Vol. X.
Springfield Illinois, June 10, 1842.
No. 42.
LET HIM THAT
READETH UNDERSTAND.
The Editor of the State Register, and other Van Buren presses of this State, are endeavoring to create a
sympathy in favor of the Mormons, the European Catholics, and the Van Buren office-holders, who are associated
in politics, by charging some of our candidates with laboring to excite a spirit of persecution against them.
We have heard one of Gen. Duncan's speeches, and he certainly said nothing about the Mormon or Catholic
religion, but did say much, and the public has much to say, about the Van Buren office-holders,
forming a coalition with those two churches, which are known, (so far as the Mormons and European Catholics
are concerned), under the dictation of their Pope, and Priests and Prophet. Mr. Van Buren's instructions to
our Charge d'Affaires at Naples, to assure the Pope of Rome, that "it would afford him pleasure to extend
the protections of the government to his (the Pope's) subjects in the United States," must be
understood as an acknowledgment that a foreign potentate may, and does hold the subjects, in this land, by
the Constitution and laws of which, every man is declared free and independent, and by which same constitution
every citizen is prohibited from receiving any honorable title from, or holding allegiance to any foreign
prince or power; and no man, with true American feelings, can regard the person, who would utter so servile
a sentiment for the purpose of securing votes in his favor, influenced and controlled by a foreign power, in
any other light than as a traitor to his country. The late Acts of the Legislature of New York, passed by a
party vote of the Van Burenites, in obedience to the dictation of Bishop Hughes, is another evidence of the
disposition of this organized office seeking party, to still further secure the votes of the subjects of His
Holiness in this country.
The people have much to say, and will say much also, in relation to the CORRUPT BARGAIN between
the leaders of the same party in Illinois, and Joe Smith, the Mormon prophet, by which they have formed a
league to govern the State. They give him power, and he is to give them votes. It is for exposing this infamous
and dangerous plot, that the editor of the State Register is endeavoring to create a sympathy in favor of the
Mormons, by a hypocritical attempt to raise the cry of persecution.
And in order to put the public in full possession of what we consider conclusive evidence of the existence
of such a nefarious PLOT AND LEAGUE, we have been at considerable trouble to embody and now
present them various extracts from the Acts which grant odious and dangerous powers to the Mormons, from the
"Times and Seasons," their newspaper, and from the Journals of the Legislature, which Journals clearly show
that it was the leaders of the Van Buren party, who smuggled those Acts through the Legislature; --
The 10th section of the Act Incorporating the Nauvoo House Association, is in the following words: --
"And whereas Joseph Smith has furnished the said association with the ground whereon to erect said house, it
is further declared, that the said Smith, and his heirs shall hold by PERPETUAL SUCCESSION a
suit of rooms in the said house, to be set apart and conveyed in due form of law."
See Acts of 1841, page 132.
The only objection the public can have to this provision is the attempt to entail an estate upon the
family of this head of the Mormon church; which is a principle odious to freemen, is against the spirit and
genius of our government, and if this office seeking party be once fairly established in power through the
influence of this coalition, will undoubtedly be followed in its usual accompaniment of an hereditary title,
to be held by him and his heirs in like perpetual succession.
The act incorporating the City of Nauvoo, confers upon the Mormons most extraordinary powers, Section 25 of
this act provides for the establishment of a University, conferring upon its officers legislative powers,
equal to those possessed by the Legislature itself.
