Chapter XXV. Joseph Carries the Case of his People to Washington

An Incident by the Way. His Report Home. Before a Congressional Committee. Incidents of the Return Journey. A Strange Mission. Correspondence with Mr. Bennett. Death and Funeral Obsequies of Joseph's .Father.

Joseph's father.

Return we now to Nauvoo and the Prophet.

Resolving to lay the case of the Missouri persecutions before Congress, Joseph, accompanied by Sidney Rigdon, Elias Higbee, and O. P. Rockwell, on the 29th of October, 1839, left Nauvoo.

A deed by the way for a moment bid fair to make Joseph a hero before Congress. But the Prophet reveals himself, and Elijah's mantle is not comely to the eyes of modern Congressmen. He relates:

"While on the mountains some distance from Washington, our coachman stepped into a public house to take his grog, when the horses took fright and ran down the hill at full speed. I persuaded my fellow-travelers to be quiet and retain their seats, but had to hold one woman to prevent her throwing her infant out of the coach. The passengers were exceedingly agitated, but I used every persuasion

to calm their feelings, and opening the door I secured my hold on the side of the coach the best way I could, and succeeded in placing myself in the coachman's seat and reining up the horses, after they had run some two or three miles, and neither coach, horses, nor passengers received any injury. My course was spoken of in the highest terms of commendation, as being one of the most daring and heroic deeds, and no language could express the gratitude of the passengers when they found themselves safe and the horses quiet. There were some members of Congress with us, who proposed naming the incident to that body, believing they would reward such conduct by some public act ; but on inquiring my name, to mention as the author of their safety, and finding it to be Joseph Smith, the ' Mormon Prophet,' as they called it, I heard no more of their praise, gratitude, or reward."

Arriving in Washington November 28th, Joseph proceeded to the White House without delay to lay his cause before the President. In his home report he takes the following humorous view of His Excellency, Mr. Van Buren :

" Now we shall endeavor to express our feelings and views concerning the President, as we have been eye-witnesses of his majesty. He is a small man, sandy complexion, and ordinary features, with frowning brow and considerable body, but not well proportioned as to his arms and legs, and, to use his own words, is ' quite fat.' On the whole we think he is without body or parts, as no one part seems to be proportioned to another; therefore, instead of saying bod)- and parts, we say body and part, or

partyism if you please to call it. And in fine, to come directly to the point, he is so much a fop or a fool (for he judged our cause before he knew it), we could find no place to put truth into him."

Early in December the Illinois Congressional delegation met in a committee room of the Capitol, and listened to an argument by Joseph as to the constitutionality of indemnity to the brethren by the General Government, for the oppressive acts of the State of Missouri. The outcome of the meeting was a memorial and petition to Congress, setting forth the facts of the case.

Having accomplished all that could be done at that time, Joseph made a trip northward, stopping several days at Philadelphia, Pa., and at Monmouth, N. J. Returning to Washington about February 1 st, he resumed his efforts in that city. Of a sermon there delivered by him, a member of Congress thus writes :

"I went last evening to hear 'Joe Smith,' the celebrated Mormon, expound his doctrine. I, with several others, had a desire to understand his tenets as explained by himself. He is not an educated man, but he is a plain, sensible, strong-minded man. Everything he says is said in a manner to leave an impression that he is sincere. There is no levity, no fanaticism, no want of dignity in his deportment. He is apparently from fort)' to forty-five years of age, rather above the middle stature, and what the ladies would call a very good looking man. In his garb there are no peculiarities, his dress being that of a plain, unpretending citizen. He is l>v profession a farmer, but is evidently well read. * * Throughout his whole address he displayed strongly

a spirit of charity and forbearance. The Mormon Bible, he said, was communicated to him direct from heaven. If there was such a thing on earth as the author of it, then he (Smith) was the author; but the idea that he wished to impress was, that he had penned it as dictated by God."

Of his final interviews with President Van Buren and John C. Calhoun, Joseph says:

" During my stay I had an interview with Martin Van Buren, the President, who treated me very insolently, and it was with great reluctance he listened to our message, which when he had heard, he said, ' 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.' His whole course went to show that he was an office-seeker, that self-aggrandizement was his ruling passion, and that justice and righteousness were no part of his composition. * I also had an interview with Mr. John C. Calhoun, whose conduct towards me very ill became his station. I became satisfied there was little use for me to tarry to press the just claims of the saints on the protection of the President or Congress, and staid but a few days, taking passage on the railroad and stages back to Dayton, Ohio."

About this time the Prophet sent Apostle Orson Hyde on a mission to Jerusalem, as a sign of the near approach of Messiah. This arduous work he cheerfully undertook, leaving Nauvoo on the 15th of April, 1S40.

In a letter from Joseph to a gentleman by the name of John C. Bennett, we obtain the following glimpse of Nauvoo at that time, — August 8th, 1840:

"The number of inhabitants is nearly three thousand, and is fast increasing. If we are suffered to remain, there is every prospect of its becomino- one of the largest cities on the river, if not in the western world. Numbers have moved in from the seaboard, and a few from the islands of the sea.

" It is our intention to commence the erection of some public buildings next Spring. We have purchased twenty thousand acres of land in the Iowa Territory opposite this place, which is fast filling up with our people. I desire all the saints, as well as all lovers of truth and correct principles, to come to this place as fast as possible, or their circumstances will permit, and endeavor, by energy of action and concentration of talent, to effect those objects that are so dear to us. Therefore my general invitation is, ' Let all that will, come,' and partake of the poverty of Nauvoo freely."

On the 14th of September, 1840, occurred the death of Joseph Smith, sen., father of the Prophet, and Patriarch of the Church. Of him it may truly be observed that he was esteemed by the saints as the Abraham of the dispensation. Joseph says : "He was the first person who received my testimony after I had seen the angel, and exhorted me to be faithful and diligent to the message I had received. He was baptized April 6th, 1830." And concerning the immediate cause of his death, he continues : "After I and my brother Hyrum were thrown into the Missouri jails by the mob, he fled from under the exterminating order of Gov. Boggs, and made his escape in midwinter to Ouincy, Illinois, whence he removed to Commerce in 1839. The exposures

he suffered brought on consumption, of which he died."

From the funeral discourse, by Elder Robert B. Tompson, we extract as follows :

" If ever there was an event calculated to raise feelings of sorrow in the human breast, and cause us to drop the sympathetic tear, it certainly is the present, for truly we can say with the king of Israel, ' A prince and a great man has fallen in Israel.' A man endeared to us by every feeling calculated to entwine around and adhere to the human heart. # * * The jjfe Q£ Qur departed father has indeed been an eventful one, having to take a conspicuous part in the great work of the last days; being designated by the ancient prophets who once dwelt on this continent as the father of him whom the Lord had promised to raise up in the last days to lead his people Israel. * * * The love of God was in his heart, the peace of God rested upon him, and his soul was full of compassion and blessing. All the circumstances connected with his death were calculated to lead the mind back to the time when an Abraham, an Isaac, and a Jacob bid adieu to mortality and entered into rest."