to have never again re-established that former close contact with them.

KIRTLAND  TEMPLE,
For sale.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints having come to a determination to sell all the church property, offer for sale the TEMPLE situated in Kirtland, Lake county, Ohio.

This splendid edifice will be sold on advantageous terms. For further information concerning it, address the undersigned Trustees of the Church.

ALMON W. BABBITT,      
JOSEPH L. HEYWOOD,      
JOHN S. FULLMER.      

---

Mormon Emigration. -- The Mormons still continue to leave, and the few yet amongst us are busily engaged in preparations for following as speedily as possible. The numbers ferried over the river during the past week falls far short of our previous reports for the same period, which may be ascribed to the fact that but comparatively few remain, and the circumstance of so large a body having rushed over during the war excitement, totally unprepared for a journey.

Many of the latter remain encamped on the opposite side of the river awaiting assistance from their friends to enable them to pursue their journey. Their condition is anything but comfortable. The number of teams reported as having crossed during the week, ending on Wednesday, is fifty-six, but we know not whether this includes either the Nashville or Fort Madison ferries.

The report that a portion of them are returning to the city, is destitute of any foundation whatever. Those who have scraped together enough to leave the State, could not be induced to return, and the unfortunates left behind seem impatient to escape from a position that subjects many of them to inconveniences which must render life a burthen as long as they are compelled to endure their present privations.


Notes: (forthcoming)

(Note: Copied from page 369 of Linn's The Story of the Mormons)

The division of the emigrants and their progress was thus noted in an interview, printed in the Nauvoo Eagle of July 10, with a person who had left Council Bluffs on June 26, coming East. The advance company, including the Twelve, with a train of 1000 wagons, was then encamped on the east bank of the Missouri, the men being busy building boats. The second company, 3000 strong, were at Mt. Pisgah, recruiting their cattle for a new start. The third company had halted at Garden Grove. Between Garden Grove and the Mississippi River the Eagle's informant counted more than 1000 wagons on their way west. He estimated the total number of teams engaged in this movement at about 3700, and the number of persons on the road at 12,000. The Eagle added: --"From 2000 to 3000 have disappeared from Nauvoo in various directions, and about 800 or less still remain in Illinois. This comprises the entire Mormon population that once flourished in Hancock County. In their palmy days they probably numbered 15,000 or 16,000."


Note: The Eagle's report was summarized in the Aug. 22, 1846 issue of Littell's Living Age.

NEW  CITIZENS'  MEETING.

At a meeting of the New Citizens of Nauvoo. held at the Temple, on the evening of August 12th, 1846, William Jones, Esq. was called to the Chair, R. W. McKinney appointed Vice President, and Joseph H. Daugherty, Secretary.

The object of the meeting having been stated by the Chair, that the citizens were called together to listen to the report of several of the New Citizens who went to the neighborhood of Green Plains, in conjunction with Col. Rooseveldt of Warsaw, to try if the Anti-Mormons could not be induced to return peaceably to their homes, and submit to the law as good citizens -- this community promising to prevail on those who had been lynched and kidnapped by the Regulators, not to prosecute them, whenever they should abandon their former objects against the peace and quiet of this city.

The meeting being called to order, the gentlemen, who had waited on the Anti-Mormons for the purpose before stated, severally stated the result of their interview. They stated the utter recklessness and want of courtesy exhibited by that party, precluded all hopes of treating with them. Several addresses were made during the evening in regard to the proper course to pursue in this juncture....

---

PUBLIC  OPINION.

                   From the Peoria Democratic Free Press.

A band of the anti-Mormons in Hancock county denominate themselves "Moses' Fire Insurance Company." Their business is to burn the dwellings, barns and stock-yards of all who object to their lawless proceedings, and who will not join in their plundering expeditions against the New Citizens.

Cannot our state authorities adopt some prompt and effective measures to check the doings of of these ruffians and to free the citizens from the danger to life and property that attend their presence wherever they go. If they are to remain in the state, their proper place of residence should be in the penitentiary at Alton, and we hope the proper steps will be taken to secure to them the public benefits that their conduct merits at as early a day as possible. The accounts of their doings that reach us daily, are truly disgraceful to the state. If we have statutes for the preservation of the lives and property of the citizens, and the dignity of the commonwealth. they should be promptly and rigidly enforced against the Regulators and all others in Nauvoo and its neighborhood who have been acting in a lawless manner.

---

                   From the Nashville (Tenn.) [Carthaginian].

Nauvoo. -- Great riots have occurred at Nauvoo, between the anti-Mormons and the citizens. Some days ago, while a few Mormons were at work in their harvest-fields, they were set upon by some unprincipled anti-Mormon villains, and almost flayed alive with hickory [switches?]. By this flagitious proceeding the good citizens of Nauvoo were much inflamed. They immediately arrested six or seven of these peace-breakers, and a party of about 80 set off in pursuit of the rest.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Mormons in Texas. -- The Houston Telegraph of July 29th says:

"We learn that the Mormons have lately settled near Austin, are erecting a large flouring mill on a small stream about three miles above that city. They will probably form a permanent settlement at that point. The country in the vicinity is well adapted to the culture of wheat, and a large quantity of the grain was formerly raised near Austin; but owing to the want of a flouring mill its cultivation has been abandoned. There is no doubt that a sufficient quantity of wheat could be raised in that section to supply all the settlements on the Colorado; and its is possible that the Mormons, by erecting suitable mills for the manufacture of flour, may give a new stimulus to the culture of this valuable grain, and thus confer a lasting benefit in a country where it was feared their presence would be but the precursor of evil."


Notes: (forthcoming)

Note: From page 17 of David R. Crockett's "The Nauvoo Temple":

The mob gave trouble to many of the non-Mormons remaining in Nauvoo who had been friendly to the Saints. These citizens published a newspaper named the Hancock Eagle. On 5 October 1846, they reported that the Nauvoo Temple had sustained much damage from the mob. "Holes have been cut through the floors, the stone oxen in the basement have been considerably disfigured, horns and ears dislodged, and nearly all torn loose from their standing." Names had been carved in the woodwork of the large assembly room on the main floor.


Notes: (forthcoming)

The Mormon Temple. -- A writer in the Cincinnati Atlas proposes, by way of a peace offering, that the more wealthy and intelligent inhabitants of Hancock County, unite and purchase the Mormon Temple, at its full value. He then suggests that it can be converted into an institution of learning, as the best means of atoning for the sins committed on both sides. If this cannot be done, he proposes that a subscription of stock be made throughout the State to accomplish the object; the subscribers holding such vested rights as to render permanent and certain the accomplishment of the object proposed -- the diffusion of knowledge. To our mind, a Common School would be a most desirable acquisition in Hancock county. The want of intelligence among the people was the chief cause of the Mormon disturbances.


Notes: (forthcoming)

... It appears the prophet Strang needed a new house, and he determined his followers should build it for him. So he called them together, and told them in consideration that [if] they should erect the house, the Lord had authorised him to promise them an extraordinary endowment. The building was soon completed, and now they apply for their reward. All the Saints were gathered together in the church, the prophet takes them through a variety of ceremonies, such as head washing, feet washing, &c., and concludes by anointing the heads of all with a composition "that had a queer smell." They are then directed to adjourn to another room that was totally dark where they were to receive the endowment, which was to be in the shape of an extraordinary and visible manifestation of the spirit, rendering them at once impregnable thenceforth to all the shafts of Satan. Arrived in the dark room, sure enough, the heads of all shone as if lit up by the brightness of [the] sun, and great was [the] rejoicing of the Saints thereat. But the prophet William, who was present, although staggered a little, mistrusted that "all was not gold that glittered," so he took some of the ointment and submitted it to an examination, and to the discovery! He found that it was a mixture of oil and phosphorus and that hence the whole illuminating operation was a gross cheat! He took the first opportunity to accuse the prophet Strang publicly and before the whole congregation of the imposition, who so far from denying it, coolly acknowledged the corn, and then preached a sermon, justifying the act and maintaining that all the miracles of Christ, Moses, &c., were wrought in the same way -- that is, by natural means. Of course, William could not longer hold fellowship with such a man.


Note 1: The exact date and full content of the above news item remains undetermined. The piece was copied into an early Oct. 1847 issue of the St. Louis New Era, which added the following introduction: "William Smith -- the surviving brother of "Joe" -- has published a manifesto in which he condemns Strang -- another Mormon leader, as an imposter (!) and announces his separation from him. In reference to the jar between these champions of religion and truth, the Ottawa Free Trader tells the dollowing story:" The New Era article was reprinted in the Illinois Carrollton Gazette and the Missouri Whig of Oct. 28, 1847 -- from which the above text was transcribed.

Note 2: When Jame J. Strang did not extend sufficient "patriarchal powers" to his recent convert, William Smith, that brother of Joseph began to go his own way. As the two leaders fell out of fellowship, Strang threatened to expose Williams continuing experiments with secret polygamy and William decided to expose Strang's religious chicanery. In the summer of 1847 Strang began church proceedings against William Smith for adultery, which culminated in William's excommunication in October, 1847. Strang's disfellowshipping of William Smith from the Strangite church, for "gross immorality," was disclosed in the Sept. 15, 1847 issue of the Quincy Whig. Subsequently the Warsaw Signal announced that "Bill has issued a Pronunciamento and a Proclamation to the brethren -- in which he claims to be the true Church himself, and that the new 'Stake of Zion' is to be located at Palestine, Lee Co., Illinois, some where on Rock River. They are published in the Ottawa Free Trader." One of these two publications was an anti-Strang broadside which William had printed in late September, 1847, at Ottawa, Illinois, by the Free Press, entitled: William Smith, Patriarch & Prophet of the Most High God -- Latter Day Saints, Beware of Imposition! In that sheet William proclaimed that "Mr. Strang has knowingly and wilfully lied in the name of the Lord, in promising an endowment to the Saints, and then mixing oil with phosphorous and palming it off upon them as that endowment."

                                                        City of Palestine, Lee Co., Ill.
                                                                March 24th, 1848.

Dear Brethren: -- The short space allotted me in this sheet to write, will not permit me to give the particulars of my present situation, nor paint to you in full the mortification of feeling I have endured or suffered since the death of our Prophet and Patriarch, in beholding the spirit of rivalry and usurpation that has crept into the Church, to the almost entire sacrifice of the principles of our holy religion. To me it is a source of much regret, to think that men who once stood high in the Church, and to all human appearances, had enjoyed much light, would so regardless of their profession and high calling, carry their envious WARFARE into a barren desert, "a land that needs irrigation to produce vegetation," (bearing the evident marks it is a land that God has cursed;) at the hazard of the church and the sacrifice of so many lives, and what is still worse, they persist in the same iniquitous doctrines that have so recently characterized their proceedings in Nauvoo -- hypocrisy, calumny, and destruction, -- and for the very things they teach as being acceptable to God in some, they put down in others, and scarcely a man, of however low degree, and debauch in character that would enlist in the war against William Smith, and the widow of the martyred Prophet, his mother, and the few remaining remnants of a persecuted and afflicted family. But that they have given them, high office and free access to all the privileges of their organization, and the more these have robbed and persecuted us, the more they have been applauded and favored in their midst -- notwithstanding all our labors and zeal to build up the church; and to lay the foundation of this mighty work from the beginning.

A. Babit, one of their agents, and a Brighamite, is now prosecuting a suit against me in Kirtland, in violation of the law, that brother should not go to law with brother, to take from me my last morsel and inheritance in that place. I speak of this to show the saints how different the conduct and practices of these Brighamites are from what they profess...

Although we are aware that every thing that the Wicked One can invent will be hurled at us... neither Brigham Young, nor J. C. Benit, or the Laws or Fosters, or any that have "gone out from us... can take from us that which God has ordained... The works of Joseph and Hiram, and the good old patriarch father, Joseph Smith, must stand for ever immovable as the eternal throne of Jehovah -- and they who meddle with their ordinations, sealings, ordinances, and works, to undo them, will 'run against Jehovah's Buckler' -- God's authority, established upon the earth, and will bring speedy and swift destruction upon themselves. Thus saith the Spirit of the Living God...

---

==> A especial Conference convened at the house of Brother Thomas Tourtillott, on the 10th of January, 1848. On motion of William Smith --

Thomas Tourtillott was appointed Chairman, and John Landers Clerk of said conference.

After prayer by the President, the following resolution was read and adopted:

Resolved, that whereas the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has [suffered much] from the impositions of men professing to be prophets and leaders of the Church, and have led their followers into sin and iniquities of the grosser kind, and have thereby brought the principles of our Holy Religion into disrespect before the world. Therefore

Resolved, that we deem it expedient that some measures be adopted for the speedy relief and redemption of the Saints, and that a statement be made of the principal causes that have led to this evil in the church, and brought so much suffering upon the innocent, whereby many are now scattered to and fro in the [country] like sheep having no shepherd. And whereas, we believe that the Lord has not deprived the people of a [------------ --- -------],

Resolved, that a committee of six men be appointed to write a Proclamation to all the Saints, setting forth the true order of the Church, according to the Law of God.

Whereupon, Thomas Tourtillott, Aaron Hook, Alva Smith, John Landers, William Smith, and Nathaniel Berry, were unanimously chosen said committee.

After mature and sufficient deliberation, the committee reported the following, which was sanctioned by the Conference, and ordered to be printed and circulated among the Saints, for their instruction and deliverance from further ruin by the hands of wicked men.

---

TO  THE  SCATTERED  SAINTS.

BELOVED BRETHREN: -- Having been appointed by a special Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to write you, setting forth the true order and the causes of our present troubles, we enter upon the duty devolving upon us, praying that God, who sees and knows the intent of our hearts, to indite [sic] the matter of this Epistle.

Viewing, as we do, the perilous condition that the Church is in, it is with mingled feelings of joy and grief that we take our pen to write [you] and we sincerely hope that the Brethren will not misconstrue our intentions on this subject, for we truly feel anxious that something should be done for the Salvation of the Church, and it is our desire that the spirit of humility, charity and truth should characterize our present undertaking, while we attempt to remove the stumbling blocks that have been placed before the world by those who have not [honored] their profession. While we write, we must say... we most strenuously protest against the doctrine of secret oaths and [covenants] -- and we also view this as among the principal causes that have overthrown our brethren, and for no other cause than to hide the [crimes] they have committed, have they sought their abode in the wilderness. We feel confident that the feelings of hundreds, [of] thousands, of our scattered brethren [will] respond to the sentiment when we say, that this removal to the wilderness must end in the destruction of the lives of most of those who have ventured [into] this uncalled for and hazardous undertaking. The bones of our brethren and sisters must lie bleaching upon the western soils, and for no other cause than that of gratifying their ambitious rulers, by screening them from the just penalties of the law; and we have no need to [tell our] brethren, that the more civilized portion of this land will afford us all the facilities necessary for carrying forth the work of God, without so much peril in parts of the earth where the priesthood is not needed. The time has not come to carry the gospel to the sons of Ephraim, and the plea set up by some that such is the fact, and that God has cursed the gentile nations, we can view in no other point of light than as a pretext to justify these men in their usurpation and wickedness. The fact that the Indians have proven recreant to the promise made by these men, has also proven their prophecy [bad], as we are no gravely told. Since their [---t], starvation and want, they are about to [turn] their gospel to us again. Another [instance] of the hypocrisy of these men -- you will [-------] that notwithstanding all their professions of enmity against the government, they enlisted [500] of their Elders in the war with Mexico. A [-------r] way indeed to carry the gospel to the [seed] of Jacob!...

In investigating the claims of J. J. Strang, the [same] evils, in part, have characterized this man. It is a notorious fact, that in every instance where men have usurped their authority they have made loud boasts of the law, and have pretended to build their favorite schemes and false claims upon the established laws of the church. Yet their works have proven them to be violators of the law. It is the profession they make that in many instances has allured some of our brethren in their nefarious schemes. We cannot admit that Strang has any claims to the leadership of the church; and what evidence there may be that has given this man any notoriety whatever, we consider him a par with his phosphorus deception practised upon the people at Voree. Consequently it proves nothing in has favor, but a deceiver, and the people deceived who follow him; to say anything of his Pontificate, J. C. Bennett, (his, Strang's, right-hand man), Dukes, Lords & Cardinals, the introduction of offices into his church, that did not belong to [the] church of Christ; and however much we may appreciate the zeal and labor of those who cry out for a reform in the church, yet we must deprecate the idea of any departure there may be from the strict rules and laws of the church; we feel ourselves justified in saying that there is no other principle upon which the church can continue to be built up and prosper in the land, but strictly adhering to the order of the church and following out the principles of righteousness as laid down in our books....

Neither can we coincide with the views of some, who in church building are laying their foundations... upon what they call the transgressions of the martyred prophet -- receiving and rejecting a part of his mission -- alleging also that a part of his revelations were from God and a part of them the works of a fallen prophet. That Joseph may have committed errors in his lifetime, we do not pretend to deny. But we are constrained to the belief that he lived and died a Prophet of God -- or we are led to the conclusion that the whole system of Mormonism connected with the Prophet is a humbug from the beginning. We hold that it is the abuses (and not in the use) of the principles of Mormonism, that has brought us into this disrepute before the world. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as other men, and it would be singular indeed if Joseph Smith had committed no offences while he lived to the time of his death! It is true he was slain by his enemies, but we are not authorized to reject the mission of the Prophet during any period of time prior to his death while God upheld and sustained him at the head of his church, and however much men may glory in the death of Joseph Smith, we can only say that such has been the fate of Prophets more or less in all ages...

Joseph is yet alive; we speak figuratively... The works of all those will be brought to nought, who have, by treachery and deceit, sought to destroy the Smith family, the lawful Priesthood of the Church, and more particularly William Smith... we feel it our indispensable duty to state that we believe that this, our Brother William Smith, has been most unrighteously dealt with by those who have usurped the authority of the church. We feel that injustice has been done to this family, and it is a fact that cannot be denied that at the death of Joseph and Hiram Smith, the right of the Patriarchal Priesthood belonged to William Smith, and we also think that here is a point of authority that has been heretofore unnoticed by the Church, but the Brethren cannot help but see that notwithstanding the Twelve had a right to ordain Evangelical ministers in all large branches of the Church, yet this did not give them power to ordain a Patriarch over the whole Church, which authority belonged to the first Presidency, and you will readily see the Twelve had not this power as they were a travelling High Council and not a local Presidency.... the Brethren will also notice that William held equal authority in the quorum of the Twelve at the death of his brothers, and therefore the impropriety of his Brethren assuming the right to ordain him to an office that belonged to him of right and which he had received from a higher power in the Church, which office the Twelve had no control over, consequently had not the power to cut him off from the Church...

The gate into the Church is baptism, and the right to the Presidency of the Church comes by ordination of those having authority in the church, and by the appointment of the church. The Presidency may also be appointed by revelation and acknowledged by the church in his administration, and such is the power and authority invested in this our Brother William Smith...

We hope that the Saints will gather with us and help us to strengthen and build up this stake of Zion -- Palestine the city of our God. [With] sentiments of esteem and high consideration for your future welfare and happiness in the Kingdom of our God, we subscribe ourselves your humble servants and fellow-laborers in the Gospel.   Amen.

T. TOURTILLOTT,
JOHN LANDERS,
ALVA SMITH,
AARON HOOK,
WILLIAM SMITH,
NATH'L BERRY.

Note 1: This was the only copy of Zion's Standard ever published by William Smith during his tenure as "President" of the Mormon church headquartered in Lee Co., Illinois. Smith's next publishing venture was the Aaronic Herald, printed at Covington, Kentucky on the press of his convert, Elder Isaac Sheen.

Note 2: In tone and format, this sheet somewhat resembles a broadside published by William Smith, early in 1846, entitled Minutes of a Conference Held by the Church..., which presented a report of the procedings of a meeting William conducted at Cincinnati, Ohio, on Jan. 6, 1846, as well as the texts of various proclamations and endorsements supportive of William's claims to leadership in the Church. That broadside ends thusly: "I am also authorised to say, from my mother Lucy Smith, the mother of the Prophet Joseph, that the plans of the Twelve, in moving to California, she does not approve of, neither does any of the remnants of the Smith family, and as the representative of that family I now speak, and for proof of this statement, I give below an extract of a letter from Mother Smith, written to me in St. Louis. 'Nauvoo, Octover 28, 1845.... We are no Californians...'"

