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Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843

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Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843

Source Note

Revised Minutes, and JS, Discourses, , Hancock Co., IL, [23 Apr.–ca. 8 May 1843]. Featured version published [ca. 8 May 1843] in “Special Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, vol. 4, no. 12, 180–185. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

The 1 May 1843 issue of the Times and Seasons published a revised version of the minutes from the 6 April 1843 sessions of the ’s special , including discourses delivered by JS during the midday and afternoon sessions. In the first session, JS had announced his desire that “the conference minutes go forth, to inform all of the order of doing business.” In particular, JS hoped to inform church members that the had been “appointd to this spicial mission of collecting funds for the ” and that no others were authorized to receive donations. The minutes also recounted deliberations over other significant items of business and decisions made by the conference.
was appointed clerk of the and in that capacity sought to record the proceedings and the accounts of discourses as he heard them. He struggled in this endeavor, at times capturing only fragmentary sentences and failing to note contextual information such as openings and closings of meetings, the names of those offering prayers, and sometimes the identities of speakers. Simultaneously, another JS scribe, , kept notes of the proceedings, which he later copied into JS’s journal. Richards more successfully captured complete sentences and contextual information. After reviewing Clayton’s minutes, JS determined they were insufficient and directed that they be revised. Over the following weeks, several of JS’s scribes as well as editors working in the church’s prepared multiple drafts—ultimately amalgamating Clayton’s minutes with Richards’s notes—before eventually publishing the minutes.
The process began on 23 April 1843, when JS “heard read” the “minutes of special conference”—most likely ’s minutes and accounts of discourses—which JS determined “were not explicit enough.” He indicated that he would “dictate them over again.” Clayton, presumably taking dictation from JS, then produced a new set of minutes. The resulting text was just over two pages long and provided an abbreviated outline that tracked the structure of the 6 April 1843 midday and afternoon sessions and the 7 April morning session. On the second and third pages of the draft of the revised minutes, Clayton used the numerals 1 through 4 to mark specific places where JS delivered “further remarks” during the conference, as the actual remarks were not included in the outline. Clayton then inserted corresponding numerals on his original minutes to help place these additional comments.
Soon after, another JS scribe, , expanded ’s revised minutes beyond the brief outline and copied the “further remarks” marked with numerals in Clayton’s original minutes. Times and Seasons editor then revised Sloan’s expanded draft, canceling short passages. On the final leaf of the draft, Taylor inscribed replacement language for the canceled passages and numbered his revisions to correspond with the deleted portions. He then typeset and printed a draft of Sloan’s expanded minutes and made additional editorial changes to the printed proof. Subsequently, Taylor made a second printed draft that incorporated his emendations.
On 3 May 1843, JS “rev[i]ewed the m[i]nutes,” presumably in typeset form. JS apparently still found the revised minutes and discourses wanting. noted in his personal journal on 3 May that he spent part of the day working on the “conference minut[e]s.” Richards clipped portions of the first and second printed drafts and attached the clippings to blank pages with adhesive wafers. Around the clippings, Richards added handwritten expansions drawn largely from his notes, thereby amalgamating his account of the conference with ’s original minutes and subsequent drafts. Based on Richards’s amalgamated draft, typeset a third draft and made a new proof sheet, to which he added more emendations. Through each step of this revision process, JS’s words—as captured by Clayton and Richards—were changed, polished, and refined by his scribes, apparently without his direct involvement. Nevertheless, the scribes retained some of his distinctive phrases, such as the admonition that church members not “make a bridge of [his] nose.”
The final form of the 6 April 1843 revised conference minutes and accounts of discourses was published in the 1 May 1843 issue of the Times and Seasons. Evidence within the issue indicates that the paper was delayed and did not appear until 8 May or later. Although exact subscription numbers for the Times and Seasons are unknown for 1843, at least a few thousand copies of the issue were printed and circulated among church members, including Latter-day Saints living in branches outside of . Information in the published minutes that departs substantially from either Clayton’s minutes or Richards’s notes is identified in the annotation.
The survival of both the original minutes and multiple prepublication drafts makes the publication record of the April 1843 conference unique. For previous conferences held in , only the final, published versions of the minutes are extant. JS’s involvement in the publication process for the April 1843 minutes also seems to have been distinctive in comparison to earlier conference minutes.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843.

