Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-01-15
From The Liberator.
RejOinder of Edmund Quincy 10 Gerrit
Smith.

Gerrh Smith, Esq, Peter6oro', n. y.

DhbNA" I'VE AOtS'
Gerrit Smith, Esq, Peter6oro', n. Y.
DEAR SIR:-I received Yesterday a copy
Of the Albany Patriot, Of the 9Th instant, con-
tanning your reply to my letter to you of the
18th uluno, for which, | presume, | am in
debted 10 your politeness. | too, am on the
eve vi leaving home, to attend an anti-slavery
meeting in Philadelphia, and fear that the
haste in which | must write may make me
omit noticing some points in your letter which
you may deem worthy of remark. If so, that
haste must be my excuse.
And first, | Will despatch the matter that
seems to me most imperatively TO call for no.
tice in your letter, as it is one affecting my
personal character, and endeavor to show that
nothing in my letter 10 you is justly obnox-
ious to the charge of ill-breeding or bad man.
ners. You complain that | speak of the par
ty to which you belong, as the Third party;'
which you consider as "a nickname the in
vention of blackguards,' OF 'low-minded per-
sons of base creatures the use of which is
characterized by 'vulgaTiiy and meanness.'
You indeed excuse tie for employing The
term, on the hypothesis that | am Ignorant Of
the name your party has assumed but as you
can hardly be serious in this suppositiou, and
especially as in IN" TO you, | speak Of
lHdl IdIll dS Ulit -lndl IdSg bdVllLtu ntlStll
with The name of Liberty cannot but think
that your politeness has led you to disguise
your censure under the veil OF Irony-a figure
Of speech-to the use of which (Heaven help
mel | am the last man in the world that has
any right to object.
Your opinion on this matter, | think, rests
on two f~allacies. First, that a party has a
right to take any name it chooses, and TO de-
mand the concurrence of all mankind in this
nomenclature. This proposition | deny
Every man has a right to judge, whether the
name assumed by a party or sect, (and es-
p~ecia.ly when, DIS in this case, it is one in
vidious or oilel sive to other parties or sects
Of equal claims 10 The appellallon,) is a cor.
rect description Of It's character, and, if he
think it is not, to refuse to accord the name
TO it. And, secondly, that the term "ThirC
party" is one f opprobrium and reproach.-
This also deny. | had no such though
when | employed it. Aud on the face OF 1t
the idea is absurd. i'll choose to call tn,
Democratic party the First party" and tn
" hig party The "Secoud party" | appre
hend that neither would have any right t
complain, nor should | at all compromise IN,
character for good-breeding by such a use {
language.
Had | known, indeed, that your feelin
was So strong on this point, | should have d
vOided the employment Of a term PERSONAL
offensive TO you, aid | will endeavor to b
on my guard in this letter, and in any futur
correspondence may have the honor TO hol'
with you, against a use of words whlcl
gives You pain; but | cannot renounce ny
right 10 Apply such a nomenclature as nal
seem good 10 me, on other occasions 10 you
party as well as TO any other. And here per
init me TO say, that J am a little surprised a,
tho extreme sensitiveness of yourself and
your party, TO Judge by the tone OF its or
gans which / sometimes see,) to this matter
Of its name. ] can only account tor It upon
that principle of human nature, which is said
(tHough certainly With many eminent exeeP'