In a story that I was previously unaware of, Joseph Smith declared the he had no confidence in Sidney Rigdon and encouraged the members at general conference to not sustain him but William Marks supported Sidney and the members sustained him anyway. With the members ignoring his counsel and a first presidency that he no longer trusted, I can imagine that in the last 8 months before his martyrdom Joseph felt that there were free people he could rely on and that his effectiveness in leading the church was very limited. That event might also have helped him to see that the best option for faithfulness after his death last in the leadership of the apostles. As I recall, it was after this conference that he bestowed all priesthood keys upon the apostles.
Marks himself supported the claims of Sidney Rigdon in the succession crisis despite the fact that others (including Emma) were promoting him to be the successor of Joseph Smith.
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