Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-11-16
roSvn7s Speech.

The Clerk having asked Brow n whether
he had anything to say why sentence should
! not be pronounced, Brown stood up, and il
a clear and distinct voice said =
4 have, may it please the Court. few
words to say. In the first place, l deny
| everything but what | have all along admit
ted. the design on my part to free the
slaves. | intended certainly to have made a
clean thing of that matter as | did last win
ter, when [ went into Missouri and there
took the slaves without the Swapping of a
gun on either side, moved them through the
country, and finally left them in Carada- I
designed to have done the same again on a
larger scale; that was all intended. | ney,
er did intend to commit murder or treason.
or destroy property, or to excite or incite the
slaves to rebellion, and to make an insurrect-
ion. have another objection, and that is
it is unjust that l should suffer such a pen
atty had [ interfeIed in the manner which |
admit, and which [ admit had been fairly
proved | admire the truthfulness and can
dor of the greater portion of the witnesses
who have testified in this case Had [ so
interfercd in behalf of the rich, the powerful,
the Intelligent, the so called great, or ia be-
half of their friends, either father, mother.
brother, sister. wife or children, or any of
|
have in this interference, it would have been
ali right, every man In this court would have
deemed it all act worthy of reward, rather
than punishment.
This Court acknowledges as I suppose
the validity of the law of God l see book
kissed here, which, | suppose, to be the b.,
BILE, or at least the new testament, that teach
es me that all things whatsoever [ would that
Slonld n fO | do
them; it teaches me further to remember them
that are in bonds as bound with them. I en-.
deavored to act up TO that instruction saw
L am yet too young to understand that God
Is any respector of person, | believe, that to
have lnterfered as | have done.
Il have always freely admitted, what I
have done in behalf of his dispised poor race
was no wrong but right. Now it is deemed
necessary that it should forfeit my life for the
furtherance of the ends Of justice and minele
my blood further with the blood of nv chill |
dren and with the blood of millions in this !
slave country, whose rights are disregarded |
by wicket, cruel and unjust enactment |
admit so let it be done. Let me say one
word further, feel entirely satisfied with the !
L have received on nv trial. con- |
slderlng all the circumstances, it has been
more generous than 1 expected; but feel no
consciousness of guilt, l have stated from the
first what was my intentions and what was
not. L never had any design against the life
Of any person nor any disposition to commit
treason or excite the slave to rebel or make
any general insurrection. [ never encour-
aged any man to do so. but always discour-
aged any idea of that kind Let me say also
n regard to the statements made by some of
hose corrected with me. l heard it has
been stated by some of them that induced
hem TO join me, but the contrary is true I
10 not say this to injure them, but as regret
ilg their weakness. Not one joined me but
If his own accord, aud greater part at their
'wn expense number of them | never
aw and never had word of conversation
With till the day they came to me, and that
vas for the purpose [ have stated Now |
lave doLe."
Brown was then sentenced to be hung in
public on Friday. the second day of Deem
,er.