The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-11-12

could manage. The thougbt d danger would
mot hspe entered our heada. There would
NOS leva been any danger. But in State
whers there ID such innammable stuff %
slavery, there e danger, and tho People Of
the eoath know il; and they cannot belp il
do not blame them 20 much for being
| afraid lthere 10 cause for fear where they
hare SIGH population - they have down It
| the bottons Of society. But what must be the
nature Of State and domestic institutions
which keep brave men q the point Of fear I'll
their life-lo1g
vron ne New York Evening Post.
The Haste - Mang Old Brown.
| OF Ill the circumstances attending the strange
affair At Harper's Ferry, one Of the NEST die
creditabIe to the parties on either eide 10 the
hAste which is made to put ~ end to the life Of
the poor MANNED lunaIc Brown, and such
others Of tho handful Of men Who followed him
a. have survived the slaughter 10 which they ex-
| posed sehsmselves. One Of Browne associates,
| Stephens, is in dying state-yet he il put on
l trial; Brown himself is but tho mptilated rem
| nant Of what be waa, suffering from wounds in
| the kidneys and elsewhere, unable either to
stand or sit. aud he is therefore put on trial 10
his bed. No time was given the prisoners to
| procure the attendance OF counsel in whom they
have conn ence; the case ID pressed to its con
cius;on as il nothing were thought Of but 10 get
the prisoners GUS Of the way in the speediest
/ m3Gber.
! II Il not the usual course Of justice to hurry
men in this way to the gallows. A dying man,
Of whatever crime he may be accused, is suffer
ed 70 make his peace with heaven, il he can,
| and die in his bed. A prisoner mangled with
wounds, and in such . state that he canuot ~
tend to the preparations for his trial without m
increase of his suiferings, IL allowed time for
bis wounds to heal. It is not the usual prac-
| tice to bring into court those who are only fit
inmates Of the wards Of an hospital. On other
occasions Justice is deliberate in her proceeds
ings, and avoids, above all things, the imputa-
ton OF thirsting for the blood Of those on whom
she has laid Der hands.
One Of the excuses for this hurry to hang
| Brown and his dying companion, is the fear that
| they will be rescued. The fear, II it be really
| felt, is as insane as the project Of Brown him
| self, when at the head Of eighteen followers,
| whom he had found means TO inspire with his
own fanstiOism, he dehcd The entire million OF
white inhabitants in Virginia. Those who pre-
tend to be agitated by this fear yet dwell upon
Ne 'tsts -tl'at nobody came 10 Browns help
Mile hi was posted in the Armory and had
isRearsd Tho flag Of insuTreeti0n. They must see
itshatsifthere were no friends to come to his as
I'eistAr1ce then, when he had arms in his hands
! and weapons and munitions Of war in abuDd-
ance about him, there are none likely to come
to his rescue now, when he is guarded hy all
i1firginia armed to the teeth. They talk mere
nonsense Nhen they express this alarm, and il
cowardice has not made them rs mad as Brown,
lShey must knox il.
But Whether there BE- danger Of an attempt q.
rescue or not, no reason exists why the prison
ers should not be treated as others are when ac-
,,aoAs al - r
society to provide proper means for keeping the
| ascused in safe custody, but not to murder them
lest5they sheqid be- taken out Of their hands.
If the prosecutor in any Of our criminal tribu-
mails here were 20 inform the court that q pris
oner was preparing to break Jail, and the court
we're to send for him, put bin on trial without
giving him the least opportunity TO prepare his
defence or speak to counsel, and having obtain
ed verdict Of guilty should sentence him 10
be hanged the same afternoon, lest he should
escape in the course Of the aight. what would
be .thoughts Of such proceedlnga Much tie
same as all humane men think OF the proceed
ings in the of Brown and his confederates
To say that Brown is guilty Of = great crime
against society is no answer TO this argument
he u DOs guilty in the eye Of the law even IN
the eye Of Virginia law, until be be convicted.
