JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
<November 8> Smith’s discharge at , was incorrect; and in relation to this, these deponents say, that said and were arrested on said action of trespass at on Saturday morning, the 24th. of June last; that they were not disarmed by the Sheriff of , who had them in custody, nor by any other person until the following day, at Paw Paw grove, thirty two miles distant from , and that the arms of said and were restored to them by the said sheriff of , who had them in custody for default of bail, at their, ’s and , own request, while on the journey from to , before the company had arrived within at least eighty miles of .
Sworn and subscribed to before me, at , this 29th. day of July A. D. 1843. Frederick R. Dutcher, Justice of the Peace.
J. D. Mc.Comsay, L. P. Sanger, , .
To the Editor of the Message:— Gent. It appears from an article in your paper of the 15th. of July, under the editorial head, that there is a question of veracity therein [HC 6:68] raised, between Mr. and myself, relative to the proceedings had after the late arrest by him of Joseph Smith. Now in order that the public may no longer be deceived, in the premises, be pleased to publish, together with this note, the above affidavits, that the charge of falsehood may attach where it properly belongs.
Very respectfully yours.
.”
July 29. 1843.
and the following Editorial.
“Who shall be our next President?— This question we frequently hear asked, and it is a question of no small importance to the Latter day Saints.
We as a people have labored, and are still laboring under great injustice from the hands of a neighboring . The Latter day Saints have had their property destroyed and their houses made desolate by the hands of the Missourians; murders have been committed with impunity, and many in consequence of oppression, barbarism and cruelty, have slept the sleep of death. They have been obliged to flee from the possessions into a distant land, in the chilling frost of December; robbed, spoiled, desolate, houseless, and homeless; without any just pretext or shadow of law; without having violated the laws of that , or of the , and have had to wander as exiles in a strange land, without as yet, being able to obtain any redress for their grievances. We have hitherto adopted every legal measure; first, we petitioned to the state of , but in vain. We have memorialized Congress, but they have turned a deaf ear to our supplication and referred us again to the state and justice (!!!) of . Doubtless many of the members of that honorable body were not sufficiently informed of the enormity and extent of the crimes of our persecutors, nor of the indelible stain which our national escutcheon has received through their inhuman daring. They have been allowed to revel in blood, and luxuriate in the miseries of the oppressed, and no man has laid it to heart. The fact is, that gentlemen of respectability and refinement, who live in a civilized society, find it difficult to believe that such enormities could be practised in a republican government; but our wrong cannot slumber; such tyrany and oppression must not be passed over in silence; [p. 1770]