[Logophile]

I have always wondered how serious Joseph Smith was about running for president. Did he really think he had a good chance of being elected? Or was his candidacy merely a means to get his ideas out in public?

I especially like his idea of freeing the slaves by buying them from their masters, using money from the sale of public land (and the reduction in the pay of Congress). It is too bad that slavery was not abolished peacefully in this country.

[Reaganesque]

I’m not sure about that. I assume that he was serious but I also imagine that he was realistic about his chances of winning. I’d have to read up on that.