Section 25 of the same act provides for the establishment of a military corps of indefinite size, called
"Legion," to the officers of which are granted powers both dangerous and offensive. By it, the commissioned
military officers are constituted the "Law Making power," with no restriction whatever, except the
constitution of the United States and of this State, -- the force of which may be seen from the entire section
as follows: --
"The City Council may organize the inhabitants of said city subject
to military duty, into a body of independent military men, to be called the
"Nauvoo Legion," the Court Martial of which shall be composed of the
commissioned officers of said Legion, and constitute the law-making
department, with full power and authority to make, ordain, establish, and
execute all such laws and ordinances as may be considered necessary for the
benefit, government, and regulation of said Legion; provided said Court
Martial shall pass no law or act, repugnant to, or inconsistent with, the
constitution of the United States, or of this State; and provided also that
the officers of the Legion shall be commissioned by the Governor of the
State. The said Legion shall perform the same amount of military duty as is
now, or may be hereafter required of the regular militia of the State, and
shall be at the disposal of the Mayor in executing the laws and ordinances
of the city corporation, and the laws of the State, and at the disposal of
the Governor for the public defence, and the execution of the laws of the
State or of the United States, and shall be entitled to their proportion of
the public arms; and provided also, that said Legion shall be exempt from
all other military duty."
Under the power conferred by this section the Mormons have created the office of Lieutenant General, and
have elected Joe Smith to the same, who has actually been commissioned by the Governor as such officer,
which makes him the highest military officer in the United States, and when in the service of the United
States, he will command all its armies. Gen. WASHINGTON was appointed Lieutenant General after
the revolution, but since his resignation the office remained vacant in the army of the United States, and
thus Joe Smith is believed to be the only officer of that rank now in this country. He is certainly the superior
of all the militia officers of Illinois, and in service will rank above them all. Although some question his
right to command Gen. Scott, if called into the service of the United States, yet it is the opinion of
experienced military men with whom we have conferred, that there is no doubt upon this point, as no rule is
better understood or more clearly settled in our country, than that, when a regular and militia officer are
acting together in the United States service, if of the same grade the former takes precedence, but if the
militia officer is of superior rank, he is entitled to the command; and thus, as Lieutenant General is higher
than Major General, and the latter is the highest office in the army of the United States, there can be no
doubt, that when in the service of the United States, Lieutenant General Joseph Smith will command her armies.
Thus it will be seen that the "law-making power" given to this extraordinary military corps, composed as it is
chiefly of foreigners, is bad enough. But it is not worse than the omission to require of its officers an oath
to support the constitution of the United States, and of this State. The 26th section of the same act exempts
these privileged Mormons from working on the public roads, and only requires of them three days work in the
year upon the streets of their city, while all other citizens may be compelled to work each year five days upon
the roads.
Section 27, of the same act is in the following words:
"The City Council shall have power to provide for the punishment of
offenders by imprisonment in the county or city jail, in all cases when such
offenders shall fail or refuse to pay the fines and forfeitures, which may
be recovered against them." (See Acts of 1841, page 57.)
Here power is given to the Mormons to imprison, for an indefinite and unlimited period, which may be
extended to continue during his life, any person who may be unable to unwillingly pay any fine they may
choose to impose for any breach, real or imaginary, of any law or ordinance they may choose to enact.
And as an example of the danger our citizens are in from this power, being lodged in their hands, we copy
from the Times and Seasons, of October 1st, 1841, the first law passed by this extraordinary corporation
under their most extraordinary charter. It is entitled: --
"AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES."
"Sec. 1st. Be it ordained by the City Council of the city of Nauvoo, that the Catholics, Presbyterians,
Methodists, Baptists, Latter-Day Saints, Quakers, Episcopalians, Universalists, Unitarians, Mohammedans, and
all other religious sects, and denominations, whatever, shall have free toleration, and equal privileges, in
this city, and should any person be guilty of ridiculing, abusing, or otherwise depreciating another,
in consequence of his religion, or of disturbing, or interrupting, any religious meeting, within the limits
of this city, he shall on conviction thereof before the Mayor, or Municipal Court be considered a disturber
of the public peace, and fined in any sum not exceeding five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not exceeding six
months, or both, at the discretion of said Mayor, or Court.
Sec. 2nd. It is hereby made the duty of all municipal officers to notice, and report to the Mayor, any breach
or violation of this or any other ordinance of this city that may come within their knowledge, or of which they
may be advised; and any officer aforesaid is hereby fully authorized to arrest all such violators of rule, law,
and order either with or without, process.
Sec. 3d. This ordinance to take effect and be in force, from and after its passage/
Passed, March 1, A. D. 1841
John C. Bennett, Mayor.
