PROVO, Utah — Joseph Smith was a presidential candidate when he was slain at Carthage Jail in Illinois on June 27, 1844. The next candidate to be murdered while running for president of the United States was Robert Kennedy in 1968.Although many elements led to to Smith's martyrdom, researchers "can't discount the political element," said Susan Black, a Brigham Young University professor of church history."To write about the martyrdom without the political overtones — you've missed it," she said.Black was a presenter on Friday at the Church History Symposium on John Taylor, third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her topic was "John Taylor — His Influence on Joseph Smith's Presidential Bid."Smith's candidacy, which Taylor orchestrated much like a campaign manager of today, made serious intrusions into the American political landscape in 1843 and 1844. Political enemies noted that if Smith were killed he couldn't run again, Black said. Thomas Sharp, editor of the Warsaw (Ill.) Signal, advocated killing Smith, who was mortally shot the next day at Carthage Jail.Taylor played a pivotal role in the Smith campaign. As editor of the Times and Seasons and Nauvoo Neighbor in Nauvoo, Ill., Taylor sent editorials throughout the nation promoting Smith's candidacy. In that day newspapers often clipped and republished stories from other papers, Black said.The United States in 1843 consisted of 26 states and the Territory of Wisconsin.When Taylor was promoting Smith he also used his newspaper to defend Mormonism and tell his readers about the faith. Taylor promoted the platform idea that the next president should seek redress for the wrongs meted upon the Latter-day Saints, particularly in Missouri. That was in October 1843. In November, Smith stepped forward and said he would seek a third-party presidential bid after getting unsatisfactory responses from letters he sent to five other presidential aspirants on whether they would right those wrongs.They were former President Martin Van Buren; Van Buren's vice president, Richard Johnson; Louis Case; Henry Clay; and John C. Calhoun. Van Buren and Johnson didn't respond, Black said.William W. Phelps wrote Smith's platform. As the campaign heated up, Taylor defended it against editors around the country, including critical attacks from Sharp. Some editors supported Smith while many did not.In January 1844 Smith asked Taylor to send political missionary volunteers throughout the nation to campaign for him. Taylor then managed the efforts of 337 volunteers after Smith sent them off with the edict, "Open your mouth wide and God will fill it." They went on to pass out Smith platform pamphlets and hold 47 conferences in 15 states, Black said, while contending with abuse and threats.Thousands of copies of Smith's views were reprinted and Taylor also reprinted his views in his Nauvoo Neighbor and sent copies to even more newspapers throughout the county.But when Smith was assassinated, Taylor lost hope in politics, Black said. The Latter-day Saints then cast their vote for a candidate who had entered the race in February 1844, James Polk of Tennessee, who became the 11th president and the nation's first "dark horse" candidate.Black said her paper on Taylor's role in Joseph Smith's presidential bid will be published by The Religious Studies Center.
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