Two affidavits, signed by numerous witnesses, were printed in the October 1st 1842 Times and Seasons newspaper. At that date, the Editor in Chief of the Times and Seasons was Joseph Smith, Jr.
The first of these two affidavits, referencing D&C 101 ('CI' in Roman numerals) (1835 edition), reads as follows:
"All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is baptized into this church, should be held sacred and fulfilled. Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again...We have given the above rule of marriage as the only one practiced in this church, to show that Dr. J. C. Bennett's 'secret wife system' is a matter of his own manufacture; and further to disabuse the public ear, and shew that the said Bennett and his misanthropic friend Origen Bachelor, are perpetrating a foul and infamous slander upon an innocent people, and need but be known to be hated and despise. In support of this position, we present the following certificates:-We the undersigned members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and residents of the city of Nauvoo, persons of families do hereby certify and declare that we know of no other rule or system of marriage than the one published from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants (section CI, 1835 edition), and we give this certificate to show that Dr. J. C. Bennett's "secret wife system" is a creature of his own make as we know of no such society in this place nor never did."
This affidavit was signed by the following witnesses:
S. Bennett
N. K. WhitneyGeorge Miller
Albert Pettey
Alpheus Cutler
Elias Higbee
Reynolds Cahoon
John Taylor
Wilson Law
E. Robinson
W. Woodruff
Aaron Johnson
The second affidavit, also referencing D&C 101 (1835 edition), reads as follows:
"We the undersigned members of the ladies' relief society, and married females do certify and declare that we know of no system of marriage being practiced in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints save the one contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and we give this certificate to the public to show that J. C. Bennett's "secret wife system" is a disclosure of his own make."
This second affidavit was signed by the following witnesses:
Emma Smith, President
Elizabeth Ann Whitney, Counsellor
Sarah M. Cleveland, Counsellor
Eliza R. Snow, Secretary
Mary C. Miller
Catharine Pettey
Lois Cutler
Sarah Higbee
Thirza Cahoon
Phebe Woodruff
Ann Hunter
Leonora Taylor
Jane Law
Sarah Hillman
Sophia R. Marks
Rosannah Marks
Polly Z. Johnson
Angeline Robinson;
Abigail Works
At the time these affidavits were printed, Eliza R. Snow (4th signatory of the 2nd affidavit) had been married as a plural wife to Joseph Smith since June, earlier that year. Elizabeth Ann Whitney (2nd signatory of the 2nd affidavit) was the mother of 17-year-old Sarah Ann Whitney who had been married to Joseph Smith in July of 1842 and was present at that ceremony. The man who performed that plural marriage ceremony was her father, Bishop Newel K. Whitney (2nd signatory of the 1st affidavit).
As Editor-in-Chief, Joseph Smith was solely responsible for the content published in his paper, including these false affidavits.
ONLINE REFERENCES:
D&C Section 101, 1835 Edition (NOTE that 101 is printed in Roman numerals as 'CI')
Times and Seasons Archive, October 1st Edition(this is a slight modification of my original post,
here)
