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Discourse, 6 August 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards

Source Note

JS, Discourse, [, Hancock Co., IL, 6 Aug. 1843]. Featured version copied [ca. 6 Aug. 1843] in JS, Journal, Dec. 1842–June 1844, bk. 3, pp. [32]–[36]; handwriting of ; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS, Journal, 1842–1844.

Historical Introduction

On 6 August 1843, in , Illinois, JS preached a sermon regarding the upcoming congressional election. In March 1843, the Illinois legislature had redrawn the boundaries of the state’s congressional districts, and the in made up a significant portion of the newly created sixth district. In response, both the Whigs and the Democrats sought to curry favor with the Saints. In previous Illinois state elections, the Whigs actively campaigned against the church, and the Saints reliably voted for the Democrats. However, the Whigs ceased their public attacks against the church in the months leading up to the 1843 election and, in an apparent attempt to court the Saints’ vote, nominated JS’s friend and attorney to run in the sixth congressional district. At some point prior to the election—likely around the time of Walker’s nomination—JS pledged his vote to Walker.
JS’s relationship with was further strengthened following the June 1843 attempt to extradite JS to . In June 1843, a grand jury in , Missouri, indicted JS for treason for his role in the 1838 conflicts between Latter-day Saints and their opponents in that state. On 13 June, Missouri governor issued a requisition to state officials demanding that the state apprehend JS and turn him over to , Missouri, sheriff for extradition to Missouri. Four days later, Illinois governor issued a warrant for JS’s arrest to , Illinois, constable . On 23 June, Reynolds and Wilson arrested JS near , Illinois, while he and his family were visiting ’s sister Elizabeth Hale Wasson.
Shortly after his arrest, JS retained , , and as legal counsel. In order to prevent JS from being immediately conveyed to , JS and his legal advisers petitioned for and procured a writ of from , Illinois, officials. After discovering that the local circuit court judge was out of town, JS, his attorneys, , and others made their way south toward , Illinois, reportedly to find circuit court judge . On 27 June, men from intercepted the convoy and escorted the party into . Once there, JS obtained a writ of habeas corpus from the municipal court. In a discourse delivered in the near the construction site that night, JS recounted the basic details of his capture and defended the city’s right, as stipulated in the Act to Incorporate the City of Nauvoo (commonly known as the Nauvoo charter), to issue writs of habeas corpus. The Nauvoo Municipal Court held a hearing on 1 July, ruling that JS be discharged from arrest “for want of substance in the warrant upon which he was arrested as well as upon the merits of said case.”
JS and the Saints were initially furious that governor , a Democrat whom they considered a political ally, allowed the extradition attempt to proceed. To defend Ford and win back the Saints’ vote, Democrats alleged that and other Whig politicians colluded with and other Whigs in to stage the extradition attempt. Whigs denounced such claims as base lies told to convince the Saints to vote for the Democrats. They also claimed that Ford was holding the threat of extradition over JS’s head as leverage to secure the Saints’ vote. However, some Whigs disapproved of Walker’s legal defense of and friendship with JS and withdrew their support from him. Still, knowing the importance of the Latter-day Saint vote in the district, both Walker and Democratic candidate continued to campaign in , giving political speeches and holding debates in the city on 29 July and 1 August.
Although JS privately promised to vote for , he and the Saints appear to have publicly maintained a position of neutrality between the two candidates. The Nauvoo Neighbor published letters to the editor in favor of both candidates but cautioned the Saints to unite behind a single candidate to preserve the political leverage of their votes. On 1 August, just six days before the election, JS received a letter from , whom had earlier sent as a “special agent” to investigate the facts surrounding the extradition attempt and subsequent hearing in . Brayman reassured JS of Ford’s good feelings toward him and the Saints. According to Brayman, Ford had reluctantly issued the writ to arrest JS out of his duty to the law, and after receiving affidavits from JS and others, he would issue no further writs to extradite JS. Brayman further assured JS of Ford’s continued protection regardless of whom the Saints voted for. The letter appears to have softened JS’s and other church leaders’ negative attitudes toward Ford and may have changed their political strategy.
On 2 August, an editorial in the Nauvoo Neighbor promised that would address the Saints three days later regarding the election. At the 5 August meeting, Hyrum Smith endorsed and encouraged the Saints to do likewise. , the second counselor in the , objected from the stand to Hyrum Smith’s pronouncement, reminded the audience of ’s support for JS and the Saints, and cited JS’s pledge to vote for Walker—which was apparently not public knowledge. Law evidently suggested that JS’s views should overrule Hyrum Smith’s, given JS’s senior church leadership position. In response to Law’s statements, Hyrum Smith announced that he had received a revelation that the Saints should support Hoge and the Democrats. An anonymous observer noted that Hyrum Smith’s remarks were “a death-blow” to Walker’s election. Adding weight to his remarks, just a few weeks earlier JS publicly announced that Hyrum Smith would take on greater prophetic responsibility over the church. Some cynical residents saw this announcement and Hyrum Smith’s subsequent discourse as a “political ruse” to swing the Latter-day Saint vote from Walker to Hoge. The public disagreement between Law and Hyrum Smith threatened to spoil the unified front church leaders promoted in the Nauvoo Neighbor.
The next day, the Saints held their regular Sunday worship service. Following an opening prayer by and a sermon on the subject of testimony by , JS addressed the Saints. JS discussed his relationship with and confirmed his earlier pledge to vote for him. However, JS also stated he did not want his name used for electioneering purposes and endorsed ’s revelation that church members should vote for . JS recanted his earlier complaints about ’s actions and acknowledged Ford as a “personal friend.” At the close of his discourse, JS responded to Pratt’s sermon and gave some remarks on the relationship between evidence and faith.
At least two residents recorded accounts of JS’s 6 August discourse. took detailed notes in JS’s journal entry for that date, and after the election on 7 August, an anonymous Nauvoo resident provided a version of the discourse to the editor of the New-York Daily Tribune. This anonymous author, referred to only as “K.” in the newspaper, was apparently a Latter-day Saint supporter of living in Nauvoo. He was possibly the same individual who earlier wrote a letter to the Nauvoo Neighbor in support of Walker’s election under the initials “A. K.” The 7 August letter to the Tribune discussed the election results and included a brief account of JS’s discourse the day before. The letter was published in the 24 August edition of the Tribune, from which the second featured version is excerpted.
On 7 August, JS rode to the polls with in his carriage and fulfilled his promise to vote for him. The Latter-day Saints voted overwhelmingly for , who won the vote in —2,088 to 733—and carried the district as well. The results infuriated Whigs in Hancock and surrounding counties, with local Whigs complaining that they lost only because a “Revelation from Heaven, prompted and brought about by Locofoco tactics, turned a majority against us.” The leading state Whig newspaper, the Sangamo Journal, similarly noted that “it required a revelation from Heaven! to make the Mormons accede to the wishes of .” Ultimately, JS’s and ’s discourses and the subsequent election led to a considerable increase in negative sentiment toward the Saints in .

