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Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 3, 6 May 1845–13 January 1846

6 May 1845 • Tuesday, continued Page 1 10 May 1845 • Saturday Page 4 9 September 1845 • Tuesday Page 13 30 September 1845 • Tuesday Page 33 4 October 1845 • Saturday Page 42 11 January 1846 • Sunday Page 85 13 January 1846 • Tuesday Page 109

Source Note

Historical Introduction

Page [42]

4 October 1845 • Saturday
Editorial Note
On 4 October 1845 the council assembled at the for a lengthy session that lasted from 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This meeting took place in the shadow of negotiations between church leaders and General and other government officials. After briefly meeting with the Quorum of the Twelve on 30 September, Hardin and his troops unsuccessfully searched the (including the and the ), supposedly looking for stolen goods and the bodies of two men allegedly murdered in the city. Latter-day Saints, however, thought the searches were a ruse to search for other items, such as cannons that might be used in the defense of Nauvoo. The next afternoon, on 1 October, Hardin and again met with church leaders at the home of to discuss the Saints’ offer to leave the state in the spring to end the violence in the . had discussed with the Council of Fifty a month earlier his intention to send a company “somewhere near the Great Salt Lake” in search of a place to settle. At this meeting with Hardin and Douglas, however, church leaders stated that they planned to locate at Vancouver Island, a region claimed by both the and Great Britain. In suggesting they intended to go to Vancouver Island, they sought to disguise their true intention out of fear that the federal government would attempt to halt any effort to immigrate to Mexican territory (including the area around the Great Salt Lake), as Governor had suggested in April. Hardin and Douglas approved the plan, and Douglas stated that “there would be no gover[n]ment obj[e]ction to it.”
Church leaders also discussed with and arrangements that would allow the Saints to dispose of their property. had publicly stated that the Mormons would agree to leave only if the anti-Mormons and others promised to help them sell or rent their properties and had suggested that a committee of both Mormon and anti-Mormon parties be formed for that purpose. In the meeting Hardin instead suggested that the church appoint trustees-in-trust for that purpose and warned that Mormon properties might not sell, although Young reiterated his desire for a joint committee. Finally, Hardin wanted church leaders to “give the public some convincing tokens that it was our determinations to leave here in the spring.” Though Young responded that “we cannot give a greater testimony than not sowing wheat,” he complied with Hardin’s request for a written statement declaring the Mormons’ intention. Hardin left on 3 October to confer with the anti-Mormon representatives who had convened at on 1 and 2 October.
The 4 October 1845 council meeting opened with a reading of ’s report of his conversations with the anti-Mormons at and other documents related to the crisis. According to , while these were being read, “the members of the council indulged themselves with quite a season of rejoicing and pleasure,” possibly because these difficulties had accelerated the need to find a new home for the Saints—a desire that had inspired the creation of the council. Plans that they had contemplated since their earliest sessions with JS could now be set in motion without the specter of mob violence clouding their prospects.
After reading the reports from , the council discussed preparations for removing west. At ’s suggestion, the council voted to suspend publication of the Nauvoo Neighbor and the Times and Seasons. Additionally, Young suggested that a committee be formed to gather “every mean, dastardly publication” about the Mormons printed in the and republish them to highlight the negative treatment of the Saints. While Young briefly excused himself from the meeting, the council voted on names for their publication. When Young returned, he objected to the names and—after appointing , , and to write the document—suggested that the question of the name be dropped until later. Council members also heard the report of the committee on preparing for the journey west and discussed arrangements to sell land in and the logistics of getting enough wheat ground to supply the Saints. The council adjourned sine die.
Saturday October 4th. 1845 Council met pursuant to adjournment in the upper room of the and organized at 9 ¾ o clock A. M. President in the chair.
Present , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , & .
The council was opened with prayer by .— [p. [42]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 3, 6 May 1845–13 January 1846
ID #
11603
Total Pages
387
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Clayton

Footnotes

  1. [70]

    William Clayton, Willard Richards, and Heber C. Kimball all noted that the council assembled at the Seventies Hall at 9:00 a.m., the time appointed for the meeting; according to the minutes, however, the session did not begin for another forty-five minutes. Richards further noted that the council adjourned at 2:30 p.m. (Clayton, Journal, 4 Oct. 1845; Richards, Journal, 4 Oct. 1845; Kimball, Journal, 4 Oct. 1845.)

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

    Kimball, Heber C. Journal, Nov. 1845–Jan. 1846. CHL.

  2. [71]

    Clayton, Journal, 30 Sept. 1845; Hosea Stout, Reminiscences and Journal, 30 Sept. 1845.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Stout, Hosea. Reminiscences and Journals, 1845–1869. Microfilm. CHL. Originals at Utah State Historical Society, Salt Lake City. Also available as On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1844–1861, edited by Juanita Brooks, 2 vols. (1964. Reprint, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press; Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1982).

  3. [72]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 9 Sept. 1845.

  4. [73]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 15 Apr. 1845; Richards, Journal, 1 Oct. 1845. Reflecting on this meeting with Hardin nearly ten years later, George A. Smith stated that at the time church leaders “thought, proper not to reveal the secret of our intention to flee to the mountains.” Instead, “as a kind of put off, it was communicated in the strictest confidence to General Hardin, who promised never to tell of it, that we intended to settle Vancouver’s Island. This report, however, was industriously circulated, as we anticipated it would be.” In 1846 Young hoped to use Vancouver Island as a settlement site for British immigrants, but it is unclear whether that intention existed at this point. (George A. Smith, in Journal of Discourses, 24 July 1854, 2:23; Richards, Journal, 14 and 24 July 1846; Lee, Journal, 7 Aug. 1846.)

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

    Journal of Discourses. 26 vols. Liverpool: F. D. Richards, 1855–1886.

    Lee, John D. Journals, 1844–1853. CHL.

  5. [74]

    Whereas a council of the authorities (Nauvoo, IL: 24 Sept. 1845), copy at BYU.

    Whereas a council of the authorities. Nauvoo, IL: 24 Sept. 1845. Copy at BYU.

  6. [75]

    Richards, Journal, 1 Oct. 1845.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

  7. [76]

    Hosea Stout, Reminiscences and Journal, 1 Oct. 1845.

    Stout, Hosea. Reminiscences and Journals, 1845–1869. Microfilm. CHL. Originals at Utah State Historical Society, Salt Lake City. Also available as On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1844–1861, edited by Juanita Brooks, 2 vols. (1964. Reprint, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press; Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1982).

  8. [77]

    Richards, Journal, 1 Oct. 1845.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

  9. [78]

    John J. Hardin et al. to “the First President and Council of the Church,” Nauvoo, IL, 1 Oct. 1845; Brigham Young, Nauvoo, IL, to John J. Hardin et al., Hancock Co., IL, 1 Oct. 1845, Hardin Family Papers, Chicago History Museum.

    Hardin Family Papers, 1733–1943. Chicago History Museum.

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