an exposition of that infamous scoundrel, Joe Smith, and others connected with him, in their piracy upon the human family. I am exceedingly sorry, sir, that I could not have had an interview with you upon this subject, for, be assured, I consider any means which can be adopted to bring such a ruthless ruffian to justice, as most laudable, and not only worthy the attention, but imperatively demanded at the hands of him who may be in possession of facts that will enable him to accomplish that object. I am, however, aware, that the man who attempts it, puts his life in competition with a secret influence of the most dangerous, dark, and damning kind, that may be brought to bear upon him, at times and places, and under circumstances least anticipated, an influence that can be known only by those who have had the means of knowing that we have, and which it is hard to make others believe exists in an enlightened community. "I have known you by reputation for some time, but have not the pleasure of your acquaintance personally; have said but little upon the subject of your connection with the Prophet, but have thought much, and am not disappointed in the issue. You, no doubt, have learned, in your close connection with Joe, the position I occupied in his cabinet; and let me inquire what his present feelings are toward me? My life was sought for a time; how is it now? I was once a peculiar favorite of the Prophet and rulers in Israel, called to be his scribe by revelation, wrote his early history, kept his daily journal, superintended his mercantile, land, and banking speculations, under his directions. "I joined the Church in 1833, and withdrew in 1837, at the head of some forty others, and shortly after was excommunicated by a Bull from his Holiness; and not long after that, I made Kirtland, the stake of Zion, so exceedingly unpleasant to him, that he got a revelation to leave between two days, and has not been there since. "I lectured against them in the Temple, twice a week, during the season; once his lickskillets attempted to expel me by force from the sanctum sanctorum, but did not succeed. At about that time, their printing-office fell into our hands, which, if they had not consumed by fire, would soon have been speaking the truth as an atonement for an ill-spent life. Before I left them, those that were disaffected, met frequently, and consulted upon the matter, and many of the first in official stations of the Church, were convinced of the abominations of our leader, as well as myself, and so expressed themselves in our private councils, to wit, Bishop Whitney, Orson Hyde, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Doctor Williams, Cahoon, and others, but had not the moral courage to come out publicly. By the by, have Orson Pratt and Rigdon left them, as you intimated in your communications? Please write me who among the leaders have left, and what the prospects are for breaking them up. Can it be done? Be assured, sir, I would most cheerfully assist you in this laudable undertaking, were I situated so that I could. But I do not see how I can possibly, at this time, come to New York. "My professional business, I suppose, I might leave, as I have a partner in Canton; but I am concerned in a mercantile establishment in this place also, and my partner is absent, and will be for a month at least. "At the time I left the Church, I wrote, by way of exposition, several newspaper articles; and the expectations of the public were highly raised, in anticipation that I intended to publish a book, although I did not so pledge myself, but intended to publish a weekly periodical of that character, and should have done so, had not our printing-office been burnt. "I am, no doubt, in possession of some facts that you are not; and were I so situated that I could, I would join you in New York, and assist in your publication. "Your obedient servant, "W. F. PARRISH. "GENERAL J. C. BENNETT, New York." From Erastus Webb, M. D., of Circleville, Ohio. "DR. BENNETT: "Dear Sir, "CIRCLEVILLE, June 23, 1842. "Your letter of the 7th ult. was duly received. I have conversed with the Master and Secretary of Pickaway Lodge. The Secretary is at this moment making out a certificate under the seal of this Lodge, in answer to a letter received some time ago, from your Deputy-Grand-Master, making inquiries respecting your standing in this Lodge. The result will be FAVORABLE, it appearing on record that you were a member of this Lodge about fourteen years ago, and left it in peace and friendship. This will, of course, satisfy your calumniators. "Dear sir, From S. Francis, Esq., Editor of the Sangamo Journal. "MAJOR-GENERAL BENNETT: "Dear Sir, "Yours of the 2d came safe to hand last night. Your first number appears in our paper sent to you by the mail which brings you this. These publications must produce intense excitement, and, notwithstanding every effort will be made to discredit them by Smith and his friends, the people will believe them. You certainly have undertaken an arduous duty; but, judging from your success so far, the friends of morality, of truth, of true religion, have strong confidence that you will succeed in tearing away the veil that has hitherto concealed the 'polluted' Monster, who styles himself the Prophet of God. "Go on with the good work. You will have the best wishes of the good. Obtain all the documentary evidence possible. Affidavits from Miss Rigdon, and other ladies mentioned, would produce mighty results. We hope to hear from you, in reference to the Boggs affair, more fully, before next paper. Should you succeed in strangling the Monster with whom you are now grappled, you will have high claims to rank with those who have achieved the highest good for their species. "Respectfully yours, "S. FRANCIS." "We will give all your letters designed for publication. Joe flounders, but your statements are believed by all-rest assured of this fact. "I wrote you four or five days since. Furnish all the documentary evidence possible, all the affidavits possible, and send us your disclosures at St. Louis. Every body is now looking to the Journal for your publications. We should be glad to have from your own pen an account of the Danites, their obligations to each other, and the design of their society. Joe must come down. Governor Reynolds will be