... Mr. President, I will now respond to the call which has been made upon me for my opinions of the condition of things in Utah, and the appropriate remedies for existing evils. The Territory of Utah was organized under one of the acts known as the compromise measure of 1850, on the supposition that the inhabitants were American citizens, owing and acknowledging allegiance to the United States, and consequently entitled to the benefits of self government while a Territory, and to admission into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, so soon as they should number the requisite population. It was conceded on all hands, and by all parties, that the peculiarities of their religious faith and ceremonies interposed no valid and constitutional objection to their reception into the Union, in conformity with the federal constitution, so long as they were in all other respects entitled to admission. Hence the great political parties of the country indorsed and approved the compromise measure of 1850, including the act for the organization of the Territory of Utah, with the hope and in the confidence that the inhabitants would conform to the constitution and laws, and prove themselves worthy, respectable and law-abiding citizens. If we are permitted to place credence in the rumors and reports from that country (and it must be admitted that they have increased and strengthened and assumed consistency and plausibility by each successive mail,) seven years experience has disclosed a state of facts entirely different from that which was supposed to exist when Utah was organized. These rumors and reports would seem to justify the belief that the following facts are susceptible to proof. 1. That nine-tenths of the inhabitants are aliens by birth, who have refused to become naturalized, or to take the oath of allegiance, or do any other act recognizing the Government of the United States as the paramount authority of that Territory. 2. That the inhabitants, whether native or alien born, known as Mormons, (and they constitute the whole people of the Territory,) are bound by horrid oaths, and terrible penalties, to recognize and maintain the authority of Brigham Young, and the government of which he is head, as paramount to that of the United States, in civil as well as in religious affairs; and they will, in due time, and under the direction of their leaders, use all the means in their power to subvert the government of the United States, and resist its authority. 3. That the Mormon government, with Brigham Young at its head, is now forming alliances with Indian tribes in Utah and adjoining territories -- stimulating the Indians to acts of hostility -- and organizing bands of his own followers under the name of "Danites or Destroying Angels," to prosecute a system of robbery and murders upon American citizens, who support the authority of the United States, and denounce the infamous and disgusting practices and institutions of the Mormon Government. If, upon a full investigation, these representations shall prove true, they will establish the fact that the Mormon inhabitants of Utah, as a community, are outlaws and alien enemies, unfit to exercise the right of self-government under the organic act, and unworthy to be admitted into the Union as a State, when their only object in seeking admission is to interpose the sovereignty of the State, as an invincible shield to protect them in their treason and crime, debauchery and infamy. (Applause.) Under this view of the subject, I think it is the duty of the President, as I have no doubt it is his fixed purpose to remove Brigham Young and all his followers from office, and to fill their places with bold, able and true men, and to cause a thorough and searching investigation into all the crimes and enormities which are alleged to be perpetrated daily in that Territory, under the direction of Brigham Young and his confederates; and to use all the military force necessary to protect the officers in discharge of their duties, and to enforce the laws of the land. (Applause.) When the authentic evidence shall arrive, if it shall establish the facts which are believed to exist, it will become the duty of Congress to apply the knife and cut out this loathsome, disgusting ulcer. (Applause.) No temporizing policy -- no half way measures will then answer. It has been supposed by those who have not thought deeply upon this subject, that an act of Congress prohibiting murder, robbery, polygamy and other crimes, with appropriate penalties for those offenses, would afford adequate remedies for all the enormities complained of. Suppose such a law to be on the statute books, and I believe they have a criminal code, providing the usual punishment for the entire catalogue of crimes, according to the usages of all civilized and Christian countries, with the exception of polygamy, which is practised under the sanction of the Mormon Church, but is neither prohibited nor authorized by the laws of the Territory. Suppose, I repeat, that Congress should pass a law prescribing a criminal code, and punishing polygamy among other offences, what other effect would it have -- what god would it do? Would you call on twenty-three grand jurymen, with twenty-three wives each, to find a bill of indictment against a poor miserable wretch for having two wives? (Cheers and laughter.) Would you call upon twelve petit jurors, with