The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-11-23
From the Kanlis Herald Of Freedom.
VcnIiIatIng Kansas History.


the disturbances Of 1866, it was not to be
expected that the politicians on either side
would expose the wickedness Of their own
party. They could not do it, had they de-
sired, from the fact that it was impossible,
with the then state Of the country, to under
stand the real facts transpiring around them.
Their stand point took in but q small portion
of the then political horizon. Now, with q
good lens, they can look out upon the whole
field, on each side, and can understand not
only the action, but the MOTIVES which led
to such action.
The Eastern presses at this time are at
tempting to recapitulate some OF the Incl
dents of 1856, and are offering them in miti-
cation of Old John Browns recent outrages
in Virginia but, instead of giving the facts
as they transpired, they are only giving ex.
agerated and partizan statements, made in
self exculpation at the time those "excesses"
as Mr.. Buchanan had the modesty to call
them-were committed.
The N. Y. Tribune and Herald each gave
a sketch of Old John Brown. From care
ful examination of them, we venture the as.
sertion that no articles of similar length
could have been published which would have
embodied more statements at variance with
the truth.
The Herald'S article was either written, or
the substance was furnished, by G. P. Low
ry, who was private secretsry to Gov Reed.
er, or some person who derived his informa"
ton from him. The statement is only par
TALLY correct. as far as it relates to Browns
connection with the Wakurusa war, but the
moment it enters into an account OF the diff
| ticulties of 1856, it is false in detail and in
tact, and the ideas are principally copied
| from the pnrtzln srticle Of the same week
in the Tribune. Mr.. Lowry left Kansas the
last OF March or the first Of April, 1856,
hence his information was second handed at
best, and probably much worse.
Our article of lest week, on Old John
Brown, is sufficient refutaton of SO much
Of the HeradS and IribuneS statements as
pertain to that individual, but they make ad-
ditional statements, which, in the language
OF our friend need 'ventilating.'
The N. Y. Herald makes the following
statement:
"One of his [Brown's1 sons, who was
elected to the Legislature in February, 1856,
was seized and taken from Ossawatomie to
! Lecompton in chains, a distance of thirty
miles. His feet and hands were chained to.
gether with large heavy chain, the size Of
that used upon OK teams. He was compell-
ed to walk the whole distance beneath
burning sun. The irons wore the fiesh from
his ank les he raS attacked Nth the brain fe.
Der, wGs neglected, and died in taco or three
days."
The Tribune's statement is about verba.
tim. We copy from that that journal
"Under that the Topeka Constitution,
one Of his sons was elected to the Legisla-
ture, and, about the same time that Gov.
Robinson and others were indicted for high
treason, the son of Brown was arrested at
Ossaw0tomie under similar charge, his feet
and hands were chained together, heavy
OK chain being employed for that purpose,
and he was compelled to walk the whole
way TO Lecompton under a burning sun, the
iron wearing the flesh from his ankles. Fa.
tgue, excitement, and bad treatment, brought
on brain fever, and, as no proper attention
was paid to him, he died (el0 days atter.-
The sackiDg of Lawrence followed"
Our acquaintance with John Brown, Jr.,
commenced IN the autumn of 1855, and was
continued, without intermission, until the
middle or latter part of September, 1856
For three and a half months he was an hour
y companion, prisoner with US near Le-
compton, ard since that period we have been
in occasional correspondence with him.
Unless recently removed or deceased his
present residence is LndenVille, Ashtabula
! county, Ohio.
As we stated last week, be raised com.
paDy Of his neighbors and friends, and arriv-
ed at Palmyra on the 22d OF May, 1856, the
day after the destruction OF L1wrence. AT.
ter looking about that vicinity" for day or
so, on the 24lh OF May he msrched towards
Ossawatomie, and arrived near the town,
where they encamped for the night. Old
John Brown, the father, stepped out in front
OF the company, and said; "lf there are any
Jraue men here, let them follow me-" John
Brown, Jr., replied: 81 have the honor of
commanding this company. Whoever leaves
it does so at his peril" But Old Brown
succeeded in getting seven men to join his
company, one of whom was Fred rick |
Brown, son of the old man, who was sub
sequently shot while on his way to Ossawa.
tonne, on the morning of Aug. 80, 1856, and
not after he was taken prisoner, as has been
alleged. Some of the surviving seven of
Old John Browns party still reside in Kan.
sas. The curse of Almighty God rests on
them, and we have no disposition to expose
them at present to the public.
On the morning Of May 25,h, one OF the
heavy broad swords, alluded 10 by us last
week, which Old John Brown brought to
Kansas, was found leaning against tent,
wet with blood and covered with hair. 1t
was pronounced dogs hair, but soon after
intelligence was received in camp of the
massacre of the Wiikensons sud DoyIes, on
Pottawntomie creek. John Brown, Jr., i'm.
mediately mounted his horse, in the greatest
possible excitement, ordered his company 10
disband, and rode towards Ossawatomie
The news Of the horrid murder alluded to
had preceded him, and the people were go
shocked on his arrival there, because of il,
and supposing John, Jr,, guilty OF the out
rage, they turned from him. lie went from
there to the residence OF his uncle, Rev. Mr..
Adsir, where he had sent his wife and boy.
The reports OF the awful murder of his neigh
bors, the consciousness that his father, bro.
ther, aud six other friends had been guilty OF
that terrible outrage, and the treatment he
had received at Ossawatomie from his own
political friends, CreZed him. He sought the
woods, aud wondered about for days with on
ly an occasional e lean OF recollection. He
became tangled in the brushwood waded
streams, sometimes out upon the open prai
re, and imagining crowds pursuing him.
For days he suffered as only sensitive and
educated mind, wrecked by great wrong
like the one we have very briefly alluded to,
could suffer. He remembers seeing his lit
tie boy once, and kissing him, but cannot
call 10 mind the mother. He leorned by
some means that warrant was out Tor his
Arroat phnrood tpitb nnunJon