--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Jaques, John collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 3 number: 4 published: 1900-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John Jaques, "Life and Labors of Sidney Rigdon—III," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 4 (February 1900): 265–272.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera34unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera34unse start_page: 265 end_page: 272 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera34unse publication_year: 1900 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1900, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Life and Labors of Sidney Rigdon—III LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. BY JOHN JAQUES, ASSISTANT CHURCH HISTORIAN. III. With the new year Joseph Smith, in Liberty jail, wrote: "Tuesday, January 1, 1839, dawned upon us as prisoners of hope, but not as sons of liberty. Columbia, Columbia! how thou art fallen! 'The land of the free, the home of the brave!' 'The asylum of the oppressed'— oppressing thy noblest sons, in a loathsome dungeon, without any provocation, only that they have claimed to worship the God of their fathers according to his own word, and the dictates of their own consciences. Elder P. P. Pratt and his companions in tribulation were still held in bondage in their doleful prison in Richmond." On the 23rd of February, Joseph and his fellow prisoners demanded a writ of habeas corpus of Judge Turnham, one of the county judges, which was reluctantly granted. The consequent investigation resulted in the release of Sidney Rigdon. The rest of the prisoners were recommitted to jail, Sidney returned there for a favorable opportunity of leaving, as threats were abundant that the prisoners should never get out of the country alive. Sidney was let out of the jail secretly at night, through the friendship of the sheriff and the jailor, "after having declared in prison that the sufferings of Jesus Christ were a fool to his," from which it appears that Sidney's sufferings, of the body and mind together, were almost more than he could bear. According to Lyman Wight's testimony, when the brethren were taken before the militia mob and treacherously surrendered by Colonel Hinkle, "Sidney Rigdon, who was of 266 IMPROVEMENT ERA. a delicate constitution, received a slight shock of apoplectic fits, which excited great laughter and much ridicule in the guard and mob-militia. Thus the prisoners spent a doleful night in the midst of a prejudiced and diabolical community." Sidney was solemnly warned by his releasers to get out of the state with as little delay as possible. He was pursued by a body of armed men, but he arrived safely at Quincy, Illinois. On the 26th, Isaac Galland, of Commerce, Illinois, wrote to D. W. Rogers that he would be pleased to have Mr. Rigdon or some other leading members of The Church go and examine some land for settlement. The Democratic association and the citizens of Quincy generally had a sympathetic meeting on the 27th. A committee reported having met Mr. Rigdon and others, who gave a condensed statement of the facts concerning the situation of the Saints in Missouri and around, and resolutions were passed to assist them in various ways. Sidney Rigdon made to the meeting a statement of the wrongs suffered by the ''Mormons" in Missouri and of their present suffering condition. In the latter part of February President Rigdon, Judge Higbee, Israel Barlow, and Edward Partridge went to see Dr. Galland about some land, and concluded it would not be wise to make a trade with him then. A brother Lee, who had lived near Haun's Mill, died opposite Quincy, and President Rigdon preached his funeral sermon in the court house. At a meeting, March 9, in Quincy, President Rigdon, Elder Green, Judge Higbee, Brother Benson, and Israel Barlow were appointed a committee to visit and select certain lands in Iowa Territory. On the 10th of April, Sidney wrote from Quincy to Joseph in the following strain: We wish you to know that our friendship is unahating, and our exertions for your delivery, and that of The Church, unceasing. For this purpose we have labored to secure the friendship of the governor of this state, with all the principal men in this place. In this we have succeeded beyond our highest anticipations. Governor Carlin assured us last eve- THE LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. 267 ning, that he would lay our case before the legislature of this state, and have the action of that body upon it; and he would use all his influence to have an action which should be favorable to our people. He is also getting papers prepared signed by all the noted men in this part of the country, to give us a favorable reception at Washington, whither we shall repair forthwith, after having visited the Governor of Iowa, of whose friendship we have the strongest testimonies. We leave Quincy this day to visit him. Our plan of operation is to impeach the state of Missouri on an item of the Constitution of the United States, that the general government shall give to each state a republican form of government. Such a form of government does not exist in Missouri, and we can prove it. Governor Carlin and his lady enter with all the enthusiasm of their natures into this work, having no doubt that we can accomplish this object. Our plan of operation in this work is to get all the governors, in their next messages, to have the subject brought before the legislatures, and we will have a man at the capital of each state to furnish them with the testimony on the subject; and we design to be at Washington to wait upon Congress and have the action of that body on it also; all this going on at the same time, and have the action of the whole during one session. Brother G. W. Robinson will be engaged all the time between this and the next sitting of the legislatures, in taking affidavits, and preparing for the tug of war; while we will be going from state to state, visiting the respective governors, to get the case mentioned in their messages to the legislatures, so as to have the whole