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Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 20 June 1844

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Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 20 June 1844

Source Note

[at JS’s request], Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to , , [New Utrecht, Kings Co.], NY, 20 June 1844; included enclosures. Featured version inscribed 20 June 1844; handwriting and signature of ; four pages; Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL. Includes docket, use marks, and notations.
Bifolium measuring 9⅝ × 7¾ inches (24 × 20 cm). An embossment appears in the upper left corner of the recto of the first leaf. Each page is ruled with twenty-seven printed horizontal lines (now faded). It was trifolded for filing.
A docket and filing notation were inscribed by , who served as a clerk for JS in 1844. The Church Historian’s Office (now CHL) likely kept this with other papers of , some of which were used for the writing of church history; early Church Historian’s Office inventories refer to Richards’s private books, letters, and papers. Jonathan Grimshaw, who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office from 1853 to 1856, copied the letter into JS’s history sometime in 1856. The graphite notation “A.J” was added to the document by Andrew Jenson, who began working in the Church Historian’s Office in 1891 and served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941. The early docket and notation, the inclusion of the letter in JS’s history, and its later notation suggest continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. See JS History, vol. F-1, 133; Nauvoo Registry of Deeds, Record of Deeds, bk. B, pp. 213–214; Source Note for Ordinance, 10 June 1844; and Source Note for Military Order to Jonathan Dunham, 10 June 1844.

  2. See the full bibliographic entry for Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, 1821–1854, in the CHL catalog; and “Schedule of Church Records. Nauvoo 1846,” [1]; “Historian’s Office Catalogue 1858,” 8, Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  3. JS History, vol. F-1, 128; Source Note for and Historical Introduction to History, 1838–1856, vol. F-1; see also Historian’s Office, Journal, 7 June 1853; and Wilford Woodruff, Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to George A. Smith, 30 Aug. 1856, in Historian’s Office, Letterpress Copybooks, vol. 1, p. 364.

    Historian’s Office. Journal, 1844–1997. CHL. CR 100 1.

    Historian’s Office. Letterpress Copybooks, 1854–1879, 1885–1886. CHL. CR 100 38.

  4. Jenson, Autobiography, 192, 389; Cannon, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891; Jenson, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891 and 19 Oct. 1897; Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 47–52.

    Jenson, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Jenson: Assistant Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938.

    Cannon, George Q. Journals, 1855–1864, 1872–1901. CHL. CR 850 1.

    Jenson, Andrew. Journals, 1864–1941. Andrew Jenson, Autobiography and Journals, 1864–1941. CHL.

    Bitton, David, and Leonard J. Arrington. Mormons and Their Historians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1988.