James Sloan, Recorder."
We would enquire, what citizen can be safe in passing through that favored city, if he is liable to a fine of
five hundred dollars and imprisonment for six months, (and for life if he cannot pay the fine), for "ridiculing,
abusing, or otherwise depreciating" the Mormon or any other religion, especially when it is made the
duty of every officer to notice and report it to the Mayor, who is the final judge in the case, and that, too,
without the ordinary process of law, which in every other case, and before every other tribunal in the State is
considered indispensable to the protection of the liberty and property of citizens?
Enough, we think, has been quoted from these laws, to shew that more power than is safe, proper, or consistent
with the liberty and security of our citizens has been conferred upon this Mormon Church, and thus has been
consummated that most to be deprecated and justly odious of all unions, that of Church and State -- the Church
here being constituted the law making power in four distinct departments, the civil government. the military,
the judiciary, and the literary.
Now for the history of the passage of these acts through the Legislature, the how, and the wherefore. These
measures were introduced into the Senate by Mr. Little, a whig Senator from Hancock county, who held his seat,
(we believe), by Mormon votes, and, therefore, may have felt bound to present them, whether he voted for them
or not.
The first in order, being the bill to incorporate the city of Nauvoo, after being thus introduced was, a motion
of Mr. Richardson, read a second time by its title, and on motion of Mr. Little referred to the committee on
the judiciary (see Senate Journal, Friday, 27th November, 1840) and was on the 5th day of December, 1840 (see
Senate Journal, page 45) reported back by Mr. Snyder, from the committee on the judiciary, to whom the same had
been referred, with an amendment, which was concurred in, and the bill ordered to be engrossed and read a third
time. No vote on this bill appears to have been recorded in the Senate, and the above is all that we can find
in its Journal respecting it.
In the House of Representatives on the 10th of December, on motion of Mr. Dodge, this bill was considered, and
on motion of Mr. Turney, the rules of the House were dispensed with, and it was read the first and second time
by its title, and referred to the committee on the judiciary. (See House Journal, page 100).
On the 12th day of the same month, Mr. Kitchell, from the Committee on the Judiciary to whom the same had been
referred, reported this bill back to the House without amendment, and it was ordered to a third reading -- when
Mr. Oliver moved to dispense with the rules of the House, and that the bill be read a third time by its title,
which was agreed to, and the bill was passed. (See House Journal, page 110.)
This the short history of the passage of an act incorporating a city, establishing an university, creating an
independent military legion, and authorizing the imprisonment of our citizens, all without recording a vote at
any sta[ge] in either house, and without reading the bill at all, in the House of Representatives. It will be
borne in mind, that Mr. Little, though a whig, was elected by the Mormons, and that every other person who took
an active part in smuggling this bill through the legislature, was of the organized Van Buren party; neither
must it be forgotten that these persons profess to be opposed to all acts of incorporation, and were on all
other occasions very strenuous to have a repealing clause in all such acts, although no such clause was proposed
to this act.
The evidence that a corrupt motive influenced certain leaders to effect the passage of this act, does not stop
here. We have the report of a speech made by Mr. Hicks, of Jefferson county, before a considerable audience at
the court house in which is found the following:
"Mr. Hicks said, 'he had examined the charters granted to the Mormons -- that he was opposed to all such
incorporations, and was about to oppose these, but was persuaded to let them pass by his democratic friends,
who assured him that if they could get these bills through, the Mormons would vote for their candidates at the
next election, and as he had differed on some other occasions from his democratic friends, which had given
offence, he was induced to abandon his opposition to these bills and let them pass.'"
It will be seen by the following letter from the Mormon Prophet, which we copy from the Times & Seasons of
May 6th, 1841, that Judge Douglass, who is notoriously one of the greatest managers of the party, and who has
boasted of having introduced the Van Buren Convention system in this State, has had an efficient agency in
procuring the passage of these measures; and if he had no hand in making the bargain, the public have a right
to call him to explain how he has ever proved himself friendly to the people, and how and with whom he
interested himself to obtain these several charters, holding as he did at the time, the office of Secretary
of State; and why did they vote him the freedom of the city?
