The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-11-10

Old Brown Addresses the Court, and is
Sentenced to Death.
Charlestown, Va, Nov. 2.
Russell and Sinnot, Attorneys from
Boston reached here to-day.
Cook was brought before.the Magis-
trate's Court, but waived an examina-
ton. He was committed for trial.
s Coppie's trial was resumed. No
witnesses were called for the defence.
Mr.. Harding opened the argument for
the State and Hoyt and Griswold fol-
lowed for the defendant. Mr.. Girls
void asked for several instructions,
which were all granted by the Court.
Jury then retired. Brown was then
brought into the Court House, which
was Immediately thronged. i
The Court then gave its decision on
the motion TO arrest judgment, over
ruling the objections made on the OBJ
lection that treason cannot be commit
ted against State, except by citizen.
1t ruled that whatever allegiance was
due, treason may be committed. Most
of the States have passed laws against
treason. The objections as to the form
of the verdict rendered was also re-
garded rs insufficient.
The Clerk then asked Brown wheth-
err he had anything to say why sentence
should not be pronounced, when Brown
stood up and in clear and distinct
voice said:
q have, may it please the Court, a
few words to say. In the first place.
l DENY everything but what / have all
along admitted, the design on my part
to freq the slaves. / intended certain
ly to have made clean thing of that
matter, as l did last winter when |
went into Missouri, and there took the
slaves without the swapping of a gun
on either side, moving through the
country and finally left them in Cana
da. | designed to have done the same
thing again on a larger scale. That
was all | intended. Inever did intend
to commit, murder nor treason, nor to
excite or ineite the slaves to rebellion
and to make an instruction.
"I have another objection, and that
is that it is unjust that should suffer
such a penalty. Had ! interfered in
the manner which | admit, and which
admit has been fairly proved, (for /
admire the truthfulness and candor of
the greater portion of the witnesses
who have testified in this case, had l
so interfered in behalf of the rich, the
powerful, the intelligent, the so-caled
great, or in behalf of their friends,
either father, mother, brother, sister,
wife, or children, or any of that class,
and suffered and sacrificed what l have
in this interference, it would have been
all right. Every man in this court
would have deemed it an act worthy
of reward rather than punishment.
"This Court acknowledges, as / sup
pose, the validity of the law of God.
1 see book kissed here that sup
pose to be the Bible, or at least the
New Testiment, that teaches me that
{" all things whatsoever l would that
men should do 10 me, even should
do to Them" 1t teaches mo further,
to " remember them that are in bonds
as bound with them" endeavored
to act up to that instruction. / say
that / AIN yet too young to understand
that God is any respecter of persons.
l believe that to have interfered as ]
have done, as have always freely ad-
mitted l have done, in behalf of his
despised poor, was no wrong, but
right: now it is deemed necessary that
l should forfeit my life for the further
ance of the ends of justice, and mingle
my blood with that of my children
and with blood of millions in this slave
5 country, whose rights are disrcgardei
by wicked, cruel and unjust enact
ments. admit, so let it be done.
"Let me say word further. fee
entirely satisfied with the treatment
have had on my trial, considering al
the circumstances. 1t has been more
generous than / expected, but fee
no consciousness of guilt. / hcve stat
e ed from the first what were my intcn
/ tons and what were not. have new
er had any design against the life o
any person, nor any disposition to com
nit treason, or excite the slaves to re
bel, or make any general instruction
never encouraged any man to do so
$ but always discouraged any idea o
the kind. Let me speak also in regart
to the statements made by some o
l those connected with me. Ihear it ha
S been stated by some of them that
have induced them to join me, but thu
contrary is true. do not say this t.
iniure them, but rs regretting thei
, weakness. Not one joined me bnt o
: his own accord, and the greater par
o at their own expense. A number o
them never saw, and never had s
word of conversation with till the day
they came to me, and that was for tn,
purpose l have stated. Now / hav,
n DONE"
1 While Brown was speaking, perfec
Il quiet prevailed. When he had finish
y ed, the Court proceeded to pronounce
: the sentence. After few preliminar.
J. remarks in which he said: " No reas
:. enable doubt could exist as to the pris
\ oner's guilt" he sentenced him to b
> hung in public on Friday the I'd of De
e cember. Brown resolved the sentenc
6 with composeure.
II After being out an hour, the jury il
the case of Coppee, returned with
verdict, declaring Coppee guilty on a
LII. ~o,ofo in tho ip1;cfr,o,< II;