going on at once. You will see by this that our time is engrossed to overflowing. A. Ripley also wrote to the brethren in jail in Missouri: President Rigdon is wielding a mighty shaft against the whole kidney of foul calumniators and mobocrats of Missouri. Yesterday he spent a part of the day with Governor Carlin of this State. The president told him that he was informed that Governor Boggs was calculating to take out a bench warrant for himself and others, and then make a demand of his exellency for them to be given up, to be taken back to Missouri for trial; and he was assured by that noble minded hero, that if Mr. Boggs undertook that thing, he would get himself insulted. He also assured him that the people called "Mormons" should find a permanent protection in this state. He also solicited our people, one and all to settle in this state; and if there could be a tract of country that would suit 268 IMPROVEMENT ERA. our convenience, he would use his influence for Congress to make a grant of it to us, to redress our wrongs, and make up our losses. After having been prisoners about six months, Joseph and other brethren escaped from Liberty jail, on the 16th, while the guards were drunk. The prisoners took this step because of the prevalent and continued reckless threats of murder, and that th& prisoners should never leave there alive. At this time Elias Higbee said he was living on the Big-Neck prairie, on the same farm with Sidney Rigdon. The last of the Saints left Far West on the 20th. After suffering much fatigue and hunger, Joseph arrived at Quincy on the 22nd. He said that before leaving Missouri, he had paid there about fifty thousand dollars, in cash and property, as lawyers' fees, "for which," says he, "I received very little in return; for sometimes they were afraid to act on account of the mob, and sometimes they were so drunk as to incapacitate them for business. But there were a few honorable exceptions." The same day Governor Lucas wrote to "Dr. Sidney Rigdon,'*' sympathizing with the Saints, and also wrote to Governor Shannon, of Ohio, and Martin Van Buren, President of the United States, introducing and recommending Sidney Rigdon to them, to solicit an investigation by the government, into the causes that led to the expulsion of the people called "'Mormons" from the state of Missouri. Joseph Smith and committee, on the 1st of May, bought a farm of Dr. Isaac Galland, which was to have been deeded to Alanson Ripley, but Sidney Rigdon declared that "no committee should control any property which he had anything to do with." Consequently, it was deeded to George W. Robinson, Rigdon's son-in-law, "with the express understanding that he should deed it to The Church when The Church had paid for it according to their obligation in the contract." A general conference was held at the Presbyterian camp ground, near Quincy, May 4 and 5, at which President Joseph Smith was chairman, and President Sidney Rigdon, then residing at Commerce, was present. On the 5th, Sidney was appointed by the conference a delegate to the city of Washington, D. C, to lay the case of the Saints before the general government. THE LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. 269 Eight prominent citizens of Quincy signed a letter, on the 8th, introducing "Rev. Sidney Rigdon" to the president of the United States, and to the heads of departments, etc. Samuel Leech also, on the 10th, gave Sidney a sympathetic letter of recommendation. The same day Joseph Smith and family arrived and took up their residence in a small log house at the White Purchase, about a mile south of Commerce. On the 17th, Sidney, Joseph and Hyrum wrote to the Quincy Whig, disclaiming for themselves and the Latter-day Saints certain offensive political partisan sentiments, emanating from Lyman Wight and published in that paper. Also on the 25th, they wrote to Elder R. B. Thompson on the same subject. Joseph, Sidney and Hyrum, and Bishops Whitney and Knight went across the river, July 2, and visited a land purchase made by Bishop Knight as a location for a town, and advised that a town be built there, to be called Zarahemla. At a public meeting on Sunday, 7th, Sidney Rigdon and others addressed the audience. Farewell addresses were also given by members of the twelve who were going on missions. At a conference on Sunday, October 6, Judge Higbee was appointed to accompany Presidents Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to Washington. The Nauvoo high council, on the 28th, voted to sign recommendations for Joseph, Sidney, and Elias Higbee, "delegates for The Church, to importune the president and Congress of the United States for redress," of the grievances of the Saints in Missouri. Next day, (29th) the brethren accompanied by 0. P. Rockwell, left Nauvoo in a two-horse carriage, for the city of Washington, arriving at Quincy on the 30th. Elder Rigdon was sick on the 31st. On November 1, he was administered to by Dr. Robert D. Foster, who joined the brethren and accompanied them. They arrived at Springfield on the 4th and left on the 8th, Elder Rigdon's health continuing poor and Dr. Foster continuing to accompany and attend to him. They arrived at Kirtland on the 10th. Elder Rigdon's health remained so poor, the roads were so bad, the time was fast spending, and it being necessary for the committee to be in Washington, Joseph Smith and Judge Higbee started by stage on the most expe- 270 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ditious route to that city, leaving Rockwell, Rigdon and Foster to follow at their leisure in the carriage. Joseph and Higbee arrived at Washington November 28th. They saw President Martin Van Buren the next day. Sidney and others were near Washington, Pennsylvania, on the 29th. Rockwell and Higbee arrived at Philadelphia about December 23, with Joseph's carriage, having left Sidney sick at Washington, Pennsylvania, with Dr. Foster to take care of him. Sidney and Dr. Foster arrived at Philadelphia about the 14th of January, 1840. About the last of January, having been on a visit to Phila- delphia and vicinity, Joseph, 0. P. Rockwell, Higbee, and Foster left that city by railway, for