New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-10-11
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
s,t~r from Gerrif smith
Ffon ~ VI Will
PKrESsoHo. Oct ? 4


m, yd.or Of tl1 Rams Horn, fer Yors
tL.xe this moment read the leading editorial
. -, o.rer OF I'D Urmo. Accept my thanks FOR the
80 lind terms Ia which it speaks Of me.
an requested BY you-lst 70 solicit my frlends 70
-.,hdr.w nv nominstion--2d, 10 vote for Mr Van
Tsat YOU are a colored and that your paper .
ae,otd 70 the welfare OF Jour oppressed race 90 ~
sd make me the ready 70 show respect 70 these
scner, Nevertheless, ] can obey neither Of them
In reg.fd 10 one OF them have but 70 say mat mas
vurh A nv former petitions for the witndfaNA Of my
noninstion were utterly vain can indulge no hope
-, ysne,i,ion of them would be attended with
ce.s In respect % the other, would cay, That " lille
nv personsl relations with Mr. Van Buren, have never
been otherwise than agreeable sna i'snoy WING
ov business transactions with MIN have been charsc
,.yixed on his part with justice and AOcralify-sno
that while have always sserbed 20 him very great
iot,llectus sbities-I must nevertheless. decline 70
ting for him ! would moreover, ssy that hr y al
aaTens position respect the extension Of Slavery
n infinitely preferable 10 that Of General Cas- or
General Taylor end tina, they, who pass BY nm 70
vote for them give very poor evidence OF oeng mem
.~ves sincerely opposed the extension Of Slavery
One would have thought that I, were quite superau
Qua 10 explsin . cOored man why cannot vote Tor
Mr. Van buren, IT, however. seems that Il is not -
and hence proceed b ssy that Mr. Van Buren, for
sught know. differs not essentially from the mass o.
hs countrymen Ia his news and treatment OIL the
oolored people He 10 making no esOrts 70 denver
them from ssvery-Or obtain the acknowledgment VI
their right 70 psrficip in the choice Of their rulers
or 20 expel IRON the public heart that diaoo!ica and
murderous prejudice which denies 70 the cOlOred per
son hs equal right in tae school in the house OF ~oF-
ship and in various privileges, benefits and bless
inzs Ut society-wbch In short denies 70 him place
in the human brotherhood. Indeed am not a. liberty
10 cay that Mr. Van buren, "a himself subject Of THIS
prejudice
Now these things being true. you, certainly could
not expec, impartial standardization Of the Govern
rnent al the hands Of Mr. Van Buren-an adminisfra.
ton In which the cOored would be regarded even
% the white man. And these things being true, yo1
certainly could not request coOred man y 90 an act
wanting la selfrespect and 80 seifdegradng AZ "
vote for him. Why then. should you request me 10
vote for him Think you, that because ] am wnite
man consent 10 be guilty Of doing sucn deep
wrong 10 your race suppose, you were aware thsi
with me al the varieties OF the human family have
sausl riaht and that b my heart the cOlorcd man is
a dear. ~ any other man.
1 well remember that on certain occasion, wheh
your spirit was rejoicing IN my Identification with my
colored brethren you exclaimed, "Gerrf smith is
ooLored man II pleased me-perhsps fsttered me
10 be 90 called But were now 10 vote for those, who
soquiesce and take part in the prescription and
crushing Of your race. should forfeit the hOno able
and welcome name, which you accorded 10 n and
should give proof that after all am but mn m An
Be assured that can never consent 10 forfeit THIS
name Possibly thore may be. here and there, color
Cd man. lost 10 self respect 20 vote for persons
who trsmple upon and despise him Let such II they
will. vote white l. on the contrary must sho"
by my vote that am still "a cOtored man
Rsspectfully yours GERRiT SMITH.