Richard Emery

Abraham Lincoln and the Latter-day Saints Richard Emery

This is a look at Abraham Lincoln's political life beginning as postmaster at New Salem, Illinois, through the Illinois Legislature, the U. S. House of Representatives and on to his distinguished career as president of the United States. On several occasions he came in contact with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and these pages show the deep concern he had for them and his struggle to maintain balance between dealing with their needs and those of the general population. At times his contact was direct as with the assistance in guiding the Nauvoo Charter bill through the Illinois House of Representatives, and assuaging the Saints in Utah when they struggled with hostile territorial governors sent by the U. S. Government to oversee their political activities. At other times the contact was not so direct as when he stood up in the U. S. House during the Mexican War and called for aid to the troops, including the Mormon Battalion, and his support of the overland telegraph, along with his efforts to get the transcontinental railroad built, bringing communication and transportation to the intermountain west where most of the Saints dwelled. The Saints reciprocated his kindness where they were concerned with overwhelming support of him all through his political career and especially during his years in the White House.