New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-11
GERRIT SMITH TO HIS CONS TTTUENTS.

To Mr. CONSTITUENTS: To the end ths; you might have
ample tine 10 look around you for my successor a2pT'ed
You weeks ago Of my intention to resign my seat IN
Congress the close Of the present session no" INFORM
you that have fu6lled this intention The session enlei
to-day and to-day have sent to the Secretary OF Sc a.
Albany the necessary evidence OF say actual resnatoa'
I,sie ,hs occasion for soyng that An happy to learn
Of your favorable regard Tor my general course in Con-
rr,,s and that am sorry, though not surprised TO learn
TIA, there are some things IN it with which ewperhsps
more than few-of you are dissatfed.
And now since have adverted 20 this dssa;sfacton.
a,eems proper TO say more. How much more' Shall
but add the simple declaration that concerning the things
with which you arc dissatisfied did what thought to
be rgbti TO stop there would not be sufficiently
fu to you. You entitled to my reasonsto a; least,
The principal Of thernfor this part Of my official conduct
and add that am to be impatient with you they
shall fail satisfy you. Nay am not to be so vain as to
suppose that IL is possible 10 render sound and satisfying
reasons for ell the things which have SAID and
done in Congress. That life always 30 full OF errors De-
fore my coming to Congress was to be entirely empty u
them while in Congress- not to be expected either Dy
my constituents OF BY myself. ..,
have always suffered very greatly and very unJusty
In the worlds esteem because the world has always per-
ss,ed in Judging by the light Of ts own instead OF my
ceeds AID preciices 10 Try man eol.ls'eacy' ne
uust 10 no email extent be tired by hInsefby his
beliefs ard deedsby MS own hie, both speculative and
noticed structures upon almost the very first sentence
Of nv yery frss speech In Congress which taught that
mi official no more than my private NE was 70 oe e1
erept from the rju,iice to which have here alluded 1t
So Espp eped that began that speech with expressions OF
eyil toward Il ore around noe, aud with kind and char
table interpretations of the difference between them ana
pAfelI No sooner the speech IN PRINT than many
Abo iC ist complained Of my courtesy 20 slavehoders
ard Insisted that bad been guilty Of making light OF the
radical differences between Slavery and Abolition
tween Shareholders and Abolonss. Assuming "a they
did that wns bat 81 one idea Aboinonist they i1r-
tbeI very naturally ASSUMED that STOOD up 10 MAKE
that speech with nothing but slavery ana siaVehoues
In my eve Two things which they should have rernei-
berCd they seemed entirely 10 have forgotten one OF
thee il that entered Congress wn sueh pecuar tue-
ories of civil and Cherished now
ever visionary ard faeas foTesaw must be c0ntlnu,
ally bringing ont differences between my associates aud
mvsef Lot on the question OF Slavery only, but on lDnu-
.roLle Other questions also. The other is that among
these theories is the duty, resting imperavey on the IN
mates of legislative ball to know nothing while IN such
hall Of eat others private character aud private ret-
lions and 10 recognize and treat each other gentlemen
This much least then be said IN vndcaton OF the
opening Of the speech in queson-hat however lde 4
ed nv own that far it is the duty Of every man
to be in all circumstances himself anAthe duty Of all 9th
to judgs him by himself, was norobnoxious 10 c''
cism. o. .o
The first complaint Of my conduct in Congress, save
thatwbch have just nox incidentally re'erI S ~ voc
TINT voted against the Homestead bill .and iha' 700
after IN, ING made speech in it's favor The apparent
pcopsstney is disposed Of by the single remark that ~
was net until after the speech that the bill was 50 anended
confne lie benefits 10 white persons But 10 relieve
myself of this apparent inconsistency falls very lar shoIt Of
setting me wholly right in the eyes oil my crucsi none
the will ey continue to say that notwithstanding me
amendment debarred from doing justice to the biacks
should still have been ready to do justice to the whites
and therefore TO for the BILL But what they should
como TO believe az hold all persons should believe that
Il il not the Government but the people and the people
equally that the land then they would promptly ac-
quit me of all blame in the case H. for the sake 81 Illus
fraop the ghf-ey ed and the dark eyed man 90 eacn
really own 90 acres Of the public hand, then beyond al
doubt n is not Justice which is done to. the gheyed
and
leaving for the darkeyed man. That cannot DC
Justice which il made up so essentially OF lnlusuoe
THAT cannot be Justice which robs man TO add the
sros of robbery to the already full share of another II
+ true that this is only supposed case which nave
here presented But manifestly the principle ID tne ac
fual before the as in this supposed case
Nspfsiy the argument could in wise be Affected Dy
substituting lightskinned man for the lgheyed one
and daik-sknned man for the dark-eyed one. Mani
testify The rights of more turn on the color
of the skin then the color of the eye.
trust that nothing have here sad viii be construed
into Impeachment Of the integrity of those who voted
the Homestead BILL Among them are some whom |
krow to be good well as wise men. They surveyed
he subject in 'he light Of their own philosophy and not
in the light of mime and hence they saw not that their
vote went TO involve both themselves and the recipients
Of the land in the guilt Of robbery.
The next complaint that came TO my ears was, that
refused 10 become party TO the plan for preventing the
tai ing of the vote the Nebraska bill This refusal
was great grief to the Abotopss in both Houses OF
well not to grieve in their grief. Nevertheless,
/ had to persist in the refusal, and In stand
ing alone. The wsest of men and the best
Of men, entreaed me, over and over again: by my re-
gard my reputation and by oil that is precious in the
cause Of freedom, not to persevere in this sngularty
Neyertheless-and that too Notwithstanding obstinacy
had never been imputed to mel was mmovable. How
could be moved when it was my convictions that last
ened TO my position Years before, in the calm
studies of secluded home, had adopted the demo-
cratic theory-not Dominaly and codly and partially
but really and earnestly and fully and conclusions whch
Ihad arrived in circumstances so favorable for arriving
Mt lust conclusions entirely unwilling 10 repeal IN
season of excitement and temptation. spoke OF the demo-
cratic theory But the soul OF that theory the majority
principle. Hence TO violate this principles to abandon that
theory. was frequently told that those rules of the
House in the expert Of which the taking of the vote
on the Nebraska bill could be STAYED of indefinitely,
made for the very purpose of enabling the minority
hold the majority at bay whenever might please TO
do 90. But this did not influence For, in the first
place could not believe that they were made for SO
wrongfal-for anti-democratca purpose; and IN the
SECOND place even had thus believed nevertheless
could not consented to them for that purpose
There rule-nay, there is no enactment, however
solemn or commanding that can consentto WELD against
The alvtal and sacred majority principles or, IN other
words, against democracy ITSELF
When complained that the plan in question was revo
luton Iwas charged with inconsistency inconsistency
with my well knows readiness TO rescue tugVe slave
II il tue that would fugitive slave. Never
theless felt the pertnence of the charge OF ncon
sirtency In rescung him. take my stand outside OF the
Government, and a confessed revolutionis'. Let
be remembered that it is only while and where am "a
side of the Govmernent, that l acknow edge mysei
bound to bow TO the will Of the majority bow 10 II
the legislative hall and in the court room; and every
where and always do bow 10 it; until the purpoed ere
ertson Of the decree that is ntoerabe Then repei
They guilty of tcipatng the only proper time 10
rebellion who It during the process Of legisla
ton. sit in the House Of Representatives, and hear m,
fellow members discuss and them vote upon OIL
which wrongs greatly Argument and persuasion an'
all that can legltimatey oppose TO ITS pas
sage. Ii pass and it's enforcement be contemplated,
will be then for TO decide whether TO rebel agans