The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-10-24
.rA Aha,i,ian Leader.

| Thar is no doubt that sold Brown. pos.
.e..es the GOODNESS and ssgacity which were
| accorded to him by Governor WISE. and the
additional one of heng the most untruthful
mau that ever lived. Ifhe had himseifprepared
! the interrogations published in Saturday.
Dispossh his answers could not have been
more aslroit, nor better calculated to promo te
his cause enlist the sympathy of his friends
and excite in the minds of even his enemies,
the sort Of respect which is always felt for
boldncsss and nerve. The personal eyalniha-
ton by the Governor of Brown was proper
and pertinent, though 1t is 10 M regretted thas
his ESeellency could not have been peFmit'ea
TO conduct that investigation without the pun
licity which has been given TO H. Bnt Tue pro-
miscnous questionings 10 which we feiei ;
the interroga.ories by "bystanders, WHICH,
though not so intended, We're adiairabiy anapl-
ed TO give the crafty old insurreetionist line
opportunity 10 say just what ne desired, ana Oh
which he awaited himself in the most prompt
sna,skilIful manner and finally, his speech TO
,he reporters--Jr rather to the South and the
world--were all performances, which, consid-
ering the inevitable publicity that must ensue,
were OF very questionable discreetoess and
propriety. The great Founder of Christianity
en- Joined his apostles "lse We wise rs serpents
and harmless as doves" JOHN BROWN seems
to have appropriated the first part of this in
junction, and some OF his interrogators the
last. II is lawful 10 learn from an enemy, and
a little of old Browns shrewdness and reti-
cence would not be aIniss in those who have
intercourse with him. On the whole, he Is
about the most cunning well as fearless iox
of the abolition pack and that is saying a gooa
deal for him. more subtle, secretive, ana
malignant set of enemies no people ever mad
than are the New England aboiitionlstS, those
genuine descendants of the Roundheads, with
whom fanatcism supplies the place oil
religion who look upon the Ten Command
ments and all other commandments as OF IN
ferior obligation to the higher law of their IN
diyidual opinions, and (what they cail) their
con.ciences and W no are rs cunning, circum-
spcct and silent, as they are interruptions and
malevoleut The Thugs OF India are not more
besotted and bloody in the fanaticism which
teaches them that murder is a yirtue-and
which impels them, secretly, to destroy as
many Of the human race as possibie-than the
abolitionists OF America, whose religious
creed proclaimed from the pulpit by BEEc : FL;
and PARKER, and pnt in practice by BROWN
and STEVENS. declares that bloodshed and r9b-
berry are Unsuitable in the cause of abolition
The Thug asserts that ii is a duty TO XIII men,
because they believe death TO be a boon to The
soul. and the abolitionists, because they be-
lieve the death of the master boon TO the
body of the slave; and of the Two, the Thugs
are the more philosophical and humane. Ii
becomes the South to keep as yigilant an eye
| upon the Thugs on her own borders, as ira
| xeiers in India bestow upon those interesting
| gentlemen who are always on the alert to choke
somebody to death, and who have their spies
agents and correspondents in every caravan
! and every city.