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Polk and Clay Attack
1 August, 1844, Nauvoo Illinois:
Joseph crumpled the newspaper he was reading in frustration. His wife Emma looked on with concern and warmth. Joseph's ending of polygamy had done much to heal the growing rift in their marriage. “What is the matter my dear husband?” She asked.
“Let it never be said that I do not bring people together Emma. The growing popularity of my candidacy has brought together James Polk and Henry Clay. The two men who were such bitter rivals in running for the highest office have now taken it upon themselves to band together and slander me.”
“It seems to me that in a way this is a good thing. It means they see you as someone they need to campaign against. The fact that they've put their differences aside shows how well received your candidacy has been.” Emma consoled.
“Yes, that much is true, still I can't let their attacks go unanswered.” Joseph said.
James K. Polk and Henry Clay's attacks on Joseph Smith were largely focused on the angle that his election would see the United States turned into a theocracy. The two men while on opposite sides of many issues such as the annexation of Texas joined together to warn against what they considered the dangers of electing a man who claimed to be God's spokesman on the Earth.
This message had its audience of course. There were many places in which the Mormon religion and by extension future President Smith were very unpopular. As such these accusations could not go unanswered, otherwise the damage to the campaign would have been immense. To the end Joseph dictated an open letter that was sent to newspapers nationwide. The following is an except from that letter:
Recently my opponents have seen fit to claim that if I am elected I would make the United States a theocracy under my church. Such accusations could not be any further from the truth. I write this to assure every man, woman, and child in this great nation that the Latter-Day Saints have nothing but the utmost respect for the First Amendment and the other institutions that are the cornerstone of the United States.
Indeed it must be so, my people have been chased out of state after state for our beliefs. How could people who have been subjected to such crimes inflict that suffering on others? I have no intention of stripping away the rights of anyone. To do so would make me no better than those that persecuted my people.
This attacks on me are nothing more than blatant fear mongering. They wish to discredit my candidacy with these cheap attacks. If Mr. Polk and Mr. Clay wish to engage me on the issues that face the United States I will happily rise to the occasion, but these attacks do little more than reflect poorly on my opponents.
- Excerpt form Prophet and President: A Biography Joseph Smith Jr. by Caitlin Young published 2000
Joseph crumpled the newspaper he was reading in frustration. His wife Emma looked on with concern and warmth. Joseph's ending of polygamy had done much to heal the growing rift in their marriage. “What is the matter my dear husband?” She asked.
“Let it never be said that I do not bring people together Emma. The growing popularity of my candidacy has brought together James Polk and Henry Clay. The two men who were such bitter rivals in running for the highest office have now taken it upon themselves to band together and slander me.”
“It seems to me that in a way this is a good thing. It means they see you as someone they need to campaign against. The fact that they've put their differences aside shows how well received your candidacy has been.” Emma consoled.
“Yes, that much is true, still I can't let their attacks go unanswered.” Joseph said.
James K. Polk and Henry Clay's attacks on Joseph Smith were largely focused on the angle that his election would see the United States turned into a theocracy. The two men while on opposite sides of many issues such as the annexation of Texas joined together to warn against what they considered the dangers of electing a man who claimed to be God's spokesman on the Earth.
This message had its audience of course. There were many places in which the Mormon religion and by extension future President Smith were very unpopular. As such these accusations could not go unanswered, otherwise the damage to the campaign would have been immense. To the end Joseph dictated an open letter that was sent to newspapers nationwide. The following is an except from that letter:
Recently my opponents have seen fit to claim that if I am elected I would make the United States a theocracy under my church. Such accusations could not be any further from the truth. I write this to assure every man, woman, and child in this great nation that the Latter-Day Saints have nothing but the utmost respect for the First Amendment and the other institutions that are the cornerstone of the United States.
Indeed it must be so, my people have been chased out of state after state for our beliefs. How could people who have been subjected to such crimes inflict that suffering on others? I have no intention of stripping away the rights of anyone. To do so would make me no better than those that persecuted my people.
This attacks on me are nothing more than blatant fear mongering. They wish to discredit my candidacy with these cheap attacks. If Mr. Polk and Mr. Clay wish to engage me on the issues that face the United States I will happily rise to the occasion, but these attacks do little more than reflect poorly on my opponents.
- Excerpt form Prophet and President: A Biography Joseph Smith Jr. by Caitlin Young published 2000
- Neshomancer
- Word Count: 500