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Frederick Douglass Gerrit Smith, March 9, 1863

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FREDERICK DOUGLASS TO GERRIT SMITH

Rochester. N.Y. 9 March 1863.
My DEAR SIR:
I congratulate you upon your SIXTY SIXTH birth day.1Gerrit Smith was born 6 March 1797. Harlow, Gerrit Smith, 3. May Heaven spare you to see yet many more birth days. Your life has been a blessing to all classes and conditions of men, but to none more than to those who are now meted out and trodden down in slavery. For the sake of these as well as for your own—and your dearly loved ones at home, my hearts desire and prayer is that you may long be preserved in health and vigor.
If you said in your Albany speech,2Gerrit Smith’s “Stand by the Government” address delivered in Albany, New York, on 27 February 1863. DM, 5:823-26 (April 1863). (and I have not seen it) that you are for the preservation of the union at all hazards and at all costs, and that you should prefer the union even with slavery than to allow the slave holders to go off—and set up a government for themselves. I should agree with you even in that, for I fear that there is more hope for the slave, even in the old union, if that were possible than there would or could be in an exclusively slave holding Government. You will have received a line from me ere you get this, on the Subject of inlistments for the 54th Mass. regiment.3In his letter to Smith, written on 6 March 1863 and reproduced in this volume, Douglass expressed a hope that the abolitionist would send him a letter, pledging financial support for his recruiting activity, in care of the Reverend Samuel J. May, whom he planned to visit at Syracuse. I hope for an answer at Syracuse on Wednesday.

[FREDERICK DOUGLASS.]

ALf: Gerrit Smith Papers, NSyU.

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Creator

Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895

Date

1863-03-09

Publisher

Yale University Press 2018

Type

Letters

Publication Status

Published