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Elihu B. Washburne, Statement, 18 Feb. 1886, pp. 1–2, typescript, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, 1832–1954, Chicago History Museum; Gregg, History of Hancock County, Illinois, 290–291; Ford, History of Illinois, 314, 317–319.

    Manuscripts about Mormons at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, ca. 1832–1954. Microfilm. Chicago Historical Society.

    Gregg, Thomas. History of Hancock County, Illinois, Together with an Outline History of the State, and a Digest of State Laws. Chicago: Charles C. Chapman, 1880.

    Ford, Thomas. A History of Illinois, from Its Commencement as a State in 1818 to 1847. Containing a Full Account of the Black Hawk War, the Rise, Progress, and Fall of Mormonism, the Alton and Lovejoy Riots, and Other Important and Interesting Events. Chicago: S. C. Griggs; New York: Ivison and Phinney, 1854.

  2. [2]

    The account of this event in JS’s history compiled in 1855 claims that JS pledged his vote for Walker in exchange for Walker’s legal services after JS’s June 1843 arrest in northern Illinois, but other accounts, including the featured 6 August 1843 discourse, suggest that JS pledged his vote to Walker either in person or by letter around the time of Walker’s May 1843 nomination to office. (JS History, vol. D-1, 1584; Vogel, History of Joseph Smith, 1:xcix; Hawkins Taylor, 23 Dec. 1875, Letter to the Editor, Carthage [IL] Gazette, 5 Jan. 1876, [1]; History of McDonough County, Illinois, 389; “The Federal Whig Conspiracy to Obtain the Mormon Votes for Browning and Walker.—Unexampled Villany,” Illinois State Register [Springfield], 7 July 1843, [2]; “Dr. Wyl and Dr. Wm. Law,” Salt Lake Daily Tribune, 31 July 1887, [6]; Hedges, “Extradition, the Mormons, and the Election of 1843,” 131–135.)

    Vogel, Dan, ed. History of Joseph Smith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Source and Text-Critical Edition. 8 vols. Salt Lake City: Smith-Pettit Foundation, 2015.

    Carthage Gazette. Carthage, IL. 1865–1928.

    History of McDonough County, Illinois. Springfield, IL: Continental Historical Co., 1885.

