The theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon in the traditional
manuscript of Solomon Spaulding will probably have to be
relinquished. That manuscript is doubtless now in the possession
of Mr. L. L. Rice, of Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands,[A] formerly an
anti-slavery editor in Ohio, and for many years State printer of
Columbus. During a recent visit to Honolulu, I suggested to Mr.
Rice that he might have valuable anti-slavery documents in his
possession which he would be willing to contribute to the rich
collection already in the Oberlin College library. In pursuance of
this suggestion Mr. Rice began looking over his old pamphlets and
papers, and at length came upon an old, worn and faded manuscript
of about 175 pages, small, quarto, purporting to be a history
of the migration and conflicts of the ancient Indian tribes
which occupied the territory now belonging to the States of New
York, Ohio and Kentucky. On the last page of this manuscript is
a certificate and signature giving the names of several persons
known to the signer, who have assured him that to their personal
knowledge, the manuscript was the writing of Solomon Spaulding. Mr.
Rice has no recollection how or when this manuscript came into his
possession. It was enveloped in a coarse piece of wrapping paper,
and endorsed in Mr. Rice's handwriting, "A Manuscript Story."
[Footnote A:--Since the publication of this letter, the M.S.S. has
been placed in Oberlin college library by Mr. Rice.]
There seems no reason to doubt that this is the long lost story.
Mr. Rice, myself and others compared it with the Book of Mormon and
could detect no resemblance between the two, in general or detail.
There seems to be no name nor incident {346} common to the two. The
solemn style of the Book of Mormon, in imitation of the English
Scriptures, does not appear in the manuscript. The only resemblance
is in the fact that both profess to set forth the history of the
lost tribes. Some other explanation of the origin of the Book of
Mormon must be found, if any explanation is required.