  2. [2]

    See Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843.

  3. [3]

    See JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843; and Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by Willard Richards.

  4. [4]

    JS, Journal, 23 Apr. 1843.

  5. [5]

    Textual evidence does not conclusively reveal what sources Clayton and JS used to produce the revised minutes, but they probably drew on Clayton’s original minutes and their memories. It is unlikely that they utilized Willard Richards’s notes of the conference, given that the revised minutes differ from Richards’s version when recording the meetings’ openings and closings.

  6. [6]

    Revised Minutes Draft, ca. 23 Apr. 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843.

  7. [7]

    See Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.

  8. [8]

    Revised Minutes and Discourses Draft, 23 Apr.–ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843. Sloan’s expanded draft covered the midday session and part of the afternoon session of 6 April, concluding with JS’s comments on Jacob Remick.

  9. [9]

    See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, 23 Apr.–ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843. Two fragments of the first printed draft are extant. The first includes the 6 April 1843 midday session, and the second includes comments made during the afternoon session by Hyrum Smith and JS on stealing in Nauvoo.

  10. [10]

    See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843. Three fragments of the second printed draft are extant and include comments made during the afternoon session on 6 April 1843 by Hyrum Smith and JS on stealing in Nauvoo and JS’s comments on Jacob Remick and land in Iowa Territory. The first of these fragments is glued to the first fragment of the first printed draft. Portions of this printed draft were cut out. The second and third fragments of the second printed draft were used in the 1850s in compiling JS’s History; Thomas Bullock made emendations for the history to the text on these fragments.

  11. [11]

    JS, Journal, 3 May 1843.

  12. [12]

    Willard Richards, Journal, 3 May 1843.

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

  13. [13]

    Revised Minutes and Discourses Draft, 3 May–ca. 8 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843. Some of the clippings attached to Richards's draft match holes in the first and second printed drafts. Richards made his draft on printed sheets that included Book of Abraham facsimiles. (See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.)

  14. [14]

    The extant portion of the third printed draft includes only the 6 April 1843 midday session. (See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, 3 May–ca. 8 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.)

  15. [15]

    See Notice, 8 May 1843, in Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:185.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  16. [16]

    Tanner, “Mormon Press in Nauvoo,” 102.

    Tanner, Terrence A. “The Mormon Press in Nauvoo, 1839–46.” In Kingdom on the Mississippi Revisited: Nauvoo in Mormon History, edited by Roger D. Launius and John E. Hallwas, 94–118. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1996.

  17. [17]

    For full annotation of Clayton’s minutes and Richards's notes, see Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843; and JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843.

  18. [18]

