1842-08-31-New York Herald-The Discussion by General Bennett

The Discussion by General Bennett about Joe Smith and the Mormons

Source: New York Herald, 31 August 1842

The Discussion by General Bennett about Joe Smith and the Mormons

Last night there was a large assembly at the church, corner of Christie and Delancy streets, to hear General Bennett and Origin Bachelor on the above subject. The principal part of the audience were ladies, most of them young and exceedingly beautiful in face and figure. The debate commenced at quarter-past 7, and ended at a quarter past 10. No one spoke but the above two.

Mr. Bachelor rose and said:-- It is by the request of Gen. Bennett that I appear here, to take part in exposing the impostures of the Mormons -- that dangerous and miserable imposition -- as dangerous as it possibly can be to the country and the government. The general opinion is that Mormonism is a humbug, but that it is so frivolous that no one will be deceived by it, except a few weak-minded persons; and that it will soon pass away. If this were all, it might be left to the clergy to dispose of. But if we show that Mormonism is bloody and treasonous against the United States Government -- a species of American Mohamedanism -- that seeks to overthrow the government of the country and the destruction of all who do not embrace it, by the most diabolical means in the world -- if we show this, it is worthy the serious attention of all. It has no parallel in the annals of history for its diabolical nature. Whenever a member of their church leaves them they go on and slander him or her in the most awful manner. -- They did so with Gen. Bennett -- before he left them he was a sort of God -- he was one of the Trinity pro. tem. and so far he was a God -- one of the three Gods, of which Joe Smith was one. And yet they want to have him assassinated and exterminated, as they want to exterminate all that do not embrace Mormonism; and now try to make him a devil incarnate. Here is a Mormon book called the "Doctrine and Covenants of the Mormons," compiled by Joe Smith, Sydney Rigdon and others, professing to be full of revelations direct from God. And the Mormons believe that hereafter they shall be equal to God and create worlds, This book contains an injunction not to let it go abroad to the world, or to tell its secrets. (He read from page 132, paragraph 7.) You can't buy this book of the Mormons -- they won't let you have it for love or money unless you become a Mormon. -- And they do keep it from the world. It is a book of blood. (He read from page 130, paragraph 11.) -- This shows that Joe Smith aims to purchase the whole United States as soon as possible, or when the Mormons got strong enough they were to shed blood and kill off all the people that did not embrace Mormonism. (He also read from page 142, paragraph 8, and page 237, about getting land in the West by blood, and about fortifying the city of the Mormons, and raising soldiers even in the time of the peace. He also showed Parley P. Pratt's "Voice of Warning," and read from page 185 and 188, relative to the building up of a New Jerusalem in the Western part of this country, and the whole of the Indians becoming Mormons, and every body else to be destroyed by the Indians after they have turned Mormons. He also read the proceedings of the Mormons being expelled from Jackson county, in Missouri, in 1833, because they threatened to cut off all the rest of the people of Jackson county, and take their lands and goods under the direction of God. He also read from a United States document, No. 189, of the 26th Congress, 2d session, relative to the indictment and trial of Joe Smith in Missouri, for treason, arson, burglary, &c.; and from Pratt's pamphlet, page 57, as to how Joe Smith got his guards drunk, and escaped from Missouri to Illinois.) He went on: -- Now they are about to be routed from Illinois, unless they give up Joe Smith, who sent Rockwell up to assassinate Boggs; their Zion is not in Illinois, but there murderers are there, and unless they give them up, they will be cooped up in Nauvoo, and hung altogether. This United States document contains evidence enough to suspend forty Joe Smiths, between Heaven and Earth, like Mahomet's coffin, if the law was permitted to take its course. I now have the pleasure of introducing to you General Bennett, Major General of the Nauvoo Legion.

On this Gen. Bennett rose, smiling, and bowed to the audience, particularly to the ladies, among whom there was a great sensation, and shuffling of feet, and changing of position, to get a sight of one of the Mormon lions.

Gen. Bennett said, -- I discover, in the "Morning Herald" of this day, a military order issued from Nauvoo to General James Arlington Bennett, and General James Gordon Bennett, requiring them to appear forthwith at Nauvoo, and take part in the coming struggle. (Applause and great laughter.) (Here he read the order which we published yesterday.) To this order General James Gordon Bennett says, in his editorial remarks, with a good deal of shrewdness, and inimitable tact: "With regard to going out to Nauvoo immediately, we shall state our views shortly. In the meantime, we shall see, and hear, and report what reasons Gen. John C. Bennett can advance to-night in his discourse that may prevent us from standing by Joe Smith, until, as he says, blood shall flow." Thus it appears that the learned and talented aid de camp, even, is preparing to stand by Joe Smith until blood shall flow, but no longer, and there he is right; because he has too much sense to aid and abet treason followed up by murder. But General James Gordon Bennett says that he shall wait and see what we have to say on this subject. We have no advice to give that gentleman, and he has talent enough to guide him without our assistance. (Great applause.) But I would advise General James Gordon Bennett and General James Arlington Bennett to be most exceedingly cautious how they go out to Nauvoo and neglect their honorable calling to do battle for that arch impostor, the Mahomet of modern times! for, although they may have great talent and skill to lead troops (and the same description of talent that enables a man successfully to conduct a newspaper, will, when properly applied, enable him to conduct an army to battle and victory, with the same success,) I would tell them that I shall be there myself in a short time, with a different and much better body of troops than any that His Holiness the Prophet can bring into the field, and the way that Joe Smith, his troops and all his officers would get whipped, would be a caution to sinners -- (Great laughter.) His Holiness has issued a bull against me. But before I left him the Mormon Pontiff had a special revelation from the Lord that Heaven was well pleased with me. Whereas, if you were to believe Joe now, he knew all along that I was the greatest rascal and most consummate scoundrel on earth. The Mormon creed is this; it is a Trinity. Joe Smith represents God, Hiram Smith is the 1st councillor and represents Jesus Christ; and Sidney Rigdon is the 2d councillor and represents the Holy Ghost pro tem., and yet Joe says I was such a great rascal. And after I became the Holy Ghost in Nauvoo I passed into the secret chamber, and saw all that was done there, and how the wires were pulled, and many things too indelicate to be told to an assembly of ladies.