"CITY OF NAUVOO,
May 6th, 1841.
To the editors of the Times and Seasons:
Gentlemen, -- I wish through the medium of your paper to make known, that on Sunday last I had the honor of
receiving a visit from the Hon. Stephen A. Douglass, Justice of the Supreme Court and Judge of the Fifth Judicial
District of the State of Illinois * * * who addressed the assembly and expressed his
satisfaction at what he had seen and heard respecting our people, and took that opportunity of returning thanks
to the citizens of Nauvoo, for conferring upon him the freedom of the city, stating that he was not aware of
rendering us any services of sufficient importance to deserve such marked honor. Judge Douglass has ever
proved himself friendly to this people, and interested himself to obtain for us our several charters, holding
at the time the office of Secretary of State.
I am, very respectfully, yours, &c.
JOSEPH SMITH,"
If an honorable or pure motive induced Judge Douglass to use his official influence with the legislature, let
him show how, and with whom he used his influence. He certainly cannot plead ignorance of the outrageous provisions
of these "great chartered privileges." But the Judge's connection with, or service to, these Mormons, does not stop
here, as appears from the following extract from a General order of Lieut. General Joseph Smith, which was
occasioned by a controversy between the Nauvoo legion and the Hancock county militia, in which the Judge takes
sides with the Mormons; and as appears from the papers, appointed the Mormon Major General Bennett, Master in
Chancery, to protect the Mormons. This appears to have given great offence to the citizens of that county. The
General order referred to is published in the Times and Seasons of May 15, 1841.
"NAUVOO LEGION,
Head Quarters Nauvoo
Legion, City of Nauvoo,
Ills., May 4, 1842.
* * * As will be seen by the following opinion of Judge Douglass, of the Supreme Court
of the State of Illinois, than whom no man stands more deservedly high in the public estimation, as an able and
profound jurist, politician and statesman; the officers and privates belonging to the Legion, are exempt
from all military duty, not required by the legally constituted authorities thereof, they are therefore
expressly inhibited from performing any military service not ordered by the General officers, or directed by the
court martial. * * * "
Here follows the opinion of Judge Douglass, which shows that he prejudiced and decided, by volunteering an
opinion upon matters of law that were almost certain to come before him for adjudication in his judicial
capacity -- besides which he appointed the Mormon Major General Bennett, Master in Chancery, in reference to
this particular case. Comment upon a course so extraordinary, unprecedented and abhorrent to all who value the
purity and independence of the judiciary, is useless and renders unnecessary any remarks upon the conduct imputed
to him by rumor, in relation to his discharging this Joe Smith from arrest by virtue of a State warrant issued
upon the requisition of the Governor of Missouri, in which State Joe was indicted for high treason -- and similar
conduct in granting anew trial to two Mormons, convicted of larceny by a jury, and the entry of a
nolle prosequi by the State's Attorney, another Van Buren disciple.
The general order proceeds:
"If officers act upon the obsolete laws of the "little book" which have been repealed tears since, it will be
sweet to the taste but "make the belly bitter," and should any civil or military officer attempt to enforce the
collection of any military fines upon the members of the legion, excepting when such fines are assessed by the
court martial of the Legion, such persons are directed to apply to the Master in Chancery for Hancock county,
for an injunction to stay the illegal proceedings.
JOSEPH SMITH,
Lieut. General.
JOHN C. BENNETT,
Maj. General.
And he might have added, "Mayor of the City of Nauvoo, Chancellor of the University, Master in Chancery
for Hancock Circuit Court, and Quarter Master General of Illinois."
This appointment by Judge Douglass of Major General Bennett as Master in Chancery, called forth severe strictures
upon Bennett and Douglass, from a press located in a neighboring village, as will be seen from an extract from the
Times and Seasons" of June [1], 1841.
"THE WARSAW SIGNAL."
"We can hardly find language to express our surprise and disapprobation at the conduct of the Editor of the Signal
as manifested in that paper of the 19th ult.
