Gerrit Smith

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

#confess #errors #fellow-men #first #first time

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

#back #either #heavy #heavy load #him

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. ↗

— Gerrit Smith

#america #cannot #charged #justly #nevertheless

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

#absolute power #approve #assuming #cannot #fellow-men

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

— Gerrit Smith

#am #care #comparatively #i #i am

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

— Gerrit Smith

#government #i #i believe #i believe that #people

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

— Gerrit Smith

#construction #i #i do #object #rail

I need say no more, to prove that slavery is entirely unlike the servitude in the patriarchal families. ↗

— Gerrit Smith

#families #i #more #need #patriarchal

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

— Gerrit Smith

#comes #god #i #more #nearly

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

— Gerrit Smith

#facts #great #honesty #i #i love