Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-02-09
crnnrr SMITHS SECOND SPEECH

GERRIT SMITHS shCOND sFAEo
Perhaps, Mr.. Speaker, should not have
presumed to rise, had been duly Influenced
bv what the gentleman from Alabama has
H. now told us of the characteristics OF
statesman. For, in that gentleman's esteem,
the heart does not enter the composition OF
!, statesman. With him the statesman is
CREATURE all head and no heart. With me,
ON the contrary, the heart is of more account
than the head--and that, too, i'll all possible
circumstances of life including even the prov
ince of craftsmanship. A higher authority
than the gentleman from Alabama makes
more of the heart than the head. His COM
mand, as we'll upon the statesman as any 9TH
OF person, is, my son, give me thine heart"
The heart first, and the head afterwards. The
facultes of man drive on but to mischief and
ruin, unless the heart be first given to the
right and the true.
I find that gentlemen Of Alabama agree in
their definition of statesman. Another gen.
teman from that State, (Ir. Phillips,) when
reviewing my speech a fortnight ago, kindly
Informed me that | am but sentmcntalist,
and not statesman. TO use about precisely
his words: Though | had obtained some
notorety in the country as a sentlmentalist, |
had never risen to the dignity ola statesman"
beg that gentleman to be patient with me.
Il may yet become the dignifcd, heartless,
frigid, conventional sort Of a being that makes
up the accepted and current idea of states
man. They say that Congress is capital
ssaee for making statesman of one who is
Willing to come under the process. They say
so, for the reason that Congress is a capital
place for getting rid of all sentiment, and
sympathy, and conscience. Now, J. cannot
say that / am very ambitious to have realized,
in my own person, the popular idea of
statesman Nevertheless, beg the gentle
man to be patient with me. When | shall
have been in Congress few weeks longer, L
may have so far lot my heart, and killed my
soul, as to be statesman. And then the
honorable gentleman will, no doubt, be willing
to take me by his right hand, and install me
into that dignity which he and other states
men of self-complacency enjoy.
But to come to the resolutions. | like them
exceedingly and I should rejoice to see them
passed unanimously. | like them exceedingly,
and especially because they avoid questions
ofnationality and citizenship; and leave the
justification of Capt. 1ngraham to rest on the
naked ground OF humanity. [ was much
pleased to find the distinguished gentlemen
from Virginia and South Carolina, (Mr. Bay
ley and NJ. ORR defending the resolutions
in this light. Delighted was l, when heard
the gentleman from South Carolina declare in
sll,h impassioncd language that humanity is,
of itself, ample justification for Capt. lngra-
hams conduct.
Captain lngraham, according TO the inpli-
cation OF the resolutions, and according to
these gentlemcn's Interpretation CT the rcso-
lutions, oacyed the simple law OF humanity
that law, against which, 10 use Bible lam
guuge, there is no law Not only is it
paramount to aw-but against it there is no
law. Captain lngraham recognized no law
for kidnapping and expressing his fellow man.
H. believed that law is for the protection Of
rights; and h. would not acknowledge as law
what was for the destruction Of rights and.
therefore, without pausing TO enquire into any
cnactments Of Turkey or Austria, he gener-
ously and molly surrendered himself to the
commands Of the law of humanity, and deliv-
erel Koszta.
! capt Ingrdham saw i'll Koszta mana
Kidnapped and oppressed man; and there
fore, he determined to set him free. The
manhood Of Koszta was all the warrant that
Capt. lngraham needed to demand the li5er-
ty of Kozta. Capt. Ingraham's sympathics
are not bounded by STATE or national lines.
Taey are not controlled by questions Of ma
tionality and citizenship; but where he sees
his brother kidnapped Or outraged, thither
he let his sympathies % out effectively Tor
the delvcraHce Of su3h brother.
was glad, sir to hear the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, (Mr. Chandler,) in the course
Of his eloquent speech, quote the maxim
=" Bis dat qni c'to dat,' (hc gives twice who
gives quickly,) to incite us TO the prompt pas
sage Of the resolutions. Well does Capt. In
graham deserve the benefit of this opposite
and happy quotation, Tor he acted bravely
AMI beautifully under the inspiration, if not
of another Latin maxim, nevertheless of the
sentiment OF another Latin maxim :" Nil hut
mani ~. ntienum," (nothing that concerns
man is foreign to meg Yes, Capt. Ingraham
honored this sublime maxim, which was coined
by "A slave; for Terence, its high-souled au-
thor, was ii Roman slave
Pass these resolutions, Mr.. Spcaker-pass
them promptly and unanimously. BY doing
50 we shall honor humanity and honor our
selves; by doing so we shall rcbuke our Gov
crument Tor having taken, three years ago,
the diaboieal position, that they who rescue
their kidnapped and oppressed, and outraged,
and crushed brethren, merit at the hands Of
this Government, fines and imprisonment.
Pass these resolutions and You will put the seal
Of your emphatic condemnation on that da-
bolical position; and you will cheer the hearts
Of those who have rescued such poor brethren,
and of others who are determined to rescue
them whenever they can get the opportunity
to do so. Pass these resolutions and these
passed, the future reScuers Of the most wrong
Cd OF all men will rejoice in knowing that
fnpog the principle of these resolutions and on
the principle by which some on this floor
have advocated them, they are entitled, not
to suffer fines and Imprisonment, but to receive
gold medals.
SYMPATHY FOR BEDINI
The visit of the notorious BEDINI to this
country, in the capacity of Papat Nuacio,
has called forth quite opposite demonstra-
tions from the two parties most interested in
/ .t..:ao ,,.,>o1 ,,,oyoronts +ba noliticians