Miller, Charles D., 1818-1896 Gerrit Smith and the Vigilant Association of the City of New-York

Reprinting of the correspondence of a dispute between Gerrit Smith and the Vigilant Association of the City of New-York. Miller attacks the Association for implying in its "Manifesto" that Smith supported the violence at Harpers Ferry. Says that Smith would never condone violence, even to free enslaved people. Insists Smith had no prior knowledge of the Harpers Ferry plan, or any plan for violence. Miller says he is writing because Smith is too sick to write himself. Correspondence is with Royal Phelps and Samuel L. M. Barlow. Text taken "From the Syracuse Journal." An appendix summarizes what Miller claims are Smith's actual views on abolition. Published by John A. Gray. Fearing that he might be put on trial for his connection with John Brown, Smith made every effort to deny his involvement in the Harpers Ferry raid and destroy private documents linking him and Brown. For a time he even lost his sanity over these events. Charles D. Miller was Gerrit Smith's son in law. He took part in covering Smith's connection to Brown and destroying the evidence that linked Smith to the Harpers Ferry raid. Gerrit Smith was a member of the Secret Six, the group that helped fund John Brown and his raid on Harpers Ferry.