New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-25
NetpNprk daily Gribn,re
NATIONAL ABOLITION CONVENTION
LETTER OF GERRIT SMITH,
Errors of Abolitionists and Republicans.
THE REVOLUTIONARY FATHERS INDICATED
HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION

PITERBoRo, Feb. II, 1857.
To he Atolitoai.ts Of the United State"
What if my speaking TO you under my own name Is
egot 'sm What if my presumng that so many per-
sons will condcscend 10 listen to one is egotisn New
etthelcss, must be guilty fit. What modesty aud
IL. fear Of being reproacbcd with vanity do bid me be
silent Nevertheless my desire t. speak is too strong
for my modesty end rather than stde my thoughts,
am win to risk the appearance Of vanity in utterng
them.
have read the well-wrcn call for National Abo-
ltion Convention to be held in the City Of 10 chester
on Wednesday and Thursday the 10th and llth days
of pe 1t June; ard pleased to see that 1t alshor-
izes the Convention to dominate candidates for Pfesi-
dert and Vice-PresdeIt. / have put my name to 1t
thouqlr I confess not without some hesitation. l
was Flow TO oblieae mi self to attend tho Convention,
and have doIe that by putting my name to the CALL
have alv ays made it poiu. to attend The most I'm
Portrait All. ,on No Iinang Conventions. They have,
however been occasions Of paiu rather than OF Plea
snre TO me- because they attended by 60 few ths
ore nj oss Of those who should have attended them
bavre already deserted their principles ano gone owe
from tbe Abolition party to come otner was at tn,
last Abolition Convention that nominated candidates.
for President and Vice President. Bat altiopgh 1t wa
a mass Convention, not hundred OF tbs voting ADO
ticpss attended it. Tue great body OF them had al
re- adv gone over to the Repub lean party la such c-
cuus,auccs cared but little whether nomiaaon was
made snd when ii was made cared Dul ht'ie WIS,
he.sne of it. In going TO the Convention my selt, and
mes. ming 10 it ole Of tie most elaborate OF my msny
declarations al defcrses of our principes dscnarged
the wi ole of my duty. That the A6otlon'sts oid not
II eet there, ano 80 maize 1t w,'m "hio 70 20 iop
IL earnest DOMINATION Vi canu'u1'es' vas W WA
fault and not nine. ,,,u ~, a.
II INV liio and health are spared shall attend inc
Rochester Convention But cannot forget my ekpe-
n II C1th
metersion that ON egap g ing to an Abolition Con
Tc,ticn in VAIN stall go 10 II knowing thai ought
10 mt ct at least five or ten thoueshd pope out
i, shsll lot meet as many huudreGs' khp" III
1,91 that The Convent s1o1ld both fIr nun o5Is
and s1iut be such viii convince me nahJn Una
Sa,ory is II be speedily ard Pc a"e'iiy aooi suct
Neye iheless shall go 10 tearing ina, III reps
both 10 numbers and spirit II VIII be sun ouy Us "
1oke rijcu ard contempt. The A6 liilonlsis are
n La united by scores Of thousands 'ndead, whoro IN
~ nniobho,hood can see membcr OF tho Re2uoi-
cnn or had almost said any 9tner parry wa, Is n'
oT Aboli,icnist But in the light OF tile past WHO
20, t,ust IN. attachment of AbOli"u rs TO them prn
ep'es Were they houest and eaEHe't, anu go iIl
AZ, rcs g or thCr ptlnCips ana tOr themselves ~ -
uustti five or thousand strong at tie pTopoecd Con
| y,lii(n / should reed 80 voice from heaVen-N
,.thfr no o'ier voice from HeaveD-to assare oi9 o.
Tie bloodltss and esry termination OF slavery IL
| vimess such ge'heriDg, should hasten 10 re'.a|
nv f an, Ut pre0 lions in the last dozen years Una
| ~,sv.rv will dc a blood. death. Wen mlglt Tor
,hCse Ircd ctioIs founded more on 1he lhudely
Of ABB loliss to their principles ia IN on any or all
things else. bnll not nhdentiy cxpec u ma sueu
c,1ho,ip, So far from shall 80 10 the CInvea-
on " it'll only faint expectations ol aoythhS b''tr
| tlan 10 meet with bandiul OF peeps, ard 10
r,ar fnIn ibem that the mass Ahplttonls IN ther
conceive neighbohoods sill! c1g 10 tn Rep1b! Al
r.tty and still lcUk 10 Il 10 carry out the principles OF
| ahlop. Alas, it hos bscn ~, ir0m tue Very beg "a
| Ill Al flint The Abolit,oLls's 10 jsei 10 The wig
parry; ihep TO the Fre-So nntyi thYn 10 the sre
| hu.ocro,c Marty: and n)g uey a'e hcwtc1et win
to itssue pd,i, nb.t Ills the pub party shi'1 Is
70 60 tic work If he AoJlilnus Inl they are to ID
| n rr oven work instead of depending Il .ol 40 ebe 7
ia fo l. vo Id om TO be the ve-y last idea thai ca
~ cot nj, ,i- beads Wclld) rensIh rh)V hl'i,
n,6 vat h,w >4bly, a few OF MS tjilsd 70 coaV ~
il,n ,at the Wigs were not then 1rohis, nor CO.'S
| ius lor fiebds, bR. simplS tier io.s; aud tncn 81"
We t5x,d ourst Ives with sniur and no Is; u -
lslnr "a r, husa fen of their Ike deus1n IN regari
h Iree - hes; tud if 10 0i.abdss than a;
heir k delrsioN in regard 10 the Free D'm9eTi's
Ard now tire sPtDeing up of the Republic in pa y
bns brousht az other such work upon our hands Yes.
The vreat majority Of the Abatynsts iItta ate
VIII the idea tha; the Republican party vii achieve
The sroli On Of Slavery Hence they sac II TO De DO
de,eIiou Of ibGr principles to j"in ~ out 10 De ao
ctLr for the success Of These prucps - t,Se eiT
nlore in creat and, trey trust ere loas trump hn'
n.rfy rather thln remain ide1'iiod Niih hopeless
| hIdiu Toe deplh Of thcf presen; dclli9I r, a'.si
All ,ot .uprising. II Is the natural I,'nh o asHcer'
siop of ctlus!JpS esch oHe VI "n''- "'' fNF- 49,
say for q dtepel o G. ,r.. -,
iwiil do 10 irius ice TO tie Repnlh,ai pniy' Com
n,r,d vita is iisal partes, II uetis pas oei!;
T. ,hs,n " IIyuerion 10 a Styi Eloesuy d'eS !
.",J tts freedom Of kgpsbs; and sloosJ Ma 'er,
90 inv, nnv of the Territories tfast si ~ ~
he cement of the RApuhloln party NJ n !, isi'
is o,ets i. the cboice which 4. male q, " "a -
besIo 10 the lane Pieslitnusi .ns as -,r,a5 haze
is an Intellectual nan snd scholars leh'"n . - ~
facor Of his county and ea-aes' oppnoeh' VI ps
| extension OF slavery; add oo'y roSfe ' III ;,
| not an AbOli'ioni-i ahd wa fheeoIs ny oor -,
be yctes % Al )ticiIs.-. BG, The he1n'T'o -!