We had fondly hoped that the sentiments there expressed, would never have dared to be uttered by any individual,
in the community in which we reside, * * * and we would ask the editor of the Signal what is the cause of his
hostility, of this sudden and unexpected ebulition of feeling, this spirit of opposition and animosity? Whose
rights have been * * * disturbed? Gen. Bennett has been appointed Master in Chancery, by Judge Douglass, and Gen.
Bennett is a Mormon." * * *
Again, Governor Carlin has not been wanting in his contributions to pamper the pride and gratify the ambition of
this warlike people. He has appointed General Bennett his Quarter Master General, by virtue of which office he
has possession of all the arms of the State, and has actually taken most of them to the head quarters of the
Nauvoo Legion. And what renders the Governor's servility to this people still more conspicuous and odious, is his
having permitted Bennett to continue to hold the Office of the Quartermaster General of this State, while Major
General of the Nauvoo Legion; offices wholly incompatible with each other; -- and that this was the case was evident
from two general orders issued by Bennett, one in each of the before mentioned capacities, and published in the
'Times and Seasons' of May 15th, 1841.
The heading, signatures and same extracts from bearing date, 4th May, 1841,
have already been given; -- the other is as follows:
"State of Illinois, City of Nauvoo.
Quarter Master General's Office.
May 8th, A. D. 1841.
To The Militia of Illinois, etc. etc. * * *
Signed, John C. Bennett,
Quarter Master General of Illinois.
In order to exhibit the spirit actuating, and the designs intended by these Mormon allies of the organized
Van Buren office-seeking party, we introduce a few extracts from their writings and speeches. The first is from
an oration delivered by Sidney Rigdon:
"We take God and all the Holy Angels to witness this day, that we warn all men in the name of Jesus Christ, to
come on us no more forever. The man or set of men, who attempt it, does it at the expense of their lives.
* * * * * *
No man shall be at liberty to come into our streets, to threaten us with mobs,
for if he does, he shall atone for it before he leaves the place; neither shall he be at liberty, to villify
and slander any of us, for suffer, it we will not; neither will we indulge any man, or set of men, in instituting
vexatious law-suits against us, to cheat us out of our just rights; if they attempt it we say
woe be unto them. We this day then proclaim ourselves free, with a purpose and a determination, that
never can be broken, "no never, NO NEVER, NO NEVER."
In the book of Covenants, page 191, is found the following:
"Wherefore I say unto you, that I have sent unto you mine everlasting covenant, (namely the book of Mormon)
even that which was from the beginning, and that which I have promised I have so fulfilled, and the nations of
the earth, shall bow to it; and, if not of themselves, they shall come down, for that which is now exalted
of itself shall be laid low of power."
On page 76:
"Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may. Prepare ye, prepare
ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh; and the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is
sheathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth, that they that will not hear the voice
of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the
people; Wherefore I have called upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised to thrash
the nations by the power of my spirit; and their arm shall be my arm, and I will be their shield and their buckler,
and I will gird up their loins, and they shall fight manfully for me, and their enemies shall be under their feet;
and I will let fall the sword in their behalf; and with the fire of my indignation will I preserve them."
The following is by Parley P. Pratt, one of
the Mormon twelve apostles:
"The Government of the United States has been engaged, for upwards of seven years, in gathering the remnant of
Joseph (the Indians) to the very place where they will finally build the New Jerusalem; a city of Zion; with the
acquisition of the believing gentiles, who will gather with them from all the nations of the earth; and this
gathering is clearly predicted in the book of Mormon, and the place appointed, and the time set for its fulfillment;
and except the gentiles repent of all their abominations and embrace the same covenant, (the book of Mormon) and
come into the same place of gathering, they will soon be destroyed from off the face of the land, as it is written
by Isaiah, 'The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish." And I will state as a prophesy, that
there will not be an unbelieving gentile on the face of this continent 50 years hence; and if they are not greatly
scourged, and in a great measure overthrown in 5 or 10 years from this date, (1838,) then the book of Mormon will
have proved itself false."
