injury, when at the same time our papers were stopped and could not get into the Legislature. He was in favor of publishing the farewell to Rigdonism in our papers and of sending our branches papers to all the branches of the church, and put a club into the hands of the Saints to repel Rigdonism with. He dont think it will do any hurt to publish the history in our papers.
Coun. said has saint [sent] his papers to every governor and Legislature in the , and they love to feast on it. Let them alone and Rigdonism will soon die of itself, and he dont think it necessary to take any notice of the governors nor legislatures to gratify them with any such things.
Coun. said he had many applications to publish articles on Rigdonism but he has [p. [206]]
It is unclear whether Rigdon’s Latter Day Saint’s Messenger and Advocate was sent to every governor and legislature in the United States as John Smith stated. However, Rigdon’s charges of polygamy and other accusations made in the paper were picked up by the national press and published across the country. (See, for example, “Sydney Rigdon,” Daily National Intelligencer [Washington DC], 14 Feb. 1845, [4]; “Mormonism—Shocking Disclosures,” Cleveland Herald, 19 Feb. 1845, [3]; and “Sydney Rigdon,” Greenville [SC] Mountaineer, 7 Mar. 1845, [3].)
Daily National Intelligencer. Washington DC. 1800–1869.