SALT LAKE AND DEAD SEA. -- A traveler, who had recently visited the Salt Lake, gives the following facts:

'The Lake itself is one of the greatest curiosities I ever met with. The water is about one third salt, yielding that amount on boiling. I bathed in it, and found that I could lay on my back, roll over and over, and even sit up and wash my feet without sinking, such is the strength of the brine; and when I came out I was completely covered with salt, in fine crystals. But the most astonishing thing about it is the fact (as I was informed by the gentleman who was manufacturing salt there at that time,) during the summer season the lake throws on shore abundance of salt, while in the winter season it throws up glauber salts in immense quantities. The reason for this I leave for the scientific to judge, and also what becomes of the enormous amount of fresh water poured into it by 3 or 4 large rivers, Jordan, Bear and Weber, as there is no visible outlet."

Our readers will not fail to see in the account several remarkable points of coincidence with Lake Asphaltities or the Dead Sea; the same density of water, by which heavy bodies are buoyed up by its extreme saltiness, notwithstanding the constant flow into it of fresh water streams, and the absence of any visible outlet.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Rev. Orson Hyde, formerly editor of the Frontier Guardian, was cowhided on yesterday, nearly in front of our office by Mr. Robert Wilson of this place. Slanders which were published in the Guardian against Mr. Wilson whilst Mr. Hyde was editor is the cause assigned for the chastisement. Mr. Ayde has recently been appointed a Judge in Utah Territory. Not being fully advised of all the particulars relative to this affair, we only publish what transpired, and that without comment. -- Weston Reporter.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Nauvoo.

A correspondent of the Madison (Ind.) Courier has been making a pilgrimage to the ruins of what was the stronghold of the "Latter-Day Saints" -- in the time when Joe Smith was the Prophet. We extract the following from his interesting letter: --

The city of the Mormons once had 20,000 inhabitants; there are now but 2,000. One-half of the houses the Mormons left have been removed or pulled down, and the other half are tenantless. Each lot contains an acre. In walking through its deserted streets I started serveral quails, in the midst of the once populous city. -- The mansion of Joe Smith is kept by his wife, once his widow, but now again a wife -- of another and a live man -- as a tavern. Between this mansion and the river are the remains of a famous hotel, which was abandoned after its walls had reached the second story; the walls are of fine pressed brick, with marble door-sills and caps. The Masonic Hall is a fine brick building three stories high. I am told that all the Mormons were Masons. Their lodge was under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois. Smith, I am told, initiated some of the "mothers of the church," when the charter was taken from them, and the lodge closed. The front wall and the one next to it, which formed the vestibule, [are] all that is left standing of the achievement of fanaticism called the "temple," which as the inscription on a large stone, worked in the inner wall, informs the visitor, is THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, Built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Commenced April 6, 1841.

A company of French socialists have purchased a portion of the property -- the site and the ruins of the temple included. They number about 400. While I was veiwing the temple they all came out of their boarding-house from dinner. Their foreign aspect and clothing as they grouped about the stones of the temple to smoke their pipes and talk -- probably of la belle France -- made me almost fancy I was viewing a ruin in an older country. One group were gesticulating and laughing over the face of one of the ornaments which decorated each column, which I cannot describe it better than refering the reader to the picture of the full moon, which usually ornaments the cover of a Dutch almanac.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Brigham Young has left Salt Lake with a hundred men, in search of a new settlement for the Mormons. Such is his avowed object, but his real aim is to be out of the way when the new Governor comes. He is said to have taken with him some two or three thousand dollars. Those in Carson Valley had renounced their religion and determined to settle permanently in California. Hundreds will do likewise as soon as they can leave.

---

CAPT. KIDD'S TREASURE FOUND -- Once more. The Mt. Holly (N. J.) Mirror tells an almost incredible story, that some of Capt. Kidd's treasure have been found among the pines, and that the occupants of that region are in a state of intense excitement. A man dreamed for several nights successively that he should find the treasure, the place to be indicated by four iron bars projecting from the earth. He went and found his dream realized. -- Two hundred and forty thousand dollars had been discovered up to Monday night, buried in iron chests, and the people have turned out with their pickaxes in further search for the treasure.


Notes: (forthcoming)

                            From the Mo. Republican.

FROM  THE  PLAINS.

Journey from Salt Lake to Sacramento -- A St, Louis train -- Humboldt River -- The Desert -- Salutary effects of Music on a fatigued ox -- Carsoin River Valley -- Cut offs -- The jurney particularly valuable to young men.

                                              Sacramento, Cal., Aug. 25 '52.
The last grand visision of our journey was from Salt Lake City to Sacramento. Having rested our stock and replenished our provisions, and made another start and moved up the valley of the Salt Lake, which is settled for a distance of fifty miles... When we intersected the direct route, called Sublett's cut off, we found notwithstanding we had gone round by Salt Lake and rested there eight days, we were ahead of most of the trains that started with us at Fort Laramie. We found the Humboldt river low and in its channel, and having plenty of of good grass on the south side most of the way... The road was covered from end to end with droves and teams, for a distance of forty nine miles... I hauled off and let my train go on to Carson river, and was relieved in due time by a fresh team sent back, and got over the same day all safe with all our stock.

We now entered the valley of Carson river, along which we found a few trading posts, and something to eat. The grass was abundant, the water good; the air was pured and bracing, and the mountains beautiful... more anon.   S. M. B.


Note: This lengthy description of the route between the Salt Lake valley and the Carson valley contains nothing especially significant concerning the Mormons. The correspondent's earlier letter, written at Salt Lake City, was not reprinted in the Dixon paper.

What is the Destiny of the Mormons?

We find a letter in the St. Louis Intelligencer, apparently from a very intelligent citizen, dated "Salt Lake City, Sept. 12." which thus replies to this query:

"In point of political feeling, I believe that there is little or no genuine American spirit or sentiment among the Mormons. I am satisfied that a succession of what they regard as gross persecutions and hostilities upon the people of several States, has almost, if not totally, eradicated it from their minds. -- They are undoubtedly suspicious and unfriendly to the great body of the citizens of the United States. Such being their feelings towards the people, it seems but natural to conclude that the same doubts and dislikes extend to the government which that people maintain and control. That unreasonable feelings and sentiments towards the national government prevail in this community to a much greater extent than is generally supposed in the States, is a fact of which I feel perfectly convinced. If these feelings have not yet manifested themselves in open acts of rebellion, it is because they have not sufficient confidence in their strength to justify them in taking so decided a course. I believe that a few years increase in strength, and a propitious occasion, will develop these feelings to the conviction of everybody. I base my opinion not so much upon positive acts or expressions that I have either heard or seen, as upon the general turn and character of their conversation, and information derived from the most credible sources. The conduct of the returning United States' officers, in deserting their post at the time they did, is universally condemned here by all persons with whom I have conversed on the subject. They left at the most critical period, when they stood in no immediate danger of personal violence, and by their presence must have caused such a positive development of the true feelings and intentions of the Mormons towards the government, as would have enabled it to take hold of and crush their treason in the very bud.

What will be the ultimate fate of these strange people? Will they be permitted to remain where they are, and worship after their own peculiar fashion and ideas? Or will they again be driven from this. their last retreat, forced to abandon their possessions, and seek a new home in some distant land? These are questions which time alone can solve. I have formed my own opinions concerning them. Mormon and Gentile can never live together in peace and harmony; one must give place to the other. The Salt Lake Valley, is a point of paramount importance to the emigration and commerce across the continent. Americans will avail themselves of the great facilities and advantages it affords. I firmly believe that in less than ten years hostile collisions will take place between the two classes, the result of which will be that the Mormons will be forced from the Valley. Where will they go? To some province of Mexico. Will they be permitted to remain there? I think not. The progressive spirit and expanding necessities of American democracy will in time claim that territory from both Mexicans and Mormons. -- Where will they then seek an asylum? -- In some country in Asia, or some Islands in the Pacific, where the peculiar features of their religious faith are less repulsive to the feelings and customs of the inhabitants. Such is my theory. It may be right or it may be wrong."


Notes: (forthcoming)

Every body has a hobby, the riding of which in their opinion, would gallop creation to unbounded happiness. Greeley's great medicine is a High Tarriff; Col. Benton's, Railroad to the Pacific. The Mormons find terrestial bliss in a dozen wives, while Mrs. Oakes Smith imagines that all that is necessary is necessary to regenerate the human family, is to allow women to vote and work at the blacksmith's business. Great country, this; well, it is.


Notes: (forthcoming)

THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS. -- Yesterday, there arrived, via New Orleans, about 330 persons, Mormons, on their way to Salt Lake, chiefly from England. We learn from Mr. Wheelock, late Presiding Elder of the church in this city, and just returned from England, that there are six more ships on their way chiefly freighted with members of this church and their families. He estimates the number expected by those ships at from 2500 to 3000. He is advised of the arrival of a ship at the Balize with about 300 persons from Denmark. Arrangements are making for the transportation from Europe, next year, of about ten thousand. The growth of this body is one of the most singular novelities of the day. -- Mo. Rep. 21st.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Mormonism in this County.

Wm. Smith, brother of the Mormon Prophet, Joe, is before the Circuit Court of Illinois, sitting in Lee County, on a charge of having more wives than the law allows. One of the female members of the church has made affidavit that she had been induced to believe that it was necessary for her salvation that she should become his spiritual wife. Smith has himself now pending in the same court, an application for a divorce, on the ground that his wife, while at Nauvoo, was initiated into the mysteries of, and, as he says, "took seven degrees" in spiritual wifery. So that it seems, according to his ideas of the doctrines of that particular branch of the church militant, what is sauce for the goose is not "sauce for the gander."


Note 1: The exact wording of the above news item remains undetermined. The article was copied into a Chicago paper and from that source, into the columns of several other newspapers. The above text is derived from the reprint in the Gettysburg Star and Banner of April 29, 1853.

Note 2: William Smith moved his family to Lee County, Illinois (roughly half way between Nauvoo and Chicago) in late 1848 or early 1849 and remained in the area until 1854. In 1850 Roxie Ann Grant Smith (aunt of LDS President Heber J. Grant) brought suit in Lee County, Iowa against her husband, William Smith, for "adultery, fornication, bastardy, and rape." The "adultery" and "bastardy" were evidently the result of William having taken Mrs. Rosa A. Hook as one of his "plurals," without recourse to Illinois marriage procedures. Rosa A. (short for Rosanna or Rose-Ann) first gave a statement useful to Roxie Ann's divorce case -- then, perhaps after receiving some strong persuasion, she provided William a second certificate, voiding the charges she had made against him in the first statement. William Smith retaliated against Roxie Ann (who was then living in Knox Co., Illinois with her parents' family and William's two children) by bringing his own divorce suit against the lady, whom he accused of being an initiate in 'seven degrees' in spiritual wifery," or, in other words, a Nauvoo Cyprian.

Note 3: The couple's divorce became final in 1853; the next year most of the charges against Smith were dropped, but he was required to post a $1,000 bond on the rape charge. Smith fled Lee County and made his way to Saint Louis. There he was arrested (see Apr. 26, 1853 Missouri Republican) brought back to Dixon in Lee County, and there incarcerated for several weeks (see May 4, 1854 issue of the Telegraph). See also the Apr. 27, 1854 issue of the St. Louis Intelligencer and contemporary issues of the St. Louis Daily Evening News and the Missouri Belleville Tribune for more information on Smith's April, 1854 arrest in Missouri. Whether or not William actually committed "highway robbery" in Hancock County (where Nauvoo is located), as charged, remains unknown, but he very likely passed through that place, while a fugitive on his way west.

(For the Dixon Telegraph.)

SLANDER  REFUTED.

                                                      SHELBURN, Lee Co., Ill., April 19th, '53.
Mr. Editor --

Dear Sir: -- Remember the Golden Rule, "as ye would that others should do unto you do ye even so unto them." -- JESUS.

In looking over one of the last numbers of the Telegraph, we notice an article under the caption of "Mormonism in this County," reflecting somewhat upon the character and profession of Mr. William Smith the Mormon prophet, and from our intimate acquaintance with Mr. Smith for the last five years, we feel that it is due to him to say to the public that the prosecution referred to in the Telegraph, is a malicious prosecution, and wholly got up by the enemies of Mr. Smith, and for no other purpose, as we believe, but to injure him and his profession as a preacher of the Gospel and a leader of the Mormon Church. The young female, Mr. Editor, that you speak of by the by, is not a member of Mr. Smith's Church, having for a long time since seceded from the faith, and from the statements that are now made by the girl, which we have from reliable sources,we learn the facts that the real author of her troubles is a young man that was in the employ of the family, with whom she resided all 'last summer.' She also states that she was induced to swear against Mr. Smith through the influence of bribery, flattery, promises, &c., and suffice to say, that we have heardworse stories told before this day of our Lord, &c., about Mormons and Mormon religion than is even hinted at in the Telegraph about Mr. William Smith, not one word of which was true. as possibly some may yet find the sequel will prove in regard to the slander that is now being propagated in the present case against Mr. Smith, be this as it may, having received a certificate from the young lady, in question, written by her own hand, containing certain statements calculated, as we think, to rather exonerate Mr. Smith from any blame in this matter. We submit the subject to a candid and observing public without further comment. With this request, Mr. Editor, that you do us the favour of giving this reply, with the certificate annexed, a place in your valuable and interesting paper, and by so doing you will much oblige your friends and fellow citizens; and also confer a favour upon the injured party, that no doubt will in all coming time, be properly appreciated and long remembered.

                  Aaron Hook,
                  Jotham T. Barrett.

The following is the young lady's certificate:

                               Newark, Wisconsin, March 29th, 1853.

"I sincerely and honestly clear William Smith from all the charges made in my affidavit made before Squire Dutcher." ROSA A. HOOK

Witness, Samuel Wright.

This to certify that the foregoing certificate is a true copy of the original.

Aaron Hook.
Jotham T. Barrett.
Isaac Cramer.

Editors please copy the above. A. H.

---

==> The foregoing communication, it will be perceived, was elicited by an article of ours published some three weeks ago; in which we briefly stated facts connected with some proceedings then pending in our Circuit Court.

We had no desire to originate a controversy on the subject; and would not now refer to it, or publish the communication, were it not for the fact that a copy of it has already appeared in one of the Chicago papers; and as we are, in it, accused of slandering an individual, we wish to give him the benefit of a reply.

In order still more to do him perfect justice, we give below a copy of a letter from Mr. Smith to a member of his church in Prairieville, Wisconsin; the original of which was read in evidence in the Circuit Court of this county, on the trial of his application for divorce:

---

                                    Palestine, July 18th, 1851.
Sister ______

As to sister C_____'s case, on which you ask my council, I am only permitted to say she stands on dangerous ground; and as Brother W____d is appointed of the Lord to hold the keys of this dispensation with me, it is not my province to interfere with any of his wives. Sister C____ belongs to Brother W_____, and her salvation turns upon the view which he may take of her course of conduct towards him. If she turns a somerset and refuses to be reconciled to him she is lost -- worlds without end. If she attends the Lodge it is because he is her head and through him she receives her Priesthood. I exceedingly fear that Sister C_____ is plucking out her own eyes. If she bear upon him until he drops her she is lost forever. She will lose her priesthood and consequently not only her membership in the Lodge, but her membership in the church also. Hear the mind of the Lord in such cases:

"Behold verily this is the mind of the Lord concerning those females who have received the priesthood by being sealed to my servants William Smith and Joseph W_____d; and have been washed and anointed and ordained under their hands having been received into the priestess lodge -- having taken the covenant thereof; if they, or either of them, shall fall, or altogether turn therefrom, she or they shall be excluded therefrom and from my church also; and shall not come forth in the resurrection of the just. * * * Therefore I Jesus Christ, who am your Father and God, say unto you if your wives be treacherous and sin against you and repent not, I will reveal it unto you. Therefore confide in me, and I will be your God and ye shall be my servants -- Amen."

Now brother W____ has intended until lately to make Sister C____ one of his Queens, but it is doubtful in my mind whether he ever told her so or not; he seldom tells when he intends to exalt those whom he desires exalting until he does so; but I know that he holds Sister C____ in high estimation. I would advise her to seek a reconciliation. If she would write to him a letter acknowledging her error, he is very lenient and will forgive her. If she don't do something I fear she is gone. May God give her grace to overcome. You will see, Sister, by the revelation I send you, that she will be excluded from the Lodge unless she stands to her leader. You will read this to her, in all due respect.

      Yours truly,
                            WILLIAM SMITH.


Note 1: For more on William Smith's "Spokesman" and fellow polygamist, Elder Joseph Wood, see the Telegraph of Mar. 9, 1854 and William Smith's letter of Dec. 25, 1851.

Note 2: Aaron Hook, Jr. joined the Mormons in about 1842. He married Matilda Spencer a year later and both of their names appear on the 1843 Nauvoo "Scroll Petition." In 1845-46 Elder Hook evidently joined the Strangites -- or, at least he was associated with Strangite missionaries Samuel Shaw and Moses Smith, when the latter missionary preached the first Strangite sermon in Nauvoo. Although Aaron and his brother John eventually separated themselves from William Smith's church, Aaron's wife and one of his daughters joined the RLDS branch at Amboy, Illinois, in 1859. A report in the Apr. 27, 1854 issue of the St. Louis Daily Intelligencer tells of two "twin sisters, of comparatively tender age," one of which William seduced and the other he raped. These girls were evidently Rhoda and Rosanna (Rosa Ann) Hook, the nieces of William Smith's Counselor in the First Presidency, Elder Aaron Hook, of Lee Co., Illinois. The 1850 federal census for Illinois lists them as living in the household of Aaron's brother John, just south of what is now the town of Amboy. The young ladies are listed along with their grandmother, Mrs. Rhoda Hook, the widow of Aaron Hook, Sr. Possibly their parents died, along with their grandfather, during the mid-1840s in frontier Illinois. The twins were about fifteen years of age when William began his "spiritual wifery" dalliance with the two girls. What Rosa meant when she said "I sincerely and honestly clear William Smith from all the charges" is any body's guess. Certainly she did not say "the charges" were erroneous -- more likely she was simply saying I sincerely and honestly forgive William Smith..."

Note 3: Frank E. Stevens, in his 1914 History of Lee County, Illinois says: "Aaron Hook who had gone to Nauvoo and who had been ordained an elder, returned [to Lee Co.]... William Smith... came over to Lee county from Nauvoo about this time [1847-48] and a very considerable Mormon following was obtained in Lee county... This William Smith... was arrested here for bigamy, released and then he left the county." Although Stevens does not specifically say that William's "bigamy" occurred with female members of the Hook family, according to Elder Isaac Sheen, William was known to make woman-swapping offers to his highest ranking adherents. Sheen says: "he [William] told me that he had a right to raise up posterity from other men's wives... and that they would thereby be exalted to a high degree of glory in eternity." Rosa Hook's 1853 testimony has a similar ring to it: "she had been induced to believe that it was necessary for her salvation that she should become his [William's] spiritual wife."

MORMONISM AGAIN. -- We are obliged once more to refer to this subject inasmuch as the article we first published has been extensively coppied [sic] and has thus elicited some communications which require notice. A gentleman writes us from Cincinnati, an article in defence of Mrs. Smith, William Smith's wife; and insists we publish it, as an act of justice to her. We suggest to our correspondent, that by our statement of what Smith alleged against her in his application for a divorce, we by no means asserted its truth; and that the result of her application in Knox County for the same purpose, if favorable to her, will be a very complete vindication of her character. As this will probably be soon determined, it will perhaps be better that we should await that decision.


Note: The "gentleman... from Cincinnati" was probably William Smith's former Counselor in the First Presidency, Elder Isaac Sheen. Although Sheen went through an acrimonious break with William Smith in 1850, he evidently retained some sympathy for Smith's abused wife, Roxie Ann Grant Smith. See Sheen's letter in the May 22, 1850 issue of the Cincinnati Daily Commercial for further details on William Smith's sordid wife-swapping intentions.

==> A large number of Mormons lately passed through Oskaloosa, on their way to the Salt Lake -- they are of all ages, from the infant to the gray-haired sire. -- Their teams are of oxen, and are in the proportion of one team for every twelve persons.

---

LIST OF LETTERS remaining at the Post Office, in Dixon, for the quarter ending July 1st, 1853....

S

... Smith, Wm. ...

Note: Evidently Elder William Smith, brother of Joseph, decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and "skipped bail" in Lee Co., Illinois not long after the April 9, 1853 publication of his professed innocence in the "adultery, fornication, bastardy, and rape" indictment. He thus missed picking up his mail at the local post office during May, June and July. However, William was safely back in Dixon by Mar. 9, 1854, and perhaps he was able to catch up on his lapsed correspondence then. For an interesting account of his adventures between these two dates, see the Apr. 27, 1854 issue of the St. Louis Daily Intelligencer.

ROW  WITH  THE  MORMONS.