William W. Phelps, Post-master, in the county of Caldwell, Mo., makes the following
statement on oath in a judicial proceedings.
"Mr. Rigdon arose and made an address to them, in which he spoke of having borne persecutions, and law-suits,
and other privations, and did not intend to bear them any longer, that they meant to resist the law, and if a
sheriff came after them with writs they would kill him, and if any body opposed them, they would take off their
heads." "Joseph Smith, jr. followed Mr. Rigdon, approving his sentiments, and said that was what they intended
to do. Mr. Rigdon then commenced making covenants with uplifted hands, one of which was, that if any persons
from the surrounding country came into their town, walking about, no odds who he might be, any one of that
meeting should kill him, and throw him aside into the brush. Another covenant was, to conceal all things. These
measures were carried unanimously in the form of covenants with uplifted hands. Mr. Rigdon then observed, that
the kingdom of Heaven had no secrets, that yesterday a man slipped his wind, and was dragged into the hazel
brush; and, said he, the man who lisps it shall die."
We conclude the mass of testimony compiled for the purpose of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt the positions
assumed by us, by quoting a proclamation of Lieutenant General Joseph Smith, which is said by some of his Van
Buren friends to have been issued by him in consequence of his nomination for Lieutenant Governor, in the Van
Buren Convention -- it being a principle with that party for every person, when fairly initiated, to use his
utmost exertions to sustain its measures. But we think the evidence of its being in pursuance of a corrupt bargain,
sticks out too plainly to impose such an excuse upon the people. But we give the document from the "Times and
Seasons," in which it was published:
STATE GUBERNATORIAL CONVENTION.
City of Nauvoo, Illinois,
December 20th, A. D. 1841.
To my friends in Illinois: --
The Gubernatorial Convention of the State of Illinois, have nominated Colonel Adam W. Snyder for Governor,
and Colonel John Moore for LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR of the State of Illinois -- election
to take place in August next. -- Colonel Moore, like Judge Douglass, and Esq. Warren, was an intimate
friend of General Bennett, long before that gentleman became a member of our community; and General Bennett
informed us that no men were more efficient in assisting him to procure our chartered privileges than were
Colonel Snyder and Colonel Moore. -- They are sterling men, and friends of equal rights -- opposed to the
oppressor's grasp, and the tyrant's rod. With such men at the head of our State Government we have nothing to fear.
In the next canvass we shall be influenced by no party consideration -- and no Carthagenian coalescence or
collusion, with our people will be suffered to affect, or operate against General Bennett or any other of our
tried friends already semi-officially in the field; so the partizans in this county who expect to divide the
friends of humanity and equal rights will find themselves mistaken -- we care not a fig for Whig or
Democrat: they are both alike to us; but we shall go for our friends, our tried friends, and
the cause of human liberty which is the cause of God. We are aware that "Divide and conquer" is
the watch-word with many, but with us it cannot be done -- we love liberty too well -- we have suffered too much
to be easily duped -- we have no cat's-paws amongst us. We voted for Gen. Harrison because we loved him --
he was a gallant officer and a tried statesman; but this is no reason why we should always be
governed by his friends -- he is now dead and all of his friends are not ours. We
claim the privileges of freemen, and shall act accordingly. Douglass is a Master Spirit, and his friends
and our friends -- we are willing to cast our banner on the air, and fight by his side in the cause of
humanity, and equal rights -- the cause of liberty and the law. Snyder, and Moore, are his friends -- they are
ours. These men are free from the prejudices and superstitions of the age, and such men we love, and such men
will ever receive our support, be their political predilections what they may. Snyder, and Moore are known to be
our friends; their friendship is vouched for by those whom we have tried. We will never be justly charged with
the sin of ingratitude -- they have served us, and we will serve them.
JOSEPH SMITH.
Lieutenant General of the Nauvoo Legion.
