General Alexander W. Doniphan (1808-1887) was a respected
Missouri citizen who was known for his detailed knowledge
of that State's mid-19th century history.

He was also closely associated with the Missouri Mormons,
having helped establish their "reservation county" of
Caldwell in 1836; having defused the initial beginning of
the 1838 "Mormon War;" and having saved Smith's life at
Far West, when the Missouri militia surrounded that town.

Doniphan worked as the chief legal counsel for the topmost
Mormon leaders in 1838. In gangster terms, he was their
"mouthpiece" in the courts and legislature.

Given this close relationship with Joseph Smith, it is
quite remarkable that Doniphan later betrayed the secrecy
of the lawyer-client relationship, to "spill the beans"
on Prophet Joe. Not only did Doniphan admit to knowing of
Smith's criminal effort to escape Missouri justice in
1839 -- Doniphan also strongly hinted that Mormonism was
merely a scam Smith had created to elevate himself, etc.

Here is an excerpt, featuring Smith's private admission:

>"I have got up this Mormon business. These people
>are gathered now and believe in me and in this
>Book of Mormon and other stuff. If I go to prison
>and lie two or three years, they will lose faith
>and become scattered, go back to their homes in
>Illinois and other States. Now their enthusiasm
>in the midst of my persecutions, is at a white heat,
>and I could lead them any where. Then they will
>have grown cold and suspicious; only a few will
>hang together. It would take me years to gather
>them again and get them ready for my plans. Perhaps
>I never could. The best part of my life has been
>spent in this scheme, and success depends upon my
>immediate liberation. And I am sure I am not fooled
>about the power of money with these men. I'm going
>to be free in a day or two. Once free I shall gather
>my band and go beyond the Rockies where none will
>molest me for many years. By that time I shall have
>a grand empire there and can defend myself."


Full 1883 article here:
http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/MO/Miss1881.htm#092883

UD

Wow! That's about the most damning indictment of Smith I've ever read. Of course you'll get the standard "FAIR" repsponse that it's a questionable source or it was written by an opponent of Joseph Smith to paint him in a bad light. But Wow, this is amazing! Great find!

We can save a lot of souls with this documentary on you tube

The Lost Book of Abraham is an award-winning documentary that investigates the remarkable claim that Mormon founder Joseph Smith translated a lost book of scripture from an Egyptian papyrus scroll he obtained in 1835. Hear the views of Mormon believers and World-class Egyptologists and decide for yourself.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hcyzkd_m6KE

That's a great link and a great website!

Interesting.

Unfortunately you can never know if someone is telling the truth, but if true, it's definitely interesting.

We already know that he admitted to being a fraud in a New York court proceeding, so it's entirely possible that he'd say something like that to his lawyer as well.

I wonder if maybe he started the stone rolling and then it got so big and out-of-control that he couldn't stop it and just had to continue on with the fraud, even once it had become dangerous to him.

Very interesting article. One thing though. I don't know why Smith would have been scheming as early as the troubles in Missouri to migrate past the Rocky mountains only to set up shop in Nauvoo. The article was published in the 1880s when the US government was really starting to crack down on Mormon polygamy in Utah, and maybe Doniphan was trying consciously or unconsciously to capitalize on his history with the Mormon founder. I don't doubt though that Smith knew the approximate dollar value of the heart of every man he met.

Thanks for sharing that!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2013 09:15AM by Makurosu.

Makurosu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Very interesting article. One thing though. I
> don't know why Smith would have been scheming as
> early as the troubles in Missouri to migrate past
> the Rocky mountains only to set up shop in Nauvoo.
> The article was published in the 1880s when the US
> government was really starting to crack down on
> Mormon polygamy in Utah, and maybe Doniphan was
> trying consciously or unconsciously to capitalize
> on his history with the Mormon founder. I don't
> doubt though that Smith knew the approximate
> dollar value of the heart of every man he met.
>
> Thanks for sharing that!

I'm convinced that as far back as 1830 Smith and
his inner circle of Mormon leaders expected to
eventually gain control of the largely vacant land
between the Mississippi River and the California
coast. Nauvoo never was the center stake of Zion,
nor the city to which Christ was destined to return.

Nauvoo was largely a product of the Missouri Mormons
having gathered in 1839 leaderless, to Illinois, where
the earliest escaped LDS leader (Rigdon) had to find a
place to contain the refugees.

Taking possession of the Rocky Mountains, Texas, and
California remained a key (though secret) Mormon goal.

UD

Largely vacant of euro trash invaders maybe, but not largely vacant.

ASteve Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Largely vacant of euro trash invaders maybe, but
> not largely vacant.

Excluding settlements on the California coast, Santa Fe,
and a few concentrations of indigenous tribes in the
river valleys, the land was comparatively vacant. Thousands
of square miles of it had no permanent habitation and
hundreds of square miles of it had no ephemeral habitation.

It wasn't as desolate as Antarctica, of course, but a
trained legion of 20,000 armed Mormon dragoons could have
kicked out the Mexicans and British, while also holding
even the largest concentrations of native Americans at bay.

Besides which, it was always the Mormon plan to co-opt or
ally with as many Indian tribes as possible.

Had not the Mexican War come along to disrupt their plans,
the Mormons would have established their State of Deseret.
Whether or not the U.S. President and Congress would have
allowed them to claim the California coast is another matter.

UD

It just don't go beyond interesting.
Very informative website though Uncle.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2013 09:51AM by quinlansolo.

From what I remember, Joseph Smith had the idea to go to the Rockies and that is how Briggie knew to go there. They had talked about it for years. Even before Nauvoo...Briggie didn't know WHERE exactly, but once he saw the mosquito infested, barren, dry, ugly Salt Lake Valley, he knew nobody would want it and so he picked it.

I remember Doniphan being featured in a series that ran on TV called "Profiles in Courage". It had been commissioned by John Kennedy our President.

There was a case where Doniphan was head of a small militia group and had Joseph and Hyrum in custody. He recieved orders to hang them by the neck until dead in the village square of Far West Missouri. Mr. Doniphan refused to kill someone without a fair trial in front of a judge.

It was a thrilling drama to watch and all the Mormons were dressed like the Amish with black hats and whiskers! The black and white cinema also gave the story an eerie feeling not unlike Twilight Zone.

I was not a member at the time I watched this movie in a High School history class. It did give the Mormons a good light.

Later, when I joined the church, Doniphan was touted as a faithful man who was a wonderful friend of the Saints. My CES teacher also said he was baptised posthumously because he'd have joined the church if he'd "been allowed to tarry" and not died so young!!


Thank you for posting this!

POP! Another TSCC illusion balloon has burst!

The lies just keep on a comin' don't they?

One of Joseph and Emma's son was named after this man.

They must have thought highly of him.