twelve wives each, to convict the same loathsome wretch for having two wives? (Continued applause.) Would you expect a grand jury composed of twenty-three "Danites" to find a bill of indictment against a brother "Danite" for having murdered a Gentile, as they call all American citizens, under their direction? Much less would you expect a jury of twelve "destroying angels" to find another "destroying angel" guilty of the same murder, and cause him to be hanged for no other offence than taking the life of a Gentile? No? If there is any truth in the reports we receive from Utah, Congress may pass whatever laws it chooses; but you can never rely upon the local tribunals and juries to punish crimes committed by Mormons in that Territory. Some other and more effectual remedy must be devised and applied. In my opinion, the first step should be the absolute and unconditional repeal of the organic act -- blotting the territorial government out of existence -- upon the ground that they are outlaws, denying their allegiance and defying the authorities of the United States. (immense applause.) The Territorial Government once abolished, the country would revert to its primitive condition prior to the act of 1850, "under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States," and should be placed under the operation of the act of Congress of the 30th of April, 1790, and the various acts supplemental thereto and amendatory thereof, "providing for the punishment of crimes against the United States within any fort, arsenal, dock yard, magazine, or any other place or district of country, under the sole and exclusivejurisdiction of the United States." All offences against the provisions of these acts are required by law to be tried and punished by the United States Courts in the States or Territories where the offenders shall be "first apprehended or brought for trial." There it will be seen that under the plan proposed, Brigham Young and his confederates could be "apprehended and brought for trial" to Iowa, Missouri, California, California or Oregon, or to any other adjacent State or Territory, where a fair trial could be had, and justice administered impartially -- where the witnesses could be protected and the judgment of the court could be carried into execution, without violence or intimidation. I do not propose to introduce any new principles into our jurisprudence, nor to change the modes of prosecuting or the rules of practice in our Courts. I only propose to place the district of country embraced within the Territory of Utah under the operation of the same laws and rules proceeding, that Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and our other Territories were placed before they became organized Territories. The whole country embraced within these Territories under the operation of that same system of laws, and all the offences committed within the same were punished in the manner now proposed, so long as the country remained "under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States;" but the moment the country was organized into Territorial Governmens, with legislative, executive and judicial departments, it ceased to be under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, within the meaning of the act of Congress, for the reason that it had passed under another and a different jurisdiction. Hence, if we abolish the Territorial Government of Utah, pursuing and existing all rights and place the country under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, offenders can be apprehended and brought into the adjacent States or Territories for punishment, in the same manner and under the same rules and regulations which obtained and have been uniformly practiced, under like circumstances since 1790.... While the power of Congress to repeal the organic act and abolish the Territorial Government cannot be denied, the question may arise whether we possess the moral right of exercising the power, after the charter has been once granted and the local government organized under its provisions. This is a grave question -- one which should not be decided hastily, nor under the influence of passion or prejudice, I am free to say that in my opinion there is no moral right to repeal the organic act of a Territory, and abolish the government organized under it, unless the inhabitants of that Territory, as a community, have done such acts as amount to a forfieture of all rights under it -- such as becomming alien enemies, out-laws, disavowing their allegiance, or resisting the authority of the United States. These, and kindred acts, which we have every reason to believe are daily prepetrated in that Territory, would not only give us the moral right, but make it our umperative duty to abolish the Territorial Government, and place the inhabitants under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, to the end that justice may be done and the dignity and authority of the government vindicated. I have thus presented plainly and frankly my views of the Utah question -- the evils and the remedy -- upon the facts as they have reached us, and are supposed to be substantially correct. If official reports and authentic information shall change or modify these facts, I shall be ready to conform my notion to the real facts as they shall be found to exist. I have no such pride of opinion as will induce me to persevere in an error one moment after my judgment is convinced. If, therefore, a better plan can be devised -- one more consistent with justice and sound policy, or more effective as a remedy for acknowledged evils, I shall take great pleasure in adopting it, in lieu of the one I have presented to you to-night. In conclusion, permit me to express my grateful acknowledgments for your patient attention and the kind and respectful manner in which you have received my remarks. |
