The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-12-08

But IL has been said that Cook lett
the scene Of Harper's Ferry at ar a
ly hour to avoid the danger OF the oc'
casion, and thus broke faith with his
comrades in wrong, Even this is
wholly untrue. Again we find the
faithful obedient subaltern carrying
out the orders OF his chief, and when
he had crossed the river and fulfilled
the commands of Brown, he did what
Browns own O would not DOLBY
returning and exposing himself to the
fire Of the soldiers and citizens for the
relief of Brown and his party. We
see much, alas too much, to condemn
in his conduct. but nothing to despise;
we look in vain for an act that belongs
to base or malignant nature. Let the
hand Of chastisement fall gently on
the errors OF such as him, and reserve
your heavy blows for such as commit
crime from motives Of d%epravity, Up
to this point have followed the pris.
oncr, and traced his immediate con.
nection with this sad affair. You
have everything before you. You
have heard his own account OF his
strange and infatuated wandcrin.s
up aud down the earth with Brown
and his coadjutors ; how like "a fiction
it all seems, and yet how ~Iamentably
true ; how unreal to minds like ours ;
how like the. fe~ver.dream of q mind
warped and disordered to the borders
Of insanity does the part which the
prisoner has played seem TO every
practical judgment Is there nothing
in it all that affords you the dearest
privilege which man has on eart'l-
the privilege of being mcrcifuI! Why,
the very thief on the cross, for a sim
gle moments repentance over his
crimes, received absolute forgiveness
and was rewarded with PARADISE
Bat, gentlemen, in estimating the
magnitude Of this young mans guilt,
there is u fact which is proven in
his behalf by the current history Of
the day which you cannot fail to con
slider. Shall John f. Cook perish, anc
the real criminals who for twenty
years have taught the principles or
which he acted near no voice from
this spot Shall no mark be place.
on them? Shall this occasion pa
away, and TIE prime lelons who at
tackled your sill and murdered your
citizens at IIarper's Ferry escape p
Tn" Indictment before Us says that
the prisoner was seduced by the false
and malignant cOunsels ofolher trait.
orous persons. Never was il sentence
written more just and true. False
and malignant counsels" have been
dropping for years, rs deadly and
bIighting as the poison Of the Bohuu
Upas tree, from the tongues Of evil
and traiiorous persons in that section
Of the Union to which the prisoner be
longs. Trcy have seduccd not only
his mind, but many others, honest and
misguided like him, to regard the
crime at lIarpor's Ferry as no crime
you rights as unlniligated wrongs, and
the Constitution of the country as a
league with hell and Il covenant with
death. On the skirts Of the leaders
OF abolition fanaticism in the North
is every drop of blood shed in the
conflict at ilarpcr's Ferry on thcil
souls rests the crime of murder for ev,
cry life there lost and all the waters
Of the ocean could not wash the stat S
Of slaughter from their treachcrous
aud guilty hands.
A noted Boston Aboli,ionist, (Wen,
dell Phillips, a few days ago, at Brook
Ign, n. Y, in the presence Of thousands,
speaking Of this tragic occurrence, says
" 1t is the natural result Of anti. slavery
teaching. For one, | accept it. | ex,
pecteL it," !, too, accept in the same
light, and SO will the country. Those
who taught, and not those who believed
and acted, are the men Of crime in the
sight of God. And to guard other young
mon, so far as IN my power, from the IA
tai snare which has been tighteneL around
the hopes and destiny of john f. Cook
and TO show who are fully responsible fol
his conduct, | intend 10 link with his tria.
the names Of wiser and older men thar
he and, if he is to be punished and con.
signed to a wrctchod doom, they shall.
stand beside him in the public storEs
they shall be piIIoried forever in publ,
shame as the evil and trailorous persons
who seduccd him to his ruin by theiI
false aud malignant counscls.
The chief OF these men, the leader Of
great patty, a senator Of long standing
has announced 10 the country that there
is a higher law than the Constitution
which guarantees to each man the full
exercise OF his own inclination. The
prisoner before you has simply acted on
the law Of VIM. II. Seward, and not tn,
law OF his fathers. He has followed the
Mahomet Of an incendiary faith. Come
forth, We sages Of abolitionism, who now
cover and sAulk under hasty deniaIs o
your completely with the bloody result o
your wicked and unholy doctrines, and
take your places on the witness stand
Tell the world why this. thing has hap,
pcned. Tell this jury why they are try.
ing John L. Cook for his life. You adj,
vised his conduct, and taught him that he
was doing right. You taught him a nigh.
er law and then pointed out to him the
field Of action. Lot facts be submitted
Mr.. Seward. in speaking ofslavery, says.
&c 1t can and must be abolished, and you
and | must do it," What worse did the
prisoner attempt? Again he said, upon
,orminc possibilities )" and doubtless the