Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1844-08-14
MISCELLANEOUS
FROM the Glasgow Argus.
JUDGE O'NEALL'S LETTER.
Case of John L.. Br0lun-Tne late Meeting /,
GLASGOW.

4 - SS'''' -" '~ ~
Giasgou.
SPRISeFIELD, NEwBERRY DIsTRIcT,
South Carolina. May 1st, lS44
To Battle Hastic, Chairman of the AMi-SlaUery
Meeting, Glasgow
Sir-The Glasgow Argus Of the 18th
Of March last, reached NE the other day,
and was astonished to find that, even in
Scotland, my name was not unknown.
The association, however, of it with a
name so utterly infamous as John Brown,
aud the eminence given 10 him by
your community, was very far from fat
tering. Sill, confess, the thunder of the
Glasgow oratory has very little terror; and
[ should treat il with The contempt it de.
serves, ifI did not desire To correct The va
rious mistakes under which you aud your
community are laboring. As | presume
that even STAKEHOLDER aud South Caro-
lima judge will, in Glasgow, be heard with
patience, when his object is to state the
truth to honest men, have addressed my
self 10 you, and through yon claim as an
acl of sheer justice, that this shor, note
should find its way into the colamns of the
Angus.
Iu The first place, am not the judge Of
Fairfield District, but one of six law judges
10 whom the administration of The law in
South Carolina, OIL the circuit, and in the
Court of Appeals. is committed. John
L. Brown was tried before me at The No
vember Session of the Court for Fairfield
District, upon the charge of stealing the
slave, and aiding her to run away. The
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Of either offence. The facts were left to
jury Of the vicinase, well acquainted with
Brown, and they chose 10 convict him of
aiding the slave to run away. The case
was carried to The Court OF Appeals, sitting
in December al Columbia, and his motions
in arrest Of judgment aud for new trial,
were refused. As The organ of The law !
pronounced the sentence, which your Rev
erend orator has termed "a cold blooded
address," do nor quarrel with his terms
or his charity, he has master to whom
he mus, account as well as ], and il lie can
lay his hand upon his heart and say, II
have done right" shall leave him to the
undisturbed enjoyment Of conscious recti.
lude. hope, however, he, you, aud the
Glasgow community, will observe that
did NOT make The law under which your
much pitied victim, John l.. Brown, was
cocdemned. 1t was passed in 1850, while
we were under the rule of Kings, Lords,
| and Commons. Even in Scotland, pre-
sumo, il is known that judge is bound to
enforce The law and hence, therefore, you
will know, that had no more discretion
in awarding Browns punishment than you
would have in enforcing The laws in your
own burgh. My sentence, if it be consid-
cred cold blooded' in Scotland, was written
with very different feelings. 1t was inten-
ted to prepare as well as | could, All erring
young man for death-the death Of the
body. am aware how difficult it is per-
form such things to lhe taste Of every one {;
aud if / had supposed it was 10 undergo a
Glasgow criticism, by Rev. clergymen and
public speakers, it would unquestionably
have received more polish, and would have
stalled fully the facts of the case, and thus
have saved the speaking gentlemen from
occupying very silly positions.
In The second place, you and your friends
have made sad mistake, in selecting the
benevolent minded young man, John L..
Brown, as your martyr in The cause OF
slavery. You supposed him TO be an abo-
litiouist! Hinc lilac luchrymae! He is a
native Of Fairfield; all idle dissipa,ed young
man. He kept the nulatto woman whom
he aided to run away as bis mistress. His
object was not TO aid her in escaping from
slavery but either to conceal her in Snulh
Carolina, and still keep her as his mistress,
or to carry her 10 some Of the other slave
States, aud then, after his lust was satia-
ted, to sell her. He is still in the world,
and if he were to-day charged with being
all abolilionist, lie would regard il as a
greater reproacl than 10 be called negro
thief.
In the third place, John L. Brown, has
not earned the crown of martyrdom, by
being hanged like dog. At tue instance
of myself and brethren, the Governor, in
two or three days alter the sentence was
passed committed the punishment TO forty
stripes, save one to be inflicted on The day
assigned for his execution, the 26th day of
April. The reason of appointing a day SO
distant for his execution, was not as your
orators supposed, to aggravate the punish
inent, but 10 keep him In the solitude Oh
prison, with the terror Of an anticipated
dreadful punishment hanging over his head
in the hope that it might be the means of
reforming him, aud sending him from the
jail better man. At The instance Of his
ueighbors Of Fairfield District, the Gov
ernor granted him full! pardon, and was
discharged from prison on the 29lh Of
March, six days after your great meeting.
But if its proceedings; and kindred procee-
dings of American aboliIionists, had reach
ed the Government, l fear that they would
have constituted poor arguments for mercy.
In the fourth place, ifyou and your Glas
cow friends are sincere, and wish 10 ame-
liorate the condition of slavery, and expe-
dite emancipation, you will permit one
(who has the benefit Of some experience,
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