The commission have before them various editions of the Book of Mormon, first and most important the original Palmyra edition of 1830. Then there are the Kirtland edition of 1835 [sic], the Nauvoo edition of 1843 [sic], the Plano (Ill.) edition, and various editions published by the polygamists of Salt Lake City. There are also five European editions published in England, Denmark and Sweden, Germany and France. One of the commission said it must be stated in behalf of the Salt Lake edition that they have made no changes from the original manuscript, except what may be said of other editions, and these consist merely of changes in verbs and tenses. Whenever an alteration is detected which consists, for instance, of the substitution of the relatives, who, which and that, and the tenses of the verbs, the person holding the edition in which such change is detected erases the word and substitutes the original word as it exists in the manuscript, interlining the correct word in the printed book with a pencil. The intention is probably to print an edition, thus corrected from the manuscript, which will be recognized as genuine at least by the Reorganized Branch of the saints. HE WILL NOT GIVE IT UP. It is well known that some years ago [Orson] Pratt and Joseph F. Smith, the son of Hyrum Smith of the Salt Lake branch, came to Richmond, and calling on Father Whitmer offered him any sum he would name (the amount being stated at $100,000) if he would surrender to them the original manuscript. They said they wanted the manuscript solely for the purpose of placing it in the archives of the church at Utah for preservation. Mr. Whitmer informed them that he would not part with it for any amount of money. He was its custodian, and it should be preserved as a sacred deposit by himself and heirs.The latest edition of the Book of Mormon has been verified the same as was done with the Bible, for convenience to the reader. The manuscript was written from the dictation of Joseph Smith by the following amanuenses: Oliver Cowdery, Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith; Christian Whitmer and Martin Harris, and it is supposed that Alva Hale was also employed as one of the scribes, but Hale only wrote a small portion. HOW WHITMER GOT IT. Oliver Cowdery, the principal witness and scribe of Joseph Smith, became the possessor of the manuscript[s] which he retained and brought with him to Missouri. Oliver Cowdery was the brother-in-law of Jacob Whitmer, and he died at Richmond in 1850, in the house adjoining Whitmer's, and the latter naturally came in possession of the document. Oliver Cowdery is buried in the old cemetery, near Richmond, and his wife and daughter are still living in this state.For the brief time that the commissioners were disengaged there was a good time for interviewing, but there were too many of them at once, and, like the fowler distracted by the flocks of pigeons on the trees, in the wheat stubble, with others flying overhead, shots were rather scattering. PRESIDENT JOSEPH SMITH. President Joseph Smith is a gentleman of rather imposing appearance, well built, piercing eyes and dark beard mingled with gray, flowing down below the chin in patriarchal length. In physical appearance he is quite as striking as the late President Garfield, whom it is said he resembles, and possesses much of the same magnetism. He is good looking, and Gen. Doniphan informed the reporter that he takes after his mother, a fine looking lady, whom he knew well. He is withal a stout looking man, weighing 210 pounds and his height is five feet eight. He stated that he was born in Kirtland, O., and is about fifty-one years of age. He remembers his father who was kind and indulgent to his family. He studied law in Canton, Ill., with Judge Kellog, but becoming averse to the practice of law he studied for the ministry, and is now the head of a church numbering some 20,000 members, and known as the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints. That branch has no affiliation with the Salt Lake Mormons or Brighamites."They are the only class," said Mr. Smith, "of ministers who won't meet us in discussion. You can't get one of their churches in Salt Lake to let one of our men in, but they will let in a Methodist and the preachers of other denominations. In 1869 Brigham Young refused my brother here, Alex. H. Smith, the use of the Tabernacle because, as they said, we were trying to undo the work they had done -- that is, tear it down. They don't deny Joseph Smith, my father, but they claim he originated polygamy, in the church. We challenge the proofs." WHITMER'S TESTIMONY. While president Smith was wrestling with the charges of fraud and delusion urged against his father, the REPUBLICAN representative turned to Mr. Whitmer, who was lying on the bed and listening with much apparent interest to the colloquy, occasionally interposing a word in confirmation of Mr. Smith's statements and made some