Historical Introduction

On 20 June 1844, at JS’s request, wrote a letter from , Illinois, to in , New York explaining the ramifications of the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor’s press and calling on Bennet for help against groups who were threatening the in Nauvoo. JS had first written to Bennet in 1842 after JS, at the recommendation of , appointed Bennet the inspector general of the . After John C. Bennett’s removal from the church in May 1842, JS sent Richards to to converse with James Arlington Bennet in person about the matter. Thereafter, JS and Bennet exchanged several letters, as did Bennet and Richards. Because Richards was familiar with Bennet, JS sometimes relied on Richards to correspond with and provide information to Bennet on JS’s behalf. Likewise, on at least one occasion, Bennet answered Richards’s questions in a letter to JS, suggesting that Bennet believed his letters would be read by both JS and Richards no matter to whom he addressed them.
In March 1844 wrote to , sending him a copy of JS’s presidential campaign pamphlet, requesting that Bennet consider serving as JS’s running mate, and stating that the Saints were exploring other regions where they might relocate, such as or . Bennet replied on 14 April 1844, expressing skepticism about the success of JS’s candidacy for president of the . Bennet also counseled Richards and the Latter-day Saints to move their headquarters from to somewhere outside the —perhaps California, Texas, or —where they could establish “an Empire of their own.”
In the weeks after wrote his April letter, relations between church members and their fellow residents in , Illinois, became increasingly tense. In response to the of the Nauvoo Expositor, groups of people opposed to the church met throughout the county and passed resolutions calling for JS and other church leaders to be “utterly exterminate[d].” Rumors quickly spread that Missourians were coming to help them carry out their plans.
In response to these threats, JS sent letters to several prominent individuals in an effort to garner support for the Saints. Among these was a 20 June letter to president in which JS asked Tyler to give the Saints “that protection which the constitution guarantees” by “Sav[ing] the innocent and oppressed from such horrid persecution.”
JS also requested that write a letter to , whom they considered an influential friend, effectively corresponding with Bennet for both Richards and JS. In the letter, Richards provided unflattering characterizations of the publishers of the Nauvoo Expositor, argued that the paper was destroyed in an orderly manner, asserted that JS was not trying to evade the law, and asked for Bennet to come to the Saints’ defense with as many people as he could recruit. In addition, Richards responded to Bennet’s pessimistic outlook on JS’s presidential campaign and cautioned that if mobs were allowed to trample the Saints’ rights, no one was safe from potential persecution.
The sent copy of the letter is apparently not extant, but the copy featured here—which may have been a draft of the letter, given its many contemporaneous revisions—was made and filed on 20 June. noted in his journal that on 19 August 1844 he received a letter from , which is apparently not extant. That letter may have been a reply to this 20 June letter.

Footnotes

  1. Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 30 June 1842; “Military Appointment,” Wasp, 30 Apr. 1842, [3]; James Arlington Bennet, Arlington House, Long Island, NY, to James Gordon Bennett, 17 June 1842, in New York Herald (New York City), 21 June 1842, [2].

    New York Herald. New York City. 1835–1924.

  2. Letter from Willard Richards, 9 Aug. 1842.

  3. See, for example, Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 17–18 Mar. 1843; Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 24 Oct. 1843; and James Arlington Bennet, Arlington House, Long Island, NY, to Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, 24 Oct. 1842; Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to James Arlington Bennet, Arlington House, Long Island, NY, 15 Dec. 1843, copy, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL.

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

  4. In 1842, for example, JS introduced Richards to Bennet as “my private secretary, and General Business Agent.” JS told Bennet that Richards would provide “any information” he might desire about John C. Bennett, the Nauvoo Legion, Nauvoo itself, “or any other matter.” After meeting Richards, Bennet told JS that Richards was “a very excellent representative of yourself.” (Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 30 June 1842; Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 16 Aug. 1842.)

  5. Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 10 Apr. 1843.

  6. Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to James Arlington Bennet, [Arlington House, Long Island, NY], 4 Mar. 1844, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL; see also Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to James Arlington Bennet, [Arlington House, Long Island, NY], 24 Mar. 1844, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL.

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

  7. James Arlington Bennet, Arlington House, Long Island, NY, to Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, 14 Apr. 1844, [1]–[2], Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL.

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

  8. Warsaw (IL) Signal, Extra, 14 June 1844, [1]; Letter to John Tyler, 20 June 1844.

    Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.

  9. JS, Journal, 20 June 1844; Letter to John Tyler, 20 June 1844; see also Letter to Thomas Ford, 14 June 1844; and Letter to Thomas Ford, 16 June 1844.

  10. Richards, Journal, 19 Aug. 1844.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 20 June 1844
History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

