Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-11-20


SPEECH OF MR.. cERRiT SMITH,
IN The Meeting tMs Nae York Anti Sarey Society, he'd
an Peterboro', October %, 1885.
Mr. Smith to and advocate the adoption of
the following resolution:
a sSs By h 81 ee d "a given to S BY Sa ard
gns ~ Gso and asai,y ad u.enss ia DO
Tor ,dyeIy aud that dignity Nnd usefulness for debasmen
Mr. Smith remarked. that he was not member Of Tho
American AntSavery Society, and not yet prepared to
become such-tha his reasons Cor approving of all
the plans and proceedings of the society so far as to
unite himself with IT, were before the public, and that
would be both unreasonable and egotistical for him now
TO mention them He stood up in the meeting under the
courtesy OF It's resolution inviting him take part in its
deliberations and proceedings. Let me saw however
sad Mir Smith, that the great principles of your society
have ever been my principles and that II is meet
should share with you in the odum peril of holding
those principles. AT such time this when YOU are
noby Jeopardng for truths sake, and humanitys sake
property and reputation and life feel il be not only
my Duty bat my privilege and pleasure, to identify my
sell with you, LAT consccniiouslv can aud to ex
pose my property and reputation and life TO the dan
gers, which threaten yours Passing (sad MIR
admonsh me of the necessity there that the friends OF
human rights should act in concert; and with all NV
objections 20 your society, only possible but pro-
member of it,
But to come to the resolution before us-(which Mr.
) said he had himself drawn up and handed to the com
mitee on resolutons love the free and happy form of
civil government under which live not because il con-
iers new rights on me. My rights all spring from an
infinitely nober source-irom the favor and grace of
God Our political aud constitutional rights so called
but the natural and inherent rights of man
carried and secured by modes human
To no human charter am Indicted for my RIGHTS They
pertain to my original constitution and read them in
that BOOK OF books which is the great Charter If man
nghts. NO; The constitutions Of my Nation and State
create none of my rights They do at the most, but
recognize what 1t was not theirs 10 give
My reason therefore, for loving republican form of
government and Tor preerrng ii 10 any oher-to mo-
narchca and despotic govcrnments-is not that il
clothes me with rights, which these withhold from me;
but, that makes fewer cncroachuents than they do on
he 40.
ed scope of mans agency. prefer, in word The re-
publican system, because II up more nearly TO
Gods system 1t is not then the constitutions of my
nation aud State that am indebted for the RIGHT of free
discussion; though am thankful for the glorious de-
hce WIN which those instruments surround that right
NO, sFod himself gave me this right; and sufficient
proof that lie did So is TO be found in the fact thai br
! requires me TO exercise it, Take from the men, who
compose the Churcn of Christ earth the rigb of free
dlscusson and you disable them for his service They
are now the lame and the dumb and the blind In vain
Is now that you bid them "hod forth the word OF life,
in vain that you bid them not to suffer sin upon a
neighbor, but in any wise 10 rebuke HMM vain is IL
hai you bid them Ego into all the world aud preach the
gosPei 10 every creature If God made to be Of
ms instruments for carrying forward the salvation of the
world, then the right Of free discussion aone my in
herent rights; then may must speak of sin an sin
every SIM that comes in my way-any sim every sin
which 1t Is my duty To search out and assail When
therefore, this right is called in question: then is the in
vasion, of something obtained from human conen
uon and human concession but the invasion of birth
Ight-of that which is as old being, and par, OF
the original man.
