New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-28

tment and s too much afraid Of taking step in ad-
vance Of 1t. He IL sncere servant Of his country.
You deDOunce the President for acting unconstutiOn-
ally honor him for hastening to rave his country
by means whether consti utionsl or unconstitutional
Exceedingly Is the in which the Constitution
may be put aside. But when, to hold to 1.-The Consti
tuition is manfesly to lose the nation, he is both
coward and traitor who will hold to it. The old
Austrian Generals complained thar the first Napo on
did not light according to rule. Nevertheless, French
men did not regret his victories, because they were
| achieved through the violation of rules. Frenchpen
love France; and did you love America more than you
love Slavery yon would aot regret her walton even
though il were purchased at expense TO the Consttu-
tion Your JOY would DO too full TO leave room for
| regrets. -.
This cry of The Constitution the Constitution! ~
| is not less disgusting to patriots than was johnny
Hooks celebrated cry OF " Beef Beef! Ii is even
more go. For Johnny entirely sincere lie
meant beef when he cried beef But those who prate Oh
the Constitution mean Slavery The Constitution was
made for the saving of the nation Very guiltiy 90
they pervert is who degrade IL TO wstchword IN
their war upon the nation.
President Lincoln has done well. admit that he
might have done better Not, however, Oy IolloWIbs
your counsels and giving himself up TO the study oil
Constitutional limitations, while the traitors were lett
to complsre the destruction Of Government and Nation
On learning that Sumter was taken, he should nave
made sure and speedy end Of the war; he should
have cut il short in righteousness, by prot lalalng
seeded This measure followed up as it should and
would have been, would have ended the war now.
Other States would have that they could not
secede but at the peril of the like proclamation. Doubt
not that the North would have sustained the President
in it, They in Just the temper for it. The high
measure would have harmODized with the storm OF
their indgnaiion and that storm had begun 10
suDside, that should have been put TO It's ma
tlon-saying operation.
Other nations agree with the great writers on the
Il h.
says that ia war we have the Fright to weaken
enemy III order to render him incapable of supporting
his unjust vioence;" " to deprive him of everything
which may enable him TO make war" and to deprive
him of il Y" in the manner most suitable 10 u.s." But
We with rare generosity and chyalry, leave to our
enemy his slaves till bis land for him, and build his
Notifications. Without the help of his slaves, our
enemy cond hardly maintain war against Lilhput.
Our last Congress-athough the Pro-SlayeTy was,
in point Of fact, already begun, though not admit
ted by a-not only failed TO meet the war, or, you
PREFER the prospect OF the war; by providing for the
common defense and general welfare Of the UDied
States" but IL actually took steps TO provide for the
protection of Slavery. Our Presidents first official
words were graiutous assurances OF such protection
With such assurances do our Generals enter upon their
triendiy war against the Rebels. And the people OF
The North instead OF assembling IN all their towns
and calling on Government TO abolish Slavery, and
thus stop the war; and save them from the needless
loss of ens of thousands Of lives, and hundreds of
millions Of money, feel little power and less
GlsDOsltlOn 10 move akatD5t Nuthcc
this iniaiualion and this paralysis IT Is part
OF our punishment for having fOstered and honOred
Slavery until at length we have to regard it
sacred and ilvoLte-for having served It and fallen
down before il until at length are spelbound and
Helpless in its presence In prosecuting the present
ar we are almost as much embarrassed by
eIes for Slavery as the ancient Egyptians in
battle by their worship Of annas-their enemy inge
niolsly pro Getting himself by placing the objects of
worship between himself and the Egyptians The
Egyptians were to be pited because it their
enemy who made this appalling disposition OF the
sscred animals. We are not to be pitied because we
can, If We will only muster the resolution to do il,
hurl Slavery out Of our path. The enemies of the
Jews were wont to fall upon them the Sabbath,
hoping they would not defend themselves the day
they supersttiousy observed. Our enemies venture
to wage war for Slavery and even to employ slaves
in il, presuming long service and worship Of
Slavery that cannot have heart to strike at it.
I thought the war would be very short because l
assumed that the North would be sufficiently pro-
yoked % tell the slaves that they free. She viii
vet tell them 70; bat fear she has not yet suffered
enough TO do il. II may be that the God of the OPP
pres ed has much suffering in store for her before
she can be brought to tell them II may be that he
war must rs carry s)rrow into thousands more OF her
families and much more OF ruin to her industrial and
con mercin ntervsts she will feel constrained to
do 20. Gods controversy with the North is the
as wi h the South; and "LET MY PEOPLE CO. Is the
ore only condition which He will consent to end it
with either What has come upon the nation does not
have they been "cryng in the widerness and in the
city that Slavery If not soon put away in peace and
righteousness, would end In blood. How happy had
hey been listened to! How different from now would
have bee the condition of country bad William
Lloyd Garrison been heededthat great and good man
whom than thirty years ago God called In his
youth and from bis obscarity ana commissioned 70
sound q prophets alarm in the sleeping, alas still
FL. qirg, ears of the American people Then would
our aiicn have been united instead Of broken up; the
blessing OF peace upon instead of the curse ofwar not
= l,f ~ had aa fha
glory insiesd Of the shame Of mankind; the pattern
instead Of the warning Of the nations. But repeat
that tie may not end very soon. lie, INTO whose
ears have ended the groans OF the successive gener-
otons Al American slaves and who has bottled up all
their tee may not be content with less than wide
de ol4tous both the North and the South: de may
think this neediul for sufficiently conspicuous and
epanring monument of the crime and punishment OF
Slayery--for sufficiently effective warning to all ma
lions not TO oppres His unoendng and helpless poor
Would God that all this might be averted by the in.
slant and pentent abolition of Slavery Wonld
God such an abolition might not be delayed until lie
shall say: But We would not Behold your house is
left unto you desOlate " fear however, that 1t VIII
sorJwiully lay my account with the continued stu,
pdty ~ lnfauation OF the American people 10 regard
10 Slavery even fear that Congress will elose the
present session without resolving in favor Of its abo-
lition.
Pardon my wonder that gentleman of your very
great Intelligence should be anxious 10 save Slavery
from the impending destruction. IL could survive
but short time The has already given It death
wouuds The shots at Fort Sumter, being all shots at
slavery. were enough TO make the death OF Slavery
sure. Never will the cotton manufacturers rely
ON the South for supplies Of cottonand that ID ms
mueh as to say that never more will Slavery recover
its vitality From other considerations, also, Slavery
has lived out its day. The accursed relic Of barbarsm
is respasser the advanced and advancing civilza
ton of Crsteudom II will soon hide itself forever
from the sight of earth and heaven.
Very respectfully yours, o.,,.,,
GERRIr SMITH
HENRY T. CHEEvER TO GERRIT SMITH.
H.. crvp,r Syrrp- BeLored and Hon. Friend.