Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-11-25
TO be discharged BY Two Dollars IN Advance.
STANTON AUGUSTA COUNTY VIRGINIA. NOVEMBER Is 1859

life ip the highest position in the power 0
a State to give, is here beside me, and wear
near his heart sisters likeness to this bov
And there is not in the wide world, on tn
broad green face Of the earth, ! ntan, who's
heart is not wholly abandoned to selfish de
prayity, who will rot say that his presenc
here is commended by honor, love, duty
and fidelity to all that ennobles our poo
fallen race. Let poor, miserable, despised
loathed, spurned, and abhorred miscreant
|cavil and reyile at this proud. act of painful
Iduty. The true and eternal impulses of tn,
human heart, the world over, constitute GU
appellate court. III;
But the Governor of the State of Indian;
needs neither vindication nor defence as
statesman of catholic opinions, ncr as maj
fully approaching the duties Of domesti
life. Rather do alludc to his presence her
and bis position ca the agitating questions 0
the day, to show that something else beside
ancestral inheritance or the teachings o
family connections, has given the fatal bia
to the prisoners mind. which led him VA
from the worship of Ills own household god
and into the communion IF idolators, ALLEN
and enemies to the pure faith of al Aneri
can citizens. And it seems to me, in view
of the service which those who love this DO.
ka7e rendered to their country, and in view
of their devotion to tic true construction 0
the Constitution and the injunctions Of ou
fathers, I might rehearse and quote to yor
with propriety a passage from the history O
the latter years Of the wisestk king Israel evel
had :, ~ .tf 81. ~. .@,,n....
"For it came to pass when Solomon was
old that his wives turned away his heart af
ter other gods; and his heart was not per.
feet with the Lord his God as was the heart
of David, his father. For Solomon went af.
ter Ashtoreth, the. goddess Of the fonians
and after the abopiination of the Ammoni.
ties. 1 Es .u..sf4it a,,..
''And Solomon did evil in the sight o.
tie Lord, and went not fully after the LORD
as did David his father. .m
"And the Lord was angry with Solomon
because his heart was turned from the LORD
God Of 1seral which had appeared unto him
twice: 8a 5
'And had commanded him concerning
this thing that he should not go afsei, other
gods; BIZ he Kept not that which the Lore
commanded. al|
"Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon
forasmuch as this is done unto thee, ano
thou hast not kept my covenant End my stat
utes which ] have commanded thee, I will
surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will
give it to thy servant.
"Notwithstanding, in thy days I will moi
do il for David thy fathers sake"
The King, who was forgiven, and spa
red not merely lis life, but his kingdom al
50. aud his glory during his lifetime, because
of the loyalty Of his father who had gone
before him, was old and very wise, and full
Of experiences. The prisoner before you has
dona 40 1.l5re than to disobey syour cove
nants and statutes, and pleads that it has
been done in the early morning of life, bis
first offence, and under the baneful influence
of school Of philosophy which he once
thought sincere and right, but.which he now
here, once and forever to you, and before
the world, renonnces as false, pernioious and
pe5tilehtial. Shall man be more intolerant
than God? Shall you be less merciful than
He, in whose presence your only plea will
be mercy! mercyl mercy Will you say
you dare not recommend mercy to John 4.
Cook, when :divine examples and the APP
peals Of your own consciences are on your
side? | will never believe it until the APP
palling fact is announced by you.
But let us advance. | have spoken of
Cook, his pareptage end Connections. A.
gain comes the question, who is he? And
now proceed to answer it with reference to
the transactions at Harpcr's Ferry, and with
referehce to the facts of the case. Let US
spread broad and wide before us the moving
panorama of evil which reaches its denoue-
ment, at Harper's Ferry. There are hearts
and feelings woven in the destiny of the
prisoner which shall be relieved tnd solaced
as far as truth, dragged up from the depths
Of this misfortune, can relieve and solace
them. In an evil hour and may it be for
ever aocursed John E. Cook met John
Brown on the prostituted plains of Kansas.
TN that field of fanaticism, three years ago,
this fair and gentle youth was thrown into
contact with the pirate and robber of civil
warfare To others whose sympathies he
has enlisted, will leave the task of trans
hitting John Brown as martyr and hero
to posterity In my eyes he, stands the
chief Of criminals, the thief of property sto-
len horses and slaves from the citizens Of
Missouri, q falsifer here in this court, as I
shall Jet show, and murderer not only of
your citizens, but Of the young men who
have already fo2t shs5ir liycs in his bloody fo-
ray on your border. This. is not pleasant to
say, but it is ths truth, and as such ought
to be and shall be said You have seen
John Brown, the leader Now look on
John Cook, the follower. lie l. in evidence
before you. Never did ] plead for face
that | was more willing to show. If evil is
there, |, have not seen it. If murder is
there, am to learn to mark the lines of the
anew If the assassin is in that
young face then commend me to the look of
an assassin. No, gentlemen, it is face for
. mother to love, and sister to idolize, and
in which the natural goodness of his heart
pleads trumpet-tongued against the deep
lamnation that estranged him from home
and its principles Let US look at the NEE
ting Of these two men. Place them side by
side. Put the young face by the old face !;
the young hesdby tie old head. We have
seen somewhat Of the history Of the young
man. Look now for moment at the histo-
w of the old man He did not on tn Kan