New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-15

wooden house built nearly a century ago, on a 90
main of sonic thirty acres. but altered IN some re-
spects in accordance with the march OF modern Ill
provement. Everything was conducted Oh INC l'oS'
| liberal scale. The sleeping accommodations "eie
| annie and elastic. More than twenty guests could
| find shelter beneath the generous roof. All the
rooms were furnished in the plainest manner There
were no mirrors, no heavy draperies, no costly car
pets, or luxurious lounges and chairs The host
would have nothing too fine for the humblest visitor
The place was village by ITSELF Some thirty build
ncs stood on the domain. The farm, garden, sta
! bles shop, kept q large force OF men III
constant employment. The door was always open,
and every guest found hearty greeting. 6errit
Smiths wife sympathetic warm-hearted
woman of delicate and poetic temperament, fully en-
terng into all the plans Of her husband, wisely ad-
ministerng the affairs Of the large domestic esab-
lshmcnt and diffusng an air of cheerful serenity
over the household. Heaven has broke loose was
| the greeting of her husband when the wife came
into the breakfast room. The master Of the house
was ALWAYS in cheerful humor. Hi, light step was
| heard creeping down stairs at carly dawn' WIN
snatches of little songs which delighted the meodi-
ous SINGER. il no one else. At table his talk was
varied and playful; he told good story was lively
at repartee; and happy in proposing and responding
| to "sentimentsD The dinner table often presented
| motley sight The New Testament rule was OBJ
| served in the bidding. The highways and byways
were represented at the feast. Rich and poor great
| and small high and low. black and white, wise and
simple the refonner, the politician, the senator, ana
| the farmer sat down together. The host knew no
distinction of persons. The board was abnndantly
but simply spread and cordial conversation took the
| place OF wine "Not to have visited Gerrit Smith
at home not to have received his hearty greeting at
| the door, not to have seen him glowing and beam
OF Dnt IN heard
tale-talk is to have missed of the satisfactons
| of life"
A copous chapter is devoted to Gerrii Smiths
abors in the anti-savery movement. clearly and in
| diligently describing his services and influence III
the cause but entering into details which have lost
much of their interest at the present day HIS eiec
ton to Congress, which took place in 1882. was
matter of no less surprise to himself than to tue
public 1t was at q time of high political excite
| mcnt "while the North was ringing with cries of
terror and shouts of defiance and the antis!aveIy
feeling was glowing at fever heat" He was sitting
at table it is said. when the news was brought Ills
were not the only hands that were raised III aston
ishment-for the spectacle had not been before.
| Here was a Supplemented ble-Chris'an going
where Christianity was worldly institution and the
Bible a sealed book an Independent going where
| the party politician alone was regarded; believer
in the laws of Nature going where such things were
not so much heard of servant and friend of his
kind going TO the place in America where every
body was supposed to have his rcc, and the arts OF
| deception, invented in contempt aud prae,iced
with heartless cruelty, priced above ali others
| lie never drank. and he TO be the associate of
| men who tipped at all hours Of day and night. He
| never smoked or chewod tobacco. and he was about
to live among people who thought the ar unfit to
breathe until it thick with the fumes of cigars
and In whose opinion the indispensable article Of
| furniture the spittOon. He went to bed with
the chickens and arose with the birds, and he was to
pass months in a city where day began in the after
| noon and reached the meridian at midnight. The
man of prayer sent down to the metropolis of pro-
family; the free soul to the stronghold of slavery;
the child of the Spirit TO the arena Of gladiatOrs.
The people wondered: editors smiled good-natuTedly
or sarcastcally; the politicians derided; the high
minded rejoiced."
At the time of his election his health which was
| always precarious had become greatly impaired.
| The journey TO Washington was made by slow de
grees and several days after his arrival before
he was able to take his seat in the Hall of Repre-
sentative. His mode Of life in the Capital was
unique and affords not unplcasiDg illustration Of
his character. The hospitalites Of Pcterboro were
revived in Washington. He kept open doors aud
| his house filed with guests. His unaffected
|
| him. His frequent entertainments made at
tracive by his singular resources of conversation.
| his remarkable social tolerance, his uniform good
humor, dignity, and sweetness He gave two din
! ncrs each week. and invited every member
of the House. Men Of all parties and all
conditions sat down together at his table.
| The Southerners, especially, were fascinated
by the open-hearted welcome which they rece led.
Shareholders and aristocrats as they were, they
oyed the atmosphere of the genuine democrat whose
humanity embraced all extremes and whose spirit
was animated by universal aud so sincere a love.
But to their opinions and habits he made conces-
sion. There was no wine his table: he offered 40
cigars he cOuntenanced no indecacy. There a
charm in his originality. and his guests took him
he was. His complete separation from party politics
made him as harmless babe. and his perfect frank
ness disarned suspicion They dreaded him about
as much they dreaded the distractions Of the New
Testament. He on his part, a man without
guile. He had all the simplicity of a saint. He
never courted popularity, never inanGuyred for in
iluenCe did aught but act out his nature Mr.
rockingham relates All incident which shows the
weakness of the InsinuatiOn that his head was
turned by his life in Washington There was dis
cord in the kitchen. and dispute the question of
milking the COW. He settled it, not BY Diminishing
the servants, but by going into the yard and milk
ing the cow himself There was plenty ( fresh
milk after that"
The connection Of GeTit Smith with the abo-
ton projects of John Brown forms obscure. and
i'll its consequences tragic episode i'll his life, which
Mr. rockingham has made the subject Of a careful
analysis and discussion. 1t would be inOpportunc
in this place to rchearse the sad details Of which the
author has given an ample exposition, summing up
bis report in the following suggestive paragraph
The bOgrapher leaves the matter here, sensible tbat
lis version or IL ia open TO dispute not protesting 10 be
entirely satisfied with IL himself bur certain that he has
spared no pains 70 get at the facts and TO rational