Nauvoo expositor, significance of, 1985 paper, legrand baker october 23, 1985 significance and pretended significance of the nauvoo expositor by legrand baker the first issue of the nauvoo expositor appeared on friday, june 7, 1844, and a. It is intended to be the organ of the reformed mormon church, which has lately been organized in that place, and to oppose the power of the selfconstituted monarch, who has assumed the government of the holy city. Built in 1842 by robert foster, a mormon, it was a fourstory, 50room hoteltavernboarding house. This single issue of the nauvoo expositor was published in 1844 by william law and his associates before the city counsel under the direction of mayor joseph smith jr. Why were the printing presses of the nauvoo expositor. It is intended to be the organ of the reformed mormon church, which has lately been organized in that place, and to oppose the power of the selfconstituted monarch, who. What is telling is that the nauvoo city council did not discuss these claims, and they deliberated quite some time on the matter. Price new from used from paperback, 2009 please retry. The legality of the action of the mayor and city counsel was, of course, questionable. We give place this week to the following preamble, resolutions and affidavits, of the seceders from the church at nauvoo.
Scholars have concluded that the nauvoo city council acted legally to destroy copies of the newspaper but may have exceeded its authority by destroying the press itself. The events surrounding its publication lead to the martyrdom of joseph and hyrum smith. Nauvoo expositor was a conspirators tool to destroy joseph smith events leading to the june 27, 1844, martyrdom of joseph and hyrum smith included the destruction of the nauvoo expositor, as described in history of the church, with joseph writing. Oaks concluded that the destruction of the nauvoo expositor press by lds and nauvoo municipal leaders would not have violated the constitutional principles of 1844, although it could have been the basis of a tort suit. Its publication set off a chain of events that led to the death of joseph smith. We give this week to the following preamble, resolutions and aff idavits, of the seceders from the chu rch at nauvoo. Back to mormon quotes index to the marshal of said city, greeting. By authority of the councils order the expositor press was destroyed that same day and the newspaper was immediately shut down. On june 10, 1844, joseph smith, who was the mayor of nauvoo, and the nauvoo city council ordered the destruction of the nauvoo expositor and the press on which it was printed. Joseph smiths destruction of the nauvoo expositor presses was an indefensible, illegal and unconstitutional act members have been excommunicated for lesser offenses. The nauvoo expositor is published on friday of eachzweek, and furnished to subscribers on the follown a u v 0. The request is complied with on account of their deeming it very important that the public should know the true cause of their dissenting, as all manner of falsehood is spread abroad in relation to the schism in the church. The council then adjourned until monday, june 10, when it.
Mayor joseph smith ordered the city council to destroy the presses. The destruction of the press was the event which triggered a series of events culminating in the murder of joseph and hyrum smith at carthage 20 days after its publication. This was the newspaper published by dissident mormons which was declared a public nuisance by the nauvoo city council on june 8, 1844. Meeting of the nauvoo city council concerning the nauvoo. This act put in motion the events leading to smiths arrest and death. In 2002 the church completed construction of a rebuilt nauvoo illinois temple on the same site. The expositor was founded by several seceders from the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and some nonmormons in the nauvoo area. Reaction to the destruction of the nauvoo expositor 1844. Its publication set off a chain of events that led to the assassination of latter day saint movement founder, joseph smith, jr. While lds writers often refer to the nauvoo expositor as a scandalous and vile publication, an examination of the paper reveals that it advocated high morals and obedience to the law. In part 1 of this series we examined the composition of the nauvoo city council as they convened to deliberate over what to do about the publication of the nauvoo expositor. They also declared the nauvoo expositor, a nuisance, and directed the police of the city to proceed immediately to the office of the expositor and destroy the press and also the materials, by throwing them into the street.
The text of the nauvoo expositor that got it destroyed and joseph smith killed. William law and friends published the first and only edition of the nauvoo expositor on june 7, 1844. Search americas historic newspaper pages from 17891925 or use the u. Primary sourcesnauvoo expositor full text fairmormon. The council passed an ordinance declaring the nauvoo expositor a nuisance, and also issued an order to me to abate the said nuisance. On the second floor of this building was located the printing press on which the nauvoo expositor was printed. At a meeting of the citizens of warsaw, convened the 14th june, the following address, reported by thos. Exposing devious dallin oaks on the nauvoo expositors illegal destruction. The lds primary manual 5, lesson 37 describes the account of the martyrdom of the prophet joseph smith and his brother hyrum. Nauvoo expositor printing press, destroyed by mormons. Growing up in the lds church, i knew nothing of the destruction of the nauvoo expositor. The destruction of the nauvoo expositor, and a summary. Oaks is now a highranking authority in the lds church, an apostle. This brick building was located on mulholland street on the block east of the nauvoo temple.
Newspaper directory to find information about american newspapers published between 1690. The lesson includes a summary of the events that led up to the imprisonment of the prophet at carthage jail, including the publication of the nauvoo expositor. Destruction of the nauvoo expositor mormonikirkko mormonit. We have received from nauvoo a prospectus for a new paper, to be entitled the nauvoo expositor. Joseph smith, who was the mayor, ordered the press destroyed. On saturday, june 8, 1844, the day following issuance of the expositor, the nauvoo city council met for a total of six and a half hours in two sessions. Nauvoo expositor, significance of, 1985 paper, legrand.
The clerk read the prospectus of the nauvoo expositor as follows. The destruction of the expositor fanned the flames of controversy. William law letters, the nauvoo expositor, utah and. Joseph smiths order to destroy the nauvoo expositor june. The request is compli ed with on acco unt of their deeming it very important that the public should know the true cause of their dissenting, as all manner of falsehood is spread. The nauvoo expositor office which joseph smith destroyed. According to their understanding of law, they decided that the expositor was, by their own charter, a public nui. Lot and building were owned by robert foster, one of the publishers as well as owner of the foster hotel, second largest building in nauvoo to the temple. Joseph smith, as mayor of nauvoo, ordered the destruction of the press because it exposed his secret teachings, such as polygamy. The expositor was founded by several exmormons and some nonmormons in the nauvoo area. Joseph smiths destruction of the nauvoo expositor presses. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions.
Foster was also one of the publishers of the illfated nauvoo expositor. You are here commanded to destroy the printing press from whence issues the nauvoo expositor, and pi the type of said printing establishment in the street, and burn all the expositors and libelous handbills found in said establishment. The nauvoo expositor was a newspaper in nauvoo, illinois, that published only one issue, on june 7, 1844. From 18491855 the building served the icarians as a recreation hall. Primary sourcesnauvoo expositor full text nauvoo expositor full text. Porter rowed joseph and hyrum smith and willard richards across the mississippi river at nauvoo to prevent their arrest. The nauvoo expositor was to be printed in nauvoo by prominent mormon defectors who opposed joseph smiths political ambitions and the practice of polygamy. Resolved, by the city council of the city of nauvoo, that the printing office from whence issues the nauvoo expositor is a public nuisance, and also all of said nauvoo expositors, which may be, or exist in said establishment, and the mayor is instructed to cause said printing establishment and papers to be removed without delay, in such manner as he shall direct. Nauvoo expositor wikisource, the free online library.
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