To every one who has given the foregoing a careful perusal, we would put the question -- Can any candid man, who
is not blinded by the desire or hope of getting a office, doubt for an instant that the
VAN BUREN PARTY: -- by which we mean those who are striving to live upon the public, and fatten
upon its resources and the office-holders and seekers -- are willing and desirous to connect themselves with
any faction, and even willing to sacrifice the dearest rights of their country upon the altar of personal
ambition, and private gain, for the purpose of obtaining power, and the emoluments of office? Remember how long
they clung to the railroad system and the Canal, even after our credit was prostrated, and our resources
exhausted, with no other object in view than to continue their partizans in office by securing the foreign votes.
These means having failed, they now seek the same and by forming an union with the Mormons, the Catholic powers
of Europe, and the nullifers of the South, -- and thus to form a party of discordant elements, whose only bond
of union, and common object is, power and spoil. In view of these facts, has not the time come when the
PEOPLE -- the honest, the hard-working, the tax-paying People -- should take the management
of the Government into their own hands, and drive from their posts, and confine to their proper sphere, all those
office-holding, office-seeking drones, who have been multiplied in the country for the purpose of ruling it, and
have sought to trample upon its liberties that they might riot upon its distresses -- and in which unholy designs
they have been for the last twelve years successful?
MORMON VIRULENCE AGAINST
GOVERNOR DUNCAN.
We copy below some extracts from "The Wasp," a Mormon paper of may 28th, published at Nauvoo -- exhibiting the
bitterness of that people towards Governor Duncan, which appear to us exceedingly offensive, coupled, as they
are, with vulgarity and vindictiveness. And the use of such language by professors of religion, acting as a body,
and speaking through their official organ, towards a candidate for office, for merely exposing what he considers
an improper grant of power to them by a political party, induced by the corrupt purpose of securing their votes,
should arouse the apprehension that all is not right with them, and shews satisfactorily that the charge of corrupt
intent is not unadvisedly made.
In noticing the remarks made by Gov. Duncan at Edwardsville, "The Wasp" used the following language: --
"If Gov. Duncan had said that his DISGRACEFUL attempt to palm upon his political party and the
good people of the State of Illinois generally, a list of LIES of the blackest kind until the faithful,
righteous and eternal prediction has been fulfilled on his head, that "Liars shall have their part in the Lake
which burns with fire and brimstone!"
In a fictitious letter published in the same paper charging Gov. Duncan with dishonest conduct, is the
following: --
"They say here at Edwardsville, that Joe Duncan is up for Governor. If he is elected, I say that mobs
and destruction await the Saints."
After charging Gov. Duncan with saying severe things of Joe Smith, it proceeds.
"They call him Governor. He did not appear to me larger than a skunk, nor of any more importance."
In reference to Gov. Duncan's remark, that "he was for extending to the Mormons the same and no other privileges
than were enjoyed by other citizens," but that he unhesitatingly declared "that he should go for taking from them
all extraordinary, exclusive and anti-republican powers granted to them by the dominant party in the Legislature
for the purpose of obtaining their votes," the Mormon official paper coolly says, "when he gets the power!"
-- thus arrogantly and vauntingly bidding defiance to any and all the powers of the State, and the people,
to repeal or modify their most extraordinary charters.
MURDER, "A NOBLE DEED."
Joe Smith thus notices the attempted murder of Gov. Boggs, in the Nauvoo "Wasp," of
May 28: --
Nauvoo, Ill., May 22, A. D. 1842.
MR. BARTLETT: --
Dear Sir: -- In your paper (the Quincy Whig,) of the 21st inst.,
you have done me manifest injustice, in
ascribing to me a prediction of the demise of Lilburn W. Boggs, ex-Governor of Missouri, by violent hands.
Boggs was a candidate for the State Senate, and I presume fell by the hand of a political opponent, with his
"hands and face yet dripping with the blood of murder," but he died not through my instrumentality. My hands
are clear, and my heart is pure from the blood of all men. I am tired of the misrepresentation, calumny, and
detraction heaped upon me by wicked men, and desire and claim only that privilege guarantied to all men by the
Constitution and laws of the United States and of Illinois. Will you do me the justice to publish this
communication and oblige.
Yours, respectfully,
JOSEPH SMITH.
