The Liberator

From the Emancipator.

New York, May 11, 1839.

Dear Br. Leavitt,—I left the city, whilst our Anti-Slavery meetings were still in progress, to fulfil my engagement to attend a meeting in Newburgh. It was, according to the terms of the notice, An Anti-Slavery meeting for free discussion.' The notice informed the public, that Mr. Birney and I would attend it. Mr. B. could not leave the city.

The first session of the meeting, which was yesterday afternoon, was undisturbed and pleasant. Some half dozen gentlemen participated in the discussion.

The session that followed in the evening was broken up by a mob. The mob continued round the house for nearly an hour—occasionally shouting and screaming and throwing stones into it through the window. It became apparent, ere yet we had left the house, that I was the object of their vengeance. I am indebted, under God, for my escape from their close pursuit to the guidance and brotherly love of Professor Kingsley, of West Point, and Peter Roe, of New Windsor.

I must not omit to mention the assistance rendered by a colored brother—nor the solicitude which Mr. Knerr, etc., Mr. Lester, and Dr. Chapman manifested for my safety.

You will not be surprised to hear that there was a mob on this occasion, when I tell you, that the ministers of all the principal congregations in the village refused to read the notice of the meeting; and that no church could be obtained for it, except a small one, which is in the skirts of the village, and is destitute of a pastor.

It is worthy of mention that, when the disturbance began, I was making an argument to show the inconsistency and sin of which those abolitionists are guilty, who vote for slavery. The mob completed my argument better than I could have completed it; and they also answered better than I could have done, the frequent questions: 'What has the North to do with slavery?'—' Why don't you go to the South?'

The North will have to do with slavery, and the North will be a proper field for anti-slavery labor, at least as long as the North continues to abound in pro-slavery mobs.

In haste, yours,

GERRIT SMITH.

Our acknowledgements are due to the editor of the Emancipator for forwarding at our request a proof copy of the proceedings of the late annual meeting of the American A. S. Society, in order that we might be enabled to lay them before our readers the present week. We shall be glad to reciprocate the favor whenever it is in our power to do so.

Joshua Leavitt. Our brother of the Lynn Record, in giving an account of the meetings of the American A. S. Society in New-York, represents the editor of the Emancipator as having betrayed a very bad spirit on that occasion. He must have mistaken his man.

Bro. L. behaved in an honorable manner; and, instead of 'speaking much, too much,' said very little.