SIX OF THEM SHOT.
MUCH EXCITEMENT AT BEAVER ISLAND.

News was received in the city yesterday, that there has been a desperate row between the Gentiles (the name given to the inhabitants near Beaver Island,) and the Mormons on Beaver Island. Some twelve or fourteen of the latter went to the main land to subpoena two witnesses. They were told to leave there quiet [sic -quick?], or they would never reach their island alive. They immediately jumped into their boats, and were fired upon, and six of them very badly wounded. The Gentiles chased them into the Lake, and the Mormons took protection on a vessel which was lying there becalmed. The Mormons were well armed but did not fire a gun; and it seemed that the assault was altogether unprovoked. There may be some good cause for it, however, as it is said the Mormons are very troublesome, stealing everything they can put their hands upon. Only a short time ago, Strang the leader, went to Grand Traverse, purchased $180 worth of goods, &c., and paid for them in counterfeit money. Chase was given to him and the goods again obtained. Chic. Adv.

---

Jas. J. Strang, the Mormon of Beaver Island, has a long article in the New York Tribune, detailing the religious persecutions he has suffered. This same Strang sometime ago, promised that there should be a descent of the Holy Ghost and Fire upon his followers. He took his dupes into a dark room, in the night, and laid his hands upon their heads, anointing them at the same time with some preparation of phosphorus, and sure enough there was an illumination!

---

Brigham Young is terribly afraid of Indians. To judge from the extraordinary preparations he makes, one would suppose there were legions of Indians encircling Utah. It is worth a thought however, whether the new company he is raising is not as much to prevent any inconvenient interference from the Government at Washington, as from the tenants of an adjacent woods. His high preparations are very suggestive.


Notes: (forthcoming)

                                  From the Cotton Plant.

Utah.

While the people of the East are recovering from the excitement of office seeking. and engaging in their ordinary pursuits... the community of Latter day Saints, about the Great Salt Lake, live on increasing and prospering by themselves, with their peculiar religious, matrimonial, and civil institutions, only caring to be left alone. The organs of Mormonism in the capital of Utah proclaim that all is well, and the toast drinkers promulgate the sentiments of the community, in favor of the non-intervention of the Federal Government in their affairs.

Governor Brigham Young, the head of the Church, is the head of the State, and wields the military power of the community, with vigor and efficiency. The military organization is kept up, the troops are upon duty, and the Indians are held in check by the forces of the territory, without authority or consultation of the officials at Washington.

Were these things progressing by the action of people uninfluenced by religious sentiment, or were that religious sentiment at all compatible with the creeds of the mass of the people of the United States, the growth and strength of such a community, might be a subject of congratulation. They would in time, and that too before long, cultivate and civilize a region, which would be the stopping place for travel and transport across the continent. The country would be the reliance, and furnish the resources for all military operations against the Indian tribes of the West, and with proper management the effect might be, in some degree, beneficial to the Indians themselves.

But for the first time since the United States were independent, we have in this territory of Utah, a union of Church and State, tacitly acknowledged too, by the Federal Government. Brigham Young, and his establishment, male and female, rule by the consent and appointment of the President of the United States, and the numbers and strength of the population are on the increase. How long would the quasi-obedience to Federal authority continue, provided interest or fancy, upon the part of the spiritual leaders advise them to throw it off? From the experience of communities, near which the Mormons have been located, previous to their last swarming to Utah, we doubt whether had they the strength, they would continue it now, and we think it highly probable, that an attempt upon the part of the President to displace Governor Young, would be met by positive and armed opposition. If such an event should take place, the Federal authority would be mocked and disregarded in the heart of territory peculiarly its own -- and from the distance of the route, the nature of the country, and the character of the people with whom the forces of the United States would have to contend, it would be exceedingly difficult and expensive to sustain that authority by military power.

In the mean while all Christian emigration over the plains passes Utah, and is spread over California and Oregon. The true believers stay and work with all the order of religious fanaticism for the community, and we believe that without the adoption of some action, the Mormon State will be exceedingly troublesome and annoying before the space of ten years.

Fortunately the action which will afford the strongest and best safeguard against any thing of the kind, is now under contemplation and discussion, and that too, with a fair chance of adoption. Religious communities banked up in the hot bed of their narrow prejudices, especially when they are based upon such monstrous creeds as that of Mormon. grow and enlarge both of physical strength and moral superstition; a free and unrestrained intercourse with the word carries off a portion of their material, opens the eyes of many of the deluded, and finally, if the last and worst expedient of checking their growth is resorted to, places them within the reach of the arm of power.

The Pacific Railroad if once built would break the isolation of Utah, give the chance of completely severing the present union of church and government, and place the community under the eye of the people, of the more thickly settled States, both East and West.

Any attempt, to break from the Union, or to get up a religious crusade for the propagation of the faith of Mormon, would be promptly met, and properly disposed of.


Note:

The Iron Horse is Coming --
  And it's Coming thru' Salt Lake:

The Iron Horse draws nigh,
  With its smoking nostrils high.
Breathing fire as he grazeth,
  Drinking water as he blazeth.
Then the steam courses out,
  Whistles loud: "Clear the route!"
For the Iron Horse is coming,
  With a train in its wake.

If alive we shall be,
  Many folks we shall see:
Nobles, lords, quacks and beggars.
  Among us will come the slavers,
Saints will come, sinners too;
  We'll have all that we can do.
For that great Union Railroad,
  It will fetch the Devil through!

FORD'S HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. -- We see it stated that Gen. Shields, or some one to whom was intrusted the editing of the late Gov. Ford's History of Illinois, soon to be published, has emasculated it of some of its most distinguished features. It is understood that the Governor reviewed, at lebgth the character of the leading politicians of Illinois, and that his exposition of the political character of Judge Douglass is of the most withering kind, and it is said that all this part of it has been or will be omitted from the book. This will hardly be doing justice to Gov. Ford. and certainly will not accomplish the object he had in view, in writing the work. -- Mo. Rep.

---

When a man refuses to pay a debt among the Mormons they send three officersd called whittlers, who take their station in front of the debtor's house, each with a jackknife and a bundle of sticks, and whittle away, day after day, till the delinquent [knocks] under. It is said that the remedy seldom fails.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Arrival of Lieut. Beale and his Party
at Los Angeles.

We find the following letter, dated at Los Angeles, Aug. 31 in the San Francisco Herald....

(under construction)

---

DEATH OF COL. BRIDGE, AT FORT BRIDGER. -- A party direct from the Territory of Utah arrived at St. Louis on Saturday last, who bring intelligence of the murder of Colonel Bridge by the Mormons. At the time of the outbreak in Salt Lake City against him, he left Fort Bridger and repaired for safety to another trading post which he owned on Green River, over a hundred miles distant. The Mormons, however, continued in pursuit of him, found him at the place last named and killed him. We have not learned what they did with his goods and property, or whether the party of his retainers who gave arrived here, were forced by the Mormons to quit the country. -- Chic. Press.


Note: The second article above gives the spelling "Bridge" for Col. James Bridger, the famous fur trapper and trading post operator. Reports of Jim Bridger's "murder" began to circulate after some of his fleeing employees reached the settled portion of the western frontier without him. After Bridger fled in 1853, the Mormons took control of the Green River Basin, establishing their Fort Supply in the area and leaving Fort Bridger vacant. Jim Bridger returned to Utah Territory in 1855 and sold his fort and lands to his occasional enemies, the Mormons, for $8,000. They then occupied his fort and trading post, fortifying the outpost against the possibility of future attack by Indians or outsiders from the States. In 1857, the Mormons abandned the fort and destroyed much of its usefulness to the advancing United States Army. "Johnson's Army," guided by Bridger, occupied the area late in 1857 and the old fort was eventually rebuilt. See the Nov. 25, 1853 issue of the Missouri Liberty Tribune for a correction on his erroneous death report.

A MYSTERIOUS LAND. -- According to the Rochester Democrat the California steamer brought accounts of the ruins of certain cities embosomed in the Rocky Mountains, in the vicinity of the Mormon settlement of Utah. These cities were passed through by Capt. Walker in 1850, who, with the exception of Lieut. Beal, is the only person who has accomplished so great an exploit. Capt. Walker has revealed many interesting particulars in regard to the locality, which cannot fail to elicit great attention, and awaken profound interest. He found these ruins in a state of great perfection: the streets were well defined, and many of the buildings were in a remarkable state if preservation; the stone and brick having the appearance of being glazed, as though they had been passed over by a raging conflagration. Capt. W. also asserts that he has discovered in that section a race of Albinos, who are probably the descendants of those who erected the buildings.


Note: Perhaps the explorer mentioned was the "mountain man" Joseph Walker, who carried out various early explorations in the Great Basin and adjoining regions. The odd notion of ancient American cities, built by a vanished white race, was transferred from the "mound builders" of the midwest to the Anasazi of the southwest, with equally invalid assumptions and conclusions. Mormon writers attempted to identify the "cliff-dwellers" with Book of Mormon peoples, but in modern times such LDS speculation has begun to fade. Claims for the remnants of a white race, hidden among the American Indian tribes, were being made by Mormon writers as late as the 1960s, however. See in particular Elder Dewey Farnsworth's The Americas Before Columbus and books of a similar nature, mostly published by the nonscholarly press in Utah, for the LDS market.

Arrival of the Salt Lake Mail.
Capt. Gunnison and his Exploring Party Massacred by Indians.

                                                                     St. Louis, Nov. 30.
The Salt Lake Mail has arrived at Independence and brings intelligence of the massacre of Captain Gunnison and his exploring party. An express reached Governor Young on the 31 of October, from Capt. Morris, giving an account of the massacre, by the Indians, on Lever [sic - Sevier?] river. The killed were Capt. Gunnison, Mr. Kern, the Topographical Engineer, Mr. Porter, a guide; two others, and three privates of "A," Mounted Riflemen. The following are the particulars.

Captain Gunnison and 12 of his party had separated from the main body, and while at breakfast, a band of Indians intending to destroy a Mormon village near at hand, came upon them, fired with rifles and then used bows and arrows. Shots were returned by the Gunnison party, but they were overpowered and only four escaped.

Capt. Gunnison had 26 arrows in his body, and when found one of his hands was off. The notes of the survey, which had been nearly completed, instruments and animals, were taken. Gov. Young sent aid to Capt. Morris, to release him from his critical position in the Indians, and endeavored to regain the stolen property. A party of Cheyenne surrounded the mail, and demanded nearly all the provisions; which were given to them.


Notes: (forthcoming)

THE MURDER OF CAPTAIN GUNNISON. -- The St. Louis Democrat has a long article going to show that Captain Gunnison and his party were not killed by the Indians, but by Mormons. One strong circumstance is, that though the bodies of the slain were mutilated, and Gunnison's arms cut off, their scalps were not taken. "It is no part of the policy of these people to permit an exploration of their country, for the purpose of finding a route for a railroad, which is to be the highway of [nations], and if made, would bring them again under the observation of the civilized world. Indeed, it was the very last thing they desired, and the very thing from which they were thinking to escape. This may account for the fact that the murderers carried away or destroyed the notes and surveys which it was the object of Gunnison's expedition to make, and which no Indians could have taken or thought worthy of destruction."

---

==> Mr. Joseph E. Johnson, Editor of the Council Bluffs Bugle is one of those men that we like to hear of, and to see... Hear how he talks about Western Energy.

"Although we are accused of a lack of modesty, by some of our contemporaries, we cheerfully admit that the character for energy wh have received is a trait of Western character. As the emigrant passes from the land of hemlock forests, rocky fields and stone fences, a new sensation seizes him. The view of beautiful, broad, waving, green prairies, entrances and delights him. New ideas, thoughts, emotions and determinations fill his bosom; he is a new and an altered man; his mind is expanded, enlarged, and improved; his destiny lies before him, he has already attained the path of its progress; he must move forward or settle into insignificance. Has he a mind, nothing is too gigantic to be undertaken, no scheme so large but it is taken in at a gulp; he is ready for anything, for everything.

We are only one of thousands of this class, in this delightful western world; -- we become any thing that we may attain to every thing. These are the simple reasons of our success, and the principle that keeps us afloat above our misfortunes. We are determined, and so, of course, must get ahead. This is why the west runs so far away from the world; they will go ahead."


Note 1: While there is no direct evidence linking the LDS leaders in Salt Lake City to Gunnison's murder, it is true that they had no great desire to see Missouri Senator Thomas H. Benton's "great union railway" pass through the middle of Utah Territory, on its way to connecting California with "The States." Benton was no friend of the Mormons, in any case. The widow of Captain Gunnison believed that Brigham Young's Mormon minions were responsible for her husband's murder -- a belief which Judge W. W. Drummond, late of Utah Territory, was ready to uphold and publicize. See Mrs. Gunnison's remarks in the introduction to her husband's posthumously published book on the Mormons.

Note 2: The second paragraph of the quote taken from Elder Johnson, might just as easily been excerpted from a Nauvoo sermon delivered to his followers by Joseph Smith, Jr. The attitude there displayed helps explain the ends and means of Mormonism -- a religious philosophy which meshed very well with western boosterism during the ante-bellum era. Unfortunately, that same universal optimism, coupled with theocratic striving, very often worked itself out in vexatious "schemes" (as Johnson put it), in which the "success" sought after automatically justified whatever means had to be used.

==> More trouble in the church. -- The Mormon church, we mean. Our readers will recollect that some year or so ago, at the time when William Smith, a brother of the founder of the Mormon church, was endeavoring in our circuit court, to obtain a divorce, we published some letters containing a "revelation" to that portion of the church residing in this neighborhood, to the effect that the said Bill Smith and one Joseph _______ were to be looked up to as their spiritual head. Some time afterwards Smith was indicted for an offense against the peace and dignity of the State in general, and of one of the sisters in particular. Fearing that he could not have justice done him, in this county, he took a change of venue. His friend Joseph has lately resumed the practice of the law; and to him Bill wrote "for God's sake" to come over and help him. Joe replied that he had quit practicing law "for God's sake;" but that if Bill would send him fifty dollars, he would try his case for him; but that if he did not send the money, he "would appear against him, and could send him to the Penitentiary, like a d----n." Bill could not raise the funds; so he forfeited his bail, and the last we heard of him, [he] was engaged in a revival of religion, in some county, on the Illinois river.


Note 1: See the April 26, 1854 issue of the St. Louis Missouri Republican, for an account of William Smith's flight from Lee. Co., Illinois to St. Louis, where he was apprehended as an escaped criminal. See the Telegraph of May 4th for news of William's involuntary return to Lee County.

Note 2: For more on William Smith's "Spokesman" and fellow polygamist, Elder Joseph Wood, see the Telegraph of Apr. 30, 1853 and William Smith's letter of Dec. 25, 1851.

Gov. Young, of Utah, writes that the murder of Capt. Gunnison and his party, grew out of the wanton murder of an Indian by a party of emigrants. In such cases Indians feel bound to take revenge on the first whites that come into their power.

---

ARREST OF A SUPPOSED MURDERER. -- A notorious scoundrel by the name of Birch was shot and arrested on Wednesday the 1st inst., a few miles east of Juliet, by a gentleman who had pursued him from Pennsylvania, and from whom he (Birch) had stolen a second horse, the ball breaking one of his arms. We are informed that since his arrest, Birch has been recognized as being one of the wretches implicated in the murder of Col. Davenport, of Rock Island, a few years ago, and who by some means has thus far escaped hanging. This may be only an idle rumor but should it prove to be as we have stated it is to be hoped that the gallows will not again be defrauded of its victim. -- Aurora Beacon.


Note: While Brigham Young's statement in regard to the Gunnison murder was perhaps believeable to some readers, most Americans realized that Indians had frequently taken sides in disputes between whites in the past, and were fully capable of distinguishing "friend" from "foe," no matter their skin color. The Mormon leaders attempted to put forth a similar explanation for the so-called "Indian massacre" of an emigrant train at Mountain Meadows, four years later.

SALT LAKE. -- Capt. Stansbury [details] many [curious] facts in relation to this Lake. It appears to be a vast body of [------] prepared brine, of the best quality for the [curing] of meat, two hundred and ninety one miles in circumference. No living creature has yet been [detected living?] in its waters, although... [remainder of clipping illegible]


Notes: (forthcoming)

From Utah -- New Alphabet.

The Mormons have set about reforming the English language. The Deseret News appears to regard the new Alphabet as a great improvement. We quote a portion of the article in the News explaining the invention:

The Board of Regents, in company with the Governor and heads of departments, have adopted a new Alphabet, consisting of 38 characters. The Board have held frequent sittings this winter, with the sanguine hope of simplifying the English language, and especially its orthography. After many fruitless attempts to render the common alphabet of the day subservient to their purpose, they found it expedient to invent an entirely new and original set of characters.

These characters are much more simple in their structure than the usual alphabetical characters; every superfluous mark supposable is wholly excluded from them. The written and printed hand are substantially merged in one.

We may derive a hint of the advantage of orthography, from spelling the word eight, which in the new alphabet only requires two letters instead of five to spell it, viz.: AT. There will be great saving of time and paper by the use of the new characters, and but a very small part of the time and expense will be requisite in obtaining a knowledge of the language.

The orthography will be so abridged that an ordinary writer can probably write one hundred words a minute with ease, and consequently report the speech of a common speaker without much difficulty.

As soon as this alphabet can be set in type, it will probably be furnished to the schools of the Territory for their use and benefit, not however with a view to immediately supercede the use of the common alphabet -- which though it does not make the comers thereunto perfect, still it is a vehicle that has become venerable for age and much hard service.

In the new alphabet every letter has a fixed and unalterable sound; and every word is spelt with reference to given sounds. By this means strangers cannot only acquire a knowledge of our language much more readily, but a practised reporter can also report a strange tongue so that the strange language when spoken can be legible by one conversant with the tongue.


Note: The creation and promotion of the Deseret Alphabet well demonstrates both the self-assured abilities of Mormonism and its irremediable arrogance. The Utahans' acceptance of the new symbols opened the way for the creation in the Great Basin of a perfectly closed society whose members would become immune to all communication and criticism from the outside the world. At the same time, their planned adoption of the new symbols would have rendered the Utah Mormons so disconnected from the rest of the country as to hinder the inflow of useful information as well as the outflow of missionaries capable of functioning in societies where the new writing system was not in use. Given their continuing belief that a Mormon-centered millennium was about to dawn upon the whole planet, it is possible that the Utahns temporarily deluded themselves to the point where some believed that the new alphabet would quickly become a world standard. It did not, and it disappeared altogether at the end of the 1850s.

==> Bill Smith, the Mormon Prophet. -- and brother of Joe Smith, the renowned founder of the Mormon Church, which is becoming so noted, we might say thro'-out the civilized world -- is now closely confined in the jail at this place. He being indicted, gave bail for his appearance at the last Circuit Court, but, having got some presentiment -- and we think it would hardly require any supernatural power to give it to him -- that the case rather favored the side of the people, he vacated these parts. But owing to some disarrangement in the Mormon under ground railroad, or the adroitness of the person in pursuit, he was brought to a halt at St. Louis, and marched back to Dixon. He had started, we are told, for Salt Lake City. "Jordan is a hard road to travel."


Note 1: The listing of a letter waiting for William Smith, published as part of the tabulation of unclaimed mail at the Dixon post office at the end of July, 1853 probably indicates that William left Dixon during May of 1853 and was thus absent from the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court for about twelve months.

Note 2: William was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, on Apr. 25, 1853, by the Lee Co., Illinois Sheriff, acting in concert with local law officers. It appears that he was extradited from Missouri to Illinois with no complications; thus on or about May 3, 1854, William was delivered back to Dixon, to face the assault, rape, and fornication charges brought against him during the April 1853 term of the Lee County Circuit Court. These criminal charges against William were dismissed during the September 1854 term of the Lee County Circuit Court, probably because the original plaintiff failed to appear and testify against him. This plaintiff appears to have been the parent or guardian of two under age, twin girls (Rhoda and Rosanna, or Rosa Hook), one of whom (Rosa) became pregnant as a result of William's actions. The paternity action brought by this young lady was moved to a different court and William evidently avoided having to appear and defend himself in that distasteful matter. At the time of his Sept., 1854 dismissal by the court, William Smith's following in Lee Co., Illinois had evaporated and Smith was seeking an improbable reconciliation with the Utah Mormons (see the Jan 27, 1855 issue of the LDS St. Louis Luminary). In his 1983 Dialogue article, Paul M. Edwards quotes from a May 7, 1855 letter William wrote to Brigham Young. William's biographer, Clavin P. Rudd, quotes from a May 8, 1855 William letter (also to Brigham) sent from Springfield Illinois. Perhaps William Smith did temporarily reside in the Springfield area, for he reportedly had a letter published there, at the end of April, 1855 in which he advocated non-polygamous Mormonism. William was in Turkey River, Clayton Co., Iowa, as late as July 13, 1856, but not long thereafter he moved to northwestern Pennsylvania. For his last known mention in the American popular press for nearly a decade see William Smith's May 19, 1857 letter in the New York Tribune, (also reprinted soon after in some Illinois papers).

