"Come on! ye persecutors! ye false swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will come out on top at last. I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet... When they can get rid of me, the devil will also go."
(Joseph Smith, Jr., History of the Church, volume 6, pages 408-409)
Joseph Smith Authorized Himself To Sell Alcohol
"Ordinance on the Personal Sale of Liquors. Section 1.
Be it ordained by the City Council of Nauvoo, that the Mayor of the city be and is hereby authorized to sell or give spirits of any quantity as he in his wisdom shall judge to be for the health and comfort, or convenience of such travelers or other persons as shall visit his house from time to time.
Passed December 12, 1843.
JOSEPH SMITH, Mayor.
WILLARD RICHARDS, Recorder."
(History of the Church, Volume 6, page 111)
Joseph Smith was the dictator of Nauvoo and acted as such with impunity.
Joseph requested and received from Governor Carlin the commission of lieutenant-general and thereafter frequently jested about his outranking every military officer in the United States. He came to prefer the title "General" even to "President" and used it in much of his correspondence. His uniform was smartly designed: a blue coat with a plentiful supply of gold braid, buff trousers, high military boots, and a handsome chapeau topped with ostrich feathers. On his hip he carried a sword and two big horse-pistols. Delighting in the pomp and splendor of parades, he called out the Legion on every possible occasion, marching at the head on his magnificent black stallion, Charlie. No Man Knows My History, page 271.
