The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-12-17

6noo11oo " Euons AeounB.
When we first attempted to correct the
statement Of the Republican press, in re-,
gard to Old John Brown, from one end Of
the country to the other came the cry that
our assertions were false that we were in
the pay of Democratic administration,
and our statements were manufactured to
order and published for their benefit.
Every whiffet in the ranks of the party
was swapping and snarling at the HERALD
OF FREEDOM and its editor, for these false
statements, as they termed them. Old
John Brown was eighty miles away from
Pottawatamie creek, on the night of that
awful murder, said one; another, he was
sixty miles away; others sixteen; and
plumbers of them stated that Old John
Brown had told them that he was not a
party to that affair-hence g. W. Brown
was a villsinous liar. We furnished q
portion of the evidence on which we
based our assertion, and then came the
cry from abroad that this was Pro- Slavery
authority; the witnesses were the wives,
children and neighbors of the murdered
men, and could not be believed; besides,
che afidavits were sworn to in Pro- Slav-
cry courts and before Pro-Slavery officials
and no credit should be given TO them.
We challenged any man in Kansas to con.
trovert our assertion, who had any regard
for his veracity. Notone Of them came
forward and attempted to do so. We
were about preparing series of afidaviti
from living Free State men, whose statss
ments no man dare controvert, when the
so called Anti-Slavery meeting, the pro-
ceedings of which we give at length else
where, as furnished by the officers Of the
Convention, admitted the killing Of
the men on Pottawattamie creek, but at
tempts to .justify that act. The whole
statement of ours was confirmed save their
allegation that there was no "cruelty" with
it.
Let the press of the country take up
this subject, and veatilate the Republican
party. They stand self-eonvicted of false
hood. Not one of them will retract sin
gle false assertion made against Us; on the
contrary, they change their plea by stat
ing that "the truth is not to be told at all
times" Out upon such ridiculous nom
sense. We have had enough of it.
Once for all, we take this occasion to
state, that we have entertained no malic-
ious feelings against Old John Brown.
We disappre we'd of his headstrong, fiery
impetuosity, at Lawrence, in the fall of
1855. We disapproved of his murder of
those men on Pottswatsmie creek. We
opposed his invasion of Missouri in 1857,
the killing and robbing of Crew, and the
running off of his slaves, under the pre-
tence here that it was in defence of free
dom in Kansas in the East that it was
to show that his plan of running off slaves
was feasible one. We opposed bis ap-
peal for money in prosecution of his muir
derous enterprise, and were heartily glad
when he left Kansas. We opposed, and
yet see nothing to approve in his Virginia
invasion. That he has shown many COM
mendable traits Of character while in
prison and on the way to the gallows, we
do not deny; on the contrary, forgetting
the criminal, we cannot but feel sad when
we read an account of his death and burial.
The grave has covered over him, and with
him are covered his defects. We only
speak of the matter now in vindication OF
our own veracity, promising the assertion
here that we prize the truth as dearly as
Old John Brown ever did, or that of any
other man whether living or dead.