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Mayors office
June 20th 1844.
Dear
Yours of the 14th of Ap[r]il was received at a Late date, A multiplicity of business, on account of the peculiar state of affirs has preve[n]ted a reply till now, Your views about the Election <​nomenation​> of Gen Smith for the presedency are correct, we will gain popularity. and extend influence, but this is not all, we mean to Elect him. and nothing shall be wanting on our part to accomplish it. And why? Because we are satisfied, fully satisfied that this is the best or only method of saving our free institutins from a total overthrow.—
You will discover by this days extra, “Nauvoo Nieghbor” and previus papers, which I shall forwad with this, that we are already being surrounded by an armed Mob, and if we can believe a hundredth part of their statements, we have no alternative but to fight or die, All the horrors of ’s Murders are crowding thick upon <​us​>, And the citizns of this declare in Mass Meetings, “no peace, till the mormons are utterly exterminated. from the earth.— And for what? A band of thieves, counterfeiters, Bogus Makers, Gamb[l]ers Deb[a]uchers,— Murderers and all that’s vile established A printing press in this , for the purpose of carrying on all thirs [their?] hellish plans. & overthowig [overthrowing] every principle of Righteousness, and after publishi[n]g [p. [1]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 20 June 1844
ID #
15081
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Willard Richards

Footnotes

  1. James Arlington Bennet, Arlington House, Long Island, NY, to Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, 14 Apr. 1844, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL.

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

  2. In his 14 April 1844 letter to Willard Richards, James Arlington Bennet stated, “I can See no Natural means by which he [JS] has the Slightest Chance of receiving the votes even of one State. If the object of his friends be to aid the Cause of Mormonism in foreign lands, or in this Country Among a Certain Class of persons, by holding its Chief up for the highest Office in the gift of the people, then I think they are Somewhat in the right track, but if they are aiming in reality at that high Office then I must Say that at present they, in my opinion, are on a wild goose Chase.” (James Arlington Bennet, Arlington House, Long Island, NY, to Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, 14 Apr. 1844, [1], Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL, underlining in original.)

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

  3. In early November 1843, JS approved letters sent to each of the five men who were expected to run for president of the United States—John C. Calhoun, Lewis Cass, Henry Clay, Richard M. Johnson, and Martin Van Buren. Those letters explained that the Saints were unsuccessful in their attempts to obtain redress from Missouri for their expulsion from that state in winter 1838–1839 and asked, “What will be your rule of action, relative to us, as a people, should fortune favor your ascension to the Chief Magistracy?” Calhoun, Cass, and Clay responded; none of them indicated an inclination to help the Saints. On 29 January 1844, JS was nominated for president at a meeting of church leaders. He reportedly stated, “If I ever get in the presedental [presidential] chair— I will protect the people in their rights & libe[r]ties.” Those church leaders who were present pledged their willingness to “use all honorable means to se[c]ure his election,” and JS declared that there was “oretory enough in the church to carry me into the presdntial [presidential] chair.” (JS, Journal, 4 Nov. 1843; Letter to John C. Calhoun, 4 Nov. 1843, underlining in original; Minutes and Discourse, 29 Jan. 1844.)

  4. The Nauvoo Neighbor did not publish an extra on 20 June, but one was issued on 21 June. That extra reprinted “a few of the Resolves and orders of the Carthagenians, Warsaw-vains, &c., for the purpose of mobbing, plundering, murdering, and ‘utterly exterminat[ing],’ the Latter day Saints.” Among these resolutions was a pledge by the church’s opponents to exterminate the Saints. The “LATEST ORDERS” from the church’s opponents, dated 17 June, were also reprinted, calling on Hancock County, Illinois, citizens to form a posse to arrest JS. (“Reason Makes Us Men,” Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 21 June 1844, [1], emphasis in original.)

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  5. In winter 1838–1839, the Saints were expelled from the state of Missouri under an order issued by Governor Lilburn W. Boggs that stated “the Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven” out. Approximately forty church members were killed before the Saints left the state, including seventeen massacred at the Hawn’s Mill settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri. (Lilburn W. Boggs, Jefferson City, MO, to John B. Clark, Fayette, MO, 27 Oct. 1838, copy, Mormon War Papers, Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City; “Part 3: 4 November 1838–16 April 1839.”)

    Mormon War Papers, 1838–1841. MSA.

  6. TEXT: “exterminated.” and “from the earth.—” are underlined twice.

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