New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-31
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.

Fifty dollars is not a large sum wherewith TO
carry on Presidential campaign, but it seems to
be all which the Gertit Smith party has for that
purpose. 1t is, al any rate, all which that gentle
man thinks it worth while to give though his uaus
stands at the head of the ticket. Considered as
fund for general expenses, 10 be used Ill all the
States north of Mason g. DiXon's line, it is q
modest contribution; but if the whole sum is to be
devoted to the printing of tickets the INCLINATION of
our belief is that it viii be an extiavagant waste OF
money. Fifty dollars would pay for the printing
of hundred thousand tickets, which is probably
ninety. nine thousand mcIe than the party have
any possible use for. Ia this the sort of economy
in the administration of affairs which the radical
Z" AboIitionsts" bid US hope for when they shall
come into power So wantcn waste in the day
of small things, will postpone their chance Of ever
reaching that Of larger operations, at least till
another generation shall succeed these men Of such
lavish notions; and as that chance was already
remote, it may be considered now as being post
poled indefinitely.
Tie simple and sober fact is that the fiat of dis
solution is pronounced upon the party itself and
prouounced by its leader. His words Of dis.
couragement TIE death blow to all its hopes Of
the future. Even 80 have we seen skilllil ply
stefan at the bedside of a mOribund patient dash
the last, lingering, cliugirg hopes of weeping
friends by words Of doubt as to the possibility OF
rec,yigy. Some sedatlye, perhaps Is given to al
lay the the pangs of Exhausted nature yhlo oil
feel that little is TO be done but to await the final
struggle So Mr.. Smith administers fifty drops,
lest he should seem to be idle and Indifferent and in
mourufLl ard pOrteItous tones assures the auxi us
watchers that the g mptoms are all of the most
alarming character. We agree with Mr.. Smith.
This patient is beyond all hope Of recovery. We
go beyond Mr.. Smith IT IL high time this party
was dad and buried out of the sight of men. 1t
has been always very feeble body, no credit to
ITSELF and no comfort to its friends, and the sooner
on end shall come to its useless existence, the
better.
The motives BY which these Radi'al Abolitonists
have always protested to be governed, command
our respect-so far as il is possible to respect a
zeal which has outrun discretion. Their purpose,
undoubtedly, has been humane one, but the
means by which they have proposed to achieve it
have been absurd and impracticable. Of this they
gave the best evidence in the person of their chief
repre- sentative, Mr. Gerrit Smith, who, when
member of Congress, was too sensible man TO
apply his abstract principles upon the subject of
Slavery to bis actual duty as legislator. The
very cornerstone of those principles is that Slavery
is Illegal and that all legislation founded upon il,
or in recognition OF it, is null and void, and
without any ding, legal force upon any
body. Mr.. Gerrit Smith has written many
hundred pages in defense of this doctrine and it's
obvious deductions, but be seemed to forget them
all the moment he stepped upon the floor Of the
House Of Representatives. at Washington. His
faith in them should have prompted him, when the
Speaker called upon him to hold up his right hand
and swear to support the Constitution and laws, TO
reply: 81 will take the oath, Mr. Speaker; but
"wish it distinctly understood that hold as lie
"gal Government constituted under that inter
"pretation of the Constitution which gives n rep
"Iesentation to Shareholders for three-ffths Of
"their slaves; and deny the Legality of all laws
"enacted by Government so formed Such is
the inevitable consequence Of the doctrine that
Slavery is and has ever been Illegal and it would
have been the fair and manly thing in Mr. Smith to
cay 30 when the oath was administered. OF course
he did not, or he would never have taken his seat
Nor was his course any more consistent during
the rest Of his Congressional career. He