760 of old, may he yet be a terror to evil doers; one that will light his candle in the same great fire where his father's was lit, and search the world by the light of it, till the last stain of his father's blood, is made white by righteousness.
The record of your father's family presents the following summary of life and death:
Joseph Smith Sen., born in Topsfield, Mass., July 12, 1722. Died in Nauvoo, Ill., Sept. 14, 1840, aged 68. His grey [gray] hairs were brought down to the grave by being driven from the State of Missouri in the dead of winter by Gov. Boggs and his murderous banditti.
Lucy Smith (Mack) born in Gilsum, N. H. July 8, 1776, now in her 69th year; mourns the loss of a husband and six sons, the most of whom fell by the tender mercies of a Christian Republic, bestowed by the Herods of the land in civilized exile and murder.
Joseph Smith and Lucy Mack, married in Tunbridge, Vt. June 24, 1796.
Alvin Smith, born in Tunbridge, Vt., February 11, 1798. Died in Palmyra, N. Y., November 19, 1829, aged nearly 32.
Hyrum Smith born in Tunbridge, Vt., February 9, 1800, was murdered in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, (by a mob,) aged 44. Thus fell a martyr, against whom not even one crime had ever been known.
Sophronia Smith born in Tunbridge, Vt. May 10, 1803, aged 41.
Joseph Smith Jr. born in Sharon Vt., December 23, 1805. Murdered in Carthage jail on the 27th of June, 1844, (by a mob,) on account of his religion as allmost [almost] all holy men had been before him;-aged 39. Thus fell a martyr, to gratify the cupidity of a priestly thirst for innocent blood; and shows the weakness of our government to protect her citizens: this first prophet of the last dispensation, whose godly works, whose virtuous deeds, and whose innocent blood will entitle him to a fame, a name, a glory, an honor, power, and dominion, with Gods, when his persecutors and murderers will mutter, groan, gnash their teeth, and sigh among the damned, where "their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Samuel Harrison Smith, born in Tunbridge, Vt., March 13, 1808. Died July 30th, 1844, broken hearted, and worn out with persecution. Aged 36. The righteous are removed from the evils to come.
Ephraim Smith, born in Royalton, Vt., March 13, 1810. Died March 24, 1810; aged 11 days.
William Smith, born in Royalton Vt., March 13, 1811; aged (soon) 34; the only male (living) of the family, and one of the "Twelve." Lord, while I write the "the fire burns for the mighty of Israel, to come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan."
Katharine Smith, born in Lebanon N. H. July 28, 1813, aged 31.
Don Carlos Smith, born in Norwich Vermont, March 25, 1815. Died August 7, 1841, aged 26. His untiring vigilance for his parents and the persecutions of Missouri, brought him to the grave, just as he was stepping upon the threshhold [threshold] of life and usefulness.
Lucy Smith, born in Palmyra, N. Y. July 15, 1821; aged 23.
So here you have your history-without painting. The females all married, all Mormons and live in this vicinity.
How think ye this little sketch will fit the refinement of christendom? I believe the next generation will say, O, if we had only lived with those good men, we would not have murdered them! Do you think that this benevolent world, with all their priests, piety, pulpits and philanthropy, will call to mind that through their exertion or silence, one mother, born four days after our independence was declared, and four daughters-in-law, weep over the tombs of their mob-murdered husbands, while their innocent blood stains the land, the law, liberty and religion of the whole nation?
Our pseudo-President says in his last message: "The great moral spectacle has been exhibited of a nation, approximating in numbers to 20,000,000, of people, having performed the high and important duty of electing their chief magistrate for the term of four years, without the commission of any acts of violence, or a manifestation of a spirit of insubordination to the laws."
Now what says the people about the "riots in Philadelphia," the murder at Carthage of one of the candidates for that high office, and shooting a man dead in Tennessee for carrying a poke stalk? was their "any acts of violence" in all these manifestations of murder? Wo unto the hypocrite!
Governor Edwards of Missouri, in his message to the legislature, after regretting mob law or disobedience in other states, says, "but in our State, the great majority of the people are sober and discreet, mild and prudent, industrious and frugal, honest and virtuous, and above all, the lovers of good order and peace in society."
Such mock virtue; such hypocritical eulogy, is enough to merit an earthquake! Great God!! 15,000 people exiled, robbed, mobbed and murdered by executive authority, and now the people are all lovers of good order, and peace in society!
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