    Illinois State Register. Springfield, IL. 1839–1861.

    Salt Lake Daily Tribune. Salt Lake City. 1871–.

    Hedges, Andrew H. “Extradition, the Mormons, and the Election of 1843.” Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 109, no. 2 (Summer 2016): 127–147.

  3. [3]

    Indictment, Daviess Co., MO, [5] June 1843, State of Missouri v. JS for Treason (Daviess Co. Cir. Ct. 1843), Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

  4. [4]

    “Part 4: June–July 1843.”

  5. [5]

    JS, Journal, 23 June 1843; Clayton, Journal, 23 June 1843; Chase, “Township of Amboy,” 57–58.

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

    Chase, D. G. “Township of Amboy.” In Recollections of the Pioneers of Lee County, [edited by Seraphina Gardner Smith], 9–157. Dixon, IL: Inez A. Kennedy, 1893.

  6. [6]

    JS, Journal, 30 June 1843; [Edward Southwick], “Statement,” Warsaw (IL) Message, Extra, 12 July 1843, [1].

    Warsaw Message. Warsaw, IL. 1843–1844.

  7. [7]

    Clayton, Journal, 23 June 1843.

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

  8. [8]

    [Edward Southwick], “Statement,” Warsaw (IL) Message, Extra, 12 July 1843, [1]; Clayton, Journal, 30 June 1843.

    Warsaw Message. Warsaw, IL. 1843–1844.

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

  9. [9]

    Petition to Nauvoo Municipal Court, 30 June 1843; Habeas Corpus, 30 June 1843, Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo Mun. Ct. 1843), copy, JS Collection, CHL.

  10. [10]

    Woodruff, Journal, 30 June 1843; Clayton, Journal, 30 June 1843; Discourse, 30 June 1843; Act to Incorporate the City of Nauvoo, 16 Dec. 1840.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

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

  11. [11]

    Minutes, 1 July 1843, Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo Mun. Ct. 1843), JS Collection, CHL.

  12. [12]

    In a private conversation with Walker and his other attorneys on the case, JS prophesied “in the name of the Lord God that Governor [Thomas] ford by granting the writ— again[s]t me. has damned himself politically and eternally.” In a public discourse on 4 July 1843, JS complained that this was the second extradition request by Missouri that Ford had complied with and that these had caused him “much trouble & expense.” (JS, Journal, 30 June 1843; Discourse, 4 July 1843; see also “Missouri vs Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1843, 4:243; and Letter from Mason Brayman, 29 July 1843.)

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  13. [13]

    “The Federal Whig Conspiracy to Obtain the Mormon Votes for Browning and Walker.—Unexampled Villany,” Illinois State Register (Springfield), 7 July 1843, [2].

    Illinois State Register. Springfield, IL. 1839–1861.

  14. [14]

    “The State Register and the Mormons,” Quincy (IL) Whig, 28 June 1843, [2].

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

  15. [15]

    See, for example, Letter from Mason Brayman, 29 July 1843.

  16. [16]

    See, for example, Letter to Thomas Ford, 21 Aug. 1843.

  17. [17]

    “To the Editor of the Neighbor,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 2 Aug. 1843, [2]; JS, Journal, 1 Aug. 1843.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  18. [18]

    Editorial, Nauvoo Neighbor, 2 Aug. 1843, [2].

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  19. [19]

    JS, Journal, 1 Aug. 1843; Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to Brigham Young, New York City, NY, 28 Aug. 1843, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; “Illinois and Missouri,” Times and Seasons, 15 Aug. 1843, 4:292; Thomas Ford, Springfield, IL, to Mason Brayman, 3 July 1843, Illinois Governor’s Correspondence, 1816–1852, Illinois State Archives, Springfield; Historical Introduction to Letter from Mason Brayman, 29 July 1843.

    Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

    Illinois Governor’s Correspondence, 1816–1852. Illinois State Archives, Springfield.

  20. [20]

    Letter from Mason Brayman, 29 July 1843.

  21. [21]

    Editorial, Nauvoo Neighbor, 2 Aug. 1843, [2].

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  22. [22]

    Ford, History of Illinois, 318–319; “The Vote of the Mormons—Hoge Elected,” New-York Daily Tribune (New York City), 24 Aug. 1843, [2]; “Dr. Wyl and Dr. Wm. Law,” Salt Lake Daily Tribune, 31 July 1887, [6]; see also JS, Journal, 5 Aug. 1843; and Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to Brigham Young, New York City, NY, 28 Aug. 1843, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL.