interrogatories."Yes," said Mr. Whitmer, "I have no objection to giving the particulars of my early life. I was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at a small trading post, in 1805. My father moved to York state when I was four years old. We settled in Fayette township, Seneca county, between Seneca and Cayuga lakes, four miles from Seneca Falls, two miles from Waterloo, seven miles from Seneca. I lived there till I was twenty-six years old. The first time I saw Joseph Smith was in Harmony, Pennsylvania I joined him before the Book of Mormon was printed at Palmyra, N.Y. I was there during the time the book was printed. The translation was done in my father's house; at least two months of the time, was thus taken up with it there. Oliver Cowdery was the principal amanuensis. Cowdery died in [1850], near my house, in Richmond. Joseph Smith claimed that an angel informed him of the place where the plates were hidden. I saw the plates; they were bound together with leaves, and held together by rings, two at each corner of the bundle and one in the centre. "Joseph Smith dictated every word in the book. The understanding we have about it was that when the book was discovered an angel was present and pointed the place out. In translating from the plates, Joseph Smith looked through the Urim and Thumminim, consisting of two transparent pebbles set in the rim of a bow, fastened to a breastplate. He dictated by looking through them to his scribes." At this stage of the explanation, Mr. Whitmer showed those present aspecimen of the characters copied from the plates. It is on a piece of strong paper about four by eight inches, and covered with one hundred or more hieroglyphics and figures. THE HIEROGLYPHICS. It is the identical specimen which was sent to Prof. Anthon, of New York, and shown by him to Prof. Mitchell, of which the New York papers made mentionat the time. The specimen was sent to Prof. Anthon by Martin Harris and returned to him. Profs. Anthon and Mitchell both admitted they were ancient characters, resembling the reformed Egyptian and Hebrew characters. Mr. Whitmer holds these characters, as well as the manuscript of the Book of Mormon and the records of the church, in great reverence, and would not part with them for any money or allow them to go out of his house. He says he is utterly opposed to polygamy and remarked that when he was connected with the church in York State, "we wouldn't," he said, "have fellowship even with any person who was divorced, and Joseph Smith was opposed to it." Mr. Whitmer here desired his grandson, Mr. George Schweich, to copy for the REPUBLICAN the following extract from the Book of Mormon as an expression of his views and that of the founders of the church:EXTRACT FROM THE BOOK OF MORMON. Book of Jacob, chapter II. -- "Behold David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord; wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; for I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women."Mr. Whitmer on being asked if he saw the angel, as stated in some accounts, opened the book and pointing to a section said, "There is my testimony. Read it; that tells all that is necessary for me to say about it. That contains the solemn testimony of myself and the other persons named." Mr. Whitmer's response was regarded as closing out any further interrogatory under that head, and an estoppel was put on such inquiries. THE WITNESSES. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people unto whom this work shall come, that we, through the grace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken; and we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety, that the work is true; and we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates and they have been shown unto us by the power of God and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness that an angel of God came down from heaven and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates and the engravings thereon, and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ that we beheld and bear record that these things are true, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Nevertheless the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things, and we know that if we are faithful in Christ we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men and be found spotless before the judgment seat of Christ and dwell with Him eternally in the heavens, and the honor be to the Father and to the Son, and to theHoly Ghost, which is one God. Amen.David Whitmer, Martin Harris. AN ORIGINAL REVELATION. Revelation to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, June, 1829, given previous to their viewing the plates containing the Book of Mormon.1. Behold I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do, with purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the plates, and also the breastplates, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red sea; and it is byyour faith that you shall obtain a view of them, even by that faith which was had by the prophets of old. 2. And after that you have obtained faith, and have seen them with your own eyes, you shall testify of them by the power of God; and this you shall do that my servant, Joseph Smith, Jr., may not be destroyed, that I may bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men in this work. And ye shall testify