, 1859-12-27
Victor Hugo on John RroWtt.

tfftm the London Ne~A. 4cE. !p.l
When cue thinks Of tue Lnited States Of
America msiesiic figure rises 10 the mind
Washington. NuS, ia that country OF VI hash'
iuqtou see what il going IN at this hour.
There nre slaves in the Southern States, met
which strikes with indignation, as the most
1uopstroas Of contradictions. the freer con-
science Of the Northern States. These siares,
these negroes. q white t!an, Tree man: one
John Brown, wanted to deliver. Certainly il III
surrectiou be crer sacred duty it is against
slavery. Brown wished to begin the good work
by The deliverance Of the stares Of virginia.
Being a Puritan, d religious and austere man,
and full Of the gospel, be cried aloud to these
1ch.ist las Get us groe." Tile slarss, eoevated
slavery made no response to bis appeal. Slavery
makes deafness in the soul. Brown, finding
hlmself abandoned, fought with handful 0i
heroic men he struggled; be fell rldd'ed Win
bullets. his tro young sons martyrs 81 Loly
cause, dead at his side This is what il called
tue Harper's FeFrr affair.
John Brown, taken prisoner, has just becu
tried with four OF his tcllows-Stepheus. Cop.
pic, Gresu and Copeland. What sort Of trial
it was word viii tel. =,
Brown, stretched on bed, with slx hall
closed wonn1s-n Xau shot wound in his arm,
one il bis Iona, two in h;s chest, Two in the
head = almost bcrcft Of hearing, bleeding
through his mattrasa. the spirits Of lis two
dead sops attending him; his four fellow pris-
oners drawing around him Stephens with four
s.bre wouuds; "lnstice'' in hurry 70 hare
done with tue case; an attorney, Hunter, de.
nsndinu that it be dispatched with sharp speed
- ;udce. Parker. dissenting; the defence cut
short scarcely any delay allowed; forged or
g1rbled documents put in cvidence; the wit
neases for the prisoner shut out: The defence
clogged; two guns loaded with grape brought
into the court, with HI order to the jai]ofs 10
sboot the prisoners in case Of any attempt nj
rescue; forty minutes deliberntlon; three Sen.
1encea 10 death, / Af1ir1u on tny honor, that alI
this took place. not in Turkey, but in America
Sach thtpee are not done with impuuity in tie
face Of the civilized world, The universal coi'-
thc Judges Of Chalektowu, aud Hunter, aud
Park. aad the slarehulding Jurors, and the
,rhoIr nnnnlatiou uf Virginia ronder it well !:
theT are seen. They arc not alonc in the world.
II this moment the .,sze of Europe is fixed on
Amer;cs-
lin r. Eroxn. condemned to die. was 10
have heen hinged On the I'd Of December
ri. very dsy. Bat this instant news has already
rrsched u. A respite is granted him. il il
mi nnt,i The 1Gth 4hat he il to die. The iater-
ri ia short. Has CRY Of merry time TO make
iiseif heard. No matter-it il duty 10 lih no
he voice.
pcrhapy a second respite may be granted
Aner;ra in a nohtA land. The sentiment oi
bumani.y il soon quickened among free poo
pie. We hope thai Brown mar be sared. II il
rere Otherwise. il brown sEuuld die On tht
xcaaold on tic ie&a Of December, whst . terri
hle calamfty!
The exccusionsr Of Brown, let us avow i
opeply-lor the day of the kings Is past, ant
to day Of the peopte dswns, and to The peop1'
we are bound frankly to speak the trnth-t I
executiener Of Brown would BE- neither the at
GoEeruo1 Wise, nor tic State Of Tirginia j
would b., we say it. and we think 1t with
shudder, the American republic.
The more one loves. the more one admires
ths more one rercrcs the public, the more hears
sick ous feels at such catastrophe. A singa
STAG ought rot 10 have tho poYcr 10 dishoao
Eli 1he rest and in tlis case ftdera' inse1sentie,
Il = cjesr right Otherwise, by heaitstiug to il,
tartere whea il might prevent cnme, the uniol