Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-12-29
Who is Responsible?

] f~N+
Even two poor negroes have been hung with
the rest. No person believes they had any
hand in concocting the scheme, but were in
duced to join in this attempt to free the slaves
solely through the influence of the whites
Surely, Virginia must have q monstrous big
bunch of dignity and irightful great heap of
majesty, to reed this pitilul sacrifice to vind-
cate them.
The hanging OF Brown, Stevens and Cook
might have been done with due regard to JUS
tice, but not 50 with these Africans. The Court
before which they were tried, decided that they
were not citizens, and could not commit trea
son. They were tried for, and convicted Of,
murder without any direct evidence to prove
that they had taken the life of any one. In
the strictness of law thcy might have been
guilty, but their moral terpitude consists in
having been deceived and led astray by the
whites, The hanging of these two, instead of
pardoning them, or committing their punish
ment to Imprisonment, does give to the whole
transaction very bad complexion, does lead to
the conclusion that the hanging of the
whole proceeded from no love Of justice, and
does create very strong suspicion that malice
was the ruling principle, both with the Cover
nor and the people.
The whole proceedings, with regard to
Brown, were perfectly ridiculous. His trial was
hurried On in a manner that convinced every
one that has conviction was predetermined. -
His execution, if not crime, " was worse
than crime, it was a folly Gov Wise
must have known that John Brown was one of
those men who might be beaten, but could not
be conquered--whose death would be victory,
and whose execution would yield triumph to
him, and bring certain defeat to Ills enemies -
He mounted the ladder with a firm, elastic step.
With black cap drawn over his face, and
shrouded in the gl,om of the grave, he stood
for eight minutes on the drop, without the
trembling of limb or the agitation of mus
Gle. When asked il he would have handkor~
chief to drop as signal, he replied in u clear,
calm voice, with that urban.ty peculiar to him,
-" want no signal, | am ready at any time,
but do not keep me waiting longer than is nee
cssary."
The drop ftll-Virginia was beaten, and
Brown was immortal, for his death had become
n matter of record. BY the fall of the drop,
the name OF Brown, together with the rage,
the terror, and the weakness of his enemies,
were stamped on the page of history in living
characters that will never be efaced He sleeps
in his own soil, beside rock, and that rock
will fall to dust before his name will be forgot,
ten. When cnslaved and suffering humanity
shall raise its arm to strike for freedom, L" Old
Brown of Ossawatonie will be the war-cry
for generations to come.
Had Gov. Wis., when he first visited the
prisoners, came out publicly and declared that
John Brown was perfectly dcranged on the sub
ject of Slavery and it did not become Virginia
to hang a monomaniac-t that his execution
would be respited, and his sentence changed to
imprisonment Tor life, the North would have be-
lleved him, and no unusual sympathy would
have been manifested No threatening letters
would have been written by II set Of degraded
Democrats, to Gov. Wise, and mailed by Dem
ocratic Post Masters, for the purpose of impli-
eating the Republicans. No troops would have
been thought necessary to guard the prisoners
Gov. Wise would have been praised for his hui
manity, Virginia for magnanimity, and John
Brown would have passed silently from his cell
in the Prison to a cell in the Penitentary,
where mention of him would neyermorc have
been made.
1t is easy to see why this humane and pru-
dent course was not taken. That " Old Fuss
and Feathers of Governor wanted to make
wonderful display to ingra,iate himself with
the Slave holders and procure the nomination
as a candidate for the Presidency. And this
Sham party wanted to make political capital
out of the Harper's Ferry outbreak. This Dan
ton Democracy were about to institute the reign
of terror, and wanted the dead bodies of Brown
and his assistants over which to raise the cry
-" Strike terror-strike terror-strike terror
until you can command every vote in the Free
States, as did their prototype in the Nationa
Assembly, when he wanted to command ever,
arm and purse in France We can tell then
that Gov. Wise will fail Of nomination, anc
the. cry of disunion and civil war will die ava,
in pitiful whine If John Brown has liberat
ed no slaves, he has done what is better, he ha
liberated the North Virginia has been looke'
upon as the bulwark of the Southern States
Upon her they have relied to stay the tide o
invasion in the want of civil war. Brown ha
exposed her nakedness, and shown us that sh
is weaker than the bruised reed 1t has bee
fully demonstrated that the South have n
strength, and can have no serious intention @
organized rebellion. This Sham party that pre-
tend to have taken the job of saving the Union
and plumber the Treasury of forty~fve million
year as reward for their labors, are only shan
ing. They know the South have no intentlo
of dissolving the Union. They no doubt wi
rage worse than ever, and we shall see - tn
foam and froth work through the bung hole
their mouths like beer !" but we can tell ther
that" Othelos occupations gone
Written for the Green Mountain Freeman.
WILL You STICK Reading that part of tn
Governors Message which speaks of the read