alternatehistory.com
The "City on a Hill" Speech
March 3, 1845, Washington D.C.:
Joseph found himself unable to sleep. On the morrow he would assume the office of President over a divided nation. He had known of course that this division would come, he had prophesied it himself, but he had never expected to be in this position when it happened. The course was clear, the Confederacy had to be defeated, he could not let his fellow man rot in slavery, the Lord had revealed such to him.
His trip to Washington had been enlightening to say the least. As soon as they could his party had taken the train, making stops so he could speak to the people. There had been assassination attempts of course, poor Porter Rockwell had worked himself ragged protecting the party, Joseph made a note to himself to create some sort of bodyguard force while in office.
Of course, not everything that had come from the rebellion was negative, his prophecy on the subject was circulating in the papers, and as such had been a boon to the spread of the gospel. Granted there were those who claimed that this whole mess was in fact his fault and that the prophecy meant nothing. Joseph did his best to not let that bother him, there would always be people like that.
It had also necessitated the need for a clear line of succession in the church. It had taken much prayer of course but with two members of the First Presidency in Washington someone would have to take over the daily affairs of the church. After much meditation Brigham Young as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was declared the presiding authority on daily matters while he and Brother Rigdon were in Washington, and that should something happen to him while in office, Brother Brigham would be his successor.
That hadn't sat well with some, but Sidney Rigdon would be stuck in Washington as the new President if that were the case and the Quorum of the Twelve was the highest body outside the First Presidency which couldn't really meet as things were. Brother Brigham would likely be named his successor even after he vacated the Presidency, the people in Nauvoo and the general membership would be used to him leading because of this time, Joseph made a note to himself to make it official at a later date; that seemed to be where the Spirit was pointing.
Of course Joseph would correspond with the members as often as he could, but with the Presidency taking up much of his time that would likely be confined to any new revelations or clarifying important matters. At least now the church would not be left floundering should the worst happen. He looked back through the darkness to where Emma was sleeping and sighed. He best try again to get some rest before the inauguration tomorrow.
March 4, 1845:
The crowds waited with baited breath as Joseph Smith Jr., the so-called Mormon prophet and newly sworn in President of the United States prepared to give his inaugural address. The was a historical first, this inauguration would be reported on by telegraph and be all over the papers. It was a stormy day, but most people saw that as fitting considering the crisis that the United States was going through at the moment.
In front of them stood the youngest man ever elected to the office at only thirty-nine years old. A man who now held the fate of a nation in his hands. There was no doubt that this man could lead, after all he had founded a growing faith, no matter what one thought of said faith.
He walked with a slight limp, reportedly from a surgery he'd undergone when he was quite young to remove an infected piece of bone and had a chipped front tooth from a tar and feathering incident, but otherwise looked to be in good health and of a somewhat athletic build and at a little over six feet tall he cut an inspiring figure.
“My fellow people of the United States. I am humbled to take up this most prestigious of offices. I know I could not have gotten this far without the aid of the Lord my God. At this time our great nation faces a dire threat to its very soul. Even now states are in rebellion so that they may preserve the most abominable practice of slavery.
“This nation sits on a land that is choice above all other lands, a land blessed by God himself. I quote from the Book of Matthew, Chapter 5 verse 14 and 16: 'Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' I say to you now that the United States is that city on a hill. That we must let our good works shine forth to the world that we may glorify the Father in Heaven. I ask you, would our Savior Jesus allow his fellow men to endure the evils of slavery?
I say to you, nay! The Savior would often go to those considered the dregs of society to heal and forgive them. Lepers, prostitutes, even the thief on the cross, none were too lowly for Him. It is said in our very Declaration of Independence 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' How can we claim these things and yet hold so many of our brothers and sisters in bondage? I fear that Christ were he to come now would damn us all as hypocrites.
If we are the city on a hill then we must consider what deeds our light shines upon and how those reflect upon us and our Creator. I can upon the so-called Confederacy to cease its rebellion and the practice of slavery. You will be compensated as I outlined in my campaign. However if you refuse to come to the table and make peace in good faith then such promises are rescinded.
“The United States is well within in its rights to put down such a rebellion and while I take no pleasure in war that will lead to the termination of many souls, I do see it as a holy duty to do so. The Negro are just as much children of God as any other. In His name I solemnly swear that I will see them liberated from their chains one way or another.”
President Smith's “City on a Hill” speech would only add fuel to an already burning fire. While he would begin work on putting through the promised legislation to phase out slavery by 1850, he made it clear that it would only apply to those states that considered themselves part of the United States. It was clear to all at this point that a war was on the horizon.