Note 3: The rumor saying that William Smith intended to depart from St. Louis "for Salt Lake City" may have been the truth. According to Paul Edwards, on Aug. 8, 1853 William wrote to Brigham Young (then Governor of Utah Territory, residing at Salt Lake City) pleading for a reconciliation upon "honorable principles." William renewed this request in letters he sent to Young in May, 1855 and May, 1860, but no reconciliation materialized and William joined the ranks of the Union Army, rather than the ranks of the Utah Mormons (see Paul M. Edwards, "William B. Smith: The Persistent 'Pretender,'" Dialogue, Vol. 18, No. 2 -- Summer, 1983, p. 131.) On the other hand, Calvin P. Rudd cites this same letter to Brigham as bearing the date: "Southampton {Binghampton?], Illinois, August 8, 1854," so perhaps it was actually written a year after William's arrest and just previous to his September appearance before the Lee Co. Circuit Court..

Emigration was never so great to the west as this season. The newcomers are not foreigners, but sturdy, hard laboring tillers of the soil and mechanics, from Ohio, Pennsylvania and the eastern states. The foreign immigration with the exception of the proselytes to Mormonism, is small this season. The Editor, Edinburgh and Paul Anderson, in yesterday from the Ohio river were all crowded, and thousands more are on the way. Arrivals of Mormons for the week past cannot number less than three or four thousand, who have come out to possess the land and to make for themselves and children a permanent home of their own. Most of them are well provided with tools, implements of agriculture, and frequently with stock with which to commence operations, and from their general appearance we surmise that they are tolerably supplied with the needful. Every boat going up the Missouri and Mississippi is crowded with the sovereigns. -- St. Louis Democrat.


Note: The term used by the journalist at the end of his report, is perhaps an allusion to "popular sovereignty," especially as the term was used in discussions related to the legislative "Compromise of 1850" and the 1854 "Kansas-Nebraska Act."

MORMONISM IN CONGRESS. -- We have at last the interesting phase of modern society, presented in the plurality wife system of Mormonism, brought up for judgment in the grand inquest of the nation. The Utah bill, before the House of Representatives, will give rise to discussion probably quite as interesting as the Nebraska bill. It is certain that it will prove more exciting in the end to the "peculiar institution" of the Salt Lake. In the House on the 4th.

A Bill to establish the office of surveyor general and granting donations to actual settlers in the territory of Utah was taken up, and, on motion of Mr. Linsey, the 1st section was amended to read: "to every white male above 21 years of age, who has declared his intention to become a citizen, and who is now a resident of said territory, or who prior to January, 1858, shall remove and settle in said territory and continue to reside therein shall have donated 160 acres of land on condition that they actually settle and cultivate it for not less than four years."

Mr. Bernheisel moved to strike out the provision that the benefit of the act shall not be extended to any person who shall now or at any time be the husband of more than one wife.

---

Experiments have been made upon the properties of the water of Salt Lake, Utah, for preserving meat, by Mr. Stansbury and his associates. A large piece of fresh beef was suspended from a cord and immersed in the lake for over 12 hours, when it was found to be tolerably well cured. After this, all the meat they wished to be preserved was packed into barrels without any salt whatever, and the vessels were then filled with lake water. No further care or preparation was necessary, and the meat remained perfectly sweet, although constantly exposed to the atmosphere and sun. They are obliged to mix fresh water with the brine to prevent the meat becoming to salt for present use. -- Chicago Tribune.


Notes: (forthcoming)

JOSEPH SMITH, JR., son of the Prophet is a sub-contractor on the Warsaw and Rockford Railroad; having a section south of Nauvoo, upon which he is now working. -- Warsaw Express.

Note: Joseph Smith III does not mention this early enterprise in his published memoirs. Perhaps his employment on the project was of short duration.

S. A. DOUGLAS' SPEECH, -- OUR OPINION -- NEBRASKA, &c. In the Telegraph of last week we published the leading and strong points of Mr. Douglas', in this place on the 19th inst., in vindication of his course in the Senate, on the Nebraska bill. We propose now to review and give the other side of the question...

His first reason for introducing the Nebraska bill was, that it "was necessary that the territory should be organized." -- No person, that we know of, ever blamed him for the simple act of organizing the territory -- it was for repealing the Missouri Compromise that he is censured...

Now let us reason on the "popular sovereignty" portion of his arguments.... Who are the people of the territories that are deprived of any rights by Congress when it legislates for them? Kansas and Nebraska were only inhabited by Indians when the Nebraska bill was passed... His "popular sovereignty" means this: that slaveholders can go and settle the territories if they wish to: That the Mormons of Utah can form that territory into a State government, and come into the Union with their 'peculiar institution,' -- polygamy, &c.

It was a poor argument in Judge Douglas to say that they "might as well ask of Congress, laws prohibiting drunkenness, theft or murder, as slavery." The former evils never, to our knowledge, become a local, state, institution, which the curse of slavery does. It seems that when it is once established, no earthly power can eradicate it. Therefore the propriety of nipping it in the bud...


Notes: (forthcoming)

POLYGAMY A DOMESTIC INSTITUTION. -- The advocates of the Kansas and Nebraska bill, in following out the principles of the bill to their legitimate results, are driven into some dreadful straits. -- For instance, Dr. Eddy, a member of the present Congress from Indiana, who voted for the Nebraska bill, and who is a candidate for re-election, declared on the stump that, "If Utah presents herself for admission into the Union as a State, with a constitution fair and acceptable on its face, and she has the requisite population, I will vote for her admission, even though I know that she recognizes and sanctions polygamy as a part of her ecclesiastical creed."

The Cleveland Herald says this would be "poisoning all the sources of human happiness, and turning an entire State into a great brothel. There is 'the practical effect' of the 'let alone' policy of the present ruling dynasty, as it touches the tenderest ties, and the most sacred vows of the hearthstone. This poisoned chalice is commended to our lips, not as the mere assertion of an abstract question of popular right -- having no practical importance -- but as a principle applicable to an evil standing in full blown enormity before our eyes. A principle which legalizes debauchery, sanctions the vilest prostitution known in the filthy catalogue of promiscuous intercourse between the sexes, and entails the bestiality of degraded fathers and mothers upon their latest posterity. There is no disguising the facts in this case; the admission of Utah as a State with her foul curse of polygamy festering within her borders is the direct fruit of the tree now planted, and the principle of non-interference with the 'domestic institutions' of Territories brings us to this complexion at last."


Notes: (forthcoming)

AFFAIRS IN UTAH. -- The Washington correspondent of the Courier and Inquirer writes as follows.

The official term of Governor Brigham Young, of Utah territory, expired on Friday the 29th of September. His successor has not been agreed upon, and I learn that the appointment of one has been found a matter of considerable difficulty. Young will not be re-appointed, but it is well known that no man, not a Mormon. could govern that lawless and impious community without the material aid of one or two well appointed regiments. The Secretary of the Territory, A. W. Babbit, formerly delegate in Congress, will direct affairs until the further action of the President. The political insubordination of those people is as remarkable as their moral and religious irregularities. Mr. Young and his associates have not thought fit to forward copies of their Territorial laws, or the accounts of the expenditures of the public appropriation for the past two years.


Notes: (forthcoming)

GOVERNOR OF UTAH. -- The telegraph says Col. Steptoe, of the U. S. Army has been confirmed Governor of Utah.

Notes: (forthcoming)

THE ORIGINAL MORMONS WERE NOT POLYGAMISTS. -- Bill Smith, the brother of Joe, the Prophet, writes to the Springfield Journal that the "system of polygamy" got up by Young, and other evils which grew out of it, are a libel and slander upon the character of the Prophet, whose bones now lie moldering in a martyr's grave; and were Joseph Smith to come forth from his lowly bed and view the condition of things in the Salt Lake country, he would spurn from his presence Brigham Young, and denounce his loathsome and damnable doctrines."


Note: Between September, 1847 and August, 1855, the old Sangamo Journal of Springfield, Illinois, was published under the new title of "The Illinois Journal." Under its previous name, the paper had printed several communications from William Smith, including a unique letters from him in its issues of Nov. 6, 1845 and Nov. 5, 1846. No copy of Smith's anti-polygamy letter has yet been located, in the paper's files for April or May of 1855.

Mormonism.

A young English Mormon writing from the great Salt Lake City to her father in Islington, England, presents Mormonism in anything but flattering light. She says:

"Well, finally, we got in sight of the 'Kingdom of God,' so-called, but I think it more like the kingdom of the devil than anything else I ever saw under the sun, dull of all kinds of abominations. Brigham Young, the Governor, has fifty or sixty wives; he is the most filthy spoken man I ever heard. Marriages and divorces are matters of traffic. Five dollars is the charge for releasing a wife or husband from the matrimonial yoke. The whole affair is, however, conducted more after the manner of the beasts than as an institution of God or even man. Some women have seven living husbands, having two or more wives, However distressed and poor they may be. There are lots of men, women and children nearly naked for want of clothing, almost perished, begging for bread and a little firewood; and these brought out by the ten pound company, others by the emigration funds; when they arrive 'in the kingdom.' so-called, they have to buy the old messing utensils; and have frequently to find a refuge under the roof of some deceived, yet more human [resident] than the heads of the church. The tenth is taken from all Mormons except the widow, orphans or afflicted, on arrival, to build large houses for the 'big bugs,' so designated by apostates of the faith, together with theatres, dancing rooms, grand stables, carriage houses, and to support their truly practical polygamical abominations."


Notes: (forthcoming)

Orson Hyde, the Mormon prophet, although now the husband of nearly a score of wives, is scouring St. Louis for more. The prophet is a man of unbounding stomach.

Notes: (forthcoming)

Dr. Bernhisel, the delegate to Congress from Utah, who recently arrived in New York, reports a very satisfactory state of crops among the Mormons.

Notes: (forthcoming)

Carson Valley.

The boundary between Utah and California has been at length adjusted, and most of the Carson Valley settlements are found to be in the former division of the Union. A letter from Judge Orson Hyde at the new Mormon town of Genoa, in that valley, says that only a very small portion of the upper end of the valley, or the lower part of the great canyon, is found to be on the California side of the line. -- Judge Hyde has organized the county of Carson in Utah Territory, embracing almost the entire valley with the adjacent territory. On the 20th of September, the various county offices were elected. -- These settlements were not Mormon, but the polite authorities at Salt Lake have established a new town, called Genoa, obviously with a view to throwing enough Mormons into it to control the county.


Notes: (forthcoming)

A company of three hundred and fifty Mormons passed down on Saturday morning by the C. A. & St. L. train. They were Danes. About fifty of them will seek employment in this part of the country, and the residue will push on to Salt Lake. -- Springfield Journal.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Resignation of Judge Drummond.

To the Hon. Jeremiah S. Black, Attorney General
of the United States, Washington , D. C.

(see copy of this letter in NYC paper)

Squatter Sovereignty Disowned.

Many of the Democratic organs are inveighing against one of their faithful allies, Brigham Young. This is a mere ruse of the fox to draw the mass from the scent of the Kansas Humbug. A short time ago "Leave the people of the Territories perfectly free to regulate their own domestic affairs in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States," was the cry of Douglas; and immediately the words were echoed from Maine to California. If marriage and concubinage is not a domestic institution we know not what is; it certainly in the United States is both local and domestic, there is nothing national about it, and if the sentiment enunciated in the Kansas Nebraska bill is a correct theory, a true principle of government, the party in power cannot avoid letting Brigham Young and the Mormons of Utah regulate the domestic institution of Polygamy in their own way, let them refuse this and they at once proclaim that the dogma of Squatter Sovereignty, is not a principle or theory of government to be applied in all cases. When then is it to be applied we ask? ...


Notes: (forthcoming)

Affidavit by a Reclaimed Mormon.

(under construction)

---

==> An interesting letter from William Smith, brother of the prophet, will be found in our next.


Notes: (forthcoming)

Correspondence of the New York Tribune.

Mormonism

A letter from William Smith, Brother of Joseph the Prophet.

                                                      Warren, Pa., May 19, '57.
In looking over affairs relating to Utah, and the development of corruption of the Mormon people, it may not be amiss to remind the people once again of the petition that was drawn up by myself and signed by many of the citizens of the State of Illinois, and sent to Washington at the time when Utah was recognized as a Territory, in which were set forth clearly and plainly the facts in regard to the treasonable designs of the Mormons against the United States Government; also the fact that these Mormons proposed establishing the doctrines of polygamy, all of which statements the leading Mormons positively and peremptorily denied. The charges that are now preferred against Brigham Young and the Mormons generally, by ex-Judge Drummond and others from Utah, are so confirmatory of what was then published upon Mormon doings, that we presume the Government and public will no longer dispute our statement as set forth in said petition, which may now be found on the files of the Congressional Journal of 1851. Also the statement made by Mr. Drummond in his letter of resignation, of the manner in which the late Secretary of the Territory, A. W. Babbit, was murdered on the plains by a band of Mormons.

I verily believe, also, the statement that other officers and friends of the Government have been in a most cruel and murderous manner put out of the way by these Mormons, as each action is in strict keeping with their character. I will here remark also, that all the plans for this Mormon treason against the Government were laid in councils at Nauvoo previous to the expulsion of the saints from the State of Illinois -- an expulsion caused by the wicked doings of the corrupt Danite leaders, including robberies and murders. While the Mormons were yet at Nauvoo, Brigham Young took the incipient steps toward the organization of the Danite banditti, by administering to such Mormons as he could influence on oath that, from that time forward they would be the persistent enemies of the United States Government, and the Gentiles generally. Since their removal from Illinois, they have added the Danite and other treasonable oaths and covenants, binding still stronger and stronger the confederacy of traitors in their new and far off Land of Zion, in the Valley of the Mountains.

I have no doubt whatever of the truth of the charges against the Mormon people of having committed the most wanton and cruel murders in the disguise of Indians; and if the spirits of their victims now sleeping in their graves at Nauvoo could but speak to the world they would reveal tales of cruelty and horror which would make the people stand aghast and cause these murderous, guilty, Mormon rebels to quake with fear, and possibly to recoil at the contemplation of their own wickedness.

I have good reason for believing that my brother Samuel H. Smith, died of poison at Nauvoo, administered by order of Brigham Young and Willard Richards, only a few weeks subsequent to the unlawful murder of my other brothers, Joseph and Hiram Smith, while incarcerated in Carthage jail. Several other persons who were presumed to stand between Brigham Young and the accomplishment of his ambitions and wicked designs, mysteriously disappeared from Nauvoo about the same time, and have never been heard from since.

Arvine Hodge, a young woman [sic - Mormon?], was murdered in a most shocking manner within ten or fifteen yards of Brigham Young's house. This was done, as the Mormons themselves admitted, to prevent some developments coming out in exposure of Brigham's guilty connection with a banditti of murderers and counterfeiters, who, in those days of flourishing Mormonism, ranged along the Mississippi river from St. Louis to Galena. Also, Brigham Young, in connection with John Taylor, A. Lyman, P. P. Pratt, E. Snow, H. C. Kimball, Geo. A. Smith, W. Woodruff, Orson Hyde, Willard Richards, (now dead,) Hosea Stout, Orson Pratt, (killed [sic] a few days ago,) and others known as the principal leaders of the Mormons, were the founders of the secret Danite banditti, or "destroying angels," as they are called by the Mormons. In regard to the designs of these Mormons to rob and plunder the California emigrants, and to commit certain depredations upon the General Government -- to hoax, fool, and to gull money out of them under various pretences. I testify that I have heard Mormons boast and talk of these designs in Nauvoo, previous to their leaving for the Salt Lake Valley, and have, also often heard Mormons talk openly of their designs in robbing the Gentiles and of putting to death dissenting Mormons; and that also, when they got among Indians, they would lead them on to the slaughter of the men, women and children of the American people. -- Suffice it to say, that in presenting to Congress my remonstrance to these views of Mormons at the time I have mentioned, I greatly endangered my life.

I escaped the penalty of the Danite law, which is death; but the Mormons robbed me of all my property -- confiscated everything I possessed, including a library of valuable books; also, valuable manuscripts and records of Church history prepared for the press. One of these manuscripts, Orson Pratt, a leading Danite, published in England, which has since been extensively circulated in Europe and various parts of the United States.

The terrible measures resorted to by the Destroying Angels (Danites) [in exacting] their vengeance upon their foes, should open the eyes of the people of this country, and keep them [on guard] for their safety. These demon Danites are constantly on the alert for their prey.

On conclusion, permit me to say that I am not a Mormon. The treachery, corruption and murderous practices of the leaders of the Mormon Church long since disgusted me with a doctrine which produces such results, and as a matter of course I left the heaven-defying traitors, as every honest man should do, and leave the guilty wretches to suffer the fate which they so richly merit, and which is certain, sooner or later, to overtake them. The guilty and treasonable oath which the 40,000 or 50,000 Mormons now in the Salt Lake Valley, and many others scattered in all parts of the country, have taken upon themselves at the hands of Brigham Young and the Danite followers, read [sic] as follows:

We quote from Increase Van Dusen's Expose of the notorious spiritual wife endowment of the Mormons, as practiced by Brigham Young and his accomplices in crime and villainy. Pages 26 and 27.

THE  OATH.

"You do solemnly swear in the presence of Almighty God. His holy angels and these witnesses, that you will avenge the blood of Joseph Smith on this nation, and teach the same to your children, and that you will from this time henceforth and forever begin and carry out hostilities against the nation, to keep the same intent a profound secret, now and forever, so help you God."

Again. We quote from page 57: "Sixth degree of the Temple," of said Mormon endowment:

"Mormon, though you have eaten of the bread of life, you are still liable not only to the natural but to the eternal death. But such can only befall you through faithlessness to your oath of initiation, for otherwise you are superior to all mortal sin. Betray that oath and you hang for all time and burn for all eternity, for in such case no power can shield you from the vengeance of the brotherhood and the punishment of hell. But honor it to the end and no crime which you can commit can deprive you of an everlasting reward in heaven. Look to those skeletons -- they are the bones of faithless Mormons. Behold those captives in that burning lake -- they are their tortured souls, and assuredly such shall be your reward if such shall be your provocation. But be faithful and fear not! Be true to Mormonism and no species of falsehood can effect you. Against a Mormon you must never fight; against a Mormon you must never swear. Your words must comfort them -- your money must succor them. As judges you must deliver them -- as brothers and sisters, live and die for them. You must exalt them into all offices which they covet; you must abandon clan, kin and country for their sake; and in fine, you must make Mormonism and everything that effects its interests the great aim and object of your life. And now go forth upon you [sic] mission and be this your motto:

An oath I have given
  Let me honor it well;
For to keep it is heaven,
  And to break it is hell.
Such was Mormonism in Nauvoo, Illinois -- and such is Mormonism in Utah.

    Respectfully,                     WILLIAM SMITH,

Brother of Joseph Smith, the murdered Patriarch, and Prophet of the Mormon church.


Note 1: It was not long after writing the above letter, from Warren, Warren Co., Pennsylvania, that William B. Smith married Eliza Elsie Sanborn Brain of Cattaraugus Co., New York. Their first child, William Enoch Smith, was born July 24, 1858 in neighboring Erie Co., Pennsylvania. A probably reliable record indicates that William and Eliza were married at Kirtland, Ohio on Nov. 12, 1857, but another account says that the wedding was held in nearby Erie, Pennsylvania. The 1860 Federal census for Erie Co., Pennsylvania shows the couple living in Venango township, near the border with Chautauqua Co., New York, with young William Enoch and Eliza's two children from her previous marriage. The couple's second child, Edson Don Carlos Smith, was born at Elkander, Clayton Co., Iowa on Sept. 6, 1862. According to the recollection of this second son (written down at the request of B. H. Roberts in 1933), William B. Smith moved his family from Pennsylvania to Iowa between 1858 and 1862.

