Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-12-02
The Martyr 10 Freedom.

To-day John Brown, late of Kanzas, dies
upon the galows, at Charlestown, Jefferson
County, Virginia, for the crime of attempt
ing, on a large scale, to give liberty TO the
subjects of Nthe peculiar institution" of that
section of the Union, and for having, in pur-
suit of that end, caused the death of several
of its citizens. A fortnight hence, four of
his confederates are to die at the same
place and in the same way. Brown and
his followers knew that then attempt was
in violation of those laws of Virginia which
declare the blacks TO be the "ehattels per-
sonal' of therwhite holders, and that, while
if they should succeed, they would receive
the lasting gratitude Of those who might be
freed, and the admiration of the uncompro.
missing friends of freedom everywhere, in
the event of failure, their own lives would
be forfeited. They failed. John Brown at
least makes no complaint Of having to pay
his forfeit. So it must be. says Gov. Wise
so it shall be, shrieks Virginia. So let it
be. John Brown dies for freedoms sake
to-day, at Chariestown, Virginia, as truly
as did those other sons of liberty at Charles
town, Mass, eighty four years ago. We,
at least, believe him TO have been as sin
cere and single-hearted in his efforts to ex-
tend the blessings of freedom as were any
of those early sons of liberty in 1875. And
his attempt, Quxotic as it was, that fling
ing himself against State" does not prob
ably seem to us more mad, than did that
stand to-arms of the provincials on Bun
ker's Hill, appear to the Tory conservatives
of that day. But we must think it so in
fact. The people of the colonies were then
ripe for Independence. There had been for
them century and half of practical ed
ucaton in selt-goycrnment. They were the
well taught children of highly civilized pa
rents. The hour had come and the men.
Now whatever we may think of the fitness
OF tie slaves for entire and immediate eman-
| cipation, we can only regard the scl.eme Of
Brown, if indeed there were any clear one
in his own brain, as futile and absurd.
Though it is often spoken of as merely a
plan for running off slaves into the free
States, the collection Of arms on a LARGE
scale, the open seizure of the United States
arsenal, and lastly, the programme for a
new order of government, found among
Browns papers, show some further and
more revolution airy design, imperfectly con-
ceived, no doubt and still less clearly act
ed out But however clear that might have
! been, the time has not come for the entire
and violent overthrow of the State govern
ment OF Virginia. Painfully and shame
fully manifest as the weakness of the san
Gent DoaiLion" has been made during The
last month and half, Brown and his asso-
eia'es could not have been ignorant that
should the State power prove insufficient TO
put them down, die power of the Federal
government would be al once brought against
them. An attempt therefore to revolution
ize the political or the social status Of yir-
gaia with such means as he could command.
or dream Of was nothing but insanity.
With no better prospect Of benefitino tb,.
slaves, the assaults upon tile town and neipb-
borhood Of Harper's Ferry, while thew ~
cite our wonder for their daring. mnst bo
condemned unqualiiedly as wan,on. vain
hopeless. But If did not seem so to brown
then. Perhaps it does not now, n nj We
mns: ourselves regard his death "a n re.,,
martyrdem from which the cause Of fr.o-
dom viii gain no small growth. aud wl,era-
by the real anti-slasery feeling Of the eonn
try will be wideaed and quiekencd 10 a de-
gree kttle imagined By Gov. wise.
Rarely have the annals Of anv prea, STR.
zsvcn US finer picture of a strong nm