The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-01-03
RaanrtIasaots slaaEs 81 rAafaaih afaaih 0AnptsR4a 81 =

more PROMINENT place. innthe, latter
history Of ,our country. than Gerrit
Smith, who died in New York on Mon
day afternoons ns the residences bf Hon.
john Coohrane,o who married his
niece. He uwas., with his, wife,. onf q.
Christmas visit to Mrs. Oochrane,, and
apparently in good health when the
fatal 'apopieotic attack OCCURRED which
led to his death within three days
thereafter. He Was the, son Of Peter
Smith, a former ,basiness partner of
John jacob Astor, and was born at
Utica, N. Y, on the eth Of March.
1877, being iu'the seventy-eieht year
of his ege wh1n he died. His father
bequeathed' to him early in life the
entire town OF Florence, in Orange
County, n. Y, together with, i'm
meIse tracts OF land in that State, the
successful management Of which with
drew him from tho legal profession.
for which be- /, was. raduoated. The
abolition OF slavery was the leading
political idea OF Bis life. He forward
ed the pua oseS or the abolition party
in every way, by enieavoring to i'm.
pose ,apti.slayesy declarations. on the
candidates of both parties, by public
speeches aud public writings, by con-
tributionsF in money, and by continu-
GUS aud indefatigable assistance to
runaway slaves, insomuch that he
made q of b his house ,'shuspice" for
fugitives. When the Republican,
party was organized, however, he kept
aleof from it 'disiiking it's lukewarm-
ness, andrsfeer' the election Of Mr..
Linoolnahis public appearances were
very few. ,, Like oil the other fanatics
end martyrs of the cause of abolition,
John Brown knew him, and was in
debted to him for hospitality and as
sistance. and he opened to Mr.. Smith
his design of exciting d servile insur-
rection I'M iVirginis. :: This Mr.. Smith
strongly discountenhneed as unjust,
violent end aanEerousI But when the
John Blown raintWab made and failed,
and Brown vas executed, Mr.: Smith
was openly charged with having abet-
ted his seheme a. pThe excitement Of
that exciting time twas too much for
him, and his mind gave way. He was
sent to the Utica Insane Asylum for
treatment. and after shore stay wds
diachasgedicure and has nsver einee,7
that we are aware of, been ithreatened
with a,orBoufrence Of the: pmalady.I
Whether Or not this ovent warned him
against excessive political excitement,
the part he took in politics was after
warda rather advisory than autive,
ln facts tthat. might bb' said of Ibis
whole career. although he had served
one tetmiaI Congress-, (l852Y when lie
madebnonpoiitioal Impression, but q
very mhfkgd social success, alike
amongeNofthern, men and Southern
men. i;in spite of his holding, and
never. liisgnising that he held, far;more
radicalHie%s On,the eubiect of slavery
than RhySDtherd member of either
house. He supported the war vigor-
ously, bot al its close the magnenimityi
of hisd disposition was shown by his
volunteering to sign the bail bond of:
Jefferson Davis. His hatred of the
name4of Dsmocrag came to Mount
aimoatrtni 10 mania, and in abe last
campsiga uin d New York +! State he
wrote g litter. which, we believe,
was 'his last public act, to, the
effect tfat it was better tore. elect Mr..
Grantrfors iansuniimited number of
termsi::tsH,to permit 9 a,!'devil-inapirad
DemoGraqga 70. regain power, His
interest IN public affairs was always
keen, and his course always .erratic.
Ho ~as strongly in favor Of total
abstineaee, we believs Of Enforcing it
by abaSl6teL legal prohibitions; of Iwo.
man snfffagei ind was generally, up to
the daS'efi his Death, to be looked for
upon thu extreme lefr Of the politiS
cal and is4oial patty of progress Mr..
Smith was thus an uDcompron1iAfng
Radical! o VII h76h to ns means thaS' he
was nos'hlvsry wise mar ) but oertaS Snly
radioalism could lave had no champion
to cotnth end itp mbre winnihgly than
he. glisiAimpnlsive generosity and
chivaffylwhich made him poor poll.
ticianithade; 'hitaia very lovabIe man,
even to'thoae who were most revoited
at hisYteaets, and abhorred most the
state oftmDgsi which would result if
they were put into practice. His
senereA. y a,ysAa;t Jnn honndeH.' Many
useful tnsh''anu nany worthy instita-
tions are she creatures Of his bounty,
and his hospitality was lavished upon
all who came within reach Of IL. In
his private life he was the model of q
country gentlemah. aud Of his public
career We can at least say that it is
greatlyto be wishsd that mon in his
:aasiti6h might M take ae Keen an
ihcaress 'as flasl did11 the welfare of all
the wofId Afohnd them, and, With