    See, for example, Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839; Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; and Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 Apr. 1842.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by William Clayton Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton *Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843 Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by Franklin D. Richards *Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by James Burgess Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, James Sloan and John Taylor Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, First Printed Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Willard Richards Draft *Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Published in Times and Seasons Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843 History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843] History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] *Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by William Clayton Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton *Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843 Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, James Sloan and John Taylor Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Willard Richards Draft *Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Published in Times and Seasons Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843 History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] *Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843 Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, William Clayton Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, James Sloan and John Taylor Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, First Printed Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Second Printed Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Willard Richards Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, Third Printed Draft *Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843 History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843] History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith” “History of Joseph Smith” “History of Joseph Smith”
despise a thief above ground. He would betray me if he could get the opportunity. I would know that he would be a detriment to my cause, and if I were the biggest rogue in the world, he would steal my horse when I wanted to run away.
It has been said that some were afraid to disclose what they know of these secret combinations, consequently I issued a proclamation which you may read in the Wasp, No. 48, which the president read,
PROCLAMATION,
To the Citizens of .
Whereas it appears by the re-publication of the foregoing proceedings and delaration, that I have not altered my views on the subject of stealing: And whereas it is reported that there now exists a band of desperadoes, bound by oaths of secrecy, under severe penalties in case any member of the combination divulges their plans of stealing and conveying properties from station to station, up and down the and other routes: And whereas it is reported that the fear of the execution of the pains and penalties of their secret oaths, on their persons, prevents some of the members of said secret asociation, (who have, through falsehood and deceit, been drawn into their snares,) from divulging the same to the legally Constituted authorities of the land:
Know ye, therefore, That I, Joseph Smith, Mayor of the city of , will grant and ensure protection against all personal mob violence, to each and every citizen of this , who will freely and voluntarily come before me, and truly make known the names of all such abominable characters as are engaged in said secret combination for stealing, or are accessary thereto in any manner; and I would respectfully solicit the co-operation of all ministers of Justice, in this and the neighboring states, to ferret out a band of thievish outlaws from our midst.
Given under my hand at , this 25th day of March, A. D. 1843.
JOSEPH SMITH,
Mayor of said .
If any man is afraid to disclose what he knows about this gang of thieves let him come to me, and tell me the truth, and I will protect him from violence. Thieving must be stopped.
Opportunity was then offered to the to bring forward their appeals from other , but no case was presented.
President Joseph continued his remarks and said; it is necessary that I make a proclamation, concerning ; and also in relation to the economy of the on that side of the
It has been supposed that I made a great bargain with a certain at . He came to my house about the 1st of August 1842, a stranger, and put on a long face, and said he was “a stranger in the place, and he was in distress; and having understood that I was very benevolent, he had come to me for help. He said that he was about to loose $1400 at Sheriff’s sale for $300 cash. I have money in , which I expect in two or three days; but the sale takes place to-morrow, and I want to hire money for two or three days.” I thought of this subject over night. I did not like the looks of the man, but thought I, he is a stranger. I have been a stranger in a strange land, and whenever I have asked for assistance I have obtained it. It may be he is an honest man, and if I turn him away I shall be guilty of the sin of ingratitude, and I had better loose $200 in good faith, than be guilty of ingratitude. So I let him have the money and he gave me his note payable on demand, saying “whenever you call on me you shall have the money.”
When I was taken with ’s writ, I asked him for the money. “You ought to have it,” said he, “but I have not got my money from , I shall have it in a few days.” He then stated, “I have a curious plan in my mind which I think may be profitable both for you and me. It is this, “I will give you a deed of all the land you bought of ; which is 20,000 acres: you paid the notes, and ought to have them; they are in my hands as his , and I will give them up.” I also propose deeding to you one half of my right to all my land in the ; and all I ask in return, is for you to give your influence to help to build up .”
I replied I have not asked for your property, and do not want it. I would not give a snap of my finger for it; but I will receive the papers, and if I find things as you say I will use my influence to build up ; but I will give you nothing for the land, and I want the $200 which is due me. He made out the deeds and gave them to me, and I got them recorded. He also gave up the most of the notes. I then said to , if you will go there, with the brethren, I will give you the property; but he would not accept it.
This man called for some more favors, and I let him have some cloth, &c. to the amount of six or seven hundred dollars. I have offered this land to many if they would go and settle there; but nobody will go. He began soon after to say to the brethren what obligations I was under to him. I wrote him a letter on the subject, but I have since found he is swindling, [p. 184]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843
ID #
1033
Total Pages
6
Print Volume Location
JSP, D12:282–293
Handwriting on This Page
  • Printed text

Footnotes

  1. [8]

    JS, “Proclamation,” Wasp, 29 Mar. 1843, [3].

  2. [9]

    According to William Clayton’s minutes, JS commented at this point on the recent attempt by Missouri officials to have him extradited for his alleged role in the May 1842 shooting of former governor Lilburn W. Boggs. JS mistakenly believed that John Chambers, the governor of Iowa Territory, was unwilling to rescind a warrant for JS’s arrest, despite the 4 January 1843 decision by the United States Circuit Court for the District of Illinois that the extradition was unlawful. JS referenced Chambers as one of the reasons that church members should depart Iowa Territory and relocate to Illinois. Presumably, the reference to Chambers was omitted from the published minutes after JS received Chambers’s 10 March 1843 letter stating that the warrant had been returned unserved and that he would not issue another unless the governor of Missouri issued a new requisition. (Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843; John Chambers, Burlington, Iowa Territory, to John Cowan, 10 Mar. 1843, JS Office Papers, CHL.)

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