Warsaw Signal comments negatively on Joseph’s presidential candidacy.
The Warsaw Signal; 1844; 1844 February; 1844 February 21; Church History Library
TO JO SMITH—Prophet—Candidate for the Presidency—Mayor of the City of Nauvoo—Lieutenant General of the Legion—President of the Church—Tavern Keeper—Grog Bruiser—&c., &c.
SIR: Understanding that you are a candidate for the highest office within the gift of the People, we claim as the unalienable right of an American Citizen to ask you a few questions, as regards the policy which you, as “His Excellency, the President of the United States,” will pursue.
Well Jo! if you should be so fortunate as to be elected President of the United States, what would you do with the State of Missouri? Would you pluck out the eyes of her sovereignty? Or would you take her up in your expanded arms, and giant-like stride across the Wester Prairies—leap the Rocky Mountains and hurl her headlong into the angry Pacific, there to remain until purged of every Anti-Mormon sin? Or Joe, would you Xerxes-like muster your myriads, and every man armed with a hoop-pole, march across the icy bridge in the winter time, and give her Sovereign Highness, a most transcendent drubbing?
From the manner in which you write to J. C. Calhoun, we conclude that you had some design of chastising Missouri, and we would like to know how you are going to do it, and so no doubt would the people of that State.
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The Presidency
Well, Joe is fairly in the field! He can’t go for Clay nor Van Buren, because they can’t trample down the constitution to go for him. All right, Joe; no doubt you will be elected! and, according to the opinion of your ‘cat’s-paw,’ the editor of the Neighbor, you will ‘administer justice with an impartial hand, and magnify and dignify the office of chief magistrate of the land.’
Faugh! Is there a man in the nation but believes that Joe Smith is ‘a man of sterling worth and integrity, and of enlarged views;’ ‘honorable, fearless, and energetic;’ and that ‘there is not a man in the United States more competent to the task?’ Bah!
But the funny part of the sap-ient editor,s lucubrations in announcing Joe’s name for the presidency, is, a wonderful discovery—a coalition more abominable than any which this age of wonders has yet brought to light. It runs thus: Benton has agreed to give the full weight of his influence to Van Buren to make him president; for and in consideration of which, Van, when elected, is to wipe away the stain from Missouri, by a further persecution of the Mormons, and wreaking out vengeance on their heads, either by extermination, or by some other summary process.,’ Horrible! Horrible!
Now, Mr. Van Buren, if this story gets out on you, it will ruin your prospects.— But we forget; we are getting into politics—So good bye, Joe! when we can’t vote for any body else, may be we will vote for you. No! We would as soon vote for Old Nick!
By the by, Joe we suggest that you strengthen your ticket by putting on ‘Old Nick,’ for Vice President. But, then, if both should be elected, and you should happen to die, we would be in a worse fix than the Whigs were when Tyler came into power.