Note 2: William's nephew, Joseph Smith III, recalled in his later years that his Uncle William had once preached for the Baptists in New York or Pennsylvania. It is possible that Eliza Elsie Sanborn's family were members of the Baptist Church and that William joined that religious group for awhile. He says in the above letter, "I am not a Mormon," and that must have been the confession which William shared with his non-LDS friends, c. 1856-59, in northeastern Pennsylvania. Erie Co., Pennsylvania and Chautauqua Co., New York are adjoining counties, so the "Rev. William Smith" might easily have preached in both localities before eventually falling into disfavor there, for "teaching heretical doctrine." At about the same time as the War between the States began, William Smith moved his family back to Clayton Co., Iowa. He is said to have served in the Illinois Infantry during the Civil War -- probably in 1861-63 and then again in 1864-66.

Note 3: William speaks with obvious bitterness over his loss of "valuable books; also, valuable manuscripts" at the hands of the Mormons, as well as certain "records of Church history prepared for the press." His complaint here echoes something he wrote to Brigham Young, on July 13, 1856: "I notice also that you have that scroundrel of A. Babbit about you... he is the man who paid Isaac Sheen one thousand dollars [for] my trunk of Books and advised my wife to separate from me..." This same "trunk" William describes in his 1850 legal complaint against his wife, Roxie Ann Grant Smith, as "a trunk containing a large quantity of books, & the records, journals and proceedings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints." The 1954 LDS edition of Lucy Mack Smith's biography of her son, Joseph, contains this interesting summary of the manuscript's history: "Lucy Smith died near Nauvoo, May 5, 1855, but years prior to this date some of her effects were left in the hands of her son, William Smith, among them being the manuscript copy of this history. From William... the document fell... into the hands of Isaac Sheen... When in September, 1852, Apostle Orson Pratt... called on Mr. Sheen... and being shown the manuscript copy, he purchased it... [and] took it to Liverpool with him, where... it was published under his direction in 1853."

Note 4: Regarding the murder of Samuel H. Smith at Nauvoo, by the secret administration of poison to him during the summer of 1844, see the final paragraph of the item "Martyrs of the Latter Day Saints," as published in William Smith's Melchisedek & Aaronic Herald for Oct., 1849. This text (obviously supplied by William Smith) was copied into J. J. Strang's Gospel Herald of Nov. 1, 1849 without any citation. See also the various notes appended to Samuel's death notice, as published in the Sept. 6, 1844 issue of the Bloomington Herald.

Note 5: William's mistake concerning the fate of LDS Apostle Orson Pratt is understandable, in light of the fact that some newspapers erroneously reported Parley P. Pratt's 1857 murder as having been perpetrated upon the person of "Orson Pratt."

[The "twin relics of barbarism."]

How unkind, after the Mormons have taken shelter in the bosom of the self styled Democratic [party] and embraced its "great principle of popular sovereignty and self government," that this self same Democracy, in speaking of them, should declare itself not satisfied with any half-way measures, [but it] to be "the duty of Congress to apply the knife, and cut out this loathsome, disgusting ulcer." But if the self-styled Democracy, by their false professions, have misled the Mormons, it is some satisfaction to know that they are now subscribing to the Republican creed, by recognizing the power of Congress over the territories. According to that creed, there never was any difficulty in dealing with the Mormons. Republicans have believed the authority of Congress over the Mormons in Utah, for the purpose of suppressing crime and licentiousness, as complete as is that of the State of Illinois over its inhabitants, and think Congress just as culpable in tolerating polygamy in Utah, as the Legislature of Illinois would be in tolerating it in this State. Mr. Merrill, of Vermont, at the last session of Congress, suggested several modes of dealing with the Mormons:

"1. We may 'disapprove' of all the laws of the Territory that we please, and thereby annul them.

2. We may circumscribe the boundaries of the Territory, and give the inhabitants much narrower limits.

3. If the secomd proposition be adopted, we may then abandon them, and leave them to fight out their own independence and [----vation], spiritually and temporally, in their own good time.

4. We may cut up the Territorym and annex it to the various adjoining Territories.

5. We may organize a territorial government on the old plan of a Council, consisting of a Governor and judge -- not Mormons; and with a military force sufficient to maintain it."

Either of the plans might be adopted and would be infinitely preferable to a total repeal of the organic act and placing the whole population outside of any jurisdiction where they could be constitutionally tried for criminal offenses; and now that the self-styled Democracy has repudiated, as no longer useful the humbugs of territorial sovereignty and self-government, it is to be hoped that the next Congress will adopt some constitutional and appropriate legislation to surpress and punish crimes committed in Utah....


Note: The article's full heading is missing in the damaged clipping from which the above text was transcribed. At the 1856 Republican national convention, the delegates approved a party platform which stated, "It is the duty of Congress to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism, polygamy and slavery." The reference to Mormon polygamy, as practiced in Utah Territory, was placed first in that short list, probably because a much greater percentage of American voters agreed that it was indeed a "relic of barbarism," than were ready to as loudly condemn slavery. The 1856 Republican candidate. John C. Fremont, had first-hand knowledge of the Mormon society in Utah and is thought to have carried over into Republican ranks, some of the unfavorable views on Mormonism associated with his powerful Democratic father-in-law, Senator Thomas H. Benton of Missouri. Fremont did not win the 1856 election, but his call for Congress to "prohibit in the territories" those practices odious to most Americans, was a theme picked up and masterfully advocated by Abraham Lincoln in the next presidential campaign. The Democrats, realizing that they were increasingly being seen as taking the wrong stance on Mormons' supposed right to a deviant form of self-government, cut loose the "loathsome, disgusting ulcer" of polygamy from the sanctioned rights within their definition of "popular sovereignty." See Senator Douglas' June 12, 1857 speech, as published in the St. Louis Missouri Republican and the Mormon leaders' reaction to the change in the Sept. 2, 1857 issue of the Salt Lake City Deseret News.

{For  the  Journal.}

THE  HISTORIES  OF  MORMONISM
______

Now extant, being incomplete in respect to the foundation and early history of that gigantic fraud; a gentleman in Salt Lake City has undertaken a new book, and for information on some points has opened correspondence with parties in this vicinity, who were intimately acquainted with Joseph Smith, the prophet and founder of the institution. His first and only legitimate wife was a sister of David Hale, and cousin of Joseph, Miles, and Hiel Lewis, all of whom are well known to our readers.

His so-called "money-digging," of which so little is said in his histories, was in Susquehanna Co. Pa. Smith declared that vast treasures were hidden on this spot, and interested men of money sufficiently to procure funds to bear the expense of searching for it. Mr. Ira Stevens of East Grove Township, lately deceased, was in his employ as head workman, and had charge of the excavation. The project was abandoned only when the prophet declared the enchantment was so great he could see no farther, and to dispel it, a snow white dog must be slain and its warm blood sprinkled in the hole. His adherents sought far and wide for a white dog, but none were to be found. Smith then thought a white sheep would do -- one was brought, its fleece thoroughly cleaned, the sheep was slain and its blood administered as directed; but the enchantment was as great as ever, and the pursuit of wealth in those diggings had to be abandoned. This place was so near the residence of Mr. Hiel Lewis that he says he could stand on his door step and lodge a bullet in the hole with a rifle.

One of the "Saints" living less than ten miles from Amboy, who for many years has been an earnest supporter of Mormonism, was with the Prophet at Nauvoo, and has preached Mormonism to the best of his knowledge and belief; says that in a vision recently he saw Joseph Smith in full uniform and mounted on his horse as he used to appear on dress parade with his Nauvoo legion, standing amidst the flames of hell. That settled the question with him, and that Elder will preach no more Mormonism. The material for the book spoken of at the head of this article is nearly gathered, and we promise it will be full of interest.


Note 1: This article was probably prepared by Amboy Journal editor/publisher W. H. Haskell, after he received a letter from anti-Mormon researcher James T. Cobb of Salt Lake City. Haskell may have been instrumental in putting Cobb in touch with the Lewis brothers, cousins of Emma Hale Smith and local residents of Amboy. At any rate, the Lewis brothers apparently did not originally intend to have the information the provided to Mr. Cobb subsequently printed in their hometown newspaper. Only after RLDS Elder Edwin Cadwell wrote his letter of response to Haskell's articles did the Lewis brothers become involved in this media controversy.

Note 2: Wilhelm Wymetal, in his Mormon Portraits, provides on page 81 the April 23, 1879 certification of the original statement (made by Hiel and Joseph Lewis) used to compile the above Amboy Journal article. It was certified Everet E. Chase, a Justice of the Peace in Lee Co., Illinois. The Lewis brothers sent the document to James T. Cobb, Esq., the "gentleman in Salt Lake City" who was the would-be author for the "new book" book spoken of in the article. Cobb collected a considerable amount of research material on early Mormonism but was never able to see his intended book published.

[Interview with Elder William B. Smith, brother of the Prophet, and one of the Twelve at Joseph's death] ...

That Joseph the Seer was not the author of the endowment given either at Voree, Nauvoo, or in Utah, may be further seen by the following questions by the writer in July last, and their answers by W. B. Smith, the only surviving brother of the Seer, and one of the Quorum of the Twelve at his death.

Question. -- Did Joseph the Seer teach or give an endowment at Nauvoo, or elsewhere, the same or similar to that given by the Brighamites?

Answer. -- My answer is, he did not.

Q. -- Did Joseph the Seer teach or sanction, in church affairs, the giving of secret oaths, covenants, signs, grips, passwords, etc.?

A. -- My answer is, he did not.

Q -- Did Joseph the Seer teach that the Twelve, or any one of them, should lead the church after his death?

A -- My answer is, he did not.

Q -- Did Joseph the Seer teach that the priesthood was superior to the law of the church and the revealed word of God?

A. -- My answer is, he did not.

Joseph's teaching always was that the law was the supreme rule of the church, and that all other powers were in subjection to the law and the books.

Q. -- Did Joseph the Seer teach that polygamy was essential to salvation and a fullness of glory?

A. -- My answer is, Joseph taught no polygamy -- not to my knowledge.

Q. -- Did Joseph the Seer teach that, by the will of God, the saints would be gathered to the Rocky Mountains?

A. -- My answer is, he did not. For at the last General Conference held in Nauvoo, in the spring of 1844, Joseph's teaching was that the next great work to be accomplished after the completion of the temple, would be to divide the United States into districts, (in which to build up the church,) charging the ministry with special care to this work....

Notes: (forthcoming)

{Original.}

MORMON  HISTORY,
________

A NEW CHAPTER, ABOUT TO BE PUBLISHED.

Statements of Joseph and Hiel Lewis, sons of Rev. Nathaniel Lewis, concerning what they saw and heard of the sayings and doings of the prophet Joseph Smith, jr. while he was engaged in peeping for money and hidden treasures, and translating his gold bible in our neighborhood.

And that during all the time that said Smith was engaged in the above named business, in the township of Harmony, Susquehanna Co., Pa., our home and residence was within one mile of where he lived and transacted his business.

First, we would add our testimony to the truthfulness of the statement of Isaac Hale, Rev. Nathaniel Lewis, (the letter 'C' in his name was inserted by mistake of the person copying the affidavit) Alva Hale, Levi Lewis, and Sophia Lewis, as contained in a somewhat abbreviated form in a book entitled "Mormonism and the Mormons," by Daniel P. Kidder, and published by Lane & Scott, (pages 30 to 35) 200 Mulberry St., New York, 1852 [sic: 1842]. Also the statements of Joshua McKune, and Hezekiah McKune, as found in the History of Susquehanna County, Pa., page 579, by Emily C. Blackman, and published in 1873.

According to our recollection, the starting point of the money digging speculation in our vicinity, in which Joseph Smith, jr. was engaged, was as follows:

We are unable at this time to give precise dates, but some time previous to 1825, a man by the name of Wm. Hale, a distant relative of our uncle Isaac Hale, came to Isaac Hale, and said that he had been informed by a woman named Odle, who claimed to possess the power of seeing under ground, (such persons were then commonly called peepers) that there was great treasure concealed in the hill north-east from his, (Isaac Hale's) house. By her directions, Wm. Hale commenced digging, but being too lazy to work, and too poor to hire, he obtained a partner by the name of Oliver Harper, of York [sic] state, who had the means to hire help. But after a short time, operations were suspended for a time; during the suspension, Wm. Hale heard of peeper Joseph Smith, jr., wrote to him, and soon visited him; he found Smith's representations were so flattering that Smith was either hired or became a partner with Wm. Hale, Oliver Harper and a man by the name of Stowell, who had some property. They hired men and dug in several places, as described in the history of Susq. Co., page 579. The account given in the said history, at page 580, of a pure white dog to be used as a sacrifice to restrain the enchantment, and of the anger of the Almighty at the attempt to palm off on him a white sheep in place of a white dog, is a fair sample of Smith's revelations, and of that God that inspired him. Their digging in several places was in compliance with peeper Smith's revelations, who would attend with his peep-stone in his hat, and his hat drawn over his face, and would tell them how deep they would have to go; but when they would find no trace of the chest of money, he would peep again, and weep like a child, and tell them the enchantment had removed it on account of some sin or thoughtless word; finally the enchantment became so strong that he could not see, and so the business was abandoned. Smith could weep and shed tears in abundance at any time, if he chose.

But while he was engaged in looking through his peep-stone and old white hat, directing the digging for money, and boarding at Uncle Isaac Hale's, he formed an intimacy with Mr. Hale's daughter Emma, and after the abandonment of the money digging speculation, he consummated the elopement and marriage with said Emma Hale, and she became his accomplice in his humbug golden bible and Mormon religion.

The statement that the prophet Joseph Smith, jr. made in our hearing, at the commencement of his translating his book, in Harmony, as to the manner of his finding the plates, was as follows:

Our recollections of the precise language may be faulty, but as to the substance, the following is correct:

He said that by a dream he was informed that at such a place in a certain hill, in an iron box, were some gold plates with curious engravings, which he must get and translate, and write a book; that the plates were to be kept concealed from every human being for a certain time, some two or three years; that he went to the place and dug till he came to the stone that covered the box, when he was knocked down; that he again attempted to remove the stone, and was again knocked down; this attempt was made the third time, and the third time he was knocked down. Then he exclaimed, "Why can't I get it?" or words to that effect; and then he saw a man standing over the spot, which to him appeared like a Spaniard, having a long beard coming down over his breast to about here, (Smith putting his hand to the pit of his stomach) with his (the ghost's) throat cut from ear to ear, and the blood streaming down, who told him that he could not get it alone; that another person whom he, Smith, would know at first sight, must come with him, and then he could get it. And when Smith saw Miss Emma Hale, he knew that she was the person, and that after they were married, she went with him to near the place, and stood with her back toward him, while he dug up the box, which he rolled up in his frock, and she helped carry it home. That in the same box with the plates were spectacles; the bows were of gold, and the eyes were stone, and by looking through these spectacles all the characters on the plates were translated into English.

In all this narrative, there was not one word about "visions of God," or of angels, or heavenly revelations. All his information was by that dream, and that bleeding ghost. The heavenly visions and messages of angels, etc., contained in Mormon books, were after-thoughts, revised to order. The moving of Smith from York state to Harmony, Pa., has been stated by Mr. Hale; and while he, Smith, was in Harmony, Pa., translating his book, he made the above statements in our presence to Rev. N. Lewis. It was here also, that he joined the M. E. church. He presented himself in a very serious and humble manner, and the minister, not suspecting evil, put his name on the class book, in the absence of some of the official members, among whom was the undersigned Joseph Lewis, who, when he learned what was done, took with him Joshua McKune, and had a talk with Smith. They told him plainly that such a character as he was a disgrace to the church, that he could not be a member of the church unless he broke off his sins by repentance, made public confession, renounced his fraudulent and hypocritical practices, and gave some evidence that he intended to reform and conduct himself somewhat nearer like a christian than he had done. They gave him his choice, to go before the class, and publicly ask to have his name stricken from the class book, or stand a disciplinary investigation. He chose the former, and immediately withdrew his name. So his name as a member of the class was on the book only three days. -- It was the general opinion that his only object in joining the church was to bolster up his reputation, and gain the sympathy and help of christians; that is, putting on the cloak of religion to serve the devil in."

We will add one more sample of his prophetic power and practice, while translating the book. One of the neighbors whom Smith was owing, had a piece [sic] of corn on a rather wet and backward piece of ground; and as Smith was owing him, he wanted Smith to help hoe the corn. Smith came on but to get clear of the work, and the debt, said: "If I kneel down and pray in your corn, it will grow just as well as if hoed." So he prayed in the corn, and insured its maturity without cultivation, and that the frost would not hurt it. But the corn was a failure in growth, and was killed by the frost.

This sample of the prophetic power was related to us by those present, and no one questioned its truth.
                                 JOSEPH LEWIS.
                                 HIEL LEWIS.


Note 1: An independent transcript of this article has been available on the web since Oct. 2000 (as an expansion of a footnote provided in Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith) The wording of the transcript is essentially the same as that provided in the above article.

{Written  for  the  Amboy  Journal.}

"MORMON  HISTORY"  REVIEWED.
________

MR. EDITOR:-- In your issues of the 23d and 30th ults., there appeared two extraordinary articles in relation to Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Please permit us, in the interest of a large number of your readers to reply.

Messrs. Lewis would have us believe that Joseph Smith, Mr. Stowell, and all those engaged in digging for the silver mine or "hidden treasure," were such idiots as to seek to offer in "sacrifice," a "white dog" in order to obtain said "treasure." And, that failing to find a white dog they actually sacrificed a "white sheep." Preposterous!

Mr. Stowell, be it remembered, and others connected with this "money digging" in 1824-5, were men of mature age, religious men, having some wealth; while Joseph Smith, born Dec. 26th, 1805, was a boy about nineteen years old, a laborer for Mr. Stowell, and was not a church member. We can't believe these persons, old and young, did offer the dog-sheep sacrifice as claimed. Joseph Smith, though young and unlearned, was not a fool, nor is it possible that those with whom he labored, were such idiots as to make the aforementioned sacrifice.

Without doubt "rumor with her thousand tongues," was busy in those times, spinning yarns about the treasure hunters, just as she would be to-day under like circumstances. And it is not at all surprising when Joseph Smith became a conspicuous public man -- the translator of the Book of Mormon, and the founder of a church professedly by inspiration of God -- that some of the "money digging" yarns should be revived and served up to suit the morbid tastes of gossip-lovers. This style of things has ever been too common. It has disgraced alike politics, science, sociology and religion. All religions have had to contend with it, the Latter-Day Saints among them.

It is 54 years ago since Joseph Smith, the boy, worked for Stowell, digging for silver. Messrs. Lewis were then quite young, but mere boys. And it is not strange that these gentlemen should claim to remember clearly what transpired in those far-off times, so as to relate a passing conversation -- a talk in which they took no part, and in respect to matters in which they were not actors? We think so.

Mr. Michael Morse, my neighbor, recently stated to me and others that he lived near the said "diggings" at the time Joseph worked there, and afterward, and that in those days he never heard of the "white dog" story. But he says there was a story told about thus: That Joseph said, when they failed to find the "treasure," that a man must die, -- a sacrifice must be made, but that his employer and others procured a substitute -- a sacrifice must be made, but that his employer and others procured a substitute -- a bitch slut that never had pups must be killed and her dead carcass drawn around the enchanted "diggings!"

So much for "the dog story," It is valuable as showing how certain minds will catch up a joke, a nonsensical yarn, and exalt it to the dignity of a sober fact, to the reproach and hurt of an illiterate youth.

If the boy Joseph Smith was so ignorant and stupid as some would make him, nothing short of the inspiration of God raised him up to the high plane of intellectual greatness which he occupied from 1830 to the time of his cruel, treacherous murder at Carthage, June 27th, 1844, at the age of 38 years.

He translated the Book of Mormon, and Holy Scriptures, built up a church of nearly 200,000, built towns and cities, all in about 15 years, and in the midst of bitter persecution. He should be measured by the work he did, and not by the foolish and contradictory stories published about him.

Scarcely any two write or tell their stories of him alike.

Messrs. Lewis say Joseph claimed to have found his "gold plates" in an "iron box;" and that he was knocked down three times when seeking them. This is news.. Mr. Smith in his history, says he procured the plates from a "stone box" firmly cemented at its edges. My neighbor Morse says Joseph told him the same thing, and that he never heard of the "iron box" story but of late, nor of Joseph having been "knocked down three times" when seeking the plates. Mr. Morse would be likely to know and retain the facts in question far better than Messrs. Lewis, he being a brother-in-law of Smith's and living near him. Mr. Smith's account was put in print at an early day, and Mr. Morse says it is the only one he heard of in those days.

Messrs. Lewis say Joseph joined the M. E. church, but that "his name was on the (class) book only three days." A very short "probation" indeed! Now Mr. Morse says he was the "leader" of the said "class," and that to his certain knowledge Smith's name remained on the class book (his wife had been a member since she was seven years of age) for about six months, when it was simply "dropped" as Smith did not seek to become a full member. The "class leader" ought to know best ...

