Evening journal., 1915-07-20
New News Of Yesterday
Why Gerrit Smith Signed
the Bond
By Holland.

Henry B. Stanton, who died in 1887
when in his eighty-fourth year. waa
the husband of Elizabeth Cady Stan !
ton. and was always proud of the fact, 4
never objecting to anyone who alludo1 +
to him ir that way. Mr.. Stanton, /
however. was himself a man of great /
influence, especially in the early days
of the Republican party He was an
attractive public speaker and in Eng
land he gained a high reputation as
an orator who pleaded for the aboli-
tion OF slavery in terms of real elo-
quence and congratulated Great Brit
sin that she had Wilberforcc and
Zachary Macauley who had led sue
! cessfully the movement for the aboli-
tion of slavery wherever the English
! flag hoated.
! Mr Stanton was one Of that group
OF influential and brilliant editors of
/ the early days of the Republican
PARTY of whom Horace Greely.
/ Charles A. Dana and Henry J. RAY
mond were conspicuous types Mr..
Dana esteemed Mr.. Stanton as man
especially qualified for editorial writ
ing and he called Mr. Stanton to the
New York Sun as one of the associ-
ate editors soon after the Sun passed
into Mr.. Dana's possession. From that
time until his death in 1887 Mr.. Stan
ton maintained editorial associations
with the New York Sun
Mr. Stanton and ] roomed together
az hotel in Trenton at the time of the
Democratic State Convention IN 1871.
at which Gen George B. McClelland
was nominated by the Democracy for
Governor Gen McClelland was elect
ed Governor a few weeks later by a
good majority Mr. Stanton was pre-
pairing an editorial article for the Sun
while ] was writing my report of the
convention After our work was I'm
ished we chatted until nearly mid
night and It was in the course OF this
conversation that I learned how and
why Gerrit Smith became one of the
bondsmen for jefferson Davis when
Mr.. Davis was brought before the
United States Court at Richmond for
trial
"Gerrit Smith" said Mr. Stanton
"was perhaps the noblest man with
whom it was my privilege ever 10
become acquainted ] heard him
{ speak when I was a young man just
; beginning 10 practice at Seneca Falls
BIN. Y. / thought he had the finest
3 speaking voice that had ever heard
5 Ii had a wonderful organ-like tone
; II was lust the kind of voice you
would expect TO hear in a man of Ger
rit Smiths remarkable physica
build He is a man of powerful
I physique He had the largest heaC
r ever saw upon the shoulders Of any
p man. His beard was like the bearC
, Of a prophet and his hair fell in long
E graceful ringlet-like waves down e
3 his shoulders MT Smith inherited
]. riches. believe he was the larges
S land owner Of any man in Contra
o New York State, but he poured on
D his wealth like water in aid o
e philanthrophy and of humanity. VI
- was noted as an abolitionist, although
+ l do not think that word properl
+, described his attitude toward IN
slavery issue He wanted 10 Sc
slavery abolished. but he was yer
r lust in his estimate Of the opinio
and attitude Of the people Of th
South upon this issue.
r when Jefferson Davis was brougf
to Richmond in proceedings befoI
the United States Court two men {
the North. who had been conspicuou
n for their opposition TO slavery. volur
le teered to sign his bail bond. One wa
Horace Greely and the other was Ge
o rit Smith I know the reason VII
at Mr.. Smith gladly signed that ba
4 bond He always felt that the Mort
IF vas almost as much to blame for ii
d maintenance of the institution
- slavery as the South. Furthermor
Is he knew the people Of the South an
a. he believed that after the war va
n ended there should be no other sent
I ment manifested by the North tina
S; one of kindness. It was for thoI
Of two reasons. first that the North VIZ
IL not blameless so far as slavery w
concerned. and second, that with Il
closing of the war there should