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 .
<March 5.> House of Representatives of , his native State; after setting forth in detail the sufferings of the Saints in and their expulsion from that , he concludes by a patriotic appeal which we copy.
“Your Memorialist comes to your honorable body, to tell you that the civil and religious liberties sought for and found by the pilgrims on Plymouth rock, and maintained by the blood of our fathers, have been sacrificed by relentless tyrants, upon the altar of jealousy. He comes to tell you, like Babylon of old, our nation is assailed by the jealous tyrant of mankind at one end; and that your assistance is wanted in the national Hall, in defence of the temple of freedom, erected by your fathers.— He comes to tell your honorable body, that the sons of his native are denied the liberty of conscience and the right of protection under the wide-spread wings of our national escutcheon, and that the blood of the patriotic heroes of the revolution who have been slain in for enjoying their religious rights, the boon of heaven to man, is crying from the ground; and with the dying groans of ravished females and infant innocence, are ascending with the prayers of the widows of the patriots of the revolution, into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Yea, their blood, their groans, their tears and the prayers of suffering innocence, together with the prayers of your memorialist, are now crying in the ears of your honorable body, through this, my silent messenger, saying “redress”; redress the wrongs of your memorialist, and those of his brethren, and wipe disgrace from the stained banner of our national republic; and perpetuate the glorious laurels so nobly won to my native state, when on Bunker’s Hill, our fathers in unequal combat first sustained the shock, and dared assert the rights of man amidst the clatter of clashing steel, the blaze of arms, and the more deep-toned thunder of the tyrant’s cannon. May the departed spirits of the brave Warren and his associates, whisper in the ears of your honorable body, saying, redress the wrongs of the innocent; and maintain by legislation, those rights of man so dearly bought by our blood that flowed on Bunker’s height. Let not the names of a [John] Hancock and [John] Adams, written by their own hands, and attached to the declaration of independence, be obliterated or dimned by the slackness or timidity of the sons of .
Under all these circumstances your memorialist prays to be heard by your honorable body, touching all the matters of his memorial; saying to you, that except our prayers are heard, our rights restored and maintained, and ample redress made, as far as it can be by the legislative powers of the , the wrath of an offended God will be poured out upon the whole nation; and her statesmen and legislators shall be awakened from their dreams, by a voice in their ears, saying thou art no longer worthy to wield the destinies of the brave, noble, patriotic and virtuous sons and daughters of Columbia’s soil.
And as in duty bound your memorialist will ever pray Russell, Mass., Mar 5. 1844.