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Gerrit Smith

Gerrit Smith image
Parent Issue
Day
29
Month
August
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

In n letter of Aug. b. to in. juoore 01 nnmplain, N. Y. Mr. Smith writes as a reaon for not attendinc; a Conveniion, "Sinte the Liberty party has subseribed to the doctrine of voting for proslavery men. I have nn doriro to aticnd its meetings. Umil the iast nine inonths. I had taken it for granted, that not to voto for a proalavery men was a settled, imniovable, nevei, no never-to bo-departed-from doctrine of the Liberty party. But, I learned iny miatake, when 1 found, ibnt most of the membo:s of the Liborty party in tliis Stnteandm st of tho Liberty party newspapers in tlie nation wcre in [nvor ot voting fwr proslnvery men to construct tho fundamental and orgnnic law of the State of New York. 1 had another nnd vc.-y painiul proof of this mistake, when I sasv the Liberty party members of tho New Hampshire Legislature voting for a proslavery mnn for Governor of thcir State- for a man, who, whatever his words, is. nevertheloss, pro&lavery in hisinñuence, so long, as he votes for the buyera and pellets of men.- And siill more painful waa my mistake, when I found. that not one of the Liberty party ne.vspa(ten, which 1 had secn. excopting the Albnny Patriot, disapproved of this conduct of the Liberty party members of the New Hampshire Legislature. "1 cannot voto for men-thievc3 T cannoi vote for those, who think men-thicves fit for civil ruiers. i havo no desiro to attend the meetings : yf a pnrty. whiih is iriiilty of sucb gróts inconsistency with thoobviousrequirementsot Itepub ücanism and Chrielianity. "I do not yet despair of the Liberty party.- 1 have so long looked to il, ns tho last great hope undcr God for the peacuful uboliiion of American slavery. that I cannot yet give it up. I musí belicvc. that it will spuedily retrace its ruinous step, and prove tiself the true-hearted. uncompromising. ond cffcctivo fri end of sluve. wliich thpy. who foundeJ it, coiifidently expected il woulü be."