Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-05-19
Letter from a Man Of Unquestioned pu-
rity and Sincerity.
Petersboro, April Is, 1868.

Petersboro, April Is, 1868
To the Editor Of the Standard
/ see in your and other newspapers
and also in letters which | receive,
complaints of my giving money to q
college 10 Virginia. Men who stand
very high in my esteem, joi2 in these
complaints.
Although my own heart does not
abound in love, |, nevertheless, seem
TO rely more than do most persons
on the power of love to remove the
wrongs and quiet the troubles of
life-of public as we'll as OF private
life
The South surrendered but still
she hated the North Ny plan Of
getting this hatred out of her heart
was for the North to love it out
Hence, my propositions for giving
the South a large sum of money-say
fifty or hundred millions Of dollars
Ito help her up out Of the ruin
which the sin of oppression, common
TO herself and the North, had brought
upon her. Such and other naturally
accompanying expressions of love
and piety would have palsied and
purged out her hatred. But so it
was that my plan for this love-con>
quest did not meet with much APP
prevail.
l was glad to be bail for Jefferson
Davis-not merely nor mainly from
regard to him, whose long imprison
ment without trial was SO cruelty
and so utterly indefensible but also
to show my good feeling toward the
South, and To do in this wise what
little | could toward bringing the
North and South together. But the
Republican party denounced the bail
ing Of Jefferson Davis, and, in so do
ing flung away golden opportunity
for strengthening itself, and giving
peace to the country.
A few weeks ago, was asked to
help a college 10 Virginia. 1t is true
that | had, from the time the South
laid down her arms, been doing what
| could for some of her white families
whom the war had impoverished
But, whilst | had been giving thous>
ands to promote the education of her
blacks, | had given nothing to her
white schools. Now, however, had
an opportunity to give to one Of
them-to the one, moreover, which
was founded by the Gather of his
Country" confess that | was glad
to improve the opportunity, and that
| was sorry could not make ten,
fold greater gift,
You think that Washington Col
lege" ha es the North. Perhaps it
does But should the North endow
it, there would be hardly possibii
ty for it TO continue to hate her.
You think that this Collegs will
not soon receive black pupils 1t
will, however, receive them all the
sooner If we who are happily clean
Of this detestable and shrivelling
caste. spirit shall bear ourselves gen
erously toward the college. We
should be very patient, at this point,
with Southern ColIeges-especially
so, since large share of our North
ern colleges are (and will intinitly less
excuse) so much like them in this
respect.
One Of rstrongest objections to
helping this college is that Gen Lee
has it, Ia spite of his having gone to
the side Of our enemy, there is, new
ertheless, much in his conduct and
history to command our respect. His
letter to his friend, in which he show
ed how long and painfully his mind
balanced between the claims of his
State and his nation to his allegiance
was not dishonorable to him. Wrong
as was his conclusion, it was, never
theiess, one that an honest heart and
noble mind might come to. His mod
est, quick and discreet bearing since
he gave up his sword to the stronger
but not Drawer party, goes to prove
how richly he deserved the reputa-
ton which he enjoyed before the war
the reputation OF being a wise man
and gentleman. ] argue, from what
| know of Gen. Lee that be accepts
the situation )" that he is disposed to
fall in with the progress Of ideas and
that he may yet find himself to be an
Abolitionist.
The North is requiring the South
to recognize the equality before the
laws of her whites and blacks-their
entire equality in civil and political
rights. own that it is for the sal
walton Of the South thai she swallow
this pill-ay, for tho salvation of the
nation. Nevertheless, in the light
of her history and habits, we cannot
wonder that she deems it to be very
bitter one. Surely, surely, the North
should eagerly avail herself of every
opportunity to express good feeling
toward TIE South, if it be only that
she may thereby be sugar-coating
their bitter pill-their pill which is so
exceedingly bitter, that the North IS
too little imbued with the spirit Of
human brotherhood to be able TO
swallow it. Your friend,
GERRIT SMITH.
Anti SldUerv Standard.