Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-12-08
From the New York Sunday Dispatch.
.r H Gerret smith.


The most singular feature in the recent
canvass is the election of Gerrit Smith,
the abolitionist, to Congress, in the 22d
Congressional district composed of Madi-
SON and oswego counties. Mr.. Smith ran
as stump candidate, and we have no
doubt his unexpected election surprised
himself as much as it did his constituents
and the State at large. Many voted for
him out of joke; but it unfortunately
was carried so far that it has introduced
Smith to the portals of Congress. Some
years ago the Bostonians, from fun, came
within a close shave of clecting the noto-
rious George Washington Dixon to the
Mayoralty. The city fortunately for its
own reputation, had just grave citizens
enough in the canvass to save it from a
ludicrous political position. The 22d dis
tIict was not so fortunate-it has too ma
ny jokers- unhappily not only are
Madison and Oswego counties, but the
State of New York, disgraced. Gerritt
Smith is an able man run crazy. He has
dwelt so long on the impossible ideas of
amalgamation and disunion, that we
should not be surprised if he, on taking
his seat, should bring bills for the disso-
lrtion of the confederacY, and making it
a felony hereafterfor white man to mar
ry any but negress, or negro man
other than a Caucasian miss. MIR. Smith
believes in variety of color. He thinks it
repugnant to nature and common sense
that there should be extremes in races
The contrast black and whites too
startling to his too sensitive nature. A
dirty brown is more agreeable to him,
and not so dazzling to the optics. Not
withstanding the vagaries and waking
dreams which Mr.. Smith INDUCES, in the
main, we believe him to be good man.
He has his eccentricities, it is true-ec
centricities which, in the eyes of the world
do not compensate for his philanthropies.
Perhaps Single session of Congress will
knock the ''higher law idea out of his
head Once that is gotten rid of, Mr..
Smith will be an ornament to the district
which he so unexpectedly is called upon
to represent.
1t is we'll to state in this connection, for
fear our readers may misunderstood his
character, that the Congressman from the
god district is not like the majority of the
abolitiouists in our community-preach
ing one thing and practicing another
Gerritt Smith believes in the elevation of
the white as we'll as the negro. When
Mr.. Smiths father died he bequeathed to
his son some five hundred thousand acres
of wild land in this State. The estate was
deeply indebted for taxes, These Mr..
Smith paid off, and then gave his inheri
tance away to actual settlers, in fifty acre
farm lots Much fault. however, was
found by disintcrested people, with Mr..
Smith, in thus disposing of his property
NOT exactly for giving it away, but for
bestowing it indiscriminately on the negro
as we'll as the white Gerritt Smith is
now said to be poor. He lately said that
his entire property would not rent for <S75
year. This speaks well for his sinceri-
ty but for his wisdom, to most people, it
tells a different tale. AS Gerritt tortu
nateIy will be the only negro representa-
tive in Congress from this State, VIC do
not know that much harm is done, unless
it be to the unfortunate African, whose
guardian he has constituted himself
Mr. Smith is a land reformer, but as
it is probable the great measure of the
National Reformers will not become a law
of the next Congress, his behief in the
soundness of the measure will not hurt
the doctrine.
There is this to be said for Mr.. Smith,
apart from his political phantaSies, he IS
an able man, an eloquent speaker, and his
honesty, we believe, has never been pub
licly questioned.