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 8.> Bro brought the information that bro. Farnham had just returned from , and said the people in that place were saying “things have come to a strange pass, if Jo Smith is elected President he will raise the Devil with and if he is not elected, he will raise the Devil anyhow.”
It was agreed that Col. , living at <Parris>, Henry Co. Tennessee; should be written to, on the subject of the Vice Presidency, and that Elder should write the letter, and invite him to visit us, and see if he would suffer his name to run for that office.
<9.> Saturday 9. Met in city Council and gave my reasons in favor of the repeal of the hog law that I was afraid there were but few men who would even <ever> make a fence round their gardens unless the hogs are suffered to run at large— and if the people think there is a hog law, they will not fence; and consequently will be eat up by Hogs and other animals from the Country— The Hog law has made more contention than all the Hogs would, if they had been let alone— let the hogs run in the Streets and the people make good fences to secure their gardens. Many physicians have given it as their opinion that a hog mud hole in the Streets is the most healthy of any damp place. If we do not let the hogs run at large in the the Hogs and cattle from the country will come into the Corporation and eat the grass &c. in the , and we suffer all the evils, and loose all the benefits. Empound the Country hogs and the owners will damn the empounded and the , and fight against us. I say to the city Council let the Hogs and Dogs alone. A man that is afraid of a Dog and grumbles a great deal about a dog’s barking at him is a Coward, it is one reason why God withdrew his Spirit from the Earth because the people were so ready to take the life of Animals.
It was the principles of democracy that the peoples voice, should be heard, when their voice was just <but when it was not just> it was no longer democratic; but if the minoritys views are more just than Aristarchy should be the governing principle i.e. the wisest and best laws should be made. When and will call caucuses and explain the subject to them, then we will hear them and they can petition understandingly, and believed if he could explain the subject that 99 out of every hundred would vote to have no hog law in this from its birth to its death.
Cannot believe in the doctrine of exalting the Majority when it must be brought about by depressing the Minority in a greater degree.
Council adjourned for one hour.
In the afternoon city Council rejected the Petition to repeal the Hog law.
I proposed to license and Mr. Morrison, who own the land opposite to the wharf, to make wharves and collect wharfage, then the can dispense with a wharf master— that and Morrison [p. 1917]