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

  48 Copy quote

• 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

  9 Copy quote

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

  Gerrit Smith

  Peace, War, Slavery

  7 Copy quote

• 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

  7 Copy quote

• 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

  8 Copy quote

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

  Gerrit Smith

  Rights, Charter, Humans

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• I believe that government is for the use of the people, and not the people for the use of the government.

  Gerrit Smith

  Believe, Government, People

  Gerrit Smith (1856). “Speeches of Gerrit Smith in Congress”, p.300

  5 Copy quote

• 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

  14 Copy quote

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

  Gerrit Smith

  Construction, Canals, New Roads

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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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• It is not to be disguised, that a war has broken out between the North and the South. - Political and commercial men are industriously striving to restore peace: but the peace, which they would effect, is superficial, false, and temporary.

  Gerrit Smith

  Peace, War, Men

  5 Copy quote

• 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

  7 Copy quote

• 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

  27 Copy quote

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

  Gerrit Smith

  Men, Rights, Noble

  20 Copy quote

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

  Gerrit Smith

  Organization, Slavery, Anti Slavery

  8 Copy quote

• 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 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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• 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

  7 Copy quote

• 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

  19 Copy quote

• It is manifestly vital to the success of the anti-slavery cause, that the authority and influence of proslavery, especially of slaveholding, ministers should be destroyed.

  Gerrit Smith

  Success, Slavery, Causes

  8 Copy quote

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

  Gerrit Smith

  Spring, Rights, Grace

  8 Copy quote

• 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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• 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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