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Letter from Thomas Carlin, 27 July 1842

Source Note

, Letter, , Adams Co., IL, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 27 July 1842; handwriting of ; two pages; JS Materials, courtesy of Community of Christ Archives, International Headquarters, Independence, Missouri. Includes address, dockets, and notations.
Bifolium measuring 9⅝ × 7¾ inches (24 × 20 cm). The verso of the first leaf and recto of the second leaf are ruled with twenty-six lines (now faded). The upper left corner of the recto of each leaf contains the illegible insignia of a paper mill. The letter is written on the first leaf. The recto of the second leaf is blank, and the letter is addressed on the verso of the second leaf. The letter was trifolded twice in letter style for transmission, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. When the letter was opened, two holes were torn in the second leaf, leaving remnants of the wafer. The letter was trifolded again for filing. Marked paper discoloration has occurred on the recto and verso of the first page, as well as in the address block on the verso of the second leaf. The letter has undergone conservation.
The verso of the second leaf bears two notations and two dockets. The notations are in the handwriting of , written in blue ink: “Copied on Page 170” and “To be published in the Wasp”. One of the dockets is in the handwriting of , who served as scribe to JS from 1842 to 1844. The other docket is in unidentified handwriting. The letter was probably retained by JS’s descendants. By 1961, the family had donated the letter to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ), and it is now housed in the Community of Christ Library and Archives in Independence, Missouri.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    This letter was copied into JS’s journal in the Book of the Law of the Lord. The letter does not appear to have been published in the Wasp. The letter was also copied into JS Letterbook 2. (Book of the Law of the Lord, 169–170; JS Letterbook 2, pp. 240–241.)

  2. [2]

    JS, Journal, 29 June 1842; “Clayton, William,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:718.

    Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.

  3. [3]

    Richard Howard, email to Rachel Killebrew, 5 June 2017, copy in editors’ possession.

Historical Introduction

On 27 July 1842, governor wrote a letter from , Illinois, to JS in , Illinois, acknowledging receipt of a 25 July letter from JS and assuring him that ’s machinations would not endanger Nauvoo citizens. JS’s 25 July letter to Carlin, along with petitions from the men and women of Nauvoo and a report of the court-martial and cashiering of John C. Bennett from the , had been delivered by , , , and Amanda Barnes Smith. JS’s letter is apparently not extant, but its contents can be derived in part from Carlin’s reply, which quotes from the letter. JS had expressed his concern to Carlin that Nauvoo might be attacked and asked the governor to order that the legion be held in readiness to counter any such attack. In Carlin’s 27 July letter of reply, the governor pledged his willingness to protect the Saints from any attempted violence, but he refused to issue orders for the legion to stand in readiness.
delivered ’s letter to JS by 29 July, when he and the others who had visited Carlin had returned to . JS answered the letter on 30 July. later copied Carlin’s letter into JS Letterbook 2, and made another copy in JS’s journal, probably sometime in August 1842.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Eliza R. Snow, Journal, 29 July 1842; Derr et al., First Fifty Years of Relief Society, 137.

    Snow, Eliza R. Journal, 1842–1844. CHL. MS 1439.

    Derr, Jill Mulvay, Carol Cornwall Madsen, Kate Holbrook, and Matthew J. Grow, eds. The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2016.

  2. [2]

    For more information on reasons for JS’s fear of an attack, see Historical Introduction to Letter from Calvin A. Warren, 13 July 1842; and Historical Introduction to Minutes, 22 July 1842.

  3. [3]

    Eliza R. Snow, Journal, 29 July 1842.

    Snow, Eliza R. Journal, 1842–1844. CHL. MS 1439.

  4. [4]

    Letter to Thomas Carlin, 30 July 1842.

  5. [5]

    JS Letterbook 2, pp. 240–241; JS, Journal, Copied Correspondence, 30 June–17 Aug. 1842.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Thomas Carlin, 27 July 1842 Letterbook 2 Journal, December 1841–December 1842 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [2]

persons to excite the least apprehensions of danger or injury, and whilst I should consider it my imp◊tive imperative duty to promptly take measures, to suppress and repel, any invasion by violence, of the peoples rights, I nevertheless think that it is not my province to interpose my official authority gratuitously where no such exigency exists.
From the late disclosures, as made by it is not strange, that <​the​> apprehensions of the Citizens of are excited, but so far as I can learn, from the expression of public opinion the excitement is confined to the Mormons them selves, and only extends to the community at large as a matter of curiosity, and wonder.
very respectfully your obt. servt.
Genl. Joseph Smith jr. [10 lines blank] [p. [2]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Thomas Carlin, 27 July 1842
ID #
2789
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:314–317
Handwriting on This Page
  • Thomas Carlin

Footnotes

  1. [4]

    By this time, the Sangamo Journal had published four letters from Bennett accusing JS of various misdeeds. (See John C. Bennett, Nauvoo, IL, 27 June 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal [Springfield, IL], 8 July 1842, [2]; John C. Bennett, Carthage, IL, 2 July 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal, 15 July 1842, [2]; John C. Bennett, Carthage, IL, 4 July 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal, 15 July 1842, [2]; and John C. Bennett, St. Louis, MO, 15 July 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal, 22 July 1842, [2].)

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

  2. [5]

    The Sangamo Journal had a different view on how those outside of the church were reacting to Bennett’s allegations. In its 15 July 1842 issue, the newspaper reported that residents of Springfield, Illinois, and surrounding Sangamon County “have been in a state of much excitement for a week past, growing out of the disclosures, made by General Bennett.” (“The Mormons,” Sangamo Journal [Springfield, IL], 15 July 1842, [2].)

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

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