The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-13


To THE VOTERS THE COUNTIES OF OswEco AND MAD
You nominated me for scat in Congress, notwith-
standing besought you not to do In vain was
my resistance to your perseverng and unrecntns pur-
pose.
had reached old age had never held Office. Nothing
foreign to my expectations aud nothing was
more foreign to my wishes than the holding OF Office
ment Ny habits ell formed in private lifs oil shrank
from Bile fc My plans of usefulness and happiness
could be carried out only in the secuson In which my
My nomination, supposed it would has resulted in
my election, and that TOO, by very large majority
Partially has accorded to me. But must no-I can
not. To resign It would be most ungratefu and oen
ve requta Of the rare generosity which broke through
your strong attachments to party, and bestowed your
votes one the pecularies Of whose political creed
leave him without party. Very rare, indeed is the
generosity which was not to be repeled by political
creed among the pecuiarites of which -
First That it Acknowledges law and knows law,
for slavery that not only is slavery in the federal
constitution, but that by no possibility could 1t be
brought either into the federal or into State consttu
Second That the right to the soil is a. natural abso-
lutte and equal as the right to the light and the air
Third That political rights not conventional but
misunderstanding In all persons the black well the
white, the female as well as the male.
Fourth That the doctrine OF free trade is the necessary
outgrowth Of the doctrine of the human brotherhood
and that to impose restrictions on commerce is to build
up unnatural and sinful barriers that brother.
6th That natona! wars are as brutal barbarous and
unnecessary the violence and bloodshed to which
misguided and frenEied individuals prompted and
that country should, by her own Heaven trusting
and beautiful example hasten the day when the nations
of the earth shall beat their swords into
and their spears into pruning hooks nation shall not
lift sword against nation neither shall they learn
any moreo
9Th That the province Of government is but to protect
TO protect persons and property and that the build
ing of railroads and canals and the of schools aud
fall entirely outside Of its limits and exclusively
however, these limits every duty within them is
to be promptly faithfully fully performed WELL for
instance the duty the part of the federal
to put end to the dramhop manufacture paupers
and madmen in the city Of Washington, the duty
the part of the State government to put end to it in
the State.
18th. That, far practicable, every officer from the
highest to the lowest including especially the President
and Postmaster, should be elected directly by the
people
need not extend any further the enumeration Of the
features of my peculi political creed and need not
enlarge upon the which gave, why must not
and cannot resign the Office which you have conferred
upon me- will only add, that 1 accept it; that my
whole heart moved to gratitude by bestowment
Of it and that God helping me, will discharge its
duties as neither to dshonor myself you
PETERBoRo, Nov. 5, 1852. GERRIC SMITH.