JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of , , Jonathan Grimshaw, and ; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “’s forces” at , Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop at , Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.
Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author. , , , and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.
The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in by the and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to ; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch ; the establishment of the city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo ; the expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.
<December 16> ordinance, and provide for the recovery and appropriation of such fines and forfeitures, and the enforcement of such penalties. Sec. 35. The City Council shall have exclusive power within the by ordinance, to licence, regulate and suppress and restrain billiard tables and from one to twenty pin alleys, and every other description of gaming or gambling. Sec. 36. The City Council shall have power to make all ordinances which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into the powers specified in this act, so that such ordinances be not repugnant to, nor inconsistent with, the Constitution of the or of this . Sec 37. The style of the ordinances of the shall be: “Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of ” Sec. 38. All ordinances passed by the City Council shall, within one month after they shall have been passed, be published in some Newspaper published in the , and shall not be in force until they shall have been published as aforesaid. Sec. 39. All ordinances of the may be proven by the seal of the [HC 4:247] Corporation, and when printed and published by authority of the Corporation, the same shall be received in evidence in all courts and places without further proof.”
who had been delegated to to carry our Petition for a City Charter, announced the passage of the Bill as follows
“City of Decr. 16. 1840— Editors of the Times and Seasons— The act incorporating the “City of ” has just passed the Council of Revision, and is now a law of the Land to take effect and be in force from and after the first Monday in February next. The aforesaid Act contains two additional Charters, one incorporating “the Nauvoo Legion,’ the other “The University of City of —” All these Charters are very broad and liberal, conferring the most plenary powers on the Corporators. has acquitted herself with honor,— and her State Legislature shall never be forgotten— Every power we asked has been granted, every request gratified, every desire fulfilled— In the Senate <Mr.> Little cancelled every obligation to our people, and faithfully and honestly and with untiring diligence, discharged every obligation devolving upon him as our immediate representative in the Upper House— mark well that man, and do him honor. Snyder and Ralston, and Moore, and Ross, and Stapp, and numerous others, likewise, in that branch of our State Government, rendered us very essential services— and the act passed that body without a dissenting voice. In the House of Representatives, Charles, our immediate Representative in the lower house, was at his post, and discharged his duty as a faithful representative— he is an acting, and not a talking man, and has fulfilled all his obligations to us. Many members in this house, likewise, were warmly in our favor; and with only one or two dissenting voices, every representative appeared inclined to extend to us all such powers as they considered us justly entitled to, and voted for the law: and here I should not forget to mention that Lincoln, whose name we erased from the electorial ticket in November (not however on account of any dislike to him as a man, <but> simply because his was the last name on the Ticket, and we desired to shew our friendship to the Democratic [HC 4:248] party by substituting the name of Ralston for some one of the Whigs) had the magnanimity to vote for our act and came forward, after the final vote, to the bar of the house, and cordially congratulated me on its passage— Our worthy is certainly disposed to do us ample justice in every respect and to extend to us every facility for our future happiness and prosperity. [p. 1130]