New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-07
POLITICAL,
SPEECH OF GERRTT SMITI

About 200 citizens assembled lat evening At tho
Cooper Institute TO listen TO the remarks Of Ger-it
Smith. They were Of all political parties, aud entered
into the spirit Of the meeting with good deal Of en-
thusiasIn.
Tie meeting was called 10 order by the nomination
OF WV. GoODELL a. President Of the meeting.
The President, " tbout any preliminary remarks, in
troduced the Hon. GiRRrr SMITH, who addressed the
audience. lie Wa here to answer questions. His
nomination could hardly fail to have good effect
that Of placing oil candidates before the people to be-
questioned. He would have the President also placed
under this rule 1t the policy of party lesiers to
conceal their views. He alluded TO the canvass Of
1914, when Gen. Harrison was a nomineei Commit
tee was appointed to answer questions for him.
May Of his Abolition brethren were caught by this
aud they joined in the song of
Tippecsnoc and Tyler, too
And with them wen bee. little Ven"
Bat scarcely had Gen. Harrison been elected, when
his Abolition brethren found that Gen. Harrison was
the eremy IF the slave, and this their reward for
voting FOR Il masked candidate. Mr.. Buchanan, too,
succeeded by wearing two faces. Buchanan, Kansas
nnd Freedom the motto in Pennsy lvania, Indi-
ana and Illinois; asd in the South, Mr. Buchanan
made ~ respond 10 the ntiment OF Slavery. He
hoped this Autumn, that would for the last tune
refuse TO stand before the audience TO be questioned.
He was present TO have his views inquired into and
he hoped they would not spare him. He held that he
entitled to the vote Of no man who had asked him
question: and he did not believe his reply entitled
him 10 the vote of any man. He MAS ready 10 be
questioned upon all matters Of public policy.
Mr.. Smith then took his seat.
A GENTLEMAN on TIE PLATFORM Give us your
views as to selling the State Canals.
Mr.. SMITH said he would have the State borrow
money az possible to complete the canals.
This should not be paid by taxes on the people at
large, because it would be nequitable. He would
have them repaid out Of the income of the canals and
he believed that when completed, they would be the
OH nos
with railroads. When finished, he would have the
State sell the canals as soon as possible at reasona
be price because the ownership Of canals always re-
suited in corruption Of in Office by making patron
age for parties
A yoicE-Would you change the present Natural.
zatiOn laws
Mr.. Smith -ad that IT would be well for him to refer
TO his aItecedents. When in Congress- lac made
speech against the Nebraska BILL in which he said be
opposed the bill because II excluded any but native
BON citizens. Mr.. Smith then read an extract from
tie speech He said also that when the emi graut had
been here long enough to give evidence Of his intention
10 remain here, he was no longer foreigner but an
American by choice. MI Smith also read an extract
from his speech delivered at Albany in which he took
grounds in favor of free suffrage giving tue foreigner
the right to vote after residence OF from two TO five
wears. He read also extract from his Wisconsin
speech, in which he drew parallel between negro
slavery and the bGsing of the right to vote upon a
given residence OF n certain amount OF learning lie
took exception TO the name Of elective franchise to
what was I'll Unborn right Of man TO vote. Govern
ment. lie said could no more make voter than it
could make man.
A FOICE-Does the night TO vote lnhere O. wei In
women as in men
The speaker, amid mingled hisses and applause, re-
pledf Yes according to bis view Of civil government
II man had no right To vote except for the protection
of peraop and property, and women had both person
az property and il followed logical consequence
that the right to go,e inhered in woman as well as in
man.
yoIoE-At what age should person vote
Mr.. Smith said he not particular, but would
concur with the common Judgment.
A VoIcr-What are your views In regard to q pro-
bibitcry law
10 know what Government should do in that subject.
He considered that the object of civil government
was to protect person and property that It was mar
row in IT. limits. 1t was brute force-it was ike
a yatch-doe-but was never to invade the house.
But he would not have this brute force used IN a
brutal way He could not go back to any better au-
thority tisn our blessed Bible-and great work Of
hia life had been to translate the ideas of the Bible
into actually He believed the true idea of civil
government was embodied in the I'D Psalm: - 1t
shall Judge the poor Of the peope-it shall save the
OF the nScay lie sn had O''n no
higher conception-none more welcome to l15
hearof the true civil ruler than was expressed 10y
Paul when he said that the true ruler was the MINIS
ter of God lie had not one formula Tor The ciVl ruler
and NJ other for the technical ministers and his position
war not Inconsistent when he said he would have the
Government shut up draln.shops. This would bring
great deal of incidental aid 10 the temperance cause
This Government not entitled To the name O evil
government 80 long as il allowed the dIarshop TO re-
main open. All the other sources of violence put to-
gether did not equal that of the dramshop. lie ietthe
the obligation OF Government this year upon ms
point from what had occurred in his county In Their
iail were seven men charged with murder each OF
whom had committed the act under the influence OF
rum. The rumscllers were appalled, for time, but
they were made complacent when the authorities re-
granted them licences. But not only did the State not
shut up the drsm-shops, but they countenanced rum
selling by granting hcences lie had been asked
broader question in The TRIBUNE, like this: what
would you DO Governor prohbitory legislation 10
long a. the Court Of Appeals declares prohbitory law
10 be unconstitutional The speaker was surprised at
the ignorance OF the people upon the powers IN TINS
matter. He said If Governor. he should enbody III
his message O recommendation for prohloitory Jaw
The present Governor had ignored the matter oi FRO
bibition, but had recommended return to the
license system. But he did not understand that
the Court Of Apfa' nSs bsp PGR ss a ney %
containing principle of prohibition ever so stI,n-
cent might be accepted by the Court OF Appeals,
were there nothing else e1ceptionable But he would
suppose the worst-that the Court oil Appeals Wou'a
provision in the Constitution providing that Supreme
Court Judge Judge OF the Court OF Appeals
could he removed by concurrent resolution
of the two Houses OF the Legislature. Now,
if the Legislature should remove one Of those
Judges because he had objected 70 the feature OF pro-
hbition they might rest assured that, o. 6oVerhor'
he should not I'll the vacancy with rum man
ICheersl There was something more which could Dc
done. The Senate on the recommendation OF the
Governor, could remove any Judge below Supreme
Court Judge. When he should be Governor with
their help Icheers, If he learned that any JUICE OF
this County had officially, either directly or indi-
rectly recognized the sacred rights Of property III
intoxca * hquors when offered for sale for drinks,
he should be- very impatient to recommend to the
Senate the prompt removal Of that Judge.
MT WhTELEh-Arc you IN favor Oh capital punish
I