Year: 1861

The following sketch Of speech made by
Gerrit Smith in Toronto, on the subject Of Ander-
sons rendition we find in the Globe of that city


Mr.. GERRlT Smith, on rising, was enthusiastic
cslly cheerei. His able and very eloquent address
occupied nearly two hours in the delivery. On
account Of the pressure of other matter, we are
unable to find room for full report to-day, and
must content ourselves with giving his ntroducto-
ry remarks, and sketch of the line OF argument
he pursued. He commenced by saying-This, my
friends is my second vsit to your city within the
last three weeks. My two journeys make thou
sand miles, have much to do and much to en-
10Y at my home. Why, then, do leave it at this
cold season of the year. to come to this city l
left il to come here and look into the face and
press the hand of my poor brother, who is in dan
ger Of being burned at the stake 10 my former
visit had this privilege 1t is now denied me-,
for have learned that he has been removed from
vour prison to another. l am here to mingle my
sympathies with yours over his hard lot (Cheers.)
am here to join you in suppiications to God, and
to add my arguments and appeals to yours for his
deliyerance. And now do any of you enquire
Why it is that ], foreigner, come among you to
meddle with your concernsf My answer is, these
are my concerns as well as yorrs. My answer is,
that this poor prisoner was of my own country;
as indeed we're most Of your colored people. My
answer is that their fate is bound up in his, and
that if YOU take from him the protection of your
laws, YOU take it from them also My answer is,
that YOU will take from the slaves of my country,
from those who are still pining there in slavery,
their hope of refuge. Hundreds of thousands
of my oppressed countrymen are at this hour look
ing to Canada for refuge, but their hope for that
will wither and die if they shall learn that you
have come in this Province to administer the law
of slavery. And the friends Of the slave in my
country-the abolitiorists-we, too, may need a
retreat in Canada, and if you cut of the black man
from this retreat you will cut off from it the white
man also. l say, we the abOlitonists of the
States, may need to find retreat in your Prov
ince, for we know not what is before US. The SER


yility of the Northern States of the American
Union to the slave power is now, for the purpose
of appeasing the wrath of the shareholders, and
for the purpose of preserving our thrice guilty
Union-is now threatening the more rigorous en-
forcement of our Fugitive Slave Act, and more
certain and fearful penalties against all of us who
shall dare to help the slave in his flight But we,
abolitionists, must continue to help him, whenever
We can and wherever we cam cheers for we
desire to be actuated by the principles of Chrst's
religion of doing as we would be done by. We
feel that to cease from helping the flight of the
slave would be to give up our manhood, to give up
our souls, and to give up our God. (Cheers.) We
are shut up to the necessity of remembering them
that are in bonds as bound with them, and of put
ting our souls in their souls stead. We cannot
forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death
and that are ready to be slain. We cannot stop
our ears when the poor cry. We cannot, as we
pity the poor, and we canros, lest the time may
come when we ourselves shall cry and shall not be
heard. In word, we must obey God rather than
man. Like Daniel we must be found steadfast,
as concerning the law of our God. We are COM
manded in common with our whole nation to pros


trate ourselves before slavery, and we must as
strenuously resist idol-worshp as did Shadrach,
Mssheoh, and Abednego. (Cheers.) We are now
threatened with the suppression Of free speech on
this subject 10 our land. Our anti-Slavery meet
ings now in the States coming to be broken up
by mobs as they were 20 or 80 years ago. There
Is Perhaps scarcely one city now in all tho North


ern States where we can hold meeting and plead
for the slave. Yet we muGt open our mouth to
speak for the dumb. to plead the cause Of such as
are appointed to destruction. And now, Cana
disns, tell nae will you deny US an ssylum (Cries
of never y You will deny il to us, il you deny
Il 10 the black man. You will deny il to both off
US, 4 you recognize and administer the law Of Sla


very. (Hear, hear.) But, if these considerations
ere not sufficient warrant for my sppsaring here,