Gerrit Smith
Gerrit Smith
Gerrit Smithwas a leading United States social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist. Spouse to Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, Smith was a candidate for President of the United States in 1848, 1856, and 1860, but only served 18 months in the federal government—in Congress as a Free Soil Party Representative, in 1853–4...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth6 March 1797
CountryUnited States of America
war men broken
It is not to be disguised, that a war has broken out between the North and the South. - Political and commercial men are industriously striving to restore peace: but the peace, which they would effect, is superficial, false, and temporary.
war slavery permanent
True, permanent peace can never be restored, until slavery, the occasion of the war, has ceased.
honors repose rich solace wealth
The rich and the honorable, if divested of this right, have still their wealth and their honors to repose on, and to solace them.
attempt cannot god palpable
Let us tell our legislators in advance, that this is a right, restraints on which, we will not, cannot bear; and that every attempt to restrain it is a palpable wrong on God and man.
consent ranks room secure slavery votes
There is no room in our ranks for the politician, who, to secure the votes of the youth, would consent that American slavery be perpetual.
load north poor
The poor North has much to do with slavery. It staggers under its load and smarts under its lash.
errors freely time
As this is the first time I have had the floor, it may be well for me now to confess, that I am in the habit of freely imputing errors to my fellow-men.
believe doctrine government people subscribe
I do not subscribe to the doctrine that the people are the slaves and property of their government. I believe that government is for the use of the people, and not the people for the use of the government.
count invader man worst
Let the poor man count as his enemy, and his worst enemy, every invader of the right of free discussion.
men fellow-man assuming
God cannot approve of a system of servitude, in which the master is guilty of assuming absolute power - of assuming God's place and relation towards his fellow-men.
spring rights grace
My rights all spring front an infinitely nobler source - from favor and grace of God.
men care littles
I am a plain man, and I care and know comparatively little about rhetoric.
construction canals new-roads
I do not object to the construction of rail roads and canals.
republican come-up
I prefer, in a word, the republican system, because it comes up more nearly to God's system.