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 .
<December 25> laudable work. One thing in connexion with this work we would mention, and request that it be attended to with the strictest accuracy, that is that the name of each individual be recorded, and the amount which they subscribe, in order that they may be transmitted to , where they will have to be entered in the books of the . The Sisters or others who may collect the subscriptions will please to be very particular on this point.”
<26> Tuesday 26. At home. I rejoiced that had returned from the clutches of and that God had delivered him out of their hands; Brother also arrived about dusk this evening <: and the Missourians have no longer the pleasure of exulting over any Mormon victims for the present, but their blood-thirstiness will not long be satisfied unless they seek up another victim on whom to glut their malice and vengeance.>
<27> Wednesday 27. Cold a little ice in the which has been clear for some time past [HC 6:143]
I received letters from Gen. of and Hon. of S. Carolina in answer to mine of Novr. 4th.
Mr. [William] Keith gave a lecture and Concert of Music in the Assembly room this evening.
From the Neighbor,
“.
The name of this individual is no doubt familiar to most of our readers. He has obtained some celebrity in the world also, not for his reputed virtue; but for his supposed crimes.
It will be recollected that he is the person who was basely and falsely implicated along with Joseph Smith, as the reputed Murderer of , while Mr. Smith was charged with being ‘accessory before the fact’. A vexatious law suit was instituted against Joseph Smith wherein he was charged with the above named crime, and finally, after many attempts of the of to get him into his power, was acquitted by the Court for the District of .
Stories of murder and blood were circulated from to . They were iterated and re-iterated by the newspapers of the whole Union, and painted in the most glowing colors that human ingenuity could invent. was branded as a Murderer, and Joseph Smith as accessory before the fact without any other evidence than a story fabricated by some of our generous politicians; engendered in falsehood, by hearts as dark as Erebus for religious and political effect.
This demagoguery and political corruption has caused an innocent man to be immolated in a dungeon for upwards of eight months without the slightest evidence of <his guilt, or even the most remote evidence of> crime leading to his committal. He was taken , and committed to jail upon mere supposition and finally acquitted without any shadow of proof having been adduced from beginning to end. This is the way that treats free born American citizens, and they can obtain no redress.
arrived here on Monday night and has given us [p. 1830]