THE  PRAYER  GAUGE.          

These gentlemen say Smith "was owing" a neighbor, who wanted him to hoe his corn; and that Smith, in order to avoid work, said to this neighbor, "if I kneel down and pray in your corn, it will grow just as well as if hoed," and that Smith "prayed in the corn and insured its maturity without cultivation, and that the frost would not hurt it. But the corn was a failure in growth and was killed by the frost." Now this is asking us to believe that the said neighbor hadn't the sense of an educated mule. No man with wit sufficient to plant a hill of corn, would accept such an offer, or rely an hour on such a proposition. If the story were true, it would not only prove that the "neighbor" had no sense, but that his neighbors had as little, or they would have prevailed upon him to trust the hoe rather than the prayer. "It's too thin," gentlemen, another "mistake." (?)

My neighbor Morse says he is the very man about which the foolish yarn is told. He says Smith did not pray for his corn, nor offer to do so, but that Smith, with J. Whitmer, came to him in his corn, (which was late, but rank and fine) and requested him to go to a Justice, two miles away, and become his surety on an execution. Mr. Morse objected that he was hoeing his corn and was anxious to force it forward and avoid loss by early frosts. Mr. Smith replied that he and Whitmer would hoe while Morse was away. To this he consented. And he says nothing was said by anyone present about praying for the corn. We forbear comments.

SMITH  IN  HELL  ON  HORSEBACK.          

Don't smile, gentle reader, for it is a painful thing, if true, according to some men's application. But isn't it too bad that Smith's "full uniform," brass buttons and all, should be soiled and "singed" in the flames? And the poor horse! What had he done that he should be left "standing amidst the flames of hell"?

One thing is a fact. Dr. Bergh and his "Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals," is needed "less than ten miles from Amboy," for Messrs. Lewis assure us that a Mormon preacher "living less than ten miles from Amboy," actually, in vision, saw Mr. Smith, in full uniform, in hell on horseback. But we have inquired far and near, and can't find this preacher. We would like to interview him, and get further particulars! We ought to know all the Mormon preachers near Amboy, especially those who have preached Mormonism till recently, but this one we fail to find. As an object of interest he would equal the "white dog" or the pupless "slut." Fetch him out, and let us see him.

We think we have found here another "mistake," (?) for Mormon preachers don't have such visions. They don't believe in such a "hell" as Messrs. Lewis have introduced; neither do they believe men go there in "full uniform;" and lastly, they have more mercy on the horse than to keep him "standing amidst the flames," or get him so near even as to smell the brimstone! But there are some "living less than 10 mi. from Amboy," who would sooner patronize a circus without a clown than have a religion without a white-hot hell for the accommodation of "heretics" and smaller sinners. The "vision" they have favored us with evidently originated with that class. "Thy speech betrayeth thee."

THE  ELOPEMENT  OF  JOSEPH  AND  EMMA.          

They seem to regard a great evil. Emma at the time was of full age. She had known Mr. Smith from the fall of 1825, and Jan. 18th, 1827, they were married. She was eminently intelligent and religious, and she ought in this time to have formed a proper estimate of Joseph's talents and worth. If Joseph married her away from her home to avoid opposition. he did no more than any faithful lover would have done. She was always esteemed a noble woman, and she must have been a worthy and noble maiden. It was under the influence of her secret prayers, when but seven or eight years of age, that her deistical father, who accidentally overheard her, was converted to faith in the divine mission of Christ Hers had been a pious but troubled life. -- After the manner some call "heresy," so she worshipped the God of her fathers. -- April 6th, 1860, she formally united with the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints in your city, Amboy, at the conference. From the first she has been steadfast in the faith of the prophetic mission of her first husband, Joseph Smith. She reared her children to love and honor the name and work of their father. They recently for weeks attended at her death bed, saw the last exhibitions of her sublime faith in Christ, and with others ministered to her the divine ordinance provided in Mark 16:9 and James 5:14.

About four hours before her tired soul departed to God, her countenance brightened, and clasping her hands gently as she gazed upward, she softly exclaimed, "glory!, glory!, glory!" and then sank away into a sweet slumber, to awake, we trust, in the beautiful home of the blest.

Her life was grand in her womanly worth and her death was a sublime christian triumph.

Brigham Young slandered her in 1860, because she had always opposed his pernicious doctrines, and now Messrs. Lewis charge her with being an "accomplice," i. e., an associate in crime!

In pity to them we forbear comments.

She enjoyed the love of those who knew her, and she rests beyond the reach of hate and slander.        EDWIN CADWELL,
                               Pres. Elder, L. D. S.


Note 1: Elder Edwin Cadwell was a once a supporter of William Smith's splinter group and later a prominent member of the early "Reorganization." By 1879 he was apparently the Pastor of the Amboy RLDS congregation. There seems to have been some occasional ill will between Cadwell and President William W. Blair, Counselor to Joseph Smith III. Blair's letter in the June 15, 1879 Saints' Herald contains several references to Elder Michael Morse of Amboy, but Cadwell's role in the interview is mentioned only in passing. The early, robust RLDS presence at Amboy appears to have dwindled by 1879 -- Blair hoped for a "goodly increase in that branch at no distant day," but RLDS membership growth in the area remained stagnant.

Note 2: Elder Cadwell relates an early "money digging" rumor passed on to him by his "neighbor," RLDS Elder Michael Morse, alleging "That Joseph said, when they failed to find the "treasure," that a man must die, -- a sacrifice must be made, but that his employer and others procured a substitute..." Although neither Cadwell nor Morse apparently believed the substance of the rumor, its basic story may fit in with the time, locality, and circumstances of the murder of Oliver Harper, the original employer of the Susquehanna treasure seekers. Harper's death, at the hands of Jason Treadwell (and perhaps one or more other money-diggers), is documented on pp. 579-582 of Emily C. Blackman's 1873 History of Susquehanna County. See also F. G. Mather's 1880 articles on early Mormonism in Lippincott's Magazine and the Binghampton Republican. Whether or not Joseph Smith's alleged call for a human sacrifice among the Susquehanna money-diggers was in any way related to Treadwell's murder of money-digger leader Oliver Harper, remains undetermined. Most accounts place Joseph's arrival upobn the money-digging scene well after the date of the Oliver Harper murder. The incident does show, however, that young Joseph had found employment among a rough set of men, one or more of whom may have been prepared to commit murder to get what they wanted. Strangely enough, a once close associate of Joseph Smith provides a recollection of an 1842 conversation with him which may shed some light upon Joseph's uneasy relationship with the Susquehanna money-diggers. In his "Further Mormon Developmemts" article published in the July 15, 1842 issue of the Sangamo Journal, former top Mormon leader John C. Bennett recalls that Smith threatened him, by saying:"I tell you as I was once told, 'your die is cast -- your fate is fixed -- your doom is sealed,' if you refuse. Will you do it, or die?" The veracity of Bennett's recollection is, of course, subject to informed disbelief. However, the probability remains that Joseph Smith, jr. was never afterwards in more dangerous or threatening close company than he was when he associated with Susquehanna money-diggers (perhaps including men like the murderer Jason Treadwell), during the early 1820s.

REVIEW  OF  MORMONISM.
REJOINDER TO ELDER CADWELL.

Friend Cadwell, you say Messrs. Lewis would have us believe that Smith, Stowell and others were such idiots as to offer in sacrifice a white dog, etc. Whether fools or idiots, or not, we would have you believe that they did just such absurd things. And it is no greater stretch of the credulity than it is to believe what you and others do of Joseph Smith. The facts are that the sacrifice of white dogs, black sluts, black cats, and such like was an indispensable part or appendage of the art which Smith, the embryo prophet, was then practicing.

He claimed to possess the supernatural power of second sight, or to see things at a distance, and deep under ground, and his frequent references to "the enchantment," proves that he was a conjurer, a sorcerer, which Webster defines as "an enchanter," and the sorcery as witchcraft, or intercourse with the devil. That this was his occupation has been proven by his father-in-law, Isaac Hale, and many others, relatives and friends. Mr. Hale says in his affidavit, "Smith's occupation was that of seeing, or pretending to see by means of a stone in his hat, and his hat closed over his face." In this way he gave direction where and how to dig (for the chest of money) and when the workmen failed to find the treasure at the designated place, he would make those engaged in the work believe that "the enchantment" had removed the treasure to another place.

The history of Susquehanna County has a plat of these diggings, the principal excavation, and four smaller ones, on the farm now owned by J. I. Skinner, some of them not wholly obliterated to this day. Now, as Smith could see the enchantment remove the deposits, and gave directions where next to dig, and how to proceed, he must of necessity give directions what sacrifice was necessary to propitiate the enchantment. --

So we have no reason to doubt the truth of the statement about the white dog, and the black slut, and that something of the kind took place each time the enchantment removed the treasure. It is hard to believe that Smith could thus see, and believe in his conjuration, be so foolish as to spend thousands of dollars in such a way, but Smith translated his book of Mormon [also?] with this same peep stone and hat, he sitting in his house and the plates hid far away, and it is just as hard to believe in [his?] translation as to believe in the fact and efficacy of his dog sacrifices. --

Friend Cadwell, for you or Mr. Morse or any other person to state that you never heard of, or knew anything of [these?] alleged transactions, is no evidence against the truth of those who do know, have seen and heard. That is, your ignorance cannot be admitted as conclusive proof against what others have seen and heard. Neither is bombast and ridicule argument or evidence.

We know that nine-tenths of Smith's inspired utterances while in Harmony, Pa. proved false, and his miraculous power a sham, yet there were some besides the money differs who believed that Smith was what he claimed to be, "nearly equal to Jesus Christ." That he had power to raise the dead, and if they were to throw away either the old bible or the book of Mormon, it would be the bible.

Friend Cadwell, you look upon the reports of Smith's money peeping, dog sacrifices, etc. as so foolish and wicked that you cannot believe that he or any other person could be thus employed. And yet you believe that he, Smith, was the prophet of God, and by inspiration translated the book of Mormon, and that his inspired qualities should be measured by the number of his followers. Now apply this same measurement to Mohammed, and his millions of followers. You will not allow that Mohammed was anything but a false prophet.

Smith translated the book of Mormon by means of the same peep stone, and under the same inspiration that directed his enchantments and dog sacrifices; it was all by the same spirit. Christ says "by their fruits ye shall know them;" and by the application of Christ's rule, we know that Smith was a false prophet, to be sure, not equal to Mohammed.

Friend Cadwell, I accord to you honesty and sincerity. Let me also tell you that you are laboring under a delusion. Again you say Messrs. Lewis were quite young, but mere boys -- were not actors, and took no part in the matters they claim to remember so well. -- Elder, you are again testifying about matters that you know nothing about. I was the younger of those "mere boys." Let me say, I was then old enough to do a man's day's work, and did so, using Smith's oxen and plow, and plowed some very stony ground, and well remember Uncle Isaac Hale's remarks about Smith's plow I was using. Just how Smith obtained said oxen, I am unable from personal knowledge to tell. But undisputed report was that Smith said to one of his disciples, (in another place) "The Lord says you must give me those oxen," and the disciple did as he was requested.

As to Mr. Morse's statement that the box containing the plates was stone, not iron, it may be correct, at least the outside box, I stated in the former article that it was while Smith was trying to remove the stone that covered the box that he was knocked down, etc., but the statement of the bleeding ghost and all the transactions stated were substantially correct, and can be verified by other living witnesses in this country; and that Mr. Morse heard no such statement, but another, amounts to nothing.

Smith was in the habit of telling different and contradictory stories, on many occasions. Alva Hale, Smith's brother-in-law, says Smith told him that his (Smith's) gift of seeing with a stone and hat was [a] "gift from God," but also states "that Smith told him at another time that this peeping was all d--n nonsense. Now if people will disbelieve the truth of the statements of all the witnesses that have set forth the operations of said Smith while in Harmony, Pa., by the same rule they can discredit the truth of any and all that credible witnesses have said on any subject whatever. And the scripture found in 1 Thess 2:10, is applicable to them: "Because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they all should be damned."
                                              HIEL LEWIS.


Note: Apparently no other early witnesses' recorded reminiscences speak of Smith having found his "plates" in an iron box. A retelling of the Smith discovery attributed to Sidney Rigdon, does, however, mention an "iron ring" being attached to the cover stone reportedly lifted by Joseph Smith (see Pittsburgh Telegraph article for Aug. 24, 1876. The Lewis' brothers' account also differs slightly from the standard Mormon version, in their having Smith dig into the ground to find and remove the flat stone covering the plate repository. Once again, the Lewis brothers' story at this point overlaps the one attributed to Rigdon. In the latter version of the story, Smith had to dig "down about waist deep" before he found the cover stone. As for Smith's encountering some supernatural hindering power or personage when he attempted to remove and take possession of the plates, nearly all accounts from all sources speak of something like this. The story attributed to Rigdon merely mentions that Smith was unable to open the repository and retrieve the plates the first time he made the attempt. An early printed version, complete with a treasure-guarding demon, comes from the 1834 testimony of Lemon Copley, as reportedly given by him In Chardon, Ohio in the case of State of Ohio vs. D. P. Hurlbut (see Howe's Mormonism Unvailed pp. 276-277).

{For the Journel.}

REVIEW  OF  MORMONISM.
________

REJOINER  TO  ELDER  CADWELL.

With regard to Smith's joining the M. E. Church, Messrs. Cadwell and Morse have undertaken to make it appear that we misrepresented the case. The facts are these: I, with Joshua McKune, a local preacher at that time, I think in June, 1828, heard on Saturday, that Joe Smith had joined the church on Wednesday afternoon, (as it was customary in those days to have circuit preaching at my father's house on week-day). We thought it was a disgrace to the church to have a practicing necromancer, a dealer in enchantments and bleeding ghosts, in it. So on Sunday we went to father's, the place of meeting that day, and got there in season to see Smith and talked with him some time in father's shop before the meeting. Told him that his occupation, habits, and moral character were at variance with the discipline, that his name would be a disgrace to the church, that there should have been recantation, confession and at least promised reformation. -- That he could that day publicly ask that his name be stricken from the class book, or stand an investigation. He chose the former, and did that very day make the request that his name be taken off the class book. Michael B. Morse to the contrary notwithstanding. And if said Morse was leader at that time, and Smith's name remained on the class-book six months, the class leader carelessly or wickedly neglected his duty.

THAT  PRAYER  GAUGE.

On Sunday, the 18th day of May, 1879, I spoke to Mr. Morse while on the side-walk in front of the M. E. church in Amboy, Ill. on the subject of what we had written on Mormonism, which appeared in the JOURNAL of April 30th. He said it would have been better if we had written it as it was. He said Smith was not owing him, and he didn't come to hoe. "Well," said I, "did Smith pray in your corn and insure it?" He said Smith did that. The corn was good but late, and the frost killed it. Put this with the statement of A. G. Skinner to Hiel Lewis.

STATEMENT  OF  A. G. SKINNER,  MAY 24, '79.

Mr. Michael S. Morse told me while we were both living in Penn., that Joseph Smith and another man came to him while he was hoeing his corn, and they requested him, Morse, to go to Lanesborough and be security for Smith. Morse said he must hoe his corn, but after some urging consented to do so, on their offering to hoe for him while he was gone. On his return, he found that they had not hoed, and Smith gave as a reason that he had prayed in the corn, and that it would grow just as well as if hoed, and that he would warrant it against the frost.

Skinner, if necessary, will swear to his statement.

The history of Susquehanna Co., in closing the account of Smith's praying in the corn, says:

"When the prophet's attention was called to this matter, he got out of the difficulty by saying that he made a mistake, and had put a curse on the corn instead of a blessing. Rather an un-neighborly act, and paid for too."

The above statements show that the Elder has misrepresented this case.

As to Messrs. Lewis being mere boys, and therefore incompetent witnesses, etc., I was only sixteen months younger than the prophet Smith. And about Mr. Stowell hiring young Smith as a common laborer in digging for money. Does Mr. Cadwell believe that Mr. Stowell would go one hundred miles, more or less, to Palmyra, N. Y., to get common laborers to work in Harmony, Pa.? Is this not a little thin? Mr. Alva Hale says: "Joe Smith never handled one shovel full of earth in those diggings. All that Smith did was to peep with stone and hat, and give directions where and how to dig, and when and where the enchantment removed the treasure. That Smith said if he should work with his hands at digging there, he would lose the power to see with the stone." Facts are stubborn things, and it is a well attested fact that Stowell and others spent thousands of dollars in those diggings, and all by the directions of said Smith, because they were foolish enough to believe what he said about the treasure, and the enchantment conveying said treasures, under ground, through rocks and earth, without displacing any of these obstructions, or even leaving a trace of its passage. And certainly it was no greater stretch of faith to follow his directions as to what sacrifice, whether white dog, man, or black slut, was necessary to control said enchantment. The same unreasoning, and blind credulity has led others to believe that this same Joseph Smith, jr., was a prophet of the Lord, and by inspiration found and translated his golden bible; it is a fact that he translated nearly all of it with this same stone and hat.

Again Mr. Cadwell says, "It was under the influence of her (Mrs. Joseph Smith) secret prayers, when but seven or eight years of age, that her deistical father, who accidentally overheard her, was converted to faith in the divine mission of Christ."

Mr. Alvah Hale says "There is not a word of truth in this statement of Elder Cadwell. That his father Isaac Hale, was converted, joined the church, and he believes was class-leader, before his daughter Emma (the wife of Joseph Smith) was born. Again, the Elder says, "Mormon preachers don't believe in 'Hell,'" and would have us believe that such disbelief is conclusive evidence that there is no such place, and that all reports that have reference to or about hell are mere fictions, and without foundation in truth.       JOSEPH LEWIS.


Note: Joseph Lewis would have been twenty-one (about a year and a half younger than Joseph Smith) when learned of Smith's joining the Methodist class in his neighborhood. Lewis' being only this old is not especially inconsistent with his reported actions in attempting to get Smith removed from the class.

A  WORD  FROM  UTAH.

MR. EDITOR: -- I stand for truth; and noting in the last number of the Saints' Herald (Plano, Ill., June 15,) there announcement in big bold letters, of Elder N. N. [sic: W. W.] Blair's book, "Joseph the Seer, His Prophetic Mission Vindicated and the Divine Origin of the Book of Mormon Defended and Maintained;" nothing but the puff of Elder E. W. Tullidge's ridiculous "Life of Joseph the Prophet;" noting also the article, with its several serious errors, "The Spaulding Story," from T. W. Smith, I wish to warn the honest how they accept statements found in these and kindred publications. I have not seen Elder Sheldon's book to which Blair's "Joseph the Seer" is, or rather assumes to be called "a reply," but Blair's book I have carefully read, and in nine out of ten points handled, can readily see that it is no reply at all.

Dexterity in avoiding knotty points and unanswerable facts has from the first characterized the Mormon mind when fully sophisticated, that is, when thoroughly imbued and indoctrinated with the original, plausible and deceitful spirit of Mormonism. Mr. Blair's dexterous failure, therefore, is not to be wondered at. Utah Mormonism keeps out of controversy. Indeed, the very genius of the system assures the elders that they "are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach." Any deviation therefore, from the straight (and narrow) path of bearing a faithful testimony to the truth, as it is in Mormonism, is clearly aside from its original intent, whatever liberty in this regard individual members of the Mormon church may claim for themselves.

Without special divine authority the Mormon church might be left to stand on precisely the same level with other churches. But, having been foisted upon the world through this very idea and claim of divine authority, "take these away, what are we then?" Worse, far worse off than other church bodies that never got up such extraordinary claims.

I suppose the Book of Mormon will be "defended and maintained" to the bitter end. When it is clearly shown -- and as sure as the sun shines it will be -- that this book is not divine, but on the contrary, anything but a divine origin, then Messrs. Blair and Pratt, and all those who, harkening to their spacious reasoning, have proclaimed the truth of the Book of Mormon, will at last open their eyes instead of their mouths -- for both these men are, in their fashion, honest, I of course mean as preachers and teachers of the Mormon gospel. -- As a man, Mr. Blair is, I believe, above reproach or suspicion.

When all is said, I hold that the generality of believers are much more to be pitied than blamed. [In spite] of its insufferable style, there is a deeper contrivance manifested in the concoction of this book (and this Mormon system) than superficial observers are aware of. But the "divine origin of the Book of Mormon" will require more than human ingenuity to be ever successfully "defended and maintained." Orson Pratt has expended a wealth of subtle human ingenuity in its defense to no purpose, and Mr. Blair, who is evidently the Orson Pratt of the Reorganization, will find his most exhaustive labors equally futile in the end.