obliged to demand him, and innocent individuals must not be implicated with him. This last matter is important. A hair of the heads of those who were employed by him should not be injured, provided they will sustain you and tell the truth. "I have been writing to my friend Mr. Chambers, the editor of the St. Louis Republican, this evening, and I introduced your name, the object of your visit to St. Louis, and solicited for you his kindness, and all the assistance and counsel you may wish. Please call upon him, and mention your name- - if not in his office, leave your address. "Let me hear from you promptly, and I am respectfully, &c. "S. FRANCIS. "GENERAL J. C. BENNETT.' OPINIONS OF THE NEWSPAPER PRESS. From the Sangamo Journal of July 8, 1842—a leading western paper, published at Springfield, the seat of government of the State of Illinois, by S. Francis, Esq., Editor. "The public will be astounded at the statements made by General Bennett in the article which follows from under his own hand. That in this day of light and intelligence such a man as Joe Smith should be able to collect around him a mass of people, and make them believe in his shallow and miserable scheme of imposture, is matter of astonishment now, and will be more so in after times. "General Bennett is the individual appointed by Judge Douglass Master in Chancery for Hancock County. -a most important and responsible office, from the fact that the Master in Chancery, in many cases, performs the duty of a Judge of the Supreme Court. We have, therefore, the official endorsement of Judge Douglass, (which, however, is not needed,) in support of the character of General Bennett for truth, and all those qualities required of one who fills an office of high responsibility. "We state these facts, that the public may duly appreciate the attacks of those men upon General Bennett, who are acting with Joe Smith, to decry and to destroy him." From the Louisville Journal of July 23, 1842. —a periodical second to none in America, edited by George D. Prentice, Esq. and Weisinger. "General John C. Bennett was lately, next to Joe Smith, the most distinguished member of the Mormon Church. He was commander of the Mormon Legion; and he was, and still is, Master in Chancery for Hancock County — -a county peopled principally by the Mormons. Some time ago a quarrel broke out between him and Joe Smith, which resulted in his abandoning the Mormon Church, and laying before the world an exposition of Smith's character and conduct. This exposition, as far as we have read it, is one of the most startling things of the kind we ever saw. Moreover, it is deeply interesting to the public. Joe Smith is generally regarded as a mere miserable fanatic; but, although he may be a fanatic, he is something more; he is the Prophet and the Commander-in-Chief of thirty thousand Mormons, all of whom regard him as a leader sent from Heaven, and look upon his commands as emanating from the Most High. Backed by his multitudinous and deluded host, he already attempts to control the politics of Illinois, and defies both the civil and military authorities of that State to call him to account for any thing that he has done or may do." From the Sangamo Journal of July 15, 1842. "The publications made by General Bennett are believed by all men." From the Warsaw Signal of July 9, 1842- "We understand that General Bennett has commenced writing for the Sangamo Journal a series of communications, going to show the rascality of Joe Smith and his clan, and the dangerous designs which he is capable of forming and executing. The General asks not to be believed on his own assertions, but proves matters as he goes; he is a man of great energy and perseverance, and we should not be surprised if he made the Mormons feel like stuck hogs for a few months to come." From the Cleveland Herald of July 19, 1842 J. A. Harris, Esq. —a paper edited by By the Sangamo Journal we have a portion of the promised disclosures touching the infamous conduct of the Prophet Joseph Smith, promised by General Bennett, but recently a Mormon high in office and enjoying Smith's unbounded confidence. The disclosures show corruption such as had rarely been developed before the days of the Latter Day Saints; and if the half Bennett states be true, Joe richly deserves the penitentiary instead of reverence and obedience from his deluded followers. Bennett gives names freely, and calls upon many witnesses to sustain the truth of his statements." From the Chicago American of July 28, 1842. "FROM NAUVOO. a paper edited by "Two gentlemen, who passed through holy Joe's city on Thursday of last week, state, that soon after their arrival Joe made a speech in front of the Temple. The subject of his speech was— Bennett-the Sangamo Journal - Mrs. Pratt—and other matters. Joe swore like a pirate, and used the most obscene language. He appeared to be much excited, and it would be an act of charity to suppose that the holy debauchee was drunk as well as mad. "Joe, it is said, anticipates a requisition for his person from the Governor of Missouri. He has the utmost horror of the idea of being given up. Joe thinks that Judge Ford will not give him up if he should be elected Governor. "Joe, it is further said, is laboring to make up the breach with Rigdon, Pratt, and others, by offers of special favor. We trust that in this effort he will not succeed. Joe cannot now harm these men. He will not injure them. He dare not fulfil his threats, and his promises are not to be relied on. - We again call upon Messrs. Rigdon and Pratt, as they regard virtue, honor, and the reputation of their families, to come out from this Nauvoo Babylon, and Mother of Harlots,' the home of 'the whoremonger and the adulterer,' and 'be not a partaker of her plagues.' The developments which have been made, must sink Joe Smith to the lowest depths of infamy in the eyes of all honest men. He must fall so certain as God punishes vice and rewards virtue. "Miss Martha H. Brotherton has done herself honor, and the cause of virtue is greatly indebted to her for the publication she has made. We trust her example will be followed by Mrs. Pratt and Miss Rigdon. The holy cause of insulted virtue of wronged innocence of the honor and character of families-demand that THE IMPOSTOR BE UNVEILED AND EXHIBITED TO THE WORLD IN ALL HIS |