that you have seen them even as my servant Joseph Smith, Jr., has seen them, and it is because he had faith; and he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth, it is true. 3. Wherefore you have received the same power, and the same faith, and the same gift like unto him; and if you do these last commandments of mine which I have given you the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; for my grace is sufficient for you, and you shall be lifted up at the last day. And Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it unto you that I might bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men. Amen. It may be stated here that Mr. Whitmer has in his possession the history written by the appointed historian of the church, John Whitmer (the brother of David). The history is still in manuscript and has never been published. John died, leaving the history in David's hands, and for aught known, it has been seen but by very few persons. It is further known that revelations became so frequent among the Saints from 1829 to 1835 that Joseph Smith received a revelation shutting down on this superabundance of heavenly oracles. The supply was greater than the demand. Mr. Whitmer, on being asked about these revelations, said most any one could get a revelation if he desired. He maintains that the Book of Mormon is much more antagonistic to polygamy and concubinage than the Bible, "and Joseph Smith," said he, "never to my knowledge advocated it, though I have heard that he virtually sanctioned it at Nauvoo. However, I broke loose from him in 1837 and can't state intelligently." ALEX. H. SMITH. This gentleman, the second son of Joseph the prophet, is stoutly built. His complexion, with the evidence of good health, is said to resemble his father more strikingly than any other of the sons. Gen. Doniphan, who knew Joseph Smith confirmed the statement that Alex bears a striking resemblance to his father. Alexander informed the reporter that he visited Salt Lake in 1876, staying for three weeks. "I was refused permission to speak in the Tabernacle. They said they got the sanction of polygamy from my father, who died 1844, and that it was not till August, 185[2], that it was first presented in a special conference held at the tabernacle in Salt Lake City by Brigham Young. Orson Pratt gave the first in defense of polygamy ever uttered in a Mormon church. Illinois killed father as a reformer, the same as she did Lovejoy. Father was not an educated man, but after we moved to Ohio they had good schools there, and he improved himself so that he became, in some measure, quite learned. We younger men know only about these things b[y] what we learn from our elders. Father Whitmer was there, and we accept his statement.THOMAS W. SMITH. This gentleman is a cousin of Joseph and Alexander, and in charge of the Australian mission. He is a gentleman of learning and extensive research in the literature of theology. He gave a running sketch of the Book of Mormon and what it taught. Mormon was the last of the race. The history told by him covers 600 years before Christ and extends 400 years subsequent to the beginning of the Christian era. After the departure from Jerusalem the Nephites and the Lamanites became divided and the Nephites in consequence of the turbulence and fierce wars were finally destroyed, except a portion who united with the deserters and were identified and absorbed by the Lamanites. This colony came to this continent before Christ, landing as is supposed in Peru, South America. The description of the country in the Book of Mormon answers to the accounts given by modern explorers, and shows conclusively that they passed across the Isthmus of Panama. They afterwards scattered all over the country, leaving mounds, temples, tablets, statuary, inscriptions and other memorials of their occupation. It is a curious and noted fact that all the explorations made by Squires, Priest, Stephens and Catherwood and others of these remains of an ancient people were made subsequent to the publication of the Book of Mormon, which is the only book that gives the key to these prehistoric migrations. The descendants of the colony which came out from Jerusalem discovered a colony that preceded them and which came out from the tower of Babel. Mr. Smith is about leaving very soon for the Australasian archipelagos, and will revisit New Zealand. He desired very much to see Mr. Griffin, the American consul to New Zealand, who, he saw from the Republican, was stopping at the Southern hotel; but as the commission will not complete its work until Wednesday evening of this week, he could not expect to find Mr. Griffin in St. Louis after that time. Mr. Smith, when asked by the reporter, if in New Zealand he would not be afraid to encounter the Maoris or missionary eaters, answered in the negative, and said the worst enemies that he expected to meet would be the Brighamites or polygamists from Salt Lake who had a large following in those islands, and whom they pitched into wherever met as hostile to the pure teachings of Joseph.WM. H. KELLEY. Mr. Kelley is a missionary in charge of the central states with headquarters at Kirtland, Ohio, where he ministers in the original temple first erected by the saints in this country. The temple was built after a design by Joseph Smith in 1834. The walls are of unhewn stone, three stories in height, 69 feet in length. The