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Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842

Source Note

Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 1 Aug. 1842, vol. 3, no. 19, pp. 863–878; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

The 1 August 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons was the eleventh JS oversaw as editor. The issue opened with a reprint from the Bostonian that reported a religious debate between Dr. George Montgomery West (a New England preacher) and Latter-day Saint missionary . It also presented a new installment of the “History of Joseph Smith” and reprinted a note on starvation riots in Ireland. The remainder of the issue was dedicated primarily to denouncing , who had been publishing defamatory statements against JS and the Latter-day Saints. The editorial staff of the Times and Seasons utilized the pages of the 1 August issue to defend JS and condemn Bennett.
Nearly all of this issue’s editorial content about was also published in the Wasp, a general-interest newspaper in , Illinois, that had initially been edited by JS’s brother . However, William had distanced himself from the paper by August 1842, and had assumed the editorial responsibilities of the paper. Taylor, , and others in the appear to have worked on both the Wasp and the Times and Seasons and created content for both newspapers in August. An extra edition of the Wasp dated 27 July bore the title “Bennettiana” and contained affidavits, statements, and articles focused exclusively on exposing the former mayor’s misdeeds. Several of these same official records and editorial comments were printed a second time in this 1 August 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons; this selection therefore features editorial content from both newspapers. The Times and Seasons editorial staff made slight revisions to the editorial commentary in order to customize it to their newspaper. JS’s involvement in the creation of this editorial content is unclear, but as editor of the Times and Seasons, he oversaw the paper and assumed responsibility for all editorial statements.
The editorial content in the 1 August issue includes an article on , which was followed by reprinted affidavits from several City Council members, concluding with a short editorial comment. Certified statements attesting to JS’s character, republished from the Wasp, were then inserted. This was followed by a section contrasting Bennett’s slandering of JS and the with earlier statements Bennett had written, originally published in various newspapers between 1840 and 1842, wherein he spoke positively of JS and the Saints. Another featured selection, also previously published in the Wasp, introduced opinion pieces on Bennett reprinted from several newspapers across the . The editorial content in the issue concluded by reprinting the Wasp’s response to an inflammatory article, written by , that had been published a week earlier in the Quincy Whig.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Although John Taylor assisted JS in editing the Times and Seasons, JS assumed primary editorial responsibility for all issues, like this one, that named him as editor. (Woodruff, Journal, 19 Feb. 1842; “To Subscribers,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:710.)

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  2. [2]

    See Bennett’s letters printed in the 8, 15, and 22 July 1842 issues of the Sangamo Journal.

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

  3. [3]

    Although William Smith was acknowledged as editor until October 1842, by August 1842 he appears to have been only a nominal editor. In a disgruntled letter to the editor of the Sangamo Journal, George W. Robinson commented on the confusing status of the editorship of the Wasp, sarcastically stating that because of “the dozen would be editors, who are prowling and loafing about the printing office, it would be difficult to ascertain the editors!” (Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:192–193; “To the Public,” Wasp, 8 Oct. 1842, [2]; “Letter from Col. Robinson,” Sangamo Journal [Springfield, IL], 26 Aug. 1842, [2], italics in original.)

    Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. 3 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997–2012.

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

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

  4. [4]

    See “Bennettiana,” Wasp, Extra, 27 July 1842, [1]–[2].

  5. [5]

    The featured editorial content from the Wasp was repurposed as editorial content by the editorial staff of the Times and Seasons.

  6. [6]

    JS owned the printing office where both newspapers were printed. (See JS, Lease, Nauvoo, IL, to John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, Nauvoo, IL, [between 8 and 10] Dec. 1842, JS Collection [Supplement], CHL.)

  7. [7]

    See George W. Robinson, “Letter from Nauvoo,” Quincy (IL) Whig, 23 July 1842, [2].

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

  8. [8]

    See “Editorial Method”.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 Minutes, 22 July 1842, as Published in Wasp *Minutes, 22 July 1842, as Published in Times and Seasons Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 873

Journal that the withdrawal of the hand of fellowship by the , and the , was after he had withdrawn from the . I presume the notice of our withdrawal was not published till after he withdrew, but that does not prove his statement true, for I hereby testify that I signed the article in qnestion several days before he withdrew. I believe it was on the evening of the 11th day of May, some four or five days afterwards I had some conversation with and intimated to him that such a thing was concluded upon, which intimation I presume led him to withdraw immediately. I told him we could not bear with his conduct any longer—that there were many witnesses against him, and that they stated that he gave Joseph Smith as authority for his illicit intercourse with females. declared to me before God that Joseph Smith had never taught him such doctrines, and that he never told any one that he (Joseph Smith) had taught any such things, and that any one who said so told base lies; nevertheless, he said he had done wrong, that he would not deny, but he would deny that he had used Joseph Smith’s name to accomplish his designs on any one; stating that he had no need of that, for that he could succeed without telling them that Joseph approbated such conduct.
These statements he made to me of his own free will, in a private conversation which we had on the subject; there was no compulsion or threats used on my part; we had always been on good terms, and I regretted exceedingly that he had taken such a course. He plead with me to intercede for him, assuring me that he would turn from his iniquity, and never would be guilty of such crimes again.— He said that if he were exposed it would break his mother’s heart—that she was old, and if such things reached her ears it would bring her down with sorrow to the grave. I accordingly went to Joseph Smith and plead with him to spare from public exposure, on account of his mother. On many occasions I heard him acknowledge his guilt, and beg not to be destroyed in the eyes of the public, and that he would never act so again, “So help him God.” From such promises, and oaths, I was induced to bear with him longer than I should have done.
On one occasion I heard him state before the city Council that Joseph Smith had never taught him any unrighteous principles, of any kind, and that if any one says that he ever said that Joseph taught such things they are base liars, or words to that effect. This statement he made voluntarily; he came into the council room about an hour after the council opened, and made the statement, not under duress, but of his own free will, as many witnesses can testify.
On a former occasion he came to me and told me that a friend of his was about to be tried by the , for the crime of adultery, and that he feared his name would be brought into question.— He entreated me to go to the council and prevent his name from being brought forward, as, said he, “I am not on trial, and I do not want my mother to hear of these things, for she is a good woman.”
I would further state that I do know from the amount of evidence which stands against , and from his own acknowledgements, that he is a most corrupt, base, and vile man; and that he has published many base falsehoods since we withdrew the hand of fellowship from him.
About the time that was brought before the Masonic Lodge he came to me and desired that I would go in company with , to , and entreat of him to spare him—that he wished not to be exposed—that he wanted to live as a private citizen, and would cease from all his folly, &c. I advised him to go to , and when he returned, if he would behave well we would reinstate him. He said he had no means to take him to , and still insisted on and myself to intercede for him.
.
Sworn to, and subscribed before me a Justice of the Peace, within and for the county of , State of Illinois, July 20th 1842.
.
 
————
STATE OF ILLINOIS,)
County of . )
I hereby certify that on the 17th day of May last subscribed and swore to the affidavit over my signature of that date, and published in the Wasp, after writing the same in my presence, in the office where I was employed in taking depositions of witnesses. The door of the room was open and free for all or any person to pass or repass. After signing and being qualified to the affidavit aforesaid, he requested to speak with me at the door; I followed him out—he told me some persons had been lying about him and showed me a writing granting him the [p. 873]
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Page 873

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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842
ID #
8153
Total Pages
16
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:331–344
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