    Ford, Thomas. A History of Illinois, from Its Commencement as a State in 1818 to 1847. Containing a Full Account of the Black Hawk War, the Rise, Progress, and Fall of Mormonism, the Alton and Lovejoy Riots, and Other Important and Interesting Events. Chicago: S. C. Griggs; New York: Ivison and Phinney, 1854.

    New-York Daily Tribune. New York City. 1841–1924.

    Salt Lake Daily Tribune. Salt Lake City. 1871–.

    Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

  23. [23]

    “The Vote of the Mormons—Hoge Elected,” New-York Daily Tribune (New York City), 24 Aug. 1843, [2].

    New-York Daily Tribune. New York City. 1841–1924.

  24. [24]

    JS, Journal, 16 July 1843; Discourse, 23 July 1843; Charlotte Haven, Nauvoo, IL, to “My Dear Friends at Home,” 8 Sept. 1843, in “Girl’s Letters from Nauvoo,” 635–636.

    Haven, Charlotte. “A Girl’s Letters from Nauvoo.” Overland Monthly 16, no. 96 (Dec. 1890): 616–638.

  25. [25]

    JS, Journal, 6 Aug. 1843; Levi Richards, Journal, 6 Aug. 1843.

    Richards, Levi. Journals, 1840–1853. Levi Richards, Papers, 1837–1867. CHL. MS 1284, box 1.

  26. [26]

    “The Vote of the Mormons—Hoge Elected,” New-York Daily Tribune (New York City), 24 Aug. 1843, [2]; “Cyrus Walker,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 2 Aug. 1843, [2].

    New-York Daily Tribune. New York City. 1841–1924.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  27. [27]

    In contrast to other descriptions of the election, the account by “K.” did not blame JS or the church for Walker’s electoral defeat. Most notably, the author softened Hyrum Smith’s revelatory claims and did not report on JS’s. (“The Vote of the Mormons—Hoge Elected,” New-York Daily Tribune [New York City], 24 Aug. 1843, [2].)

    New-York Daily Tribune. New York City. 1841–1924.

  28. [28]

    “The Vote of the Mormons—Hoge Elected,” New-York Daily Tribune (New York City), 24 Aug. 1843, [2].

    New-York Daily Tribune. New York City. 1841–1924.

  29. [29]

    “The Vote of the Mormons—Hoge Elected,” New-York Daily Tribune (New York City), 24 Aug. 1843, [2].

    New-York Daily Tribune. New York City. 1841–1924.

  30. [30]

    Pease, Illinois Election Returns, 1818–1848, 140.

    Pease, Theodore Calvin, ed. Illinois Election Returns, 1818–1848. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Historical Library, 1923.

  31. [31]

    “The Ottawa Free Trader,” Warsaw (IL) Message, 6 Sept. 1843, [2], italics in original. “Locofoco” was a nickname for Democrats. (Howe, What Hath God Wrought, 546.)

    Warsaw Message. Warsaw, IL. 1843–1844.

    Howe, Daniel Walker. What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815–1848. The Oxford History of the United States. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.

  32. [32]

    “The Late Election,” Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 7 Sept. 1843, [2], italics in original.

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

  33. [33]

    In his history of Illinois, published posthumously in 1854, Thomas Ford identified the August 1843 election as a major turning point for the Saints in Illinois and claimed that following the election “the whigs generally, and a part of the democrats, determined upon driving the Mormons out of the State.” (Ford, History of Illinois, 319.)

    Ford, Thomas. A History of Illinois, from Its Commencement as a State in 1818 to 1847. Containing a Full Account of the Black Hawk War, the Rise, Progress, and Fall of Mormonism, the Alton and Lovejoy Riots, and Other Important and Interesting Events. Chicago: S. C. Griggs; New York: Ivison and Phinney, 1854.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Discourse, 6 August 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards
Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 3, 15 July 1843–29 February 1844 *Discourse, 6 August 1843, as Reported by “K” History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [32]

preached. on testimony. after Sermon. Joseph (for he came to the soon after commencd.) said he would preach his sermon next sunday he was not able to day.— would speak of another subject.— the Election he was above the kingdoms— of the world for he broke no laws.—
I have not come to tell <​you​> to vote this way. that way. or the other.
in relation to national matters I want it to [go] abr[o]ad to the whole wo[r]ld. that every man should [p. [32]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 6 August 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards
ID #
1130
Total Pages
5
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:24–26
Handwriting on This Page
  • Willard Richards

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    According to Levi Richards, Pratt’s sermon was a “lecture on the principle of evidence.” (Levi Richards, Journal, 6 Aug. 1843.)

    Richards, Levi. Journals, 1840–1853. Levi Richards, Papers, 1837–1867. CHL. MS 1284, box 1.

  2. [2]

    See Discourse, 13 Aug. 1843–A.

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