The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-11-30
From the Albany Evening Journal.
Gerrisa SmiaEa and his Insanity.

sserris1 Smith and his Insanity.
With those who have known Gerrit
Smith longest and most intimate y, his
present melancholy condition is more n
matter of regret than of surprise. His
mind has lowered upon the borders of in
sanity for more than = quarter of a coi-
tury. His physical health was destroyed
many years ago, by his peculiar habits
and views in regard to temperance and
diet.
Gerrit Smith was by nature munifi
Gently endowed. We knew him first in
1914, then wooing an winning Wealthy
Backus, his first wife, and neither before
or since, have we seen a nobler specimen
of manhood. To high intellectual gifts,
be added form and face of surprising
beauty,
"Whosc red and white
Natures own sweet and cunning hand laid
on"
Then ardent, generous, anil as ever,
impulsiye, be lived for several years in
the quiet enjoyment ofrelined social and
domestic happiness, Though early be-
reaved of an accomplished wife, he was
subsequently restored to all the endear-
ments of home by marriage with
daughter of the late Col. Fitzhugh, an
equally estmable lady.
Some thirty years ago, then young
man Of great promise, buoyant in spirit,
and looking at the bright side of all the
scenery of life, he was an unsuccessful
candidate for the State Senate. That dis
appointment, disturbed the heretofore "ev-
en- tenor Of his way" and tinged the flu
ture of his whole life. He looked less
hopefully upon men and things. He be-
came, as he believed, q phi a I'll 'pist,
but it was the philanthropy less Of chart
ty than Of force. From an ardent colo
nizationist, he became an ultra abolition
ist; and his persuasive zeal for temper
ance turned to coercive measures for pro-
hibition. Ofhis ample fortune, he dis
pensed in aid ofabolition and temperance
with more liberaltv than wisdom. Both
his perverted talents and misapplied mon
e. injured the objects he sought to pro-
mCte.
Mr.. Smith has lived for nearly thirty
years in n state of political hallucnation.
The delusion eliminated last year, when,
greatly excited, he devoted his time and
money to canvass which he believed
was to result in his election as Governor,
while every other person in the State
kne10 that he was wasting his strength
and his means. That disappointment
left him well prepared, in body and mind
for the shock which has overthtowu his
too long unbalanced intellect.
The Harpcr's Ferry Instruction was
an attempt to carry the teachings Of prom
inent Abolitionists into practical effect;
il was foreshadowed in letter from Mr..
Smith to the E'Jerry Rescuers." That he
ever really intended that slaves should
rise, rob, and murder, we do not believe;
but in speeches and letters, lie inlulged
in language which bears no other con.
struction. Unfortunately, "Ossawato-
mic Brown" driven to madness by slavery
oppression and Outrage, was too ready
to carry into practice the principles which
others were only reckless enough to
teach.
The South has little re lson TO regret
the Harper's Ferry outbreak. Will it
caused slight injury to the citizens of
Harper's Ferry, some fifteen ofthe actors
in it were shot dead, anl those who sur
,,',,oI 1 4 = ~ \ FEi,
example, if slavery b, wise enough to
profit by it, will be salutary. Bat if they
are not content with tho punishment of
the guilty; if the blood of twenty mad
men and fanatics prove ali insufficient
atonement; if they insist upon confound-
ing those who resist the extension and
aggressions of Slavery, with those who
demand its abolition, they will commit
grave error.
In the meantime, with knowledge Of
the noolo aud generous nature of Gerrit
Smith, we cannot but deeply deplore
the Dispensation which deprives him of
reason. His plant mind, ever too active,
wildly POSSESSED. by ONE IDEA, has finally
fallen, by various declensions," falon
"into madness wherein now he raves
x K X X
40, what a noble misd Is here o'erthrown?
The courtier's soldiers scholars eve, tongue
sword
The expectancy and rose of the fair State,
The gloss of fashion and the mould of FORM
The observe of all observers quite, quite
down.
An EFFICIENT WoRKER.-The de-
mocracy Of the State, unfortunate enough