Joseph found himself unable to sleep. On the morrow he would assume the office of President over a divided nation. He had known of course that this division would come, he had prophesied it himself, but he had never expected to be in this position when it happened. The course was clear, the Confederacy had to be defeated, he could not let his fellow man rot in slavery, the Lord had revealed such to him.
His trip to Washington had been enlightening to say the least. As soon as they could his party had taken the train, making stops so he could speak to the people. There had been assassination attempts of course, poor Porter Rockwell had worked himself ragged protecting the party, Joseph made a note to himself to create some sort of bodyguard force while in office.
Of course, not everything that had come from the rebellion was negative, his prophecy on the subject was circulating in the papers, and as such had been a boon to the spread of the gospel. Granted there were those who claimed that this whole mess was in fact his fault and that the prophecy meant nothing. Joseph did his best to not let that bother him, there would always be people like that.
It had also necessitated the need for a clear line of succession in the church. It had taken much prayer of course but with two members of the First Presidency in Washington someone would have to take over the daily affairs of the church. After much meditation Brigham Young as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was declared the presiding authority on daily matters while he and Brother Rigdon were in Washington, and that should something happen to him while in office, Brother Brigham would be his successor.
That hadn't sat well with some, but Sidney Rigdon would be stuck in Washington as the new President if that were the case and the Quorum of the Twelve was the highest body outside the First Presidency which couldn't really meet as things were. Brother Brigham would likely be named his successor even after he vacated the Presidency, the people in Nauvoo and the general membership would be used to him leading because of this time, Joseph made a note to himself to make it official at a later date; that seemed to be where the Spirit was pointing.
Of course Joseph would correspond with the members as often as he could, but with the Presidency taking up much of his time that would likely be confined to any new revelations or clarifying important matters. At least now the church would not be left floundering should the worst happen. He looked back through the darkness to where Emma was sleeping and sighed. He best try again to get some rest before the inauguration tomorrow.
March 4, 1845:
The crowds waited with baited breath as Joseph Smith Jr., the so-called Mormon prophet and newly sworn in President of the United States prepared to give his inaugural address. The was a historical first, this inauguration would be reported on by telegraph and be all over the papers. It was a stormy day, but most people saw that as fitting considering the crisis that the United States was going through at the moment.
In front of them stood the youngest man ever elected to the office at only thirty-nine years old. A man who now held the fate of a nation in his hands. There was no doubt that this man could lead, after all he had founded a growing faith, no matter what one thought of said faith.
He walked with a slight limp, reportedly from a surgery he'd undergone when he was quite young to remove an infected piece of bone and had a chipped front tooth from a tar and feathering incident, but otherwise looked to be in good health and of a somewhat athletic build and at a little over six feet tall he cut an inspiring figure.
“My fellow people of the United States. I am humbled to take up this most prestigious of offices. I know I could not have gotten this far without the aid of the Lord my God. At this time our great nation faces a dire threat to its very soul. Even now states are in rebellion so that they may preserve the most abominable practice of slavery.
“This nation sits on a land that is choice above all other lands, a land blessed by God himself. I quote from the Book of Matthew, Chapter 5 verse 14 and 16: 'Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' I say to you now that the United States is that city on a hill. That we must let our good works shine forth to the world that we may glorify the Father in Heaven. I ask you, would our Savior Jesus allow his fellow men to endure the evils of slavery?
I say to you, nay! The Savior would often go to those considered the dregs of society to heal and forgive them. Lepers, prostitutes, even the thief on the cross, none were too lowly for Him. It is said in our very Declaration of Independence 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' How can we claim these things and yet hold so many of our brothers and sisters in bondage? I fear that Christ were he to come now would damn us all as hypocrites.
If we are the city on a hill then we must consider what deeds our light shines upon and how those reflect upon us and our Creator. I can upon the so-called Confederacy to cease its rebellion and the practice of slavery. You will be compensated as I outlined in my campaign. However if you refuse to come to the table and make peace in good faith then such promises are rescinded.
“The United States is well within in its rights to put down such a rebellion and while I take no pleasure in war that will lead to the termination of many souls, I do see it as a holy duty to do so. The Negro are just as much children of God as any other. In His name I solemnly swear that I will see them liberated from their chains one way or another.”
President Smith's “City on a Hill” speech would only add fuel to an already burning fire. While he would begin work on putting through the promised legislation to phase out slavery by 1850, he made it clear that it would only apply to those states that considered themselves part of the United States. It was clear to all at this point that a war was on the horizon.
- Neshomancer
- Word Count: 1.2k