Gerrit Smith Quotes

• We must continue to judge of slavery by what it is, and not by what you tell us it will, or may be.

  Gerrit Smith

  Judging, Slavery, May

  Gerrit Smith (1837). “Letter of Gerrit Smith to Rev. James Smylie: Of the State of Mississippi”, p.12

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• But I love honesty, and, therefore; do I make great account of facts.

  Gerrit Smith

  Honesty, Facts, Honesty Love

  Gerrit Smith (1855). “Controversy Between New York Tribune and Gerrit Smith”, p.18

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• True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.

  Gerrit Smith

  Men, Rights, Liberty

  Gerrit SMITH (of Peterboro, N.Y.) (1856). “Speeches of Gerrit Smith in Congress”, p.296

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• True, permanent peace can never be restored, until slavery, the occasion of the war, has ceased.

  Gerrit Smith

  Peace, War, Slavery

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• To no human charter am I indebted for my rights.

  Gerrit Smith

  Rights, Charter, Humans

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• It, sometimes, suits the slaveholders to claim, that their slavery is an exclusively State concern; and that the North has, therefore, nothing to do with it.

  Gerrit Smith

  Slavery, Suits, Sometimes

  Gerrit Smith (1856). “Speeches of Gerrit Smith in Congress”, p.22

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• God cannot approve of a system of servitude, in which the master is guilty of assuming absolute power - of assuming God's place and relation towards his fellow-men.

  Gerrit Smith

  Men, Fellow Man, Assuming

  Gerrit Smith (1837). “Letter of Gerrit Smith to Rev. James Smylie: Of the State of Mississippi”, p.11

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• Our political and constitutional rights, so called, are but the natural and inherent rights of man, asserted, carried out, and secured by modes of human contrivance.

  Gerrit Smith

  Men, Rights, Political

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• I welcomed the organization of the Anti-slavery Society.

  Gerrit Smith

  Organization, Slavery, Anti Slavery

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• When a good man lends himself to the advocacy of slavery, he must, at least for a time, feel himself to be any where but at home, amongst his new thoughts, doctrines, and modes of reasoning.

  Gerrit Smith

  Home, Men, Good Man

  Gerrit Smith (1837). “Letter of Gerrit Smith to Rev. James Smylie: Of the State of Mississippi”, p.8

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• Our concern, however, is with slavery as it is, and not with any theory of it.

  Gerrit Smith

  Slavery, Theory, Concern

  Gerrit Smith (1837). “Letter of Gerrit Smith to Rev. James Smylie: Of the State of Mississippi”, p.11

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• There is one class of men, whom it especially behoves to be tenacious of the right of free discussion. I mean the poor.

  Gerrit Smith

  Mean, Men, Class

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• To say, that Capt. Ingraham violated the rights of Turkey, is nonsense.

  Gerrit Smith

  Rights, Turkeys, Nonsense

  Gerrit Smith (1856). “Speeches of Gerrit Smith in Congress [1853-1854].”, p.18

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• There is room in our ranks for the old and decrepit, as well as the young and vigorous.

  Gerrit Smith

  Rooms, Decrepit, Young

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• I need say no more, to prove that slavery is entirely unlike the servitude in the patriarchal families.

  Gerrit Smith

  Needs, Slavery, Prove

  Gerrit Smith (1837). “Letter of Gerrit Smith to Rev. James Smylie: Of the State of Mississippi”, p.6

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• My rights all spring front an infinitely nobler source - from favor and grace of God.

  Gerrit Smith

  Spring, Rights, Grace

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• I am a plain man, and I care and know comparatively little about rhetoric.

  Gerrit Smith

  Men, Care, Littles

  Gerrit Smith (1855). “Controversy Between New York Tribune and Gerrit Smith”, p.18

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• I do not object to the construction of rail roads and canals.

  Gerrit Smith

  Construction, Canals, New Roads

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• I trust, that your readers will not construe my words to mean, that I would not have gone to a 3 o'clock in the morning session, for the sake of defeating the Nebraska bill.

  Gerrit Smith

  Morning, Mean, Gone

  Gerrit Smith (1855). “Controversy Between New York Tribune and Gerrit Smith”, p.17

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• I prefer, in a word, the republican system, because it comes up more nearly to God's system.

  Gerrit Smith

  Republican, Come Up

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• The only ground on which a neutral State can claim respect at the hands of belligerents is, that, so far as she is concerned, their rights are protected.

  Gerrit Smith

  Respect, Rights, Hands

  Gerrit Smith (1856). “Speeches of Gerrit Smith in Congress”, p.18

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• The Southern slave would obey God in respect to marriage, and also to the reading and studying of His word. But this, as we have seen, is forbidden him.

  Gerrit Smith

  Marriage, Reading, Southern

  Gerrit Smith (1837). “Letter of Gerrit Smith to Rev. James Smylie: Of the State of Mississippi”, p.10

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• But, although America cannot be justly charged with violating the rights of Turkey, Turkey nevertheless can be justly charged with violating the rights of America.

  Gerrit Smith

  Rights, Turkeys, America

  Gerrit Smith (1856). “Speeches of Gerrit Smith in Congress [1853-1854].”, p.17

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• Truth and mercy require the exertion - never the suppression, of man's noble rights and powers.

  Gerrit Smith

  Men, Rights, Noble

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• But as well may you, when urging a man up-hill with a heavy load upon his back, and with your lash also upon his back, tell him, that be has nothing to do either with the load or the lash.

  Gerrit Smith

  Men, May, Hills

  Gerrit Smith (1856). “Speeches of Gerrit Smith in Congress”, p.22

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