Gerrit Smith Quotes

United States, Politician
March 6, 1797 – December, 28, 1874.

Gerrit Smith , also spelled Gerritt, was a leading American social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist. Spouse to Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, Smith was a candidate for President of the United States in 1848, 1856, and 1860, but only served 18 months in the federal government—in Congress as a Free Soil Party Representative, in 1853–4.

To no human charter am I indebted for my rights.

Gerrit Smith
- Human
- Rights
- Indebted
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

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

Gerrit Smith
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
- Bill
- Session
- Defeating
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.

Gerrit Smith
- Errors
- Confess
- Fellowmen
I prefer, in a word, the republican system, because it comes up more nearly to God's system.

Gerrit Smith
- God
- System
- Republican
True, permanent peace can never be restored, until slavery, the occasion of the war, has ceased.

Gerrit Smith
- War
- Peace
- Slavery
Let the poor man count as his enemy, and his worst enemy, every invader of the right of free discussion.

Gerrit Smith
- Free
- Enemy
- Discussion

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
- Judge
- Slavery
- Tell
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
- Right
- Poor
- Discussion