The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-12-09
John Brown EXecu-
ted !

Ono week ago to-day, John Brown was
made sacrifice, on Virginia scalfold, to
the uuhallowed spirit of Slavery That
such would bo his fate wo never doubted
from the hour Of his arrest. Slavery dc.
manded new victim, and that victim was
the honest, benevolent, heroic john Brown !!
Tho course which that misguided man had
marked out for the freeing of tho slaves,
We believe to have been both wrong and i'm
polite; yet We admire the motives which
actuatcd him, and cannot forgot that for
those motives, moro than for anything else,
he was doomed to die n fclon's death -
1t was as the noblo representative Of tho free
sentiment Of tho country, and not merely as
the leader Of tho insurrccton at Harper
Ferry, that he was condemned and oxccu.
ted Tho same spirit of ualignity that hur.
ried John Brown to the galows, would hang
every one of us who hato oppression and
wrong, for tho expression of our honest con
vic,ions. 1t i5 to that spirit, rather than ia
John Brown, that Virginia owes her discom'
fturc; and that spirit mus. be subducd, Of
1t will Gelugo tho nation in blood.
Judged cithor by his motives or his con
duct, John Brown was not so bad as those
Northern mon who voluntarily do tho vii,
work of tho Slave Power. In him was ex
emplicd heroic devotion to principle, nnt
n sublime faith in tho right. which thc
craven souls know not Of. We hesitate no
to avow our solemn conviction that j OH
Brown on the gnlows is n character NOR
to bo admired than stephen A. Douglas il
tho Senate, or james Buchanan in the prcsi
dental Chair. Would that either of thos
distinguished devoteos of Slavery might
with equal propricty plead tanaticism il
extcnuation of his guilt !
John Brown has suffered martyrdom, but
tho end is not got. Tho Spirit of Libcrt,
still lives, aud is destined ultimately to til
umph over all its foes. God speed tho day
IIARPER's FERRY, Dec ..
Brown WAS hung at a quarter past clever
o'clock The military assembled at
O'Clock and were posted on tho field lead
ing to tho execution, and also at various
Everything was conducted undor the
strictost military discipline. as ii tho tow
was in q state of solgo. Mounted scout
were stationed in tho woods to tho left q
tho scatioid,a and picket guards were stationo,
out towards tho Shenandoah Mountains il
tho rear. Tho military in tho field formo,
two hollow squares. Within tho inner on
was the scalfo!d, and between tho inner lin
md outor limo tho citizens were udmitte,
TO ono being allowed ontside tho lines G,
cept the mounted guards.
At IL o'clock tho prisoner was brougl
out OF tho jail, accompanied oy Sheri
Campbell and assistants, and Capt. Avis, I'll
jalor. small wagon containing whi
Pine coffin was driven up, on which tho
took seats. Six companies of infantry an
rifle, and one company of horse, and gonor
md staff numbering twenty-five Oilcor
headed tho procession aud moved towarc
the place os execution. llo was accon
panied by no minister. desiring no religion
ceremonies either in jai, or on tho scaffol
lie mounted tho scafold with firm ste
with his arms pinionod by the Sheriff, b
farewell to Capt. Avis and Sheriff Camphe
and at half past l | tho trap of the scaiio
was pulled away, and with n few slig
struggles John Brown yielded up his spir
Tho body was placed in tho coffin, aud
now on tho way to IIirper's Ferry. to be q
lvored to his wife, undor strong militia
escort,