The sane and solid facts respecting the real origin of the Book of Mormon and Mormonism, are probably known in their entirety to but a few persons. [Suffice it], they are known to some and will ere long, be given to the world, when all the glamor raised by ignorance and deceit, whether from the Mormon or the non-Mormon side, will be driven as clouds before a strong Northeaster.         JAS. T. COBB.
      Salt Lake City, U. T.  June 19, '79.

I have only just noticed, in the Saints' Herald of June 15th, the letter from Elder Blair regarding a recent interview with Mr. Morse of Amboy. What Elder Blair says of the "Seer Stone" is good. But how about the Urim and Thummim? was that the Seer Stone? And was not this euphemistic and high-sounding "Seer Stone" the veritable peep stone found in digging Chase's well in Palmyra, N. Y., in 1822? Old Mr. Isaac Hale testified that it was the self-same stone with which Smith "peeped" for the money-diggers.

Mr. Morse is authority for the statement that Joseph remained as a probationer upon his class book for six months at Harmony, Pa. Morse being at the time the class leader in the church, Methodist Episcopal, of Rev. Nathaniel Lewis, and himself taking [off?] Smith's name, in June, 1828! This fact, now for the first time brought to light, has a most important bearing (as Elder Blair will not fail to have noticed) upon the divine mission of the prophet Joseph, as the event occurred after that tremendous vision, or rather the pretense of it, upon which the whole superstructure of Mormonism rests, in which Smith says the Father and Son appeared to him and told him all the churches were wrong and "an abomination," and twice forbade him to join any of them. He joined this church, or essayed to join it, but was prevented -- even after he had obtained the plates, and was well along in the work of translating! Funny. But this only confirms the view I have long had, that the original design of "the Lord" in bringing forth the Book of Mormon was simply that of a Wonderful Book speculation, with no thought of starting a new religion by means of it. All this rubbish has to be cleared away.

How does Mr. Blair reconcile such doings with his idea of religion? To me they seem totally irreconcilable, unless one's fundamental idea of religion is that of a mere sham and cloak.

I have lately received from Mrs. M. S. McKenstry, daughter of Solomon Spaulding, a letter in which she says she distinctly remembers seeing the names Nephites, Lamanites, (she spells the word Laminites) Mormon and Moroni used by her father in his manuscript romance. Mrs. McKenstry resides at Longmeadow, near Springfield, Mass., with her son, Dr. John A. McKenstry. As Elder T. W. Smith is, I believe, in that section, he might do well to pay a friendly visit to these relations of the famous defrauded, and learn what they have to say about "the Spaulding story" before finally deciding if the "divine origin" of the Book of Mormon can be triumphantly "defended and maintained."

Members of the "Josephite" church in Utah are wondering why the dying testimony of Mrs. Emma Smith Bidamon in regard to the truth or falsity of the Mormon work has not been published, or what her latest testimony was respecting Mormonism. If the Herald could answer, it would be interesting.
                                            J. T. C.



Note 1: According to Dan Vogel, Mr. James Thornton Cobb (1833-1910) was "a graduate of Dartmouth and Amherst Colleges" and "was a Salt Lake City newspaperman who was collecting affidavits and information about Mormon origins.... He evidently planned to publish his documents... but never did so" (Early Mormon Documents I p. 535; cf. EMD II pp. 85, 105-110, 129-144, 522-529, etc.; EMD III pp. 135-139; and EMD V sec. D). According to Cobb's obituary in the Feb. 3 [4?], 1910 Salt Lake Tribune, he was married to Camilla Clara Mieth (1843-1933), with whom he had 7 children, 3 of whom survived him.

Note 2: According to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library's finding aid ("Theodore Albert Schroeder Papers Register), "James T. Cobb of Salt Lake City in the 1880's" carried out extensive "efforts to collect information on Mormon history... Cobb's (mother?) Augusta Adams Cobb (1802-1886) ... was divorced by her husband, Henry Cobb (1798-1872), in Boston, 1846, on grounds of 'the crime of adultery with one Brigham Young' at Nauvoo." Richard Price documents Brigham's marriage with Augusta on pp. 35-38 of his 2000 Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy Vol I. This change in family relations would have made Brigham Young the step-father of James T. Cobb. When James was about 12 years old he migrated with his mother to Utah and there became a fringe member of Young's extended family. In the 1870s Cobb went to work as a journalist for the Salt Lake Tribune. He probably used his connections in the newspaper profession to help see published some of the various 1879-80 articles traceable to his research on early Mormonism.

Note 3: The Matilda Spalding McKinstry letter Cobb mentions was probably written at the end of May 1879. Matilda's son, John A. McKinstry, enclosed his mother's statement in a letter he addressed to Cobb from Longmeadow on June 2, 1879 (original in the Theodore Albert Schroeder Papers at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library, Bx. 2, fd. 1, conveniently reprinted in Wayne Cowdrey et al., The Spalding Enigma pp. 691-692). At about the same time, Mrs. McKinstry also wrote another letter regarding the Spalding authorship claims. This second letter (probably originally addressed to her relative, Mrs. Ellen E. Dickinson, and later sent to Joseph Smith III) is on file in the RLDS Library and Archives.

Note 4: In his 1882 treatise on the Spalding authorship claims, Robert Patterson, Jr. acknowledges "James T. Cobb, Esq., of Salt Lake City" and says it was "at the instance of" Cobb that "he [Patterson] commenced this inquiry, and to whom he is indebted for many of the references made." RLDS President, Joseph Smith III, responded to Patterson's acknowledgment in 1883, by saying: "Mr. James T. Cobb... an inmate of Brigham's family... is an intense hater of Mormonism; and I am quite surprised that instead of publishing the work... he has sent the results of his work to you... He has written me copiously, and boasted to me that he would destroy Mormonism, root and branch; and I am persuaded to believe that the many newspaper articles so lavishly scattered over the land, are in the main his work..." Smith was correct in his guessing that Cobb was instrumental in the writing and publishing of several anti-Mormon newspaper articles in 1879-1880. Cobb's efforts indirectly provided useful information to anti-Mormons Anna W. Eaton (for her 1881 paper) and Clark Braden (for use in his 1884 debate with E. L. Kelley). Although she does not credit him with any mentoring, writer Ellen E. Dickinson -- whose 1880 and 1881 articles in Scribner's revitalized the moribund Spalding "theory" -- was probably also indebted to James T. Cobb for her initial research into the subject (see mention of Cobb's correspondence with Ellen's cousin John A. McKinstry in Note 3). The flurry of articles on Spalding and the Book of Mormon appearing after 1879 probably sparked the mind of Oberlin College President James H. Fairchild to publicize his 1884 discovery of a Spalding manuscript in Honolulu. Fairchild's disclosure, in turn, gave rise to a 1885-1886 media frenzy in response to new conjectures regarding the old Spalding authorship claims. All of which very likely owed its genesis indirectly to Cobb's 1879 prodding of various people to come forth with information on early Mormonism and the origin of the Book of Mormon

"MORMON  HISTORY."
________

REPLY  TO  HIEL  LEWIS.
________

If Mr. Lewis, in his "Rejoinder" published in your issue of June 4th, had informed us just how old he was in 1825, when Joseph Smith was "digging" for Mr. Stowell for the hidden treasure, and also what part he (Lewis) had in said "digging," if any, he would have furnished us important and valuable elements to aid us in deciding as to the weight and testimony.

From what we have learned, Mr. Lewis was them (1825) only eight or nine years old, for it was recently said by one of his family that he is now about sixty-two years old.

It was just fifty-four years ago that Jos. Smith labored for Stowell in the "money digging" matter, and a school boy need not be told that 54 from 62 leaves just 8.

Mr. Lewis states that Joseph Smith "translated his book of Mormon mostly with this same peep stone in his hat, he sitting in his house and the plates hid far away." We fear this is another piece of "history" which friend Lewis actually and personally knew nothing about. We hardly think Joseph Smith took him into his special confidence, or admitted him into the secrets of his methods of translation. He was too young, if nothing else, for that. But be this as it may, we care little for the method by which Mr. Smith translated the book of Mormon. Our chief concern is as to its character and contents.

If Joseph in Egypt could divine by the means of a "cup," (Gen. 44:25) and if the Jewish high priest could obtain revelations from God by the "Urim and Thummim." (Numbers 27:21, 1 Sam. 28:6) and if Daniel could translate the "hand writing on the wall" by direct inspiration, it was not impossible that Mr. Smith should translate by means of "a stone."

It is a fact known to those who inquire, that Joseph Smith was engaged from about "the 12th of April, 1828" up to March in 1830, nearly two years, in this work of translation, his wife (Emma Smith,) Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and John Whitmer acting alternately as his scribes.

As for the contents of the book of Mormon, its moral precepts are unsurpassed, its doctrines are in close harmony with those of the bible, its historical statements are remarkable confirmed by the discoveries of travelers, antiquarians, and scientists, made since its publication; while its prophecies concerning things that should transpire after its publication are having a marked and decided fulfillment. As for its style and language, it is not attractive. Its chief worth lies in the great facts and exalted principles contained in it. Great truths, like great souls, should be judged by their intrinsic merits, and not by their mere outward dress. Jesus in his "seamless" garment, and the apostles in their "fishermen's coats," were just as good and great as tho' they had been arrayed in all the splendor of kingly or priestly apparel.

Mr. Lewis says" "We know that nine-tenths of Smith's inspired utterances while in harmony, Pa., proved false, and his miraculous power a sham; yet there were some besides the money diggers who believed that Smith was what he claimed to be, 'nearly equal to Jesus Christ.'"

We would like really well to know how Mr. Lewis, fifty-four years ago, came to "know" so much about Joseph Smith? He must have been a precocious and highly favored little boy? Things look a trifle queer, at least. We have many of the "inspired utterances" of Mr. Smith, not only those given in Harmony, but elsewhere, and we would be glad to have Mr. Lewis, or anyone else, point out one item in any of them, that is false in fact or evil in principle. These "utterances" may be found in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, a work that is in the hands of the membership of the Church, and others, and may be obtained at the Herald office, Plano, Ill.

Mr. Smith's prophecies (as written) since 1827, are numerous and very remarkable, and they have had, or are having, a clear, full, and precise fulfillment. We invite investigation of these facts.

As for the written teachings of Joseph Smith (and we must judge him by these rather than by floating rumors) nothing can be purer, wiser, and more exalted. And as for his claiming to be "nearly equal to Jesus Christ," nothing can be farther from the letter and spirit of his writings. It is incredible.

And as to the "Rejoinder" of Mr. Lewis, in your issue of the 11th inst., it exhibits conclusive evidence of the unreliability of Mr. Lewis as a witness, even in matters of recent date, and matters of record at that. He states that "the elder (Cadwell) says: 'Mormon preachers don't believe in hell, and would have us believe that such disbelief is conclusive evidence that there is no such place, and that all reports that have reference to or about hell mere fictions, and without foundation in truth," Mr. Lewis' statements here are sadly at fault -- not one clause of it is correct. What we said was, and is, that Mormon preachers "don't believe in such a 'hell' as Messrs. Lewis have introduced;" that is, in which men "in full uniforms, and on horse back" are thrust, and kept "standing amid the flames."

Lest Mr. Lewis should make another "mistake" about this matter, we will assure him that Mormon preachers do believe in "hell," and hells both here and hereafter; that is, they believe such things do and will exist, and in love and justice ought to exist -- till the ends for which they were and are designed shall have been fully accomplished; i. e. reformation and obedience.

But will Mr. Joseph Lewis ask us to believe his statements as to what took place from fifty-one to fifty-four years ago when he was a little boy, and in respect to some matters in which he does not profess to have had personal participation, and in respect to other matters in which he is flatly contradicted by living witnesses who were personally connected with the matters at issue?

Will he ask us to do so now that it is shown that he even quotes untruely from written documents? If he fails to quote correctly what has been under his notice in writing a few days ago, how can we expect him to relate correctly what were but floating rumors, or what he casually overheard, fifty-one to fifty-four years ago, when he was but a mere boy? Messrs. Lewis now stand, confessedly, largely at fault in respect to their sweeping statements in their first articles; and Mr. Joseph Lewis is now proven to have given an unfair and untrue quotation from my last article. They have thus proven themselves to be unreliable in the matters under consideration. We cannot accept them.

As for our statement that Joseph's wife's father was converted by the influence of the secret prayers of Joseph's wife when she was but seven or eight years of age, it is just what was told us but a few weeks ago by Mr. Michael Morse, in the presence of a number of his family and others. He said he had often heard Mr. Hale speak of it.     A lover of truth and consistency.
                                    EDWIN CADWELL.


Note 1: Elder Cadwell's report of Michael Morse telling "us but a few weeks ago" some information regarding Isaac Hale and his daughter, was apparently stated in reference to Elders Cadwell and Blair having recently conducted an interview with Morse in Amboy. See Saints' Herald issue of June 15, 1879.

Note 2: Elder Cadwell tacitly accepts the old reports saying Smith did his "translating" with a seer stone placed in a hat, rather than by wearing a Nephite breast-plate with diamond lens spectacles attached to it. This admission was at variance with past RLDS teachings regarding Smith's purported use of the "Urim and Thummim." Compare this with Elder W. W. Blair's report in the Saints' Herald issue of June 15, 1879, in which he tells of "Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating, word after word" This account is similar to William Riley Hine's eye-witness report: "I learned that Jo claimed to be translating the plates in Badger's Tavern, in Colesville, three miles from my house. I went there and saw Jo Smith sit by a table and put a handkerchief to his forehead and peek into his hat and call out a word to Cowdery, who sat at the same table and wrote it down."

I wish to inform the readers of the JOURNAL, that while Mr. Cadwell, in the last week's JOURNAL, accuses me of being a mere boy and not old enough to know anything reliable, or capable of telling the truth on such an important subject as Mormonism, I will not take the Mormon method of arguing by accusing others of lying, but will merely say that Joseph Smith was born in Dec. 1805, while I saw the light April 15, 1807. Now, as Mr. C. professes to know how to reckon, he will perceive there is less than a year and a half difference in our ages, and that I might have been quite a lad in 1828; old enough to be allowed my oath. It was not with even the hope of converting a Mormon that any of those pieces have been written, (for all insane persons think they are sane, while everybody else is crazy) but by request of a man at Salt Lake, who is trying to get at the starting point of Mormonism, and wrote to us for what we knew about it, and it happened to get into the JOURNAL without a request from us; but if it has been, or will be the means of peoples' investigation and inquiry, so that honest people will let so gross a humbug alone, it will answer a very good purpose.       JOSEPH LEWIS.


Notes: (forthcoming)

THE  ENDOWMENT.
______

STATEMENT OF WILLIAM B. SMITH, THE ONLY
SURVIVING BROTHER OF THE SEER.

Bro. W. W. Blair: -- In reply to your letter of inquiry as to the teachings of my brother, Joseph Smith, on the subject of the "Endowment," to your first question, Did Joseph the Seer teach or give an endowment at Nauvoo, or elsewhere, the same or similar to that given by the Brighamites? I answer, He did not.. Joseph Smith gave no such an endowment, nor did he give a similar one.

That there was an endowment promised is true; but the order of that endowment was to be revealed to the Church after the temple (spoken of in the Revelation of 1841) should be completed.

No such an order for the endowment as the administration of ordinances, or the administration of oaths and covenants was ever talked of by the prophet, to my knowledge.

The understanding had, and the only thing talked of and taught by my brother Joseph, was that of a Solemn Assembly, and the purifying of the heart by prayer, and by this means effect a greater spiritual union in the Church, both with the ministry and members of the Church, and that the Church might enjoy more of the Spirit's power, in the gifts of the Spirit, to the edification and increase of the faith of the Saints.

What may be drawn from these statements is all that any one can say in truth concerning the promised endowment as taught by Joseph Smith.

As for similarity in teaching and doctrine on the Endowment, Brigham Young bore no resemblance whatever to Joseph Smith.

The Brighamite Apostasy may teach many things found in the gospel of Christ, and teach them for a covering; but Joseph Smith taught the fullness of the gospel The latter taught no "blood atonement," no adultery, and no secret oaths and covenants.

Brigham Young, H. C. Kimball, O. Hyde, Willard Richards, and others, were the sole authors of "the endowment" administered by the Brighamites. And the whole thing gotten up by them is not only sacrilegious, but is a most infamous libel upon the name and character of Joseph Smith.
                                          WILLIAM B. SMITH.

The above is very direct testimony, and from one who ought to know as much about the matter of which he speaks as any of the Twelve Apostles living at the time of Joseph's death. He was then a member of that quorum, and being a brother of the Prophet, should have had superior opportunities for knowing what the teachings of the Prophet were...


Note 1: "Garden of Eden" ceremonial reenactments among a select company of the Mormon elite may be traced back to the era of the Kirtland Temple. Along side of these secret proceedings, the rank and file Mormons looked forward to several different "endowments," beginning with the opening of the temple at Kirtland, which would empower them to "redeem Zion" from the wicked Gentiles who occupied Jackson Co., Missouri. In 1842 these two parallel streams of Mormon doctrine flowed together -- into the liturgical morass of Nauvoo freemasonry -- and emerged as Joseph Smith, Jr.'s Quorum of the Anointed, Mormon elite prayer circles, and the rites of celestial marriage. All of this was in full blossom at Nauvoo many months before the assassination of Joseph Smith, Jr. -- a fact William Smith knew all too well. William's former acolyte, W. W. Blair, should have known enough not to have asked William about such Nauvoo secrets -- that is, if Elder Blair truly expected to hear an honest answer.

Note 2: The Saints' Advocate moved from Plano, Illinois to Lamoni, Iowa in 1881. For another interesting reference to Elder William Smith, in its columns, see the issue for Feb, 1884 among the on-line Iowa newspaper articles for that period.

That  Mormon  History.
________

REPLY  TO  ELDER  CADWELL.

The Elder appears to be under keen concern of mind about my age. Thinks it is incredible that young persons, or as he wo'd have it, "mere boys," should be able to see, hear or remember anything. But it is a fact that old people generally have a better recollection of what transpired in early life than of recent events. And my brother "a little boy," (some twenty one years of age). The Elder is a lover of truth and never misrepresents. The statements that I have made about Joe Smith are just as true as though I had been, at the time, one hundred years old. The elder says he would be very glad to have Mr. Lewis, or any one else point out one item of them (Smith's inspired utterances in Harmony,) that is "false in fact or evil in principle." And as the elder has made such vigorous efforts to convince himself that I am not a competent witness, I will give a few extracts from some of sixty odd witnesses, whose testimony is now before me, all personally acquainted with the prophet, while he was residing in the states of N. Y. and Pa., and their testimony taken in the years 1833 to 1835, while fresh in their memory, showing that his character was any thing but good, that he was addicted to drink, gross profanity and falsehood, and the statements of these witnesses are of more weight than all the books of doctrine and covenants that have since been manufactured. From these witnesses I give a few samples of Smith's inspired utterances.

Levi Lewis states that he heard Joseph Smith and Martin Harris both say adultery was no crime. Harris said that "he did not blame Smith for attempting to seduce E. W. (Eliza Winters." Here was the early seed from which Mormon polygamy developed, and if Mormons see no evil in such things, other people do. Levi Lewis further states that he heard Smith say "he was as good as Jesus Christ."

This is false in fact and evil in principle. Sophia Lewis certifies that she heard Smith say that the book of plates could not be opened under penalty of death, by any other person but his (Smith's) first-born, which was to be a male." She says she was present at the birth of this child, and that it was still born, and very much deformed. Here is a signal failure of Smith's inspired utterances, and the failure should have forever closed the book of plates, under the penalty of death. But Smith was superior to the inspired word, just as he was after that God the father, and the son had appeared to him and twice forbade his joining any church, and then in disregard of the positive command of God, he joined the M. E. church.

Hezekiah McKune says that Smith, in delivering his superior and inspired prophetic knowledge, among other things said that "all that did not join the Mormons and with them assemble in the promised land within seven years, would all be killed off." Elder, if this inspired utterance had proved true, neither you nor I would be here to discuss Smith's inspiration, that is, if you are fifty-four years old. There is another total failure.

Now elder, don't fly the track, by referring to Smith's prophetic utterances in the book of covenants and doctrines, which was gotten up long after Smith left Harmony, for it was his inspired utterances there and then made that I named. I am in no way responsible for anything contained in that book; anyone could write prophecies of what was in the past, and have the fulfillment sure.

