The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-08-10
Gerrit Smith in Congress.

friedrich Douglass, who has recently paid,
visi, to Gerri! Smith, at Peterboro, found him
nearly recovered from his late illness. He
writes of him and his future, as follows;
'There Is a peculiar charm about that Peters
boro cottage. The smiles Of Heaven are there
expected to find Mr. Smith less vigorous in
health than found him. in view of his late
indisposilion. He is now able to be about, and
this week attends at Fulton. the Christian I'm
ion meeting. found him cheefu, but thought.
ful, in view of the extraordinary circumstances
and duties that await him at the National Cap.
ital. An arduous task is before him. He goes
10 fill post Of fficul,y and danger. He will
be an apostle of liberty in the very stronghold
of slavery, and almost single-handed, he will
have to dispute the pass with the whole phalanx
Of slavery's chosen men. Paul al Athens, re:
buking idoIairy, did not stir up more malignant
feeling than will follow the. preaching of the
pure aEli-slavery gospel at washington. Most
distinctly will MIR. Smith deny the legality of
slavery. He will strip the vile thing of all
gospel, constitutional and legal coun,enance, and
will treat it as 1t ought TO be treated-a system
Of violence and blood, no better than piracy
Murder itself will get much respect from him
rs slavery; for. 10 him, slavery is murder
But Mr.. Smith is not only an Aboitionist. He
is q Land Re(ormer; and more still, he is now,
as he ever has been. believer in an every
way righteous civil government and is, there
fore, in conflict with this Government at many
other points shan its slavery. He is at war
with every species of class legislation, and will
stand up for eternal justice, wherever and from
whatever quarter it may be assailed A nigh
ty work Is before him. He is Temperance
man; he goes among wine bibbers. He is a
Peace man; he goes among 10 miugle with meh
Of blood, He is man of prayer; he goes
among blasphemers. He is an Aboli,ioniss; be
goes TO meet the traffickers in human blood
He isa gentleman; he goes to confront rnfians-
There will be few with whom he will have any
hing in common; and il, withal, he shall pass
through this furnace, heated seven times hotter
and shall come Out without the smell Of FIRE up
on him, it will only be because the same God
reigns now, that cared for tbs Hebrews That
he, like the noble Hebrews, will refuse 10 ac.
knowledge the lower law of slavery, is certain;
that he will enrage the worshippers of the slave
power,and bring upon himself their fiery wrath,
is certain: but whether it shall be his to save his
life; well as be true 10 his principles. is not
certain. Slavery may, in its madness. demand
another CRANDALL. LoVEJoY, or ToRREY, to
appease its bloody wrath. But we turn from the
ho.rid thought: lie, them touch hair of his
head; let the assassin knife Of slavery be drawn
upon him, and the life Of a Shareholder would
no, he worth a sixpence in any FREQ Safe Of
the Union. Unseen hands, moved by love-kind-
led vengeance, would lie in wait for the murder
ars. Newport, Saratoga, and Niagara Falls
would become dangerous places. There
would bewhi,e men and colored men all Over
this North land. who would look upon their
lives as worthless, in a country where the peo,
ple's chosen man falls by the assassin's steek--
Let them touch him! To do so wauld be the
climax of that madness which precedes des,ruc-
ton. But the thing win not be done. Gerrit
Smith will be in Congress, as at home; in
Washington, as at Peterboro'; loved, respected.
honored. Even men.stealeSs will acknowledge
his superiority, and respect In him the principle
which they have not the virtue themselves to
carry out.
Upon him will be centred the fixed attention
Of the nation. He will carry new element
into Congress. He is politician, without poi5
| lev; man of honor;withoul Pridei and believes
\ that a man need not abaneon The character oil q
Christian, because he fills the office OF States
man, Let him go 10 his great work, and the
| prayers Of millions will go with him,