The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-08-07
9srut Smith on the Duty Of ths North
to the South-A Letter to Thaddsus
Stevens.
Hon. Thdd3eus Steyens =:

Hon. Thaddeus Stegpns;
DEAR S1s: You are reported IN the
New York Tribune as having recently
said on the floor OF Congress:
at is now held by Que Of the most lib
eral and enlightened gentlemen in the
country Il mean Gerrt Smith) that We
should even pay portion Of the damages
inh'cted on the rebels, and pay a portion
OF rebel debt"
OF course, you do not mean that this is
literally 80. My often repeated ptopos,
ton is that the Governmep, lend or give
moneys to the South TO help her to an
upward start from the depths of her pov
erty and desola,ion. Bv what logic YOU
were able to cons,ruc, from the letter of
this proposition your figure Of speech is
for yon, not me, to explain.
s.. lam truly sorry that it is in your heart
to hold up to rdicule my reasonable pro
position. You are too old and too inleli
lec,ual to be making such concessions to
past passions and prejudice. There are
two reasons why the North should be
glad to help the South. First, the South
is poor-very poor-and the North is
rich. Second, the North is largely res
ponsible for the poverty Of the South
Our fathers united with the fathers OF the
South in making this land Of slaves,
and 10 our own dav the North has gone
with the South in upholding and extend
ing slavery. Until the breaking out Of
the war, every Congress was for slavery.
The repeal of the Missouri compromise
was the work Of the Nor'h as we'll as Of
the South. So, too, was the enactment
Of that Internal fugitive slave act, which
even the good Abraham Lincoln was
compelled by the pro slavery sentiment of
the North as we'll as OF the South TO en-
force so rigor rousIy. With comparatively
few exceptions, our Northern colleges,
theological Semusres, and political and
religious parties were on the side Of slave
ty. The commerce Of tho North was
emphatically ip the interest of slavery.
In the light OF such facts. il surely
cannot be denied that the North made
herself largely Responsible for American
slavery. But the war came Of slavery;
and the poverty and desolation Of the
South came Of the war: hence, to the
same degree that the North was resrons
BILE for slavery, is she Responsible for the
war aud for it's ruinous results to the
South.
You call my sympathy with the South,
and my desire to have the North help
her, "sicky humanity" | call il simple
honesty. II my neighbor and join in
getting each other drunk. and he in
frerZv goes TO tearing down my honse.
and = in self defence demolsh his. am
not TO disown his claim upon nv svmpa-
thy. | am to feel that honesty requires
me to help him rebuild.
Would TO God that Congress were 80
just and wise as at this verv session. to
lend fifty millions Of dollars 10 the Con
federate Slates-to each Of them so much |
OF it as would be proportiouate 10 her
population and to what she has suffered |
from the ravages Of the war The share
falling to each State to be distributed |
throughout her territory in loans upon
adequate security. This, bv proving the
love and pity Of the North for her. would
win the heart Of the South, and wonld
thus produce true and lasting paace be
tween them. And then it would he
worth to the nation, il only in financial
point Of view, many times fiftv million Of
dollars. Gold would no longer bear
premium Of 40 per cent, and our Gov
eminent would no longer have to paw 7
per cent, nor much more than half 7 |
per cent, interest on its loans.
See. Very respectfully, yours,
49,. GERRIT SMITH.
Peterboro', July Is. 1867.