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Letter from George W. Robinson, 6 November 1842

Source Note

, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to JS, [, Hancock Co., IL], 6 Nov. 1842. Featured version published in Sangamo Journal (Springfield, Sangamon Co., IL), 18 Nov. 1842, vol. 11/12, no. 13, [2]. Transcription from a digital color image obtained from the Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in 2017. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842.

Historical Introduction

On 6 November 1842, responded to a letter of the same date in which JS accused him of tampering with his mail. JS had first levied accusations of corruption against Robinson and postmaster , Robinson’s father-in-law, at least two months earlier, following several tense months of conflict between the men. JS repeated the accusations in his 6 November letter, which Robinson received while visiting , Illinois, from his home in , Illinois. In his response, Robinson defended his reputation and character and expressed his contempt for JS, accusing him of conspiring to replace Rigdon as the postmaster of Nauvoo. Robinson concluded his letter by dismissing JS’s allegations against him and Rigdon and challenging JS to “bring forth your testimony.” On 8 November, JS and others collected affidavits against Robinson and Rigdon and drew up a petition requesting that the postmaster general of the replace Rigdon with JS as Nauvoo’s postmaster.
On 7 November, after he returned home to , sent to the Sangamo Journal JS’s letter (or a copy of it) and a copy of his response within a letter explaining the background of this correspondence. The newspaper published the letters on 18 November 1842. The published version of Robinson’s letter includes several words italicized for emphasis. It is unknown whether these are representations of underlining by Robinson in the manuscript copy he sent to the editor or editorial embellishments made in the newspaper office.
Because the original copy of ’s 6 November letter to JS is apparently not extant, the version printed by the Sangamo Journal is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 8 Sept. 1842; and Historical Introduction to Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842.

  2. [2]

    Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842; George W. Robinson, Nauvoo, IL, to John C. Bennett, 16 Sept. 1842, in Bennett, History of the Saints, 248–249.

    Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

  3. [3]

    JS, Journal, 8 Nov. 1842. In addition to resolving JS’s ongoing frustration with the problems in the post office, being appointed as postmaster would have given JS considerable advantages. Postmasters in the 1840s were able to send and receive mail free of postage—a fact that would have been particularly attractive to JS as he managed a growing church. In fact, paying for postage was an ongoing concern for JS a year earlier when he published a notice in the Times and Seasons announcing that he would not accept any letters unless the sender paid the postage. (An Act to Reduce into One the Several Acts Establishing and Regulating the Post-Office Department [3 Mar. 1825], Public Statutes at Large, 18th Cong., 2nd Sess., chap. 64, p. 110, sec. 27; Notice, ca. 1 June 1841.)

    The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, from the Organization of the Government in 1789, to March 3, 1845. . . . Edited by Richard Peters. 8 vols. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1846–1867.

Page [2]

, Nov. 6, 1842.
Mr Joseph Smith:
Sir—I condescend to reply to your compliments of this morning not however because I think you worthy of such condescension, but that I may perhaps through you make known my own faith concerning yourself.
Sir, do you imagine that an idiot could not see your baseness in this attempt to injure my feelings as well as my reputation? Is it not notorious that you have for nearly three years, used your power to the utmost to obtain the , and do you think, sir, that this attempt of which you speak, and of what you say you will do, will not be looked upon as tending to the same object? You say you will do the utmost in your power to expose me to the public. But sir, would you not first do well to remove the stigma on your own character, or employ some kind friend of yours, who can bear a scrutinizing eye without the crimson blush of shame? My conscience is void of offence against the laws of my , or the insinuations of which you speak, notwithstanding your ‘believe so’s, your [‘]think so’s, or your [‘]guess so’s I fear not your power, my dear sir; neither shall I shrink or be intimidated by you,—nought of personal violence, save the assassin’s steel, will harm a hair of my head, and for this I am duly prepared.
With regard to my privately injuring you, I say bring forth your testimony, all I have said or done has been public, and you yourself have, or can, see it, as well as others—and with regard to the balance of your calumny I have only to say, Bah! how can others believe that which you yourself do not believe?
Your’s, with contempt,
. [p. [2]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from George W. Robinson, 6 November 1842
ID #
10634
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
JSP, D11:199–201
Handwriting on This Page
  • Printed text

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    According to later correspondence between JS and Sidney Rigdon, it appears that shortly after John C. Bennett came to Nauvoo in 1840, there was an attempt to transfer responsibility for the post office from George W. Robinson to JS. Rigdon, apparently unaware of the design, put his name forward to replace Robinson before JS could make the attempt. The issue was clearly one that concerned JS, as he repeated the effort to get himself appointed postmaster in May 1844. (JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Sidney Rigdon, Nauvoo, IL, 27 Mar. 1843; Sidney Rigdon, Nauvoo, IL, to JS, [Nauvoo, IL], 27 Mar. 1843, JS Collection, CHL; Council of Fifty, “Record,” 25 May 1844.)

  2. [2]

    JS’s letter stated his intentions to bring George W. Robinson “to justice openly and boldly and publicly, &c.” (Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842.)

  3. [3]

    John C. Bennett claimed that George W. Robinson had helped defend him against an assassination attempt by Latter-day Saint vigilantes on 29 June 1842. (John C. Bennett, Affidavit, 7 July 1842, in Wasp, 23 July 1842, [2]; Bennett, History of the Saints, 290–291.)

    The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.

    Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

  4. [4]

    George W. Robinson had written two public letters—one to the Quincy Whig and another to the Sangamo Journal—defending his character and announcing his intention to withdraw from the church. His first public letter claimed he was not associated with John C. Bennett, but Robinson had apparently played a major role in encouraging and assisting Bennett to obtain documents and affidavits attacking JS. (George W. Robinson, “Letter from Nauvoo,” Quincy [IL] Whig, 23 July 1842, [2]; “Letter from Col. Robinson,” Sangamo Journal [Springfield, IL], 26 Aug. 1842, [2]; Bennett, History of the Saints, 44–45, 245, 247–249.)

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

    Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

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