Top 25 Gerrit Smith Quotes

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

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.

I welcomed the organization of the Anti-slavery Society.

The poor North has much to do with slavery. It staggers under its load and smarts under its lash.

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.

Truth and mercy require the exertion – never the suppression, of man‘s noble rights and powers.

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

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

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.

As this is the first time I have had the floor, it may be well for me now to confess, that I am in the habit of freely imputing errors to my fellow-men.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Let us tell our legislators in advance, that this is a right, restraints on which, we will not, cannot bear; and that every attempt to restrain it is a palpable wrong on God and man.

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

Let the poor man count as his enemy, and his worst enemy, every invader of the right of free discussion.

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

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

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.

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

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