Autograph Letter Signed, Syracuse, New York, July 31, 1856, to Gerrit Smith, Peterboro, Madison County, New York

Quarto, two pages, plus address leaf, formerly folded, short tear into letter, repaired with archival tissue, portions missing from address leaf, docketing on address leaf in Smith's hand, else in good, legible condition.

Gerrit Smith was a reformer who devoted his large fortune to what he considered the good of mankind. Smith's wealth was derived in large part from vast tracts of land throughout America, but primarily in New York State. Smith was in essence a land baron. Clark, in his letter, is likely discussing payment for land purchased from Smith.

Smith advocated a wide array of causes, strict Sunday observance, vegetarianism, temperance, dress reform, prison reform and woman's suffrage. Joining the anti-slavery movement in 1835, after a brief interest in colonization efforts, he became one of the best-known abolitionists in the United States. He was the Liberty Party candidate for President of the United States in 1848, 1856, and 1860. He was an intimate of practically every leading abolitionist in America, but was especially close to Frederick Douglass, James McCune Smith, and he is forever linked in history to John Brown. Smith was a backer of the aid societies for Kansas and a supporter of the use of force against pro-slavery adherents in Kansas, he backed John Brown, and was one his so-called "Secret Six". Smith later denied complicity in Brown's plot but suffered from guilt the rest of his life as a result of its unsuccessful outcome. During the Civil War he wrote and spoke in support of the Union cause, and in the Reconstruction period advocated moderation toward southern whites and Black suffrage.

Clark writes:

"Dear Sir,

I have made every effort in my power to meet your generous offer in regard to the payment of one half of my indebtedness to you, but it has proved unavailing . The best I have been able to do is to pay the one half with the interest on the whole in 90 days. This can be relied on, as well as the $ 250 in one year. If you accept this please make a computation of the whole & send the note with the statement to any one here authorized to receive it. A line from you through the P.O. will direct me where to call & attend to it.

I regret exceedingly my inability to meet this payment, especially at this time when you have so generously pledged to do so much for suffering, bleeding Kansas, & other good causes. Losses last fall embarrassed me so that I was compelled to submit to a sacrifice of my office, & I am now almost entirely destitute with impaired health and out of business.

I have been urged to go to Pennsylvania and assist with my personal effort to bring about a better state of things in that benighted state.

I suppose you are aware of the slavery nominations here today. Amasa J. Parker of Albany for Governor. John Vanderbilt of Brooklyn for Lieut. Gov. Russell of St. Lawrence for Canal Commissioner, some rowdy from the 6th Ward of N.Y. City for State prison inspector & a gentleman from Monroe for clerk of court of Appeals. … S. H. Clark"

American National Biography, vol. 20, pp., 187-188. Smith's papers are located at Syracuse University.