Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-11-18

''aophists, economists, and calculators."
is no novelty in the experience, of human na
ture, it involves no rs, Geological contradic
tlon. and no impeachment of the sOundnes.
of IA principle, that ii strong m raj conviction
selzlny upon the soul, should overmaster the
Judgment and pervert the reason 10 acts of
foly And, therefore, while the specific &C
tI''n Of Brown at Harper Ferry was insane
the controlling motive of his demonstration
was sublime
If we carefully analyze the action in the
light If the hero 5 character and motive. we
shall find that the raj loses itself in the
'rraftc; that the sheer impracticabl!ity 81 the
scheme IS the real ground tor its condemna-
| ton and at the ethical wrong in the case,
Law in the grave and palp .hIe prudential er-
ror of imperiling life and society in the at
empt to achieve imp1ssibiIities. For a sane
man To do this woul be morally wrong the
tact that a good and true man man of the
highest religious faith, a Cllvinistc Old
School Presbyterian. has done this, Is pr7u1a
fdr1e evidence of his insanity.
But the inslnity Of the act does not i'm
peach the rect tude of the motlv.. Was it
wrong in the sight Of G1d for John Brown
to feel that the slaves of Virginia, men crea-
ted like himself in the image Of God. mcn
redeemed lke himself with the precious blood
"t Chris, hay' the ei.n light Ni. lin, ,...
e. = r,o1al freedom. and u the snn.trty lu.
securit If the family? Was it wrong in
the sight Of God for John Brown to recog-
niz' aS Il practical truth the sublime doctrine
of the Ser ptnres, that q Vi hath made Of one
blood all rations of men? Was it wrong in
the sight Of God for join Brown So to r,-
member them that are IN bonds, rs to put
himself in their place, and be willing to sac
rifce his own freed IN or life for
their deliverance While it is the duty of the |
slave patiently to endure his lot. 50 long as |
he sees NJ way out of it. is it wrong for him |
when, by swlitnesS of foot or s.rength of arm, |
he can 81 e the opportunity of freedom. Ito |
use it rather? p Is it wrong in the sight of |
God for any man u help him in this by
peaceahla means While the oppressed must
suf'r patiently So long as thert is no hope IF
re res. /, u wr ny for t4-... .ch p H re is a
prospect Of success, t, rise to
achieve their own emauciputipn? Then
Washington was the eli Of traitors -
Is this res rvtd right of revolution
IN all oppressed communities, con.
fined to race and color? Is it not the
night Of he It,lIIn as we'll as Of the Greek,
lt the Anglo African as well as Of the Austro-
Hungarian? If the prob ,hilty Of SUCCESS
should ever warrant the attempt ut revnlu-
ton by The oppreSse Of the South, would it
De any greater wrong for any man to identify
MS proves and his life with their cause than
I WAS for Luiverte and KoSeiusko t. bare
.'eir steel for American independence? If
john Brown, as he So pertinentIy asks, had
has intcrf'red t. deliver twenty uf the first
antilles of Virginia from ca p,ivIty in Mexico.
would not every NIrginan have applauded |
he deed OF course he would have gone
pnn such 4 brave adventure at his own peril,
liable To be executed by Mexican law BIT
would any NirLinian have thou sht him guilty ! I
Il crime? VnEinians forget that >luyery
INVOLVES permanent state Of war between tile
lnquerors and tn conquered II ,stiliiics NAV
d.. long suspended. but are liable ut my mo-
lcnt to be renewed. J,hn Brown, the cru ,
lder, made war upon Virginia in the inter- , ,
st Of the weaker of the two hostile n,,r..rs
pIH her : Ill. IIa f-ii~I ut course : Dut the
rUnr Of his a-- lics neither IN the motive !
rat prompted il, nor in the object at which "
e aime the oman ipati)n Of the ciptives
but in attempting what WIS desperately
'Pelcss. apd. therefore, unwarrantIble. Yet d
D. moral dig lity OF his department on his {
ial and Of his speech 70 the court, has al Z,
'sJ redeemed the mAdueSs OF the act. Tne -
" Of John Browns tx 'cution will be a sOr-
, d y for Virginia. Her Governor will see d
be ghost Of B nqun in the C,unci-rpom, t
nj in hiSvery bed chamber. Troops OF i'm q,
,inary teIroYs Nill scare sleep from the eyes
her sLvaaoldrrs. and the blood Of the hero
III SOW hr soil with quick and direful ret II
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