outside and inside is plastered with cement and the appearance is as fresh as when first built. A peculiarity of the interior is that there are two pulpits, one at the east and the other at the west end. There are three pulpits or platforms in each of the main pulpits rising one above the other. Mr. Kelley avers that the church will stand forever as it is approved by the Almighty like the Pentecost. It has withstood the tribulation of the saints from the mob and from riots, Joseph and Sidney Rigdon having both been tarred and feathered by the people called the Campbellites. The late President Garfield resided about three miles from Kirtland. He was more liberal in his views and while officiating as a Campbellite preacher he performed the marriage ceremony of the late Judge Whitmer of Richmond, who was a nephew of David Whitmer. The church at Kirtland comprises only six members, though the services are crowded by outsiders, mostly free-thinkers, and those who do not belong to any church. The pulpit of the temple is free to all denominations, and even Bob Ingersoll would be admitted, as they believe in freedom of conscience to its fullest extent. In February last, the greatBraden-Kelley debate took place in the temple, the former being a Campbellite.THE SALT LAKE DELEGATION.. Hon. Jacob T. Childs said: "About six years ago Orson Pratt and Joseph [F.] Smith, the son of Hiram Smith and nephew of Joseph the Prophet, came to Richmond, from Salt Lake for the purpose of verifying the book of Mormon as published with the manuscript in the hands of Whitmer. After examining it they pronounced it to be the original manuscript of the book of Mormon. Mr. Smith said he recognized his aunt's (the wife of the prophet) handwriting as a part of it; also Oliver Cowdery's handwriting. Orson Pratt stated that the manuscript was very valuable to them and he hoped that Father Whitmer would keep it in a safe place, as the archives of the church would be incomplete without it, and they would pay anything within reason for it. The family of Mr. Whitmer feels that a curse would fall on them if they allowed it to go out of their hands, that the Almighty intended that they should keep it, and fearing that if the Salt Lake people got it they would interpolate it for their own purposes. The Whitmers hold it as a sacred document not to be parted with on any consideration. It is remarkable with what pertinacity the man's family believe in it. Every branch of the Whitmer family is firm in the faith. Mr. Whitmer, after describing to me the golden plates, I asked him what he considered their value."That was exactly," he replied, with animation, "what first struck Joseph Smith, and the angel hurled him down the hill, Commorah, and it was six months before Joseph obtained possession of the stone box that held the plates, and he also reiterates to me his having seen the angel and having heard the voice distinctly. What he had seen was to be relied on, and that his testimony in the Book of Mormon is correct in every particular. Mr. Whitmer left the Mormons on account of their devious transactions, and on account of his refusal to handle or have anything to do with the Kirtland money, for which he denounced them, and, leaving Far West, came to Richmond. The Mormon priesthood held a council at Far West and John Whitmer, brother of David, was the secretary of it. David was aware that he was being tried as an apostate, and had an understanding with his brother that, if the council decided favorably, he was to come outside and raise his hat, but if they decided against him, then he was to wipe his face with a handkerchief. John finally came forth, and, wiping his face with his handkerchief, David knew that was a signal for him to leave, and, mounting his horse, he made his escape. After that what is known as the Mormon war took place. The Mormon flagstaff was shivered to splinters by a stroke of lightening, and this was considered a bad omen and frightened many of the Mormon followers. Father Whitmer during the war drove a wagon containing provisions for the supply of the Doniphan forces, and when he got to Far West the women came out and said Whitmer had done right in the course he pursued. The split there occurred, and Whitmer never went to Nauvoo, but remained here with the better class of Mormons. The Whitmers, the Pages and others regard the Book of Mormon as a continuation of the New Testament. FIRM BELIEVERS. This subject may be closed with the observation that, whatever the gentiles may believe in regard to the Mormons, the sons of Joseph Smith and David Whitmer and his sons believe in it with a firm conviction and undoubted faith. The honesty and excellent character of the Whitmer family are substantiated by the people of Richmond without exception. That David Whitmer, who holds many of the revelations of the early founders of that church with no higher esteem than outsiders, and the fact that he had a falling-out with Joe Smith and in a measure separated himself from the saints who went to Nauvoo, and still holds to the genuineness of the Book of Mormon with an unalterable faith in its truth is certainly a remarkable fact. Whitmer holds the Book of Mormon in the same estimation that he holds the Bible, believing that the one is a supplement of the other, and that whoever disbelieves in either does it at the hazard of his eternal salvation. That the supposition |