The same paper commenting upon the attempted MURDER of Gov. Boggs, says:
"The most wonderful development is, that 'it appears Jo Smith has made several threats against Missouri.' The
public can hardly be gulled by such foolish libles. Boggs is undoubtedly killed, according to report, but who
did the NOBLE DEED remains to be found out."
We submit these extracts without comment:
MORMON CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR.
Judge Breese has undergone the bow-string. The State Printer and Secretary of State, as emissaries of the junto
here, returned on Monday from a flying visit to his honor. It is understood that they proposed to the judge, that
if he would decline being a candidate for Governor, he should be made U. S. Senator in place of Judge Young. So
many promises had been made to him, that he hesitated; -- on which he was informed that in case of contumacy they
were commissioned to apply the bow-string. Breese then agreed to submit quietly, only asking that the question --
who shall be the candidate? -- should be submitted to a meeting of the party friends now on a visit to Springfield,
-- so that he could yield with honor. The worthy emissaries gave each other a knowing wink, and agreed to the
proposition. A letter was written, which will be published, probably in the Register of this week, and the string
was then applied. On returning to this city, the emissaries and other members of the junto, put the democracy
into proper training, held the meeting as agreed, and secured the nomination of Judge Ford.
We have no doubt that "Esq. Warren," who is the same person named in the proclamation of the Lieutenant General,
delivered to the Loco Foco meeting last night, the mandates of the said Lieutenant General Joe Smith, in favor of
Judge Ford, as he was present, and it is said the nomination was unanimous. We heard a rumor on Tuesday that Smith
and Rigdon were both in this city, but it may not be so; if the rumor be true, they were doubtless in the meeting,
and spoke for themselves.
The Mormon Candidate for Governor.
The party have not yet determined upon their candidate. Judge Ford, however, will be the man
Judge Breese and his friends are making a "splutter" in the lower part of the State, but it will be of
no avail. The Regency here are against him, and that settles the matter so far as he is concerned. It is
perfectly immaterial to us which of these individuals is the Mormon Candidate. They were both the supporters
of John Quincy Adams -- both his partizans -- and both went over to Mr. Van Buren when the old Federalists
generally went over to him.
GOVERNOR DUNCAN.
Gov. Duncan delivered an address to our citizens on Tuesday afternoon. His speech mainly, was a calm and candid
exposition of his course while Governor of this Senate, and of the corrupt coalition formed between the leaders
of the loco foco party and Joe Smith, for the votes of the Mormons. For many of the facts embraced in the article
under our editorial head, we are indebted to his speech. He was followed, in reply by Calvin A. Warren, Esq., a
lawyer of Quincy, -- the same gentleman who is referred to in the Proclamation of Lieutenant General Joseph
Smith, as "Esq. Warren." Mr. Warren defended the Mormons and his party, from the charges made upon them, in a
labored speech of over three hours, consisting chiefly of stale anecdotes; -- when Gov. Duncan replied to him,
and showed that this Mr. Warren was the same man that had acted as Douglass' Master in Chancery, to take Joe
Smith out of the custody of the officers by a writ of habeas corpus, when he was arrested under a demand
from the Governor of Missouri; -- that he was now an agent and representative of the Mormons in this city, and
that he is the same man that went to the Missouri State's prison to pray with the abolitionists, who had been
convicted of an attempt to kidnap and liberate slaves. All of his eloquent appeal to the sympathy of the audience
in favor of the Mormons, if any had been created, vanished like thin air. After Mr. Warren had made a second
long speech attacking whig principles, Mr. E. D. Baker was called upon to reply, and after he had done, if there
was anything left of "Esq. Warren," we could not discover it.
The policy of General Duncan, while Governor, in relation to Banks, Internal Improvement, and other great
interests of our State, is now universally acknowledged to have been the true policy of the State. Had his
recommendations been followed we would have been saved from most of the evils which we are now suffering. --
Every intelligent man knows these facts; and the ballot boxes will tell that the People will sustain a long tried
and faithful public servant.
Notes: (forthcoming)
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