The City of the Mormons; or, Three Days at Nauvoo, in 1842Caswall, Henry
History
The City of the Mormons; or, Three Days at Nauvoo, in 1842
Caswall, Henry
Latter Day Saints -- Illinois; Nauvoo (Ill.)
During the remainder of the day, I employed myself in obtaining
testimony from persons residing in Iowa in reference to the conduct and
character of their Mormon neighbours. I have every reason to believe
that this testimony is correct, partly because it agrees with what I
myself saw and heard in Nauvoo, and partly on account of the character
and respectability of the witnesses.
The reader must have already inferred from my description, that the
false prophet himself is a coarse and gross personage, by no means
punctilious in regard to truth. The following facts related by actual
witnesses will not therefore appear incredible.
Before the Mormons settled in the vicinity, no shop for the sale of
spirituous liquors had been established in Montrose. After their arrival
two of their preachers commenced a grog-shop in that place, which was
principally supported by the "Latter-day Saints." In September 1841, the
prophet being in Montrose, became intoxicated at this shop. While in
this condition he told the by-standers "that he could drink them all
drunk," and requested the shop-keeper to treat all his friends at his
expense.
On another occasion, having been discharged from arrest, through
informality in the writ requiring his apprehension for high treason
against the State of Missouri, Smith gave a party at Monmouth, and,
after a regular frolic with his lawyers and friends, became thoroughly
intoxicated. On being asked how it was that he, a prophet of the Lord,
could get drunk, he replied, that it was necessary that he should do so,
in order to prevent his followers from worshipping him as a God.
While intoxicated at Montrose, at another time, he was heard by
several persons saying to himself, "I am a P.R.O.F.I.T. I am a
P.R.O.F.I.T."--spelling (or rather mis-spelling) the word deliberately,
and repeating the letters in solemn succession.
About two years since, at a political convention held in Nauvoo, the
prophet became intoxicated, and was led home by his brother Hyrum. On
the following Sunday, he acknowledged the fact in public. He said that
he had been tempted, and had drunk too much; but that he had yielded to
the temptation for the following reason:--Several of the elders had got
drunk, and had never made confession; but he was desirous of getting
drunk and confessing it, in order to set the elders a good example.
The language of the prophet is gross in the extreme. A Mormon, for
example, having made some remarks derogatory to "the elect lady," Mrs.
Smith, the prophet was dreadfully exasperated. He endeavoured to find
out the name of the offender; but, being unable to do so, he alluded to
the subject in a sermon, preached in the open air, at Montrose, on the
9th of May, 1841. He said, "I hope I may never find out that person; for
if I do, my appetite shall never be satisfied till I have his blood; and
if he ever crosses my threshold I will send him to hell."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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