Artemas Cunningham Statement on Solomon Spalding
In the month of October,
1811, I went from the township of Madison to Conneaut, for the purpose of
securing a debt due me from Solomon Spalding. I tarried with him nearly two
days, for the purpose of accomplishing my object, which I was finally unable to
do. I found him destitute of the means of paying his debts. His only hope of
ever paying his debts, appeared to be upon the sale of a book, which he had been
writing. He endeavored to convince me from the nature and character of the work,
that it would meet with a ready sale. Before showing me
his manuscripts, he went into a verbal relation of its outlines, saying that it
was a fabulous or romantic history of the first settlement of this country, and
as it purported to have been a record found buried in the earth, or in a cave,
he had adopted the ancient or scripture style of writing. He then presented his
manuscripts, when we sat down and spent a good share of the night, in reading
them, and conversing upon them. I well remember the name of Nephi, which
appeared to be the principal hero of the story. The frequent repetition of the
phrase, "I Nephi," I recollect as distinctly as though it was but yesterday,
although the general features of the story have passed from my memory, through
the lapse of 22 years. He attempted to account for the numerous antiquities
which are found upon this continent, and remarked that, after this generation
had passed away, his account of the first inhabitants of America would be
considered as authentic as any other history. The Mormon Bible I have partially
examined, and am fully of the opinion that Solomon Spalding had written its
outlines before he left Conneaut.