The Illinois legislature passed a bill for repealing the Nauvoo city charter, which, however, was not approved. (1)
-- About Mar 4, 1843
Orrin Porter Rockwell taken prisoner in St. Louis, MO. (2)
-- Mar 04, 1843
[Polygamy] to 27 Jun 1844 Marriage - Joseph to Emily Dow Partridge, age 19 ,. Elder Heber C. Kimball officiating. Emily D. Partridge Smith testified that she "roomed" with Joseph the night following her marriage to him and said that she had "carnal intercourse" with him. See Temple Lot case (complete transcript), 364, 367, 384. SOURCE: LDS Biographical Encyclopedia. Elder Jenson, Andrew. 1951 Volume: 1 Page: 697 Marriages in Nauvoo Region 1839-45. Easton, S. Civil Marriages in Nauvoo 1839-45. Cook, Lyndon Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46 Mormon Manuscripts to 1846. (3)
-- Mar 4, 1843
[Joseph Smith] Joseph speaks to the city council encouraging them to accept only hard cash, gold, or silver, and not paper money. George A. Smith debates about capital punishment, stating that imprisonment is better than hanging. Joseph replies that he too is opposed to hanging, but advises shooting or decapitation so that the man's blood will be spilled. Joseph notes later that the battle of Gog and Magog will be after the millennium.Orrin Porter Rockwell, having been hiding out in Philadelphia, returns to Nauvoo by way of St. Louis. He gets off the steamboat in St. Louis, and while there is recognized and captured. This begins a Missouri prison stay lasting over nine months. During his imprisonment he tries to escape by stripping off his clothes and squeezing up a narrow stovepipe into an unlocked cell on the upper floor. Although he does reach the upper cell, he is so weak that he is unable to open the unlocked door. He climbs back down into the lower cell to regain his st
rength. When he again attempts this escape method, he passes out in the upper cell and is discovered. He will finally be tried in December of 1843, be sentenced to five minutes in prison (which will last five hours), and then be freed to walk back to Illinois. He reaches Nauvoo, having walked the skin off his feet, on Christmas night, 1843. (4)
[Joseph Smith] Sealed polygynously to Emily Partridge. (5)
[Joseph Smith Diary] Saturday, March 4th 1843 9 A.M. Brother Benjamin Johnson and the brethren from Ramus who come for to bring provision /corn, pork, oats, flour, wheat, as per Bill/ at the house. Agreed to go with Hiram to Ramus one week [from] to day. Bro[ther] John wanted to know if they might build a meeting house in Ramus out of Church property. Joseph said the property of the Church should be disposed of as the church said. It was for them to decide not him.
There is a wheel. This is the Hub. We will drive the first spoke in Rome [Ramus], 2d Laharpe, 3d Shokokon [and] 4th Lima [Illinois settlements with Mormon populations]; that is 1/2 the wheel. The other half is over the fiver. We will let that alone at present. We will call the Saints from Iowa to these spokes then send Elders over and convert the whole. It is like a bank, they will not discount because they have plenty of specie. We will draw this specie. Then they will discount our paper. (Call for our address).
9 1/2 called at the office and gave instructions concerning making out the decision of court.
10 o'clock, opened City Council. Prayer B[y] Geo[rge] A. Smith. Bill regulating currency read. The Legislature of Illinois have long been trying to repeal the Charter of Nauvoo. Upon which the Mayor [Joseph Smith] made some [comments] as he had done on former occasions to shew the council and others that the Legislature cannot repeal a charter where there is no repealing clause. Upon which he read a letter from James Arlington Bennet to confirm his decision. Letter dated Arlington House February 1st 1843.
Spoke against [Alexander] Makenzie's murdering those boys Spencer &c. [for mutiny] as stated in Arlington's letter. Called it murder. The boys had the malary [malaria] on the coast of Africa and did not know what they did.
In debate on the bill, Geo[rge] A. Smith thought imprisonment better than hanging. Mayor said he was opposed to hanging. If a man kill another shoot him or cut his throat spilling his blood on the ground and let the smoke thereof ascend up to God. If I ever have the privilege of Making a law on this point I will have it so.
In reply to councillors who thought it impolitic to stop circulating uncurrent Bank notes at once. Mayor said he would use a figure and talk like a father to his children. If you want to kill a serpent, don't cut off his head for fear he will bite you, but cut off his tail piece by piece and perhaps you won't get bit. So with this bill. If paper currency is an evil put it down at once. Stop the circulation at once.
When councillors get up here let them talk sense. Great God where is common sense and reason? Is there none in the Earth? Why have the kanker lingering to sap our life? Get a 5 dollar bill can get nothing with it. Dare not touch it any one because it is a [-]. Shovel it out then.
I wish you had my soul long enough to know how good it feels. It is expedient when you strike at an enemy, strike the most deadly blow possible. (Hyde asked what the editer would do)? Mayor said advertise in the next paper to your agents to send you gold and silver as we take no paper here.
Prisoners may be kept in the city as safe as in the Prison of the state by chaining to a block with a guard and labor in blacksmith shops or any where else and never have a prisoner sent out of the city for imprisonment.
Bills passed to stop circulation of paper currency in the city, punish counterfeiting &c. by unanimous vote. Dr. Samuel Bennet[t] chosen Alderman, A[lbert] P. Rockwood fire warden for 1st ward. Elijah Fordham fire warden 2d ward. Charles C. Rich fire warden 3d ward. /Voted/ [to] opened an alley north and south through block 126. 1 1/2 P.M., Adjourned to next regular meeting.
Dined about 3 P.M. Cold, clear. Repaired to office with O[rson] Spencer.
Proverb: For a man to be a great man, he must not dwell upon small things though he may enjoy them. Spoken while entering the office. Explanation a prophet cannot be a scribe &c.
Joseph said to Dr. [Willard] Richards there is one thing you fail in as historian the naming or noticing surrounding objects, weather, &c.
The weather is extremely cold and freezing and has been almost continually since October. There was a breaking up of the ice in the River in February so that Boats passed from St. Louis to Quincy. The Falls were dear so that boats passed from Montrose to Keokuk, but the river has not been cleared yet from the Edwards Brick house and upwards.
The brethren have brought a multitude of wood on the ice from the opposite shore and the islands. Hundreds of cords per day. Ground clear except a little ice. {page 271 }
Brought in by Hyrum Smith, "Christian Soldier January 7th 1843" "41st article of court Martial laws." "No such sentence (that of death) shall be carried into execution until confirmed by the President of the United Sates, or if the trial take place out of the United States, until it be confirmed by the commander of the Fleet or Squadron. Capt[ain] M[akenzie]. does not rank as commander of the two latter."
Joseph "They'll hang Makenzie, or imprison him, or break him of his office"
The battle of Gog and Magog is after the Millenium. The[y] were command[ed] all to come up to Jerusalem to worship in the Millenium.
Continued to write on decision of court till 4 1/2 o'clock, then called at Bro[ther] Durphy's to see sick [two words crossed out, unreadable] /<Woodsworth>/ and Whitneys <and Kimballs> (6)
Footnotes:
1 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
2 - Tidd, N. R., "Mormon Chronology"
3 - Joseph Smith Polygamy Timeline, http://www.i4m.com/think/polygamy/JS_Polygamy_Timeline.htm
4 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
5 - Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet's Record, 'A Joseph Smith Chronology'
6 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1842-43
LDS History Timeline
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