The Nevada journal., 1859-11-25

Is "oLD BRowN" INSANE fat
this distance, and without a square
look at "old Brown" in the face it
may be presumption to give an opin-
ion on this all-absorbing question:
1t is great question involving the
reputation Of the whole iiorth and the
life Of "old Brown" if we are to be-
lieve Democratic papers. For we do
not suppose, much indignation as the
old fellow has caused in Virginia. that
her chivalric people would hang a
crazy man. The good name of all
people opposed to the Democracy.
and the neck of "old Brown" are at
stake we admit. But whoever is hit,
and whatever the sacrifice we say fiat
justicia ruat cocl9m. 1t may be sad
to admit it. bas we have out reasons
for believing "old Brown" perfectly
sane, and that the subjects of Henry
A. Wise will find him SO or sufficient
Iy SO to be hung.
To outsiders it would seem the at
tempt Of less than two dozen mig
gers and white men to overthrow the
ancient commonwealth of Virginia
and greatly modify the general gov
ernment, Drawing the power of both,
could only emanate from madmen.-
The provisional government OF the
insurgents, at Harper's Ferry. the
written plan Of which was found
among their papers, appears like the
lucubrations of reason dethroned, we
must admit. But, when we come to
take INTO considerations the facts,
there is reason to attribute these APP
pearances to defects in our own under
standings-not .Old Browns" Tie
majority of mankind is often mon
compos mentis, while the head of the
notorious lunatic is clear and sound.
Galileo, Columbus, Fulton, and hosts
of others, we're madmen in the eyes
of the world. Why may not "Old
Brown" one day be looked upon as
one of the wise and sagacious men of
tAe earth. in spite of his. to us, crazy
looking actions and documents2 The
facts seem to prove "Oid Browns :
sagacity. and give promise of future
fame--or a stretched neck. "Old
Brown " seems to have estimated the
courage and chiyalry of the people
about Harper's Ferry much nearer
the true value than we, who count
| ourselves sane, would have dome
"0ld Brown expected reinforce
ments. He counted his twenty-five
men equal to the task of taking two
or three hundred prisoners and keep
Ting the State of Virginia and the
| general government at bay for thirty
six hours. He counted correctly
He performed according to his count.
But the reinforcements didn't cone.
lWelIin ytol wanted BIucher mighty
| bad at Waterloo. If Butcher hadn't
made the rifle, the French might
have come as near making mince meat
of Wellington and his command, as
the cfftalry of Virginia did of "Qld
Brown and his followers. The fate
of nations and individuals trembles
sometimes on hair which is at the
disposition of Providence, whose in
scrufable designs fhe most sane miad
can not find out beforeha nd.
The sanity of /" Old Brown" de-
pends upon fhe solution of a problem
in the rule of three: If twenty-two
whites and niggers, mostly niggers,
can take two hundred prisoners and
hold their ground against the State
and National authorities thirty<six
hours, how large must that reinforce
ment expected by "Old Brown" have
been to make his insurrection success
ful. and keep possession of the State
of Virginia foreveA Not over few
hundred we might safely say-not
enough certainly to justify our Dem
ocratsc friends accusing the whole
North ofcomplicity with "Old Brown
provided he had reason even to ex-
pect reinforcements sufficient to ac-
complish his purposes. We hope the
North will. therefore. be "let out Of
the transaction, if the rage of the
chivalry hasito be appeased by the
sacrifice of I" Old Brown /" for it,. who
is undoubtedly guilty. Old Brown .
ought to be punished severely. 1t is
due to the people Of Western Virginia
that he be not allowed to escape. The
old fellow is evidently a reasoning
| ff 49,