The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-06

that under certain circumstances an act OF trca-
son might be an net " duty but the time came
when he shrank from confronting the penalty
Of treason. Precisely what share Gerrit Smith
had taken in the John Brown conspiracy has
hitherto been open to question. Tho rrsoluic
chief Of the QuiNotic undertaking had died. and
made no signs. SUPPOSED accomplices aud pos
sihlr with sscs had Il al to Europe or to Canada
Utmost every trace OF documentary evidence had
vans hcd. Whether the relation OF the New
York phil. "thropist to the leader OF an armed
invasion was t"t Of friend or Of accomplicc
could not he dcicrmil. "d at the time ana mas re-
manned ~ this day shrou"tI III uouD'' bh' III
the face Of facts now disclosed Ny MS au'hor-
iHed biographcr doubt il scarcely pOl-ipio
The mass of evidence accumulated l." thls
volume refers partly to transactions and cir
cunstanccs which preceded tho assault ON
lIurper's Ferry, and partly to significant adj
missions and overt proceedings on the part OF
Gerr.t Smith during the years Of sanity which
succeeded his temporary confinement at Utica.
For most OF the details we may refer the reader
to this biographcr, but we would hore direct at
tcntion to ono impressive fact In 1865 Mr..
Smith brought an action against the Chicago
Tribune, for an alleged libel in an article chars
ing him with having fcgned insanity TO avoid
the consequences OF q political crime. Before
the ease came on, Il report Of how much the de-
PENDANTS believed themselves prepared to prove.
came 10 the cars Of the plaintiff. whercupon the
latter went To Chicago. and. in the absence
OF the editor-in- chief. secured rccantation
Of tho original charge. and withdrew the
suit. Upon the return of Mr. Horace
White u statement of the facts was made in the
Tribune. aud it WIS added that the editor had
information which enabled him to affirm that
Mr.. Smith was fully advised OF John Browns
purpose to make an armed invasion or raid up
on Virginia. He asserted moreover that Gcriit
Smith co0perated in the undertaking with adj
vice and with money, and that although the
plan contemplated not merely organized AS
sistance to fugitiyes and the furtherance of
escape. hut general instruction Of slaves at
tended with violence and bloodshod neverthe-
less Gerrt Smith asscntcd to 1t. and furnished
means TO carry it forward. Mr.. White was inn
plored I'm n touching letter to disavow these
words but the editor replied in a curt note rclc-
eating his correspondent to his remedy at law.
That remedy was never sought. although but
two years before Mr.. Smith had been prompt
and eager to invoke the protection %; the courts.
We need not saw that the account Of his rela-
tions with John Brown. put forth 10y Mr.. Smith
in his well-kuowu manifesto is not and could
not be accepted by an. honest biographcr. Yet
the author OF this volume labors 10 clear the
memory Of Gcrrt Smith from the charge of
moral cowardlcc. He might. we are told. with
out deliberate. persistent unVeracity have had
,h,. f,o,,it,. ~ ,,,li,,,. ,l,i,,.s ,,cor ,l.,sT
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/, u1,in.,tte conduct, ~ C,rri, e,,i,,, n, ~, d,
lid ,f liz co,o,. i, ~ l,,, f,ir ,',I.'',r -
ninl,h,,,,,,,roi ,,.'r, i,,,.,f t,.,,si,,l,' ~
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H.. ,rou man ~ foolin,, AMI ,,ns,,rar,l,. NO,
ar,.natI, ,hs r,,l.s ~ ,'r'Ii,.,r,. .,,s,.,,,,,
Tlrs in tses n. ,,,rou,c.d L,s Intention "a
v.tin,. for Cbi,.f Iua,i.o Chus, should tho D.n,.
,,,oti,. ,or,v ,,ou. ,b,t r,,,i,,,i,r w., H.
1870 n, rnf,sol IN follow bis ,lI fri.m1s s,,,,.
NOR Gr..l.v AL s..',,ry ,.i,h y,l,u, hr ia.
,av cbo-n ,.utir,.., -v,,n.tl.i,.d lo.o,... said
,h.. p.t..rtor, .i,,,b,n,,i-t th., y,,,id iu,li
r,.tl, helm nh. -n.n..s of fine Democratic ,nrt,.
G,rrit Smith WIS in constant eorresponlenc,
VIII, summon dur.n,, ,l, prosid.,t,,i ,,,,,,o..
/ Of 1872. and ,yas NOT left i'm donbt of summer.
/ o,ini,n c,n,..rnir,, tho qualifications - Con
| Grant rs the Nn..a.hus,,ts senators l.t,ors
print.d in another r,rl. az This morning. shy
/ nhundnntiv sbn,y G.rr,t Smith ho,v,.ynr ,vb.
/ KIN. q. littl, of Grant .xeaui b, he,,-n, .h,s,
/ tn .li-enrl the Testimony of stanton vino I'm,
/ th, host nnnort,ni lto,vl,,l,., f., di..or,
/ thet.s,imonv of sumner ,yb, had on,,i.,n
r.rttniti,.. refused tho ,,il.n,. ~ Cl,i,, rrs
/ rea Cbns.. and rerudinted tho lif.l,n, ti,.
,,os this an Nr smith ,.l. ,i,.. n,li o., CO.,