“General Joseph Smith and His Candidacy for the Presidency of the United States: How a Religious Leader Contributed to Strengthening American Democracy
Joseph supported the participation in the democratic process of those who might vote contrary to what even he would have wanted. He took a principled stand, anyone who qualifies, under law, to participate should be encouraged to do so, especially minorities, religious or other.
Then, as now, Latter-day Saints wanted American democratic rights promised in the Constitution to be more than a myth. As a leading evangelical theologian recently stated, the Latter-day Saints in the United States “just want a place at the American table.