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Here he went into a history of the Secret Society of Danites.

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Joe Smith wanted me to come to New York and get a new set of plates for the Book of Mormon. I asked him why. He said the Angel of the Lord had hid up all the old plates, and if we could get a new set made in New York, we could say that the Angel of the Lord had revealed them to us, and we could make a good deal of money out of them. (Roars of laughter.)

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Here he read a long letter from Gen. Robinson to General James Arlington Bennett, about Joe Smith's trying to seduce Nancy Rigdon, Gen. Robinson's wife's sister.

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Orson Pratt said to Joe. "Sir, you are a liar; and if the Angel of the Lord was to tell me you wasn't, I wouldn't believe him."

They say now that the Mormons never get drunk or swear. They must have changed mightily. For it is notorious that Joe Smith used to get beastly drunk (laughter) and fall down in the sewers of the city. And when he was rebuked he said he only did it to try the faith of the Saints, and show 'em that he could get drunk if he liked, but that it went against him. (Roars of laughter.) So is the case of Miss Rigdon: when he was cornered about trying to seduce her, he said he only did it to see if so and so could be done. (Great applause and laughter.) -- With regard to the secret wife system, I shall make a few remarks to-night, and a few more to-morrow night; but on Friday when there are to be no ladies present, I shall give some most peculiar, extraordinary and startling statements about the secret wife system. You read his attempt on the chastity of Miss Brotherton, in the "Herald." Well, he said he only did that to see if things were so and so. (Laughter.) He told me he was in favor of the secret wife system, and should go it strong, (laughter,) and meant to carry it out in practice to the fullest extent. (laughter.) I shall hereafter tell how these wives (always the best looking and most pure ones,) were set apart by the imposition of hands, and the annointing of bodies with oil, and the various manouvring and handling they underwent on these occasions. Why, Joe offered me $500 or [same in] town lots, if I would get him Nancy Rigdon for a secret wife. And when he was confronted with her, he denied the whole, but when his love-letter to her was shown him, he confessed all; but he said he only wished to ascertain the truth if she was virtuous or not, and he took that way to prove it. (Roars of laughter, even from the ladies.) Now the Congregation of Saints at Nauvoo have pronounced Joe to be as pure as snow, but I'll show by his own love-letter to Nancy Rigdon how pure he was. Here it is:

JOE SMITH'S LOVE LETTER TO NANCY RIGDON.

DEAR MISS RIGDON:--

Happiness is the object and design of our existence, and will be the end thereof if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the commandments without first knowing them, and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know, unless we comply with or keep those we have already received. That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. God said that thou shalt not kill, -- at another time he said thou shalt utterly destroy. This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted -- by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire. If we seek first the kingdom of God, all good things will be added. So with Solomon -- first he asked wisdom, and God gave it him, and with it every desire of his heart, even things which might be considered abominable to all who understand the order of heaven only in part, but which, in reality, were right, because God gave and sanctioned by special revelation. A parent may whip a child, and justly too, because he stole an apple; whereas, if the child had asked for the apple, and the parent had given it, the child would have eaten it with a better appetite, there would have been no stripes -- all the pleasures of the apple would have been secured, all the misery of stealing lost. This principle will justly apply to all of God's dealings with his children. Everything that God gives us is lawful and right, and it is proper that we should enjoy his gifts and blessings whenever and wherever he is disposed to bestow; but if we should seize upon those same blessings and enjoyments without law, without revelation, without commandment, those blessings and enjoyments would prove cursings and vexations in the end, and we should have to lie down in sorrow and wailings of everlasting regret. But in obedience there is joy and peace unspotted, unalloyed; and as God has designed our happiness, the happiness of all his creatures, he never has, he never will, institute an ordinance or give a commandment to his people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which he has designed, and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the recipients of his law and ordinances. Blessings offered, but rejected, are no longer blessings, but become like the talent hid in the earth by the wicked and slothful servant -- the proffered good returns to the giver; the blessing is bestowed on those who will receive, and occupy; for unto him that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundantly, but unto him that hath not, or will not receive, shall be taken away that which he hath, or might have had.

"'Be wise to-day; 'tis madness to defer,

Next day the fatal precedent may plead;

Thus on till wisdom is pushed out of time"

into eternity. Our heavenly father is more liberal in his views, and boundless in his mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive, and, at the same time, is more terrible to the workers of iniquity, more awful in the executions of his punishments, and more ready to detect every false way than we are apt to suppose him to be; he will be inquired of by his children -- he says ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find; but, if ye will take that which is not your own, or which I have not given you, you shall be rewarded according to your deeds, but no good thing will I withhold from them who walk uprightly before me, and do my will in all things; who will listen to my voice and to the voice of my servant whom I have sent; for I delight in those who seek diligently to know my precepts, and abide by the laws of my kingdom; for all things shall be made known unto them in mine own due time, and in the end they shall have joy."

JOS. SMITH.

The time has expired. To-morrow I shall show you something very peculiar in this secret wive[s] system, as far as such peculiar things can be shown to ladies; but Friday I shall show to a congregation of men alone some most startling truths about Joe and his secret wives.

The audience then dispersed, about a quarter past ten, all apparently in high glee, particularly the ladies.