Skip to main content

Letter to Editor, 23 January 1843

  1. Home > 
  2. The Papers > 

Letter to Editor, 23 January 1843

Source Note

JS, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to the editor of the Wasp [], [, Hancock Co., IL], 23 Jan. 1843. Featured version published in Wasp, 28 Jan. 1843, vol. 1, no. 39, [3]. Transcription from a bound volume held at CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Notice, 28 Apr. 1842.
The 28 January 1843 issue of the Wasp consists of four leaves, each measuring 14¾ × 10 inches (37 × 25 cm). Each page contains four columns.

Historical Introduction

On 23 January 1843, JS wrote a letter in , Illinois, to —the editor of the Wasp, Nauvoo’s weekly newspaper—publicly stating that he did not desire to participate in county and state politics. In the aftermath of JS’s extradition hearings, Governor urged JS to keep a low profile politically and to “refrain from all political electioneeri[n]g.” This advice was immediately tested when JS received solicitations to either support or oppose political efforts to form a new county from existing counties in . During December 1842 and January 1843, Illinois citizens authored multiple petitions asking the state legislature to use portions of and to form a new county between them. Proponents of the division were mostly from the southwest portion of Hancock County, while those in the , Illinois, and Nauvoo areas largely opposed a new county. Among those in favor of a new county were citizens of , Illinois, who on 16 January 1843 petitioned for the creation of a new county out of the southwestern portions of Hancock County, presumably with Warsaw as its county seat. Both advocates for and opponents to the formation of a new county apparently approached JS about participating in these discussions. Like many of his fellow Latter-day Saints, JS opposed the proposed division of Hancock County. Despite his opposition to the proposed measure, JS declined to become formally involved in the issue and evidently did not sign any of the petitions regarding the proposed division.
The original copy of this letter is apparently not extant. The Wasp published the letter in its 28 January 1843 issue.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Taylor became the editor of the newspaper in December 1842, replacing William Smith, who had edited the newspaper since April 1842. (William Smith, “Valedictory,” and John Taylor, “Introductory,” Wasp, 10 Dec. 1842, [2].)

    The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.

  2. [2]

    JS, Journal, 6 Jan. 1843.

  3. [3]

    On 19 December 1842, a Mr. Wheat presented petitions from the people of Adams County “praying a division of said county.” Then, on 22 and 24 December 1842, representatives presented a remonstrance against dividing the county and a petition from “sundry citizens of Adams county, praying the organization of a new county out of parts of the counties of Adams and Hancock.” Two days later and then again on 30 December, a Mr. Starr presented remonstrances against the proposed division from various citizens of Adams County. The following day, a Mr. Browning presented a new petition calling for “the organization of a new county out of parts of the counties of Adams and Hancock.” In January the debate continued, and several additional petitions were submitted to the state legislature both in favor of and opposed to the formation of a new county. (Journal of the House . . . of the State of Illinois, 19 Dec. 1842, 89; 22 Dec. 1842, 100; 24 Dec. 1842, 111; 26 Dec. 1842, 113; 30 Dec. 1842, 125; 31 Dec. 1842, 129; “House of Representatives,” Sangamo Journal [Springfield, IL], 29 Dec. 1842, [2]; “Illinois Legislature,” Sangamo Journal, 26 Jan. 1843, [1]–[2].)

    Journal of the House of Representatives of the Thirteenth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Regular Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 5, 1842. Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1842.

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

  4. [4]

    William Chipley et al., Petition “to the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois in Springfield Now Assembled,” 16 Jan. 1843; William Backenstos et al., Petition “to the Honorable Legislature of the State of Illinois,” 16 Jan. 1843; William Felshaw et al., Petition “to the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois,” [Jan. 1843]; Elanson Tuttle et al., Petition “to the Honorable Legislature of the State of Illinois,” 16 Jan. 1843; Benjamin Clapp et al., Petition “to the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois at the City of Springfield,” [Jan. 1843], Illinois General Assembly, Miscellaneous Petitions, 1839–1853, microfilm 980,654, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.

    U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

  5. [5]

    The proposed boundaries seem to have had the purpose of elevating Warsaw’s stature as a city. Warsaw Signal editor Thomas Sharp was among the proponents of this plan. (William Chipley et al., Petition “to the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois in Springfield Now Assembled,” 16 Jan. 1843, Illinois General Assembly, Miscellaneous Petitions, 1839–1853, microfilm 980,654, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)

    U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

  6. [6]

    William Clayton and Willard Richards were among those who opposed the division of the county. (William Felshaw et al., Petition “to the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois,” [Jan. 1843]; Leonard Soby et al., Petition “to the Honourable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois at the City of Springfield, Assembled,” [Jan. 1843], Illinois General Assembly, Miscellaneous Petitions, 1839–1853, microfilm 980,654, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)

    U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter to Editor, 23 January 1843
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [3]

To the of The Wasp:—
Dear Sir: I have, of late, had repeated solicitations to have something to do in relation to the political farce about dividing the ; but as my feelings revolt at the idea of having any thing to do with politics, I have declined in every instance in having any thing to do on the subject. I think it would be well for politicians to regulate their own affairs. I wish to be let alone, that I may attend strictly to the spiritual welfare of the .
Please insert the above and oblige
JOSEPH SMITH.
, Jan. 23, 1843. [p. [3]]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [3]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Editor, 23 January 1843
ID #
977
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
JSP, D11:363
Handwriting on This Page
  • Printed text

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    In 1840, after returning from a political mission to Washington DC, JS reportedly stated in a general conference of the church that he “did not wish to have any political influence, but wished the saints to use their political franchise to the best of their knowledge.” More recently, newspapers had reported that JS had preached a sermon during fall 1842 in which he related a rumor that “Gov. Carlin was afraid that he (Smith) wanted to be Governor” and responded to the rumor by stating that he was “in a better situation than he would be if he was Governor or President, being Lieutenant General for time and Prophet for eternity, either of which he considered preferable to be being Governor or President.” Despite JS’s declarations that he lacked interest in political activism, opponents were skeptical. They criticized his having a “hand in every thing civil or military” within Nauvoo and believed he was trying to accrue other offices and honors “to take away the rights of the citizens.” Indeed, JS had been elected mayor earlier that year by the Nauvoo City Council to fill the vacancy left by John C. Bennett. Furthermore, on 2 February 1843, a caucus nominated JS for reelection to the office in the February 1843 general city election, and JS ultimately ran unopposed. (Minutes and Discourse, 6–8 Apr. 1840; “Joe Smith,” Quincy [IL] Whig, 26 Nov. 1842, [3], italics in original; Editorial, Quincy Whig, 26 Nov. 1842, [2]; Historical Introduction to Oath, 11 Feb. 1843; Historical Introduction to Letter from Sylvester Emmons, 29 Jan. 1843; JS, Journal, 2 Feb. 1843; see also Vinson, “Electioneering in North Carolina,” 177–178.)

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

    Vinson, John Chalmers. “Electioneering in North Carolina, 1800–1835.” North Carolina Historical Review 29, no. 2 (Apr. 1952): 171–188.

  2. [2]

    JS said something similar in a 20 June 1840 meeting of the Nauvoo high council. In that meeting, JS asked the high council to “relieve him from the temporalities of the Church which he necessarily had to engage in.” JS stated that he “felt it his duty to engage, more particularly, in the spiritual welfare of the Saints & also, to the translating of the Egyptian Records— the Bible— & wait upon the Lord for such revelations as may be suited to the condition & circumstances of the Church.” (Minutes, 20 June 1840.)