Daily national Democrat., 1859-11-18
Brown i'm Prison.

The reporter Of the Cincinnati Gazette
gives long account of scene which trans
pred in The room at Harper's Ferry where
Old Brown, the Aboitionist. was confined
after his capture Senator Mason, Mi. Faulk-
ner, Mr. Valandigbam and several others
were present The answers of Brown show
him to be complete fanatic, who believed
that he was doing God service in fberating
slaves. The following is the conclusion Of
the report and it will be read with interest.
After considerable conversation, Brown said
If YOU do not want to converse any more
l will remark TO these reporting gentlemen
that claim to be here in carrying ont a
measure believe to be perfectly justifable,
and not to act a part at all incendary or ruff.
fianly, but on the contrary. to aid those suf
fering a great wrong. ! wish to say. fur
tIermore, that now all you people of the
south had better prepare yourselves for a
settlement Of this question. 1t must come up
for settlement sooner than you are prepared
for it and the sooner you commence that the
better. You may dispose of me very easily
Il am nearly disposed of now-but this
question: mean the end of it, is not vet
These wounds were in icted upon me-both
the sabre cuts on my head and body, and the
bayonet stabs in different parts of my BODY
some minutes after had ceased fighting, and
consented to surrender, for the benefit of
others, and not for my own benefit
Several persons present denied this state
ment
| believe the Major here, (ponting TO
Stewart would not have been alive but for
me- | might have killed him Just as easy as
could kill mosquito. when he came in. but
| supposed he came only to receive our sur
render There had been loud and long calls
of surrender from us-as loud as men could
YELL but, in the confusion and excitement. |
suppose we were not heard. | do not believe
that the Major or any one else wanted to
butcher us after we had surrendered
An officer present here stated that specific
orders had been given to the Marines not to
shoot anybody, but when they were fired
upon by Browns men, and one of them had
been killed and another wounded, they were
obliged to return the compliment
Brown insisted, with some warmth that
the Marines fired first.
An Oficer-Why did you not surrender
before the attack?
B.--I did not think it was nv duty or in
terest to do so. We assured our prisoners
that we did not wish to harm them, and that
they should be set at liberty. l exercised my
best judgment not believing that the people
would wantonly sacrifice their own fellow
citizens. When we offered to let them 90
upon condition of their being allowed to
change our position about quarter of
mile, the prisoners agreed by vote among
themselves to pass across the bridge with us
We wanted them only as a guarantee of our
own safety, that we should not be fired into
We took them, in the first place, as hostages,
to keep them from doing any harm. We did
kill some when defending ourselves, but
saw no one fire except directly in self de-
Tense. Orders were strict not to harm any
one not in arms against us.
Brown, suppose you had any negroes in
the free States, what would you do with
them2
Brown Gn a loud tone, and with emphasis)
Set them free, sir
Your intention was to carry them off and
free them2
Brown-Not Mt all
Bystander-To set them free would sacri-
flee the life of every man in the community.
Brown do not think So
Bystander-I know it. l think you are
fanatical.
Brown-and think You are fanatical.-
"whom the gods would destroy. they first
make mad
Was your only object to free the negroes ?
-Brown-Absolutely our only object.
Bystander- But you went and took Col.
Washington's silver watch
Brown-Oh, yes, we intended freely to
have appropriated the property of slave
holders to carry out our object 1t was for
that, and only that. We had no design to
Bystander-Did you know Sherod in Kan
sas understand you killed him.
Brown killed no mau, except in fair
fight fought at Black Jack and at Ossawa-
tomie. and if killed anybody, it was at one
of those places.