Il1lt, SO sacred, sought to be rammellql
is virtually denied. What have said Introductory
to the expression of my dissent from the tenor Of he
language, with which this invasion is generally met
ms right u.s. for the part defended On the ronnd
tnat 1t rs given 10 us by political constitutions: and
that was purchased for by the blood and Toll Of
fathers Now wish to its defence placed on It's true
ana infinitely higher ground; the ground that God
gave II to US and that he who violates bcrays it, is
guilty not alone of dshonoring the laws of his country
ana inc blood aad t'i and memory of his fathers; but
tn"t he IS guilty also of making upon Gods plan OF
mans constitution and endDwnens and Of atlcmpin q To-
barrow down and destroy that dignity, with which God
invested hun, when hc made him IN his own n,age and
but little lower than the angels" When therefore vn
would defend this right let us not defend il SO much with
we jealousy OF an Americana pubcan---as though
IL were nut an American republican riah and could
claim no higher origin than human will aud human sta
tutes; but let us defend men, feeling that to lose it is
TO lose part of oursclves let defend it as men, de-
ermhea 10 maintain, even to their extreme boundary,
the rights aad powers which God has given TO us for our
usefulness and enjoyment; and The surrender Of an ota
oil winch, Is treason against Heaven
There is ono class OF men, whom il especiallv beooyes
To be tenacious OF the right OF free discussion mean
the poor me fc and tie honorable fdvesied of this
right have still their wealth and their honors TO reDose
o. and to solace them. But when the poor are striped
oil TINS right they are poor indeed The unhappy men
w"o composed tie mob IN Utica yesterday, OF this
class May tbey yet learn, and before it is too late how
suicidal was the violence w1iicm TnR LIPS AND Pens
OF THEIR SCrEMoRs STIMULATED THEN i; and, that i'm
attacking this most precious right i'm your persons they
we're most efficiently continuing to hasten its dcslruc
tlon IN their own; right too in respect to which the
poor man IS The equal of the richest and the proudes
being tranpied upon in Republican America BY the dos
posn OF wealth and TILES, that despotisni frnmpes
upon MN elsewhere, where he il permitted TO tell
the story OF his wrongs and 10 resist oppression by that
power, winch even wealth and titles withstand
Me Po'od Of The lips end he press Let the poor man
count as his enemy, and his enemy evefy invader
Of the right free discussions
we are threatened with legislative restraints on f,ia
Hghl Let rs tell legislators in nd vance that tis
unghts restraints on which will not cannot bear md
mat every attempt 10 restrain it is palpabie wrong ON
God and man. Submitting these restraints ,yo co.d
not be what God made us to be; we could moi nerforo
inc service to which he has appointed u.s. we could moi
DC mon Laws 20 gag msn--to CONCEAL the cushiny
fountains OF his hearts sympathy-and to shny9 no HE
soul ny e1ingushing IT'S ardor ard gcnerosit laws
not to assist him ~ carrying out Gods hig and HOLY
purposes in calling him into being; but they are IVA n
.yw h PassVe, mindless, worthless being nj the feet
OF despotism
And TO what end is it TINT we are called upon 10 hold
our tongues, and throw down pens and rive up our
lhnuencef Were for good object, and could we con.
eslFe tnst s1ch sacrifice would promote it, there would
be color Of Fitness in asking as 10 do co. Bot bs he
sacrifice which righteousness and bumanifv novsr is
yohed. Irutb and mercy require the ererfion-neyer
the suppression Of mans noble r0bts and po,,crs W.
afe called on TO degrade and unman ourselves and f
whhod rom others that influence which we arc bound
70 exert upon them, 70 the end That the victim, of pres
sion may lie quietly beneath the foot ~ l,;ss m
PTess9f to The end that one-sixih of orr eonntrg,
Punaerea OF Their dearest fighlsof their bodies and
MINUS apd soulsmay meyer know Of those riolis. ~
we enu, that TWO MILLIONS AND a HALF osr
leo" men crushed 30 the iron folds Of slavery NAV ~
n'H lii eh tleH suffering and debasemeni, and des,,
" ~ lof erch an Objcct-an obicct 40 tyclcd az, -;
pressibly mean-thai we are called on m lc 49,. -
meath TIE slave holders clustering and menace Et
whipped ana trcmbing spaniels We reoy that onr ~
publican spirit canao thus succunb; and vbot H. H.
nIlely more, mat God did not make us-iho Jesus did