The Prophet addressed another letter to Wm. H. Harrison, on the same subject. His answer was but little more satisfactory.
Joseph then drew up a statement of his own, of the power and policy of the Government. A convention was called, and the Prophet nominated as a candidate for the Presidency. He set forth his views in the Nauvoo Neighbor, formerly the Wasp. He stated that if the people would elect him President it would be the salvation of the nation; otherwise, the Union would soon be severed. The two political parties would continue to influence the people until it would end in civil war, in which all nations would take part, and this nation be broken up. At this convention the elders were assigned missions to different States. I was sent to stump the State of Kentucky, with ten elders to assist me.
"You had better shut up the Seventies' Hall and obey the last call of the Prophet," Brigham said to me.
Things looked squally before I left, with little prospect of growing better. I left Nauvoo on the 4th of May, 1844, with greater reluctance than I had on any previous mission. It was hard enough to preach the gospel without purse or scrip; but it was as nothing compared to offering the Prophet Joseph to the people as a candidate for the highest gift of the nation. I would a thousand times rather have been shut up in jail than to have taken the trip, but I dared not refuse.
About one hundred of us took the steamer Ospray for St. Louis. Our mission was understood by all the passengers on board. I was not long kept waiting before the subject was brought up. I had made up my mind to banish fear and overcome timidity. I made the people believe that I felt highly honored by my mission to electioneer for a prophet of God. It was a privilege few men enjoyed in these days. I endeavored to make myself agreeable by mixing with the passengers on the steamer. I told them that the Prophet would lead both candidates from the start.
There was a large crowd on the boat, and an election was proposed. Judges and clerks were appointed and a vote taken. The Prophet received a majority of seventy-five, out of one hundred and twenty-five votes polled. This created a tremendous laugh, and we kept it up till we got to St. Louis. Here the most of us took the steamer Mermaid.
The change of steamers afforded me a new field of labor. I met a brother of Gen. Atchison, one of the commanders of the militia that served against the Church at Far West. He became interested in me, and when we parted at Smithland he invited me to go home with him and preach in his neighborhood.
My destination being Frankfort, I could not accept his invitation. I started for Lexington, by way of Georgetown, lecturing as I went. I finally got to the capital, put up at a hotel, and endeavored to hire the State House to speak in, but found it engaged.
My funds were low, and my hotel hill was four dollars per day. After three days' trial I hired the Court House. The people said that no Mormon had ever been able to get a hearing, though several had attempted to do so.
When evening came I had to light up the house and ring the bell. Elder Frost assisted me. Soon the hall was filled with juveniles, from ten to fifteen years of age. I understood the trick. The people supposed I would leave, but to their surprise I arose and said I was glad to see the young ones out in such numbers; that I knew they had good parents, or they would not be there; that if they would take seats and be quiet we would sing them our Mormon songs.