Early Reports on the Formation of the Mormon Church and Missouri Troubles

"[Mormonism] [Lot of 2] "Mormonism" [and] "Mormons in Missouri. Copy of a Letter from Daniel Dunklin, Governor of the State of Missouri…" [and] "The Report of a Battle with the ‘Mormons,’ in Jackson County, Missouri…" [in] Niles' Weekly Register",

This lot contains three reports in two issues of Niles’ Weekly Register on the early trials of the Mormon religion:

The first issue (July 16, 1831) contains a paragraph on “Mormonism” (page 353) with Niles providing a harshly critical view of the new church. While the article indicates “most of our readers must recollect that certain knaves…started a new religion,” this is the first mention of the Mormons in the Weekly Register and one of the earliest, and possibly the first, mention in a national periodical.

The second issue (July 26, 1834) includes two articles: “Mormons in Missouri Copy of a Letter from Daniel Dunklin, Governor of the State of Missouri…" (page 368) and “The Report of a battle with the ‘Mormons,’ in Jackson County, Missouri, was not true…” (page 365). The large number of Mormons settling in Jackson County in 1833 were seen as a threat by many of the other citizens. Mob action led to the forced expulsion of the Mormons who retained the deeds to their property. Redress through the courts failed and during the summer of 1834 an armed group of Mormons approached Missouri. The Governor here acknowledges the rights of the Mormons to their religion and to bear arms and the rights of other citizens to bear arms, but the cannon rumored to be readied by both parties are illegal. He calls for a peaceable compromise, but refuses to intercede. The Mormon leadership ultimately chose not to use force and the armed group disbanded.

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Condition: B+

Disbound with light scattered foxing.