Times and Seasons, 1 June 1842
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Source Note
Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 1 June 1842, vol. 3, no. 15, pp. 799–814; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
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Historical Introduction
The 1 June 1842 issue of the periodical Times and Seasons was the seventh edited by JS. He had assumed the editorship of the newspaper beginning with its 1 March 1842 issue, and in that role he took responsibility for all of the published content, including this 1 June issue. The issue contained an article on the “Word of Wisdom,” which was a revelation JS dictated in February 1833 outlining a code of health for the Latter-day Saints; an installment from the serialized “History of Joseph Smith”; and reprints of articles from newspapers, including Latter-day Saint publications, on topics such as ’s missionary work in , JS’s work on the Book of Abraham, the necessity of baptism, the beliefs of church members, and ancient writings discovered in the . The issue also included a letter from the presidency and high council of the , Illinois, stake “to the saints scattered abroad.”In addition to these items, the issue published editorial content that was presumably written by JS as editor or by his editorial staff. This editorial content, which is featured here, includes four items: commentary on the assassination attempt on former governor ; a lengthy statement disputing a speech , a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, made criticizing the Saints; a preface to an article about the Jews; and a notice to church members in the eastern about ’s planned fund-raising mission for the construction of the .Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.
Footnotes
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1
Although JS was named as the editor of the 15 February issue, he began editing the newspaper with the 1 March issue.
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2
See “Editorial Method”.
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1
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TIMES AND SEASONS.
CITY OF ,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1842.
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Editorial Note
The first editorial addressed the attempted assassination of , who was shot by an unknown assailant on 6 May 1842 in , Missouri. On 21 May, the Quincy Whig reported a rumor that a Latter-day Saint had shot Boggs and that JS had prophesied Boggs would suffer a violent death. JS wrote a letter to the Quincy Whig on 22 May denying any Latter-day Saint connection to the assassination attempt. Although initial reports suggested that Boggs was dead, he had only been wounded, and he later recovered.
It is asserted by several newspapers that of the State of is dead, and that he has been murdered by the hand of an assassin; some would insinuate that it has been done by a Mormon;—to such we would say, BAH!!!! we shall not believe that he is dead until we have further testimony; we have seen too many of the intrigues of , to “believe all things.”
We suppose that some of the Anti-Mormons belonging to the “Great Mass,” (alias small potatoe) “convention,” could assist very well in proposing, if not of being the authors of, a story of that kind, for political effect in the coming contest.
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Editorial Note
The Times and Seasons reprinted from the Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review an article recounting a speech given by , a former governor of and the current Whig candidate for governor. In his speech, given on 4 May 1842 in Edwardsville, Illinois, Duncan spoke at length against the Saints; he especially opposed the act incorporating the city of Nauvoo, claiming it gave too much power to city officials and the . Duncan’s attack may have been motivated by JS’s December 1841 statement of support for , the Democratic nominee for governor. According to one early history, after JS came out in favor of the Democrats, Whig newspapers in Illinois “teemed with accounts of the wonders and enormities of , and of the awful wickedness of a party which would consent to receive the support of such miscreants.” Duncan himself, the history explained, “took the stump on this subject in good earnest, and expected to be elected governor almost on this question alone.”
In the reprint of the Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review article, JS—or perhaps someone designated by him—added commentary within the article itself, which appeared as text within brackets (rendered here as stylized brackets), and at the end of the account. The commentary defended JS and the church against ’s attacks, especially those he made against the charter, as well as his accusations that Latter-day Saints were guilty of religious discrimination.
From the Telegraph and Review.
,
“Addressed the people of this county on the 4th inst at Edwardsville. He was listened to by one of the largest audiences we have ever seen assembled on a similar occasion, since our residence in the ; and the attention and manifest gratification with which he was listened to, furnished the strongest evidence that the various positions he assumed met with the cordial co-operation of his hearers.
“Much of his time was taken up in refuting the base and groveling charges preferred against him by the State Register, of being the founder of both the Internal Improvement and State Bank Systems. And the evidence he furnished, forced from the most prejudiced of his political opponents the reluctant confession, that he had triumphantly vindicated himself, and shown the falsity of the charges.
“His views in regard to the dangerous and alarming powers which were granted to the Mormons, in various charters passed at the last session of our Legislature, and the firm and decided stand he assumed against making them a priveleged sect over all other religious denominations and classes of our citizens, met with universal approbation by all who listened to him. declared he was for extending to them the same privileges, and none other, that our citizens in common enjoyed under the provisions of the constitution and laws. -[This is all the Mormons ask.]- But all extraordinary anti-republican and arbitrary powers, which the corruption of a Legislature granted them solely for the purpose of obtaining their political support, -[let the Legislature thank for that compliment,]- he unhesitatingly proclaimed he was for taking from them, -[when he gets the power.]- The referred to one of the ordinances of their , which provided that if any person spoke lightly of, or doubted, their religion, upon conviction thereof the offender was liable to a fine of five hundred dollars and six months imprisonment.
“This disgraceful attempt to form, in a republican government, an established religion by legal enactment, created throughout the audience a great sensation, and opened their eyes to the rapid strides that were being made in their very midst towards an arbitrary and monarchial form of government.” -[If had said that his disgraceful attempt to palm upon his political party, and the good people of generally, a list of lies of the blackest kind would certainly fail until the faithful, righteous, and eternal prediction had been fulfilled upon his head, that all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; and he utterly fail of the chair of state, there might have been some good reason to believe that a “sensation” of joy was produced in the audience and that their eyes and ears were open to the voice of truth, and that they were ready to hail the downfall of an aspiring demagogue, with those demonstrations of hallelujah which became a noble and insulted people.]-
“He next referred to a correspondence in the Times and Seasons, published at , between Dr. Charles V. Dyer, of , a distinguished Loco foco, and Joe Smith and , the prophet and the military leader of the Mormons. That correspondence divulges the fact, that the Mormons under the solicitation of Dr. Dyer, -[who is an Abolitionist]- are prepared to act with them.—And evinces his willingness at any moment to march against the Penitentiary in with his armed force, established under the auspices, -[as Joe Smith says,]- of and , and release the three Abolitionists now in confinement there. This correspondence we shall publish at length in a few days, that every man may judge of its alarming tendencies for himself.”
“It struck us with a good deal of astonishment that Joe Smith and should thus publicly avow their abolition principles in the very face of the proclamation of the prophet, as the military leader of the mormons, to all his followers to vote for for Governor, WHO IS HIMSELF ONE OF THE LARGEST SLAVE HOLDERS IN THE STATE. To us it displayed an inconsistency “irreconcileable with common honesty.”
The above is from the speech political of , and in perusing it we find that [“]a priviledged sect,” “charters passed in’ the last session of the Legislature;”—“anti-republican and arbitrary powers:”—“Joe Smith,” and “a corrupt Legislature;” trouble the chaste mind of this pure man:—this noble champion of truth; this philanthropist, and friend of equal rights; so intently was his mind bent upon this all-absorbing subject, that he had scarce time to speak upon any other.—It is true that he made a bold stand against “gross and grovelling charges made against him by the editor of the State Register,” (so says the Telegraph and Review,”) but then so small was this in his estimation, (if you may judge of the [p. 806]
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