Syracuse University Library
Special Collections Research Center
Gerrit Smith Broadside and Pamphlet Collection

To the people of the county of Madison.

Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874.

Digital Edition.

This digitization project was supported by Regional Bibliographic Databases and Interlibrary Resources Sharing Program funds, awarded by the New York State Library.

Call number: Smith 445

To the People of the County of Madison:

You are yielding to your pity for the starving Irish, and sending them food. I do not complain of this benefaction. Nay, I would, that it were greater - far greater. But, whilst you acknowledge your obligations to the suffering Irish, how sad, that you should forget the infinitely greater debt, which you owe to the three millions of your enslaved countrymen.

The following letter from Doctor Harvey may be relied on for its truthfulness. He resides in the

neighborhood of Philadelphia; and is a worthy man. That it may do the more good, I scatter it over our County in a handbill form. What monsters of inhumanity - what unequalled pirates - are slaveholders! Buying and selling men, women, and children! Tearing from each other those bound together in the closest and dearest relations! Unutterable crimes!

"December 26^th, 1846.

"Dear Sir, - Myself and two others lately visited the eastern part of Virginia to see the cheap lands now much talked of in agricultural circles, and there saw a slave auction. My friends were not abolitionists before, and pitied my credulity when I told them the horrors of slavery; but one week in the Old Dominion has added two staunch adherents to our cause. I wish every pro-slavery man and woman in the North could witness one slave auction.

"We attended a sale of land and other property near Petersburg, and unexpectedly saw slaves sold at public auction. The slaves were told they would not be sold, and were collected in front of the quarters, gazing on the assembled multitude. The land being sold, the auctioneer's loud voice was heard, 'bring up the niggers.' A shade of astonishment and affright passed over their faces, as they stared first at each other and then at the crowd of purchasers, whose attention was now directed to them. When the horrible truth was revealed to their minds that they were to be sold, and nearest relations and dearest friends parted forever, the effect was indescribably agonizing. Women snatched up their babies and ran screaming into the huts. Children hid behind the huts and trees, and the men stood in mute despair. The auctioneer stood on the portico of the house, and the men and boys were ranged in the yard for inspection. It was announced that no warrants of soundness were given, and purchasers must examine for themselves. A few old men were sold at prices from $13.00 to $25.00, and it was painful to see old men, with beards white with years of toil and suffering, stand up to be the jests of brutal tyrants, and to hear them tell of their diseases and worthlessness, fearing they would be bought by traders for the southern market.

"A white boy, about 12 years old, was placed on the stand. His hair was brown and straight; his skin exactly the same hue as other white persons, and no discoverable trace of negro feature in his countenance.

"Some coarse and vulgar jests were passed on his color, and $5.00 was bid for him, but the auctioneer said 'that is not enough to begin on for such a likely young nigger!' Several remarked 'they would not have him as a gift.' Some said a white nigger was more trouble than he was worth. One man said it was wrong to sell white people. I asked if it was not wrong then to sell black people. He made no reply. Before he was sold, his mother rushed from the house upon the portico, crying in frantic grief, 'My son, oh my boy, they will take away my dear - .' Her voice was lost, as she was rudely pushed back and the door was closed. The sale was not for a moment interrupted, and none of that crowd of ruthless tyrants appeared to be in the least degree affected by the scene. The poor boy, afraid to cry before so many strangers, who showed no sign of sympathy or pity, trembled and wiped the tears from his cheeks with his sleeve. He was sold for about $250. The monsters who tore this child from his mother would sell your child and mine if they had the power. During the sale, the quarters resounded with cries and lamentations that made my heart ache. A woman was next called by name. She gave her infant one wild embrace before leaving it with an old woman, and hastened mechanically to obey the call, but stopped, threw her arms aloft, screamed, and was unable to move.

"One of my companions touched my shoulder and said, 'come, let us leave here, I can bear no more.' We left the ground. The man drove our carriage from Petersburg had two sons who belonged to the estate - small boys. He obtained a promise that they should not be sold. He was asked if they were his only children. He answered, all that's left of eight. The others had been sold to the south, and he would never see or hear from them again.

"As Northern people do not see such things, they should hear of them often enough to keep them awake to the sufferings of the victims of their indifference. Very respectfully, your friend,

ELLWOOD HARVEY."

There are, at least, two respects, in which the claims of the slaves upon you are incomparably

stronger than those of the Irish. 1^st. The sufferings and outrages endured by the former are unspeakably greater than those endured by the latter. 2d. For the sufferings and outrages endured by the Irish you are no responsible: - but for those endured by the slaves you are.

1^st. Whatever the trials, which fall to the lot of the Irishman, he is still an acknowledged man. His wife and children are still his: - his to live with - his to suffer with - his to starve with - his to die with. The famine may have left him only rags and straw. But to own even these is a right, and a consolatory evidence, of unextinguished manhood. The slave, however, owns nothing - not even his wife nor his children - nor himself. They all lie at the absolute disposal of avarice, tyranny, and lust. By all the solemnity and force of human laws they are declared and claimed to be mere chattels, and placed among brutes and things.

2d. You have not contributed to reduce the destitute Irish to their present straits: - but by your votes for slaveholders and their political allies, and in various other ways, you have essentially contributed to uphold and extend the system of American Slavery. Is it not high time, that you had ceased from this crime against God and man? It is in your power to set an example, that would result in the overthrow of this diabolical system. Will you not set it?

Were all the people of this County to set the example of abstaining from the consumption of the products of the slaves' toil, hundreds of thousands would quickly follow it. The interest of the slaveholder would be affected by it. An appeal, so strongly marked with sincerity, would carry conviction to his heart. He would let the oppressed go free.

Or, if instead of setting this example, all the voters of our County were to refrain, henceforth and forever, from electing to civil office slaveholders or those, who are in political fellowship with slaveholders, they would, by such means, make a fatal breach upon the two great political parties, which are the two great props of American Slavery. Is it too much to ask them to refrain from this outrage on humanity, republicanism, and christianity?

The voters of this County may all desire to cast their influence against slavery. Without exception, they may be for the Wilmot proviso; against the annexation of Texas; and against the war with Mexico. But all this, whilst they continue to vote for slaveholders and the political allies of slaveholders, will be but "to hold at the spigot, whilst it runs at the bung." Let however the voters of this County all unite in the solemn purpose to vote no sooner for the man-thief or the political fellow of a man-thief than for a horse-thief or sheep-thief or their political fellows - and the example would be as surely fatal to slavery, as it would be everlastingly honorable to our County. Can a single argument against setting this example be drawn from either reason or religion? Do we not outrage reason, and call down upon our heads the curses of religion, by refusing to set it? Oh that men were reasonable! Oh that men were religious!

GERRIT SMITH.

PETERBORO, March 16, 1847.