The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-11

him, and with bitter division in his own camp,
what else can he expect but defeat! But ne
may be lsboring for side movement 10 1860,
d Ia Van Buren, and then he may possibly
come round all right by November. His case
is most important one, and one way or the
other will have an important effect upon the
campaign Of 1860 He is said to be softening
dcwn; and much may he done by November.
TEMPERANCE AND FREEDoM"-GERRrr SMITH
AooEPTs-We spread before our readers this
morning the scorching pronunciamiento of Gerrit
Smith accepting his nomination for Governor
made by the new party of temperance and
freedom" at their late State Convention at
Syracuse; and this remarkable letter by this
extraordinary man will be found well worthy
careful perusal by all the parties concerned in
the unexpected side issues thus presented for
our November election.
Mr.. Smith, in the outset, talks of this /" tenn
perarce and freedom" movement with great
confidence. He Gays that it sis already 80 ex-
tended" from its humble origin" that cit is
seen to be spontaneous" and he pleads that the
party concerned have acted wisely in being first
in the field. He denounces "the spurious demo-
crats," "g]orying in their wickedpess," who
declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not"
and as party which "studies every way for
degrading, outraging and crushing the black
man" His bill of specifications against this
party on account of Kansas, slave ships, bred
Scott, the African slave trade, &C., is perfectly
awful; and, to cap the climax he says that
"rum, no less than slavery, is the chosen and
cherished ally" of " this democratic party"
Next, Mr. Smith overhauls the native Ameri-
can party This party "does not intend to 60
for slavery" but "it does not 90 against it,"
ut Is not the liquor drinking demoralized and
demoralizing party that the democratic is," but
it is too intolerant and proscriptive against
those "who come to us from other lands" and
that is "the reason why our reformers cannot
harmonize with it."
In the third place, the bulk of Mr.. Smiths
letter is levelled at the republican party. BE
has q great liking for it. He believes the
masses of the rank and file are sound, but that
the policy of the party on slavery and rum has
been cramped and dwarfed by the counsels Of
unworthy leaders. Finally, Mr.. Smith accepts
this independent nomination with a. proviso
for, says he, II expect that you will drop my
name should any one Of the parties nominate
for Governor man on whom you can rely for
such services as you are seeking at my hands,
that Is, the notification Of the Fugitive Slave
law and the extinguishment Of rum drink
ing by compulsory law of total ah-
stinence. Nor does Mr.. Smith despair upon
this point. He thinks that the Temperance
Convention may possibly come up to the mark,
$50 may the Republican Convention" and
possibly the Native American also" "These
parties may be restrained by foolish pride from
concurring in your nomination I; but nothing of
that will restrain you from concurring in
theirs" Temperance and freedom being every
thing with Mr.. Smiths party, he closes by tell
ing them that "your votes are ready for any
man, Of any party, whose election will be most
likely to serve this object most efficiently"
This proviso still leaves margin for an &C.
commodation between Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Sc
ward but the latter, as we have shown, has
other fish to fry; and he will, we are afraid
A"AA W oAhS Wy sAO AscPuuuCou OtosS OOu-
vention to Mr.. Smiths ideas of temperance
and freedom" In that event, Mr. Smith, to be
consistent, will be compelled TO stand his
ground; and, in view Of this contingency, he
would do well to prepare for the active work
Of the campaign. The Seward politicians
have had quite enough of temperance
upon compulsion; and as for the Fu-
gitive Slave law, their session of 1852
upon that subject is not likely now to be dire-
garded In view Of the campaign of 1860. The
only way, then, in which Mr.. Smith can bring
to the test his radical notions of " temperance
and freedom" is to stand his ground Thus,
though he may fall short of positive success in
November, he may disclose balance Of power
sufficient to control our next State election.
Every great movement of reform must have q
beginning, and must make some show of active
strength before 1t can expect to achieve any po-
sitive results