The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-11-16
Gerrftt Smith.

Gerritt Smith.
The announcement by telegraph that this
man is now in Lunatc Asylum, disarms all
the resentment we may have felt towards him
Oh account of his reasonable preaching and his
criminal Identification with poor old Ossawata-
mic and the other miserable dupes Of a mock
sympathy for the negro. Smith is a generous
man, and his pity for the blacks, more than
malice towards the South, has doubtless led him
to position, which, to an enlightened mird, is
fearful to contemplate. 1t was all we'll enough
to look with an eye of sorrow on the degraded
condition of the colored race, and the mere in.
diligence Of sympathy brought with it, doubt.
less, consoling return to the mind Of the gift.
ed man whose name heads this article. But
when that sympathy was SO void Of reason as
to obtrude itself into the homes of our quiet,
unsuspecting Southern friends, when white men
and women and their little ones were attacked
in darkness with rife and stiletto, when the
blood of the unoffending painted the hearth
stone of innocence, when a crazy band Of plum
derers invaded the homes Of those whose fathers
had fought with ours at Yorktown and Sarato.
ga, when this great Rcpublic,-the hope of
Freedom throughout the world,-was attacked
in such manner that success could have result.
ed in naught but rivers of blood and political
chaos-then this sympathy lost its charm, and
Remorse overlook the cultivated brain and i'm.
pressible heart of poor Gerritt.
Below will be found an extract from letter
written to the New York Herald, some DAYS
before the reinforcement of Mr.. Smith, reason.
Having no confidence in anything stated by the
Herald, either correspondcntially or otherwise,
we thought this language was written for SEN
sation only, but the subsequent report Of Mr..
Smiths condition confirms the statement made
by this letter-writer.
Let this melancholy instance of actual in
sanity serve as a warning to those who in their
visionary schemes of emancipating the "poor
blacks" have forgotten to count the horriic
carnage which forced effort of The kind will
devolve upon the whites. Will those who
"cant rest" because Of the intensity of their
pity for the negro, please stop while their brains
are yet their own, and reflect upon the result of
their ill-advised and criminal agitation
"a few words suficed to convince me that
any attempt to obtain from Mr.. Smith any in-
formation as to the actors in the Virginia in
vasion, or his connection Herewith, was useless.
| frankly avowed desire to hear his sentiments
upon that subject. "Sir," said Mr.. Smith,
starting like frightened deer, 81 can't speak
word with you on that matter. l can't say
word-not a syllable, even to my most intimate
friends" "But." argued, II do not, of course,
desire disclosures or any word from you, that
could implicate or inure any one.''
81 can't speak about IL at all, replied Mr.. S.
~ am going to be indicted If any man in the
United States Is taken, 1t ,c;N be me. It would
not be proper to say a word about it. am ad.
vised not to approach the subject at all. an,
going to be indicted, sir, indicted. You must not
talk to me about it."