SMITH, Gerrit, American philanthropist, reformer and statesman : b. Utica, N. Y., 6 March 1797; d. New York, 28 Dec. 1874. He was graduated from Hamilton College in 1818, subsequently devoted himself to the manage ment of his great landed estate in central and northern New York, and was very successful in matters of his business. His credit is indi cated by a well-known anecdote of the financial panic of 1837. In need of ready money, he obtained from John Jacob Astor a loan of $250,000, agreeing to execute mortgages on cer tain tracts of land as security. The mortgages were duly executed, but were not forwarded by the county clerk. Astor had loaned a quarter of a million on the basis of a verbal arrange ment only, and for weeks remained satisfied. To many, Smith was known simply for his wealth and his use of it. During his life he gave away more than $8,000,000. His name was at the head of almost every subscription list of the time. A large portion of his benefi cences fell to various established institutions, but much also toprivate charities in checks large and small. In 1846 he made a gift of 3,000 deeds, each for from 40 to 60 acres of land, to black and white poor. His efforts thus to further negro colonization in the North were unfortunately not successful, owing in part to the fact that the lands were unsuited to agriculture, but more to the fact that the negroes were as yet unfitted for independent farming. In 1825 Smith became a member of, and generous contributor to, the American Col onization Society, but withdrew from it in 1835 upon becoming convinced that it had nothing at all to do with the promotion of the anti-slaveiy cause in the United States, and joined the Anti Slavery Society, of which he was thereafter a leading member. His object was the develop ment of a public opinion that would demand abolition. By extensive correspondence, by fre quent speeches, and by large gifts of money he furthered the movement of which he was, in deed, a most zealous exponent, but perhaps somewhat -more genial than many. He assisted in the operation of the "underground railway"; and he furnished money to John Brown, though not implicated, as was alleged, in the Harper's Ferry attack. In politics Smith of course fol lowed his reformatory views, and had no in terest in party maneuvering. By politicians
generally he was naturally considered an "in tractable visionary." He was defeated for the State senate in 1831. Under his leadership the Liberty party was formed at Arcade, Wyoming County, N. Y., 29 Jan. 1840; his idea was that neither of the two great parties was fitted to deal with slavery, but his purpose was general political reform and not simply abolition, as was popularly understood. The party never had great strength, its constituency being neither well organized nor well directed for party ends. By 1860 it was virtually dead. Smith was its candidate for the Presidency in 1848 and 1851. The "Industrial Congress" at Philadelphia nominated him for the Presidency in 1848, the Land Reformers in 1856; both nominations were declined. He was an un successful candidate for governor of New York in 1858 on the Anti-Slavery ticket. In 1853 he was elected to Congress by a plurality as an "Independent." He served one session and then resigned, after having made several clear and decided speeches, one a powerful attack on the "Nebraska bill" 6 April 1854. During the Civil War he vigorously supported the gov ernment, but after it, holding that the North was not blameless in the matter of slavery, counseled moderation toward the South, and in accordance with this view went on the bail-bond of Jefferson Davis with Horace Greeley, and interceded in behalf of "Ku-Klux° prisoners at Albany. Subsequently he was active in various measures, among them the assistance of Mar zini, the Italian patriot. He withdrew from the Presbyterian, Church, and built an edifice at Peterboro for a non-sectarian congregation, be fore which he sometimes preached. Smith was much persecuted, like most of those who in a prominent way disregard expediency and cir cumstance. Garrison, often at odds with him, wrote after his death: "His case is hardly to be paralleled among the benefactors of mankind in this or any other country." Smith's more important writings are 'Speeches in Congress' (1856) ; 'Sermons and Speeches' (1861) ; 'The Theologies) (1866) ; 'Nature's Theology) (1867) ; 'Letter from Gerrit Smith to Albert (1868). Consult the biography by Frothingham (1878).