Again the elder says: "Will Mr. Lewis ask us to believe his statements as to what took place fifty-one to fifty-four years ago, when he was a little boy, * * * and in respect to others in which he is flatly contradicted by living witnesses?"

I would say that there are no witnesses, living or dead, who have contradicted a single item of our statements, except what the elder has reported that Michael Morse said. In said report the elder makes Mr. Morse flatly contradict his own statements made to other persons on the same subject, both before and after the elder's pretended interview. Mr. Morse is but little, if any, older than Joseph Lewis, that little boy. --

We cannot accept the elder's report when Mr. Morse has repeatedly stated the very reverse to other parties, as already shown in our last article. Also the elder makes Mr. Morse contradict the statement of Mr. Alva Hale, son of Isaac Hale, the father of Mrs. Emma Smith. Mr. Alva Hale was much closer than his sister Emma, and gives his testimony from personal knowledge, and says his father was converted under the ministry of Rev. Timothy Lee, before Mrs. Smith was born, and anything that Mr. Morse could say on the subject cannot invalidate the testimony of Mr. Hale, made from personal knowledge, as well as from the statements of his father, about what took place long before Mr. Morse was born, or he and his father's family were in Harmony. This is going back farther than when a "little boy." In view of the above facts, all statements coming from Michael Morse, through Elder Cadwell, on this subject are unreliable. It is no new game for Mormons to try to belittle and destroy the testimony of witnesses to Smith's character and conduct. When Mr. Isaac Hale's first statement was published, and when Zion was being planted in Ohio, Joe Smith, or some of his accomplices, to destroy Mr. Hale's statement, published that Mr. Isaac Hale was blind and could not write his name. To meet this Mormon lie, Mr. Hale's testimony was taken before Esq. Dimon, March 20th, 1834, and his character and competency certified to by Wm. Thompson and David Dimoc, associate judges of the court of common pleas in that county.     HIEL LEWIS.


Note: Hiel Lewis' responses in this article appear to be directed at a letter written by Amboy RLDS Branch President Edwin Cadwell, and probably published in the Amboy Journal between July 9 and 23, 1879. Such an article by Cadwell's has not yet been located in back files of that newspaper.

INSPIRATION,  MURDER  AND  POLYGAMY.

Perhaps the most striking passage in the whole course of Guiteau's remarkable trial, says the New York Herald, is the speech which he injected into an early stage of it denouncing Mormonism. It shows that the intelligent wretch is keenly conscious that his plea of inspiration as a warrant for killing President Garfield is utterly destitute of originality. There never has been an age in human history when the same defense was not set up by ingenious villains of sane mind to justify themselves in willful criminality. In our own time and country the Mormon Church is an instance of a congregation of Guiteaus pretending to violate law in obedience to a voice from God. Their copyist was plainly aware of the parallel, and either sought to break the force of an allusion to it as bearing on the question of his sanity by anticipating the prosecuting officers, or else his hideous vanity sought to monopolize the inspiration business to the exclusion of the Mormon hierarchy...


Note: When the fact came out in his trial, that Mr. Guiteau had visited with Mormon officials in Salt Lake City, some weeks prior to his assassination of President Garfield, rumors spread that the gunman was hired by the top LDS leaders to murder the President. The notion is not without some substance -- Garfield was a known and publicized anti-Mormon, who planned to crack down upon the polygamists in Utah. His short tenure in office ended before he could effect the legal reforms and judicial appointments required for his plan. However, there is no actual evidence that Guiteau entered into a conspiracy with the top Mormon leaders, or even that he met with any of them when he passed through Utah.

A  SISTER  TO  THE  PROPHET.

Mrs. Catherine Salisbury [of Ft. Green] -- A Remarkable Woman.

A [representative of the] Republican recently paid [a visit] to the home of Fred Salisbury residing some four miles northeast of Fountain Green, and was cordially received by that gentleman and his family, as well as by his venerable and noted mother, Mrs. Catherine Salisbury, who is a sister to the prophet, Joseph Smith. On the 25th day of June next will mark the 50th anniversary of the massacre of Hiram and Joseph Smith in the old stone jail at Carthage. The silver-crowned patriarch who will be 86 years old in July, bears a striking resemblance to her nephew, the present Joseph Smith, son of the prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, at Lamoni, Ia. Some resemblance to the martyred prophet, as shown in some of the photographs of him, may be noted in the features of the venerable lady, but very little.

Mrs. Salisbury, as well as her son, was ready to answer any questions relating to their noted relatives or the early reminiscences of Mormonism in Hancock county.

"We have been interviewed by authors and newspaper writers," said Mr. Salisbury, "but we have not always received justice in histories or published stories. All we ask is a fair representation."

Mrs. Salisbury also stated that her brother's life and acts had been most cruelly misrepresented. She loaned the writer a book written a number of years ago by Mrs. Lucy Smith, mother of Joseph, which she says is the most authentic account of the Smith family ever published.

Mrs. Salisbury resided with her husband at Plymouth, in this county, during the Mormon ascendency. She with her parents and brothers and sisters, save Joseph and Hyrum, first located near the present site of Bardolph, McDonough county, at the time the Mormons were driven out of Missouri. The major portion of the Mormons remained in Quincy two or three weeks after leaving Missouri until Joseph and Hyrum were liberated from jail. They then followed their leaders to Nauvoo, where the "New Zion" was built upon those beautiful hills.

"I heard Brother Joseph's last sermon, delivered to a great audience in Nauvoo," said Mrs. Salisbury, and a look of tender sadness lighted up those dimming eyes as she spoke. "In the sermon," continued the venerable lady, "Brother Joseph said that there was seated on the speaker's stand beside him those who were conspiring to take his life, and who would be responsible for his death."

Among the valuable relics exhibited to the visitor was a portrait of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, standing facing each other, dressed in the peculiar costumes worn by them as prophets of the church. "That is the position they assumed the last time I ever saw my brothers," said Mrs. Salisbury. "I left them on the Saturday -- (June 22, 1844) -- before the Thursday that they were murdered at Carthage. Brother Joseph shook my hand, saying: 'Sister Catherine, as soon as this trouble blows over I will come down to Plymouth and make you a visit.' Brother Hyrum simply said 'Good-bye' in an impressive manner. I never saw them again in life. They were both very kind to me, and whenever there was a church celebration or any big doings at Nauvoo they would always send for me."

Mr. Fred Salisbury had no hesitation in saying that the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, while buried secretly and at night soon after the massacre, lie in the exact spot where they were then buried, viz: in the family burying ground a short distance in the rear of the old mansion house. The bodies were deposited in a brick vault.

When Aunt Emma Smith, -- (Joseph's widow, later Mrs. C. L. Bedemon) -- died in 1875 [sic]. I think five of we boys, Fred, Solomon, Don and Alvin Salisbury and Don Milikin, all her nephews, acted as pall bearers at her funeral. We buried Aunt Emma by the side of the prophet. Of course there can be nothing left of the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum but dust. I am satisfied that the prophets were buried there, and that their bodies have never been disturbed."

"The reason why the burial was secret," said Mrs. Salisbury, was from the fact that a large sum of money was offered for the head of Joseph. It was thought best at the time to have the burial private, and both bodies were placed in a brick vault to prevent their being stolen."

No fair-minded person could receive any other impression from conversation with Mrs. Salisbury than one of sincerity. There can be little doubt that the Mormons have received very much unjust criticism, and it is hoped that in some future time a history of the coming, the sojourn and the passing of these people to and from Hancock county may be truthfully and impartially written.


Note 1: The "Fred" mentioned above must have been Frederick V. Salisbury (1850-1934), who, along with his twin brother Vilian, were evidently the last children born to Katherine and W. J. Salisbury; or possibly they were their adopted children. Another "Fred" then living in the area was James Fredrick Salisbury (1862-1914), but he was Katherine's grandson, not her son.

Note 2: For the text of a letter written by Katherine Salisbury's husband, W. J. Salisbury, see the Apr. 8, 1846 issue of the Warsaw Signal. For more on this sister of Joseph Smith, see Kyle R. Walker's "Katharine Salisbury and Lucy Millikin's Attitudes..." in Mormon Historical Studies III:1 (Spring 2002) and "Katharine Smith Salisbury: Sister to the Prophet" in Mormon Historical Studies III:2 (Fall 2002)

Note 3: A more detailed version of this interview (evidently written by the same journalist) was published in the June 24, 1894 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune.

ORIGIN  OF  MORMONISM.

Interest in Mormonism has been revived and stimulated throughout the country by the prominence the Roberts case has been given in national affairs, and the origin of the sect established by Joseph Smith has peculiar interest now. Rev. W. A. Stanton, D.D., of Pittsburg, Pa., in a recent issue of The Standard, sets forth a very interesting account of it and throws some light on some points hitherto not commonly known.

Two movements in the second quarter of the Nineteenth century, each of which was claimed by its leader to be a reformation of religion, have an important place in American religious history, writes Dr. Stanton. The first was the beginning and rise of Mormonism under the manipulations of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. The second was the development of modern spiritualism, or "spiritism," beginning with the "rappings" of the Fox sisters in Western New York. The first reformation had close connection with Baptist history in and about Pittsburg, Pa. Having been pastor of a Baptist church in Pittsburg for about ten years, with excellent opportunities for investigations, I propose to tell what I have learned as to the relation of Sidney Rigdon to the Book of Mormon. Of course, this story will be denied by Mormons and their friends; within twelve hours of this writing I have been visited by two Mormon officials and treated to a strenuous and indignant denial; but denial is not proof. I submit the plain, unvarnished facts to the public, and abide by its verdict.

RIGDON'S  BEGINNINGS.

He was born February 18, 1793, on a farm near the hamlet of Library, a few miles south of Pittsburg. Elder David Phillips baptized him into the membership of the Peter's Creek Baptist church, at Library, May 31, 1817. Alexander Campbell had supplied the pulpit at times, and it was largely through his influence that Rigdon was called. He had almost supplanted his faithful pastor at Peter's Creek by his forwardness and ambition. Elder Phillips said, "As long as Rigdon lives he will be a curse to the Church of Christ." Rev. Samuel Williams was a successor to Rigdon in the Pittsburg pastorate. From a sermon of Williams on Mormonism I quote: "There was so much of the miraculous about Rigdon's conversion at Library, and so much parade about his profession, that the pious and discerning pastor entertained serous doubts at the time in regard to the genuineness of the work." Rigdon afterwards confessed to a deacon of the Pittsburg church that he "made up his experience in order to get into the church."

He came to Pottsburg direct from Warren, Ohio. Rigdon began to preach views not consonant with the doctrine of the church. A church council being called, finally rendered a verdict finding Rigdon guilty of "holding and teaching many abominable heresies." He was thereupon deposed from the ministry and excluded from the church. In August, 1827, Rigdon was in attendance at the Mahoning association in New Lisbon, Ohio, and by courtesy of the association preached a sermon on the evening of August 27. Just thirty days after that sermon Joseph Smith proclaimed his finding of "The Golden Bible," better known as the Book of Mormon, at the little village of Manchester, six miles from Palmyra, New York.

Rigdon soon went hither, professed immediate conversion to the "find," and straightway preached the first Mormon sermon. It was preached in Palmyra and showed a remarkable amount of information for a new convert. It was said that he seemed to know more about it than Smith himself. Abundant reason for this will soon be shown. Smith claimed to have been directed by an angel to the burial place of a stone box in which was a volume six inches thick and composed of thin gold leaves, eight by seven inches, fastened together by three gold rings. The writing on them was called "Reformed Egyptian." There was also a pair of "supernatural spectacles;" two crystals, that Smith called "Urim and Thummim," were set in a silver bow. When Smith put these on he claimed to be able to translate the reformed Egyptian language. I have heard my father-in-law, then nineteen years old and still living, who knew Smith, say he was scarcely able [to read or write plain English]. It probably will never be known why Rigdon did not take first place in Mormonism. It is certain that Smith developed better qualities of leadership, and it is probable [sic - missing word?] characterized him as a quick-witted, lazy, superstitious fellow who spent his time in digging for treasures and locating springs for wells with a divining rod. He was just the man for Rigdon to attempt to use as a tool, although in the long run he proved too shrewd for his [master]. He [said?] that Rigdon never dared offend Smith for fear of exposure as to their secret.

Neither Smith nor Rigdon had money to publish this "Golden Bible." They succeeded in interesting a well-to-do farmer named Martin Harris, who furnished the means. Oliver Cowdery was employed as an amanuensis. He wrote what what Smith dictated to him from the farther side of the concealing curtain. In 1830 the book was printed, and with it a sworn statement by Cowdery, Harris and a David Whitmer, that an angel of God had shown them the plates of which the book purported to be a translation. Some years later these three men renounced Mormonism and declared said sworn statement false. I recently opened the Book of Mormon that lay upon the pulpit in the Mormon Tabernacle at Salt Lake City. Upon its page was this sworn statement by these three men, but their renunciation was not there. The Mormons explain the disappearance of the "golden leaves" by assuming that an angel took them away. As a matter of fact we have only Joseph Smith's word for it, aside from the above statement, that they ever existed. In spite of this a leading Mormon told me, as he and I stood by Brigham Young's grave a few weeks ago, that they had two Bibles of equal authority. One contained the Old and New Testament, the other is the Book of Mormon.

Sidney Rigdon was Joseph Smith's angel.

Now we return to Pittsburg. In 1761, Solomon Spaulding was born in Ashford, Conn., and was graduated from Dartmouth College in 1785. Latyer in life he lived in New Salem and Conneaut, Ohio. There he wrote a manuscript which he called "The Manuscript Found." He read it to numerous of his relatives and friends. Its leading characters bore such names as Mormon, Maroni, Lamanite and Nephi. It divided the population of this continent into two classes, the righteous and the idolatrous, and told an imaginary story of discovery of their history as recorded on a manuscript that was centuries ago concealed in the earth. It was full of wars and rumors of wars and presented a record of the preaching of Christianity in America during the first century after Christ. Mr. Spaulding being a minister and familiar with Bible history, made his romance correspond closely to the biblical records as their sequel. In 1812 he moved to Pittsburg. Robert Patterson had a printing establishment here, his foreman was Silas Engles. Spaulding desired Patterson to publish his work, but was unable to guarantee the expenses if the book should prove a failure. Patterson testified that he saw said manuscript and told Engles to print it if Spaulding furnished security for expenses. He farther testified that Spaulding was unable to do so and that he supposed that Engles returned the manuscript to its author. As a matter of fact, Spaulding moved to Amity, Washington ounty, Pa., in 1814, and died there in 1816. Joseph Miller, of Amity, was an intimate friend of Spaulding; he heard him read much of his manuscript and testified (see Pittsburgh Telegraph in 1879) to Spaulding's telling him that while he was writing a preface for the book the manuscript was spirited away, that a Sidney Rigdon was suspected of taking it. Miller also said that when he read the Book of Mormon he at once recognized Spaulding's story. Redick McKee, of Washington county, bears the same testimony and says that Rigdon was employed in Patterson's office. Some of Rigdon's friends deny that he was employed there, but Mrs. R. J. Eichbaum, who died in Pittsburg in 1882, was clerk in the Pittsburg postoffice from [1811] to 1816, her father being postmaster. She gave testimony to the intimacy between Rigdon and Lamdin, their coming to the office together, and Engles' telling her that "Rigdon was always hanging about the printing office." It is also a matter of fact that Lamdin became Patterson's business partner in 1818. Spaulding's widow testified that Rigdon was connected with the office in some way. It seems evident that Rigdon was about the office, to say the least. Six years later he returned to Pittsburg as the pastor of the Baptist church. Patterson had died in 1814 [sic]; Lamdin died in 1815; Engles in 1827. Rigdon's pastorate was while both were yet alive and he was intimate with both.

Rev. John Winter, M. D., known to many in western Pennsylvania, testified that he was in Rigdon's study in Pittsburg in the winter of 1822-3, that Rigdon took from his desk a large manuscript and said in substance: "A Presbyterian minister, whose health failed, brought this to the printer to see if it would pay to publish it. It is a romance of the Bible." Rev. A. J. Bonsall, now pastor of the Baptist church in Rochester, Pa., tells me that Dr. Winter, who was his step-father, often referred to this incident, saying that the manuscript purported to be a history of the American Indian, and that Rigdon said he got it from the printers. Mrs. Mary W. Irvine, of Sharon, Pa., Dr. Winter's daughter, says: "I have frequently heard my father speak of Rigdon's having Spaulding's manuscript, that he said he got it from the printer to read as a curiosity. As such he showed it to my father and then seemed to have no intention of using it as he evidently afterwards did. Father always said that Rigdon helped Smith in his scheme by revising and transforming this manuscript into the Mormon Bible."

As late as 1879 a Mrs. Amos Dunlop, of Warren, Ohio, wrote of having visited the Rigdons when she was young and of his taking a manuscript from his trunk and becoming greatly absorbed in it. His wife threatened to burn it, but he said, "No, indeed, you will not; this will be a great thing some day."

In 1820 the Widow Spaulding married Mr. Davidson, of Hartwick, Otsego County, New York; in May, 1839, the Boston Recorder published a statement from her made to and recorded by Rev. D. R. Austin, of Monson, Mass., to the effect that a Mormon preacher took a copy of the Mormon Bible to New Salem, Ohio, where her husband had lived and written much of his manuscript, and read from it at a public meeting. She said that many of the older people immediately recognized it as her husband's romance and that his brother, John Spaulding, arose then and there and protested against such a use of his late brother's writings. Rigdon wrote to the Boston Recorder [sic] an emphatic and coarse denial of this fact and said that he had never heard of such a man as Spaulding.

The reader may judge, after what has been said, whether he ever had. In August, 1880, Scribner's Monthly published some testimony from Solomon Spaulding's daughter, Mrs. M. S. McKinstry, of Washington, D. C. She certifies to the same facts and bears testimony to the parallelism between the Book of Mormon and her father's romance. Mrs. President Garfield's father, Mr. Z. Rudolph, knew Rigdon well and says that "during the winter previous to the appearance of the Mormon Bible Rigdon spent weeks away from home, gone no one knew where; when he returned he seemed very much preoccupied, talked in a dreamy, imaginative way, and puzzled his listeners. His joining the Mormons so quickly made his neighbors sure that he was in the secret of the authorship of the Book of Mormon." The book was printed in the office of the Wayne Sentinel, Palmyra, N. Y. The editor was Pomeroy Tucker. In 1867 he printed a book, "Origin and Progress of Mormonism." In it he says that during the summer of 1827 (the "Leaves of Gold" were found in September, 1827) a stranger made several visits at Smith's home. He was afterward recognized as Rigdon, who afterward preached the first Mormon sermon at Palmyra. This statement is corroborated by Mrs. Dr. Horace Eaton, who lived in Palmyra for more than thirty years. Not to weary patience, let me say that testimony has been secured from many others. As early as 1835 Mr. E. D. Howe, of Painesville, Ohio, printed the full testimony of eight reliable witnesses, such persons as John Spaulding and his wife, Martha, Henry Lake, a former business associate of Solomon Spaulding, Oliver Smith, Aaron Wright, and Nahum Howard, all of Conneaut, Ohio, all of whom certified that the Book of Mormon and Spaulding's romance were in substance identical. Finally, Rigdon's brother-in-law, Rev. Adam Bently, and Alexander Campbell both testify ("The Millennial Harbinger," 1844) that as much as two years beore the Mormon Bible made its appearance Rigdon told them that "such a book was coming out, the manuscript of which had been found engraved on gold plates." In spite of this, Rigdon claimed that he first heard of the Book of Mormon from parley P. Pratt in August, 1830. In light of this evidence, whence think ye came the Book of Mormon, and what is its claim to divine authority? Was not Rigdon Joseph Smith's angel?


Note: The above text contains some lines out of order and some incomplete sentences resulting from dropped words. Unfortunately only a partial clipping of the original Chicago article has so far been transcribed and it does not agree in every particular with the Fort Wayne reprint -- therefore the full and exact text remains uncertain. For more information of Rev. William A. Stanton and his views concerning Sidney Rigdon being "Joseph Smith's Angel" see a report of one of his sermons as published in an early July, 1899 issue of the Pittsburgh Post. Stanton's Chicago Standard article on Rigdon as the "angel" was recapitulated in Edgar E. Folk's 1900 book, The Mormon Monster, and as "Sidney Rigdon was Joseph Smith's 'Angel'" in Stanton's own c. 1907 book, Three Important Movements, (Philadelphia: Am. Bap. Pub. Soc., pp. 36-41). Stanton's book was also noticed in the RLDS Saints' Herald soon after its publication (see the Aug. 20, 1913 issue for a passing mention, and the Oct 29, 1913 issue for a substantial review).