1t is the duty Of the civil authorities to give
hiMlhaAame sdsnn1xges and opportunities, the
same reasonable and humane delays for prepar
ing and presenting his defence, ~ it every body,
even Governor Wise and the universal people
of Firgioia, supposed him innocent. Does any>
body believe that if one Of the sons Of the 6rst
families OF Virginia had slain man in deadly
ieud and had been brought into court mangled
and bleeding. tina. such Indecent haste would
be shown in pressing the prosecutions TO . sud /
enconvicti0n , We all know what course would
be taken 10 such case. The trial would be \
postponed Until Che excitement should be over.
The arraighmena Of she wounded delinquent
would be put of TIL he was! thoroughly healed,
dbecouae abte to devise the most perfect ar
range metts for his defence. Ample time would |
be allowed him for consultation with such &C IN
sci as he'thought hecood most safely trust, and
he would be INDUCED with every delay for which |
plausible pretext could he made. Finally, he
would be acquitted, as.tbe homicide Eickies was
acquitted the other day, after the assassination
OF Key, and as the homicide Herbert, who slew
an Irish waiter in utter wantonness, was acquit-
ted before him. 81
But Virginia justice, SO mild and indulgent
in those cases, is relentless and impatient ia this
she thirsts for blood and will have it, i when /
Che silly rumor was put afoat by some person, I
who perhaps was amusing himself at the expense /
of the Virgipia ichIvalry, thata body oil men 1
were on their way to Charles,own, in that State,
with the design of rescuhg the three or four
prisoners WHIP survived the carnage at Harper's
Ferry. orders were given that IL an attack should
b. made on Lhe jail in which they were confined,
the prisoners should Be shot without mercy
The feroci.y which gave birth to this order
explains the hesdlong and indecent haste nov
manifested 70 take Browne life BY the forms Of
law 49,. or
s The charges sganss Brown and Iii. eeonisd-
crates are OF q complicated nature, and extend
sAopol 40
tigns. He is accused, In ! long and verbose in4
dictment, of treason, of a conspiracy to excite
the slaves to revolt, and Of murder and these
pete4tedinsyarious forms in the
different counts Of the Indictment. The defence
against charges Of CO.. varied s;nature mus: or
course require considerable tine aud coasul =,
tionfor its arrAnge Mt ntsS and prepa ration vet
none is allowed The causegoi justice could
not suffer byicsrtaini decent and becoming de-
lays not dibetal as are allowed 10 persons en-.
gagged in the slave trade, but such AZ arg in
dnleed to common felOns and assassins; vel 70
such DELAYS are permitted. Justice goes Of al
full speed With her victim on The way 10 The
galtows, forgetfal Of ali her usual dignity.
Yet the respect which ierenahose Who are
guilty of4thss nnbecOHnng Precipitation, must
Eeel for the prisoner, should have moved them
10 a dlHeseBt course. We have no desire to
cxtenuate. eit6sf the. wrong or the folly 4of
Browns ptcject1ls was nm armed revOls d ssipst
he organixisioao f society for y hch there was
10 more Justification than there a. probabllity
r success. Bne in itsa execution he showed
Qualities shst cesnmand universal admiFation- II
he camest coasage. 1.-The most lunflnchng reso- II,
utioh, the shest perfect presence OF mind and
side from she -delusion which possessed him,
hat be was che appointcsi delvercr OF the Atri
AN race. Y nSbieness and msgnsnimity OF con
!nce such Ne We -vonefASe In Yintns ali u e
ever any VssASwas entitied toa fair and oaui.
able uiai on the xcore Of bis personal auali- ],
lee, Old Blown vs. ibAe man, VIZ
- ~ = : "a : , = = VI II 4sIil
~ The Kss 0rses,s i.eayune does nos In
eem to think much of theA Contents Of john "A
'raSns earpes bag, stout which noira hs.
eep made ffpr eiecsidnesfihg purposes here ii
he NORTH, 4 Suggests " way OF expl.nat On
nal perhaps the leacts published have been
eleetei A tie Significant ire more import.
Mt papers being reserved 70 bs pn. 10 Judi
al Use Tie Pieeyans. hoaevsr, may be Ger
W stSsts.tnsAse Of those TO whom The /,
nblie 4 iDdpEted fnr 1baso f.t.ar. =