Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-12-16
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BURLINGTON:
FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER Ie 1859.
THE HARPER's FERRYTRAGEDY
BC RLfNGTON:

way as to turn its ignominy into honor, an
its penalty into martyrdom. He met hi
death with fOrtitude even more heroic tha
that with which he bore his defeat his in
prisonment, and his trial. He was as cali
and undaunted at the end as the beginning
His example of courage and faith is almo,
without parallel. His letters, his CONVEX
sation, and his personal demeanor, bear Wi
ness to a moral character so high and gran
that common men, compared with him 1
respect to all noble moral qualities, seer
scarcely more than children. No man ha
ever produced upon this nation 50 profou n
an impression for moral heroism. de mad
this impression at the first, but every act n
! performed, and every word be uttered unit
the day Of his execution, only confirmed an
increased the power of his example. II
! grew greater and greater unto the end. ii
was greatest at the last, when most me
would nave been weakest.
Mas BA,awS's VISIT TO HEX HUSBAND.
Can't. Brown I..ad at first discour, ged Mrs
Brown from attempting to visit him, fearing
she would meet with insult and abuse
Another note written to her by him lev
days before his exec Iti0n expressed his hope
to see her once more, if she felt equal to the
journey and the pain of the interview. She
LETT Philadelphia Dec. l, to go direct through
Baltimore to Harper's Ferry.
This Journey was undertaken without ap-
prehension by Mrs. Brown, as she had al
ready received a courteous note from Gov.
Wise, expressing his sympathy for her IN
view of her coming bereavement, and lnclos-
ing an order on Gen. Taliaferro, directing
that the body Of Capt. Brown, after execu-
ton, should be safely delivered to Mrs.
Brown or to her accredited agent. Her com
panions on the journey were Hector Tindale,
Esq a well-known merchant of Phlladel-
phia, and Mr. and Mrs. j. NJ. McKim Of
the same city. The lady accompanied the
party as Mrs Browns personal attendant,
while the gentlemen found sufficient business
IN the difficulty of pushing forward their
Journey through a hos lie country, amid
gBping crowds and besle ging reporters, and
through still more hara sing obstacles which
we're thrown in their way in the shape of Of
fetal telegraphic dispatches. 1t is due,
however to the officers of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad to state that they put forth
every effort in their power to facilitate the
progress of the visitors.
On arriving at Harper's Ferry (Which is
eight miles from Charlestown) the company
were courteOuslv met and obtained aSsuran-
ces that they would be allowed to proceed
without delay to the Jail These assurances
nroved unfounded The military OF
fcer in command felt obliged to sent DIS
patches, not only to Charlestown, but also
to Richmond, announcing the arrival OF the
newcomers, and asking further orders. lie
apologized for what thus appeared to be not
only an unnecess airy delay, but IN the face OF
Gov Wise's passport an actual rudeness, by
saying that an answer would undoubtedly De
received within an hour. The answer came
IN these chivalric words from the general
whose name is sometimes pronounced Iolter
and sometimes Tallowfellow
"Detain Mrs Brown at Harper's Ferry, until
further orders with the lady and two gentlemen
who accompany her, and iOatch them"
A busy correspondence by telegraph was
then continued for twenty-four hours. the
purport of which did not appear. This pro
tracted and unreasonable delay was the more
aggravating and distressing to Mrs. Brown,
as every hour thus consumed necessarily
shortened the time of her interview with her
husband.
A message was finally received permitting
Mrs. Brown to proceed to Charlestown, but for
bidding her the companionship of any of her
friends She requested that the lady might
be allowed to accompany her, but was de-
med. Why should she not have been de-
MED ? As Virginia already had learned to
fear one man, it was quite easy, as the next
step, to learn TO fear two women
So Mrs. Brown was accompanied, not by
a lady as her friend, but by SIX soldiers as
her enemies With this escort, to which
Capt Moore of the Montgomery Guards OF
Richmond added bis own presence, the wife
of the prisoner was allowed to enter the prls-
on. But she was not suffered to see her hus-
band without another delay and suspense
necessary to maintain the dignity OF the
great military reign in Virginia.
Mrs. Brown was subjected TO personal
examination, conducted by the wife OF the
jailer, during which her clothes were partly
removed, and minutely examined in order tc
the detection Of supposed concealed weapons
either in the shape of knife, dagger, pistol
OF more subtitle and suicidal prussic acid
But John Brown had no thought of suicide
nor had John Browns wife any aids to it IN
her dress.
The interview was held on the evening be-
fore the execution, and lasted. not for foul
hours, as the daily papers have reported it
but scarcely more than two.
Before Mrs. Brown was admitted to hel
husband, Gen. Talisferro entered the room
of Capt. Brown to announce that she was in
readiness, at the same time asking,
"Captain, how long w4uld You like this
interview to last
To which the old man replied,
"Not long, sir ; three or four hours will
be enough"
81 am very sorry" SAID the "oficer. mot
to oblige you but Mrs. Brown must returd
to Harper's Ferry tonight; still, will al
low her to remain as long as possible. -
Execute your orders, sir said Capt.
Brown, composedly; Il have no favor to ask
of the state of Virginia -
THE INTERVIEW.
1t was about five O'Clock when Mrs
Brown entered the ROOM She had deter
mined, if possible, both for her own sake
and for her husbands S, to give way to nc
sudden impulse of feeling, but on the c. n
trary to exercise the utmost self-command.
She maintained, throughout her stay, except
in few instances, marked composure. As
the interview was in presence Of the jaier,
Mrs Brown with a woman's delicacy, began
speaking in low voice so as not to be over
heard. The old Captain, with smile
said,
'Speak loud Mary, speak loud -
When for few moments she yielded to
her feelings, and sobbed convulsiyely, he laid
his hand upon her gently. saying with great
kindness in his tone, and marvellous compos
ure in his manner,
"Ckeer up, Mary cheer up -
The telegraphic reports, describing thil
visit. say:
THE interview took place in the parlor o
Captain Avis, and the prisoner was fret
from msnacles of any kind. They sat side
by side on sofa. "
This statement is untrue in every particu
lar The interview was not held in a parlor
but in the room in which Capt. Brown had
been imprisoned from the beginning. Th'