Washington, D. C, Joseph's carriage having been sold, and Rigdon being left sick at Philadelphia. He does not appear to have visited Washington, but tarried in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Joseph had an interview with President Van Buren, who treated him very insolently, saying, "Gentlemen, your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you;" and, "If I take up for you, I shall lose the vote of Missouri." Mr. John C. Calhoun also treated Joseph badly. The Prophet left Washington early in February, satisfied that there was little use to stay longer. Leaving Judge Higbee there, Joseph returned by railroad with 0. P. Rockwell and Dr. Foster to Dayton, Ohio. Joseph arrived at Nauvoo, March 4, after a wearisome journey on horseback, through snow and mud. Of his visit to the national capital he says, "When I went to the White House at Washington, and presented letters of introduction from Thomas Carlin, governor of Illinois, to Martin Van Buren, he looked at them very contemptuously, and said, 'Governor Carlin! Governor Carlin!Who's Governor Carlin? Governor Carlin's nobody.' " Also speaking of his experience there, Joseph further says, "Having witnessed many vexatious movements in government ofiicers, whose sole object should bfe the peace and prosperity and happiness of the whole people; but instead of this, I discovered that popular clamor and personal aggrandizement were the ruling principles of those in authority, and my heart faints within me when I see, by the visions of the Almighty, the end of this nation, if she continues to THE LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. 271 disregard the cries and petitions of her virtuous citizens, as she has done, and is now doing. "On my way home I did not fail to proclaim the iniquity and insolence of Martin Van Buren, towards myself and injured people, which will have its effect upon the public mind ; and may he never be elected again to any office of trust or power, by which he may abuse the innocent and let the guilty go free." March 17, Horace R. Hotchkiss, of Fair Haven, wrote to "Reverends Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, Jr.," sympathizing with them and with Judge Higbee, and inviting them to take up their quarters at his house if they went so far east. Judge Higbee said the committee on judiciary reported adversely on the memorial. April 3, Sidney, wrote, from New Jersey, to Joseph that his health was slowly improving. In conference at Nauvoo, April 8, Joseph, Sidney and Elias Higbee were thanked by resolution for "the prompt and efficient manner in which they had discharged their duty," and were requested to continue to use- their endeavors to obtain redress for a suffering people. At the conference, F. G. Williams was forgiven and received back into fellowship. Early in April, Richard M. Young had received from Sidney Rigdon a petition for the appointment of Geo. W. Robinson as postmaster at Commerce, and had the name changed to Nauvoo. At a meeting of the citizens of Nauvoo, July 13, Isaac Galland, Robert B. Thompson, Sidney Rigdon and Daniel H. Wells, as a committee, presented resolutions and a memorial to Governor Carlin, concerning the attempts of Missourians to kidnap and abduct "Mormons" from Illinois. On the 25th, 27th and 30th, and Aug. 15, John C. Bennett, M. D. and Quarter Master General of the state of Illinois, wrote sympathetically to "Reverends Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, Jr:" Early in September, Governor Boggs, of Missouri, having made a demand upon Governor Carlin, of Illinois, for Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, P. P. Pratt, Caleb Baldwin and Alanson Brown, as fugitives from justice. Governor Carlin issued an order for their apprehension, but the sheriff could not find them. -272 IMPROVEMENT ERA. On the 15th, President Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Hymm Smith issued a "proclamation to the Saints scattered abroad," stating the condition of the Church and urging emigration to Nauvoo and vicinity and assisting in building the city and temple. Probably Sidney Rigdon had become tired of the mobocratic spirit of the Western states and entertained a desire to live in the Eastern states, for, on the 19th of January, 1841, Joseph received a revelation, in which the following occurs: And again, verily I say unto you, if my servant Sidney will serve me, and be counselor unto my servant Joseph, let him rise and come up, and stand in the office of his calling, and humble himself before me; and if he will offer unto me an acceptable offering,and acknowledgments,and remain with my people, behold, I the Lord your God will heal him that he shall be healed; and he shall lift up his voice again on the mountains, and be a spokesman before my face. Let him come and locate his family in the neighborhood in which my servant Joseph resides, and in all his journeyings let him lift up his voice as with the! sound of a trump, and warn the inhabitants of the earth to flee the wrath to come; let him assist my servant Joseph. If my servant Sidney will do my will, let him not remove his family unto the eastern lands, but let him change their habitation, even as I have said. Behold, it is not my will that he shall seek to find safety and refuge out of the city which I have appointed unto you, even the city of Nauvoo. Verily I say unto you, even now, if he hearken to my voice, it shall be well with him. Even so. Amen. Lgive unto him, Joseph, for' counselors, my servant Sidney Rigdon, and my servant William Law, that: these mav constitute a quorum and First Presidency, to receive the oracles for the whole Church. Sidney Rigdon was elected a member of the Nauvoo city council, February 1. By an ordinance of the city council, dated February 3, Sidney was made a member of the board of trustees of the "University of the City of Nauvoo." By an act of the Illinois legislature, approved February 27, Sidney was appointed one of the incorporators of "the Nauvoo Agricultural and Manufacturing Association." President Sidney Rigdon delivered an address at the laying of ihe corner-stones of the Nauvoo Temple, April 6.