The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-04-14

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Mr.. Smith will dishonor himself or us or hi
country. That he entertains some "peculia
views in relation to political questions, is ur
deniably true. He does so, also, in relation
religious questions but they are as peculiarl
his otcn as the views are themselves peculiar
No one here feels that any danger will com
from them-no one abroad need apprehen
any great annoyance on account Of them. Mi
Smiths is not face of brass nor is his charaC
ter at home very greatly distinguished for I'm
pudence We can assure the editor OF tn
| Times, and any one else who has like misgiy
! ings in reference to Mr.. Smiths conduct a
! Washington, that they can if they choose
make him most agreeable visit at his man
sion at Peterboro', and prolong their stay
whole week, being most agreeably and profit
ably entertained, and without being once dis
turbed or shocked by peculiar view" o
their host Mr.. Smith in this respect is great
ly misunderstood, and the Times is as ignoran
Of the man as his veriest detamer in the land
| The fact is, no man in the country has a juste
appreciation Of the right of private opinion ant
judgment than has Mr.. Smith; and, valuing j
as it deserves to be valued, no one defends i
for himself more firmly, nor yields it to other
more gracefully. Mr.. Smith is accredited
everywhere as being genttemdn-aye, anC
after the noblest pattern. The Times allows
this and yet is apprehensive that the constant
in season and out of season, obtrusion of these
peculiar views" is going to endanger the
reputation of the country, and especially of u
his constituents We assure that paper tina
its alarm on this head will prove quite ground
less. Mr.. Smith is not only gentleman, bu
he is also modest man, and will never urg'
his views Of any sort, upon anybody, where ar
! imperous sense Of duty does not call for it.
The Times thinks Mr.. Smith will be set dowr
ss "incurably crazy We think, on the other
hand, that he will be esteemed by all his asso,
ciates in Congress, and most so by those who
shall know him most intimately, as hopefully
sane and eminently practical. Will it be be-
lieved, by the readers Of the Times, that this
crazy-headed man-this rider of moonbeams
and deliver in speculative fog-banks-is at this
moment and for many years past has been,
conducting, under his own personal and daily
supervision, even to the smallest details of his
Office, larger and moro widely extended bust
ness than has probably fallen TO the lot of any
other man in Central New York? And yet
such is the truth Mr. Smith is no ranter. He
has no time for that employment; and it is
only wonder here, how, from the cares of his
vast business, he has been able to find sufficient
time to mature and propagate the views which
have rendered him so famous. To his rigid
system and method in business, and his habits
Of personal industry and energy, it is undoubt-
edly to be attributed. 81
That he entertains views which are prop
erly denominated peculiar" we have said is
true. 1t is not our business now to defend
them. They are not adopted by any consider
able portion of his constituency He was not
elected to Congress because he entertained
them. They constitute the "planks" of no
political platform, here or elsewhere. He has
no party organized to uphold them None such
s anticipated. Of all this MIR. Smith is fully
aware. Let us now concede to him, in addi-
ion to his other qualifications to which we
have referred, but an ordinary share of COM
mon sense, and who will suppose that Mr..
Smith will attempt to enforce" audience at
w ashington, for viewsn which do not secure
audience for him in Madison county, his own
home? On the contrary, no man is more ready
to acknowledge the singularity of those views
than himself, or more reluctant to press them,
when not legitimately under discussion And
we shall hear just as much about "Woman's
Rights" "Church and State" and what is
,alled his "ultrG Abolitonism,o at Washing
ION, as We shall about the seventh-day Sab
bath, which he keeps, and no more.
And why, then, is Gerrit Smith elected to
Congress, and by such an unparalleled vote
The answer is very simple one.S Upon one
great and all-absorbing question, now eDgross-
ing all minds, the heart and intellect of Gerrit
Smith are in full unison with the hearts and
lntellects Of the people of this district. That
question is, the relations of the National Gov
eminent to Slavery It is practical question:
practical enough for the Times, practical
enough for the people. We have chosen to
make it practical here, by electing over the
heads Of regular nominees, of both the old par
ties, and by an Unprecedented majority, man
whose position on that question is as widely
known as is his ability to maintain it.
The Government of these United States must
be ubsolved from Slavery. NortAgn conscienees
cannot bear the sin, Northern pr0 wiH not sub
NIT TO the shame Of IT, The National Govern
ment rs a free Government-it upholds Freedom,
not Slavery
Such are the principles, such is the unalter-
able determination of the great Ant-Slavery
party of the North. the faithful exponent
Of these principles, ~ Smith is elected to
Congress AS SUCH he represents pdrty, and
will take his place by the side of Chase and
Sumner, and Giddings and Wade, "a strong
pillar of noble proportions" in sustaining it.
That party, based upon the principle, not of
aggression upon the rights of States, but. of the
defence Of tho rights of States, and the freedom
OF the nation must triumph. Under God, an
other Presidential election shall witness that
triumph, in the total emancipation of the Fed
eral Government alike from the control and the
curse of Slavery. To aid in the accomplish
ment of this work. Gerrit Smith goes to Con-
gress. To it he will devote his great heart,
commanding intellect and brilliant powers
Rising even before the sun, for his rigid habits
in this respect will not be changed by his en-
trance into public life,) be will employ the
fresh hours of the morning in preparation for
the toll of the day, and the last at night in in
voking the Ruler of Nations to make happy
his country by making it free This will Cor.
rit Smith do s. f.. CHURcu
Hamilton, Madison Co, N. Y,
November %, 1852
CAT FISH, CLARION Co., PENN,
December 10, 1852