Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-02
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Larrest CireulatiOn in Clty and slate.
GERRIT SMITH AGAINST CONFIsCA-
TION AND WHITE DIsFRANCBIsE-

NrEhAIA hIAIA A&2AAANsoA NOAaA AFN3AN
TION AND WHITE DISFRANCBISE-
MENT.
In letter to Mr.. Lloyd Garrison, Gerrit
Smith writes that he is satisfied with negro
suffrage without furnishing the white
men of the South with disfranchisement.
We commend most heartily the humane
spirit embodied in the following extract
from his letter. written as late as March
10th:
eERRTr SMITH TO AIR. GARRISON.
PETERBoRO March 20.-WM. LLOYD
GARRIsoN-MY DEAR SIR: / long
for a heart-union between the North and
the South. l fully believe it TO be practi-
cable But the cornerstone of this heart
union is not las the Republican party is too
much inclined to belieye) power to enforce
it. 1t cannot be enforced. A common
repentance for a common sin-that, and
that alone, can be this cornerstone. But
you will say that the heart of the South is
too wicked to come into this common re-
pentance. / admit IL.
Would l have the Southern leaders,
whom Congress has just now disfranchised,
relieved of this Acknowledgement, and al
lowed TO vote and take part in the govern
nent Of their respective States and OF the
nation? i would. Now that suffrage Is
accorded TO the Southern negro, | would.
Now, that all the negroes can vote, 1t Is
safe 10 let all the whites vote. i refer not
here TO the great numbers there will be at
the polls to hold in check such whites as
might be disposed to be oppressive.
mean also that between negro voting on
the one hand and our 10 be fraternal and
generous spirit on the other, such whites
would be between influences that would
fast take from them all remaining disposi
tion TO wrong either their black or white
brethren. At the time the South laid down
her arms, felt that the safety Of the ma
ton required at least temporary dis
franchisement of all who had made war
upon her But | soon changed my mind
at this point, and believed that only few
of them should be disfranchised. Not
long after, believed that none should be-
that is, if the political equality of the
negro were acknowledged-an acknowledge
ment which / always held should be slae
qtia non in the settlement between the
North and South. Just here let me say
that / go, as | see you do not, for the spirit
and substance Of Horace Greeley's unpopu-
lar motto, " Universal suffrage and univer-
sal amnesty" | say for the spirit and sub
stance, since / would substitute 'no pun
ishmenp for his universal amnesty" be-
lieying as | do with the pre-eminent pub
licits Of ChristendOm, that treason ia not TO
be charged in such a war as this, and there
fore that the conquered stand in no need Of
amnesty.
One reason why would not have the
Southern leaders dsfranchised is, that the
Southern people, including, quite likely,
no very small share of the blacks, will be
thereby dissatisfed-ay, and so deeply dis
satisfied and be so full of indignation and
pity, as to let the disiranchised exert III
directly an amount of influence far greater
than they could have exerted directly.
The relation between leader and follower
at the South differs widely from that rela-
ton at the North. The Northern masses,
having more intelligence and individuality
than the Southern, are not So closely bound
to their leaders, But the Southern masses,
not easily reconciled to the dlshonoring of
their leaders, would never be at peace with
the policy which disfranchises their leaders.
Would ! have confscation? At first,
| thought that the coniiscation of the large
landed estates of the South for distribution
amongst her white and black poor, would
be wise as well as benevolent moasure.
But verv soon l ceased to think So Her
white poor do not call for this confscation
and distribution; and her blacks, with
their habit Of labor, and great power for
labor, and with their rapidly advancing
education to direct their labor, and above
all, with the ballot TO protect its fruits, will
soon have acquired no inconsiderable share
of the whole wealth of the South. Again,
as this is war in which both. parties were
guilty, and, therefore, neither entitled to
indemnity for the past, there remains no
iustifable call for coniscation.
Peace without confscation is worth more
TO the whole nation, and particularly TO
the black man, than cOnhscation without
peace Poor az he is, the black man needs
peace more than property; and having
! peace he will not long lack property.
BY the way, at what point in its inva-
sion OF the rights of a State, would our
general government stop2 1t is urged to
distribute her soil. 1t is urged to require
| her 10 establish a school-system. Other
demands will follow; and if it shall con-
tinue to yield, the distinction between the
Office Of the general government and that
| Of the State governments will soon be OBJ
liberated, and the State governments will
soon have disappeared.
Would have Jefferson Davis set at lib
erty? Certainly-unless he is detained
for ofenses unauthorized by the law of
war. As the war rose from a mere rebel,
lion into the dimensions and dignity of
| civil war-or rather national war-so, ac-
cording 10 the highest authorities we have
no right to punish any merely for being
engaged in il. il, from the millions of the
South, Jefferson Davis is picked out land
for no other ofense than what is common
to them alD TO be the target and victim of
! Northern vengeance, then is the cruelty to
him exceedingly great, and then, too, are
| those millions insulted and degraded
by being sunk below accountability. The
South will never be at peace with us
80 long as she believes Jefferson Davis is
kept in prison for no other offense than
having been an enemy in war-in short
/ for no other than her own Ofense.
Does the North feel that, in the continued
Imprisonment Of Mr.. Davis, or in some no
| less significant way, she must maintain a
monument Of her adherence of the war?
then why does she not, in order TO make
the monument more faithful 10 history
more harmonious with the glaring fact that
the North As well as the South was re-
/ sponsiSle for the war-eonfne along with
Mr.. Davis some representative of the guilty
North-say some old proslavery Democrat,
like Gen. Butler or Thomas IL. Seymour ?
Even vet, l see no sure prospect Of peace
for our exceedingly guilty land. The
North and the South are still at enmity
with each other Each still casts ell the
blame Of the war upon the other. Each
still regards itself as the saint and the
other as the sinner-whereas each should
feel that she can well afford TO forgive the
other, if the other viii bat forgive her. We
cannot reach a true peace until we become
friends. A truce may be patched mp be-
tween enemies, but i is only between
friends that there can be true, solid, and
enduring peace Let us be friends, that we
may be blessed with such peace.
With great regard, your friend.
(1ERRIr SMITH.
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