Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-12-01
A Republican scpntor's OPiRi on

A Republican Senator'S OPtnto on
We do not remember 20 have seen any
thing which more nearly meets The conduct
professions and position Of rampant, rugged
iasue republicans than che letter which
Hon. Henry B. Anthony, U. s Senator from
Rhode Island recently addressed TO the
Providence journal, in reply to q letter Of
inquiry addressed him through the same
channel. The Senator says
We concede very sincerely the courage,
truthfulness and disinterestedness Of John
Brown. But we, altogether, condemn his
act We do not doubt that he did what he
thought was right But we do not think
his course was right IL is deserving OF con-
demnation, not Of imitation.
There are some distinguished men from
whom we differ upon this subject Now,
there is one thing we would like 10 have ex.
planned by Mr. Emerson, Mr.. Phillips, and
the others, who tell us that John Brown is
the man who has made it possible for an
American to own without shame in Europe
that be is an American, who proclaim that
his cause is the one for a true man 10 fol-
low that his gallows is to be forever glo-
rious, like the cross, and much more in the
same style. IL all this is so ifJohn Brown
in his late attempt was the model man. ifhe
did what is the high duty of noble heart
ed spirit 10 do if he set the example which
is worthy Of such unqualified admiration
and Of imitation, why in the world do not
these heroic men who talk so loudly 20 and
do what he did ? Why are they content TO
stand upon this lower plane Of Manhood,
which they now occupy They have talk
cd magnihcently about what makes man
in this crisis. Why do they not try to be
men after the model which they commend
To be sure the experiment would be peril
ous nay, fatal But what of that2 True
greatness, nay, manhood, we are told, con-
sists in such sacrifice as Browns. Why
not thcn hurry and make it According to
them, Brown is doing and is destined to do,
more for the cause to which he is falling a
martyr than he could have done by the elo'
quence Of a Pitt and the 10 ng life ofa Me-
thuselak. Why do they not then join him
help on the victory Of freedom, and place
their names with Browns, among those thai
men twill not willingly let die 2
Change your words, or your acts, gentle'
men. Either follow Brown, or modify the
language with which in your idolatry Of him
you have chosen to characterize his deeds
so long as you do not, you show that you
are not men, measured by the standard
which you yourselves hold up Let us have
something besides the Dutchman's "pra-
vorts, or else indiscriminate praise Of an
honest, but erring man, will be the encour-
agemeDt Of others to follow his unhappy exl
ample, while those who furnish the encour'
agement keep themselves at a safe distance
from peril and spend their heroic lives in
clarifying through words what they dare
not do themselves. That may be lofty style
Of heroism, but we have not yet attained to
height where it seems so to US. For the
present John Brown, with all his mistakes
seems to US to gain little from such lauda'
tions as theirs. He did not urge any one to
u peril which he was not willing to face
himself.
If that does not Gil the bill we are at q
loss to know what will These rampant ia
natics have "waked up the wrong passen
ger; they sought to arouse him and stir
him up to renewed diligence in the Aboli.
tion work but their annoying and imperti
nent pretensions only brought from him ar
exposition of their thinskinned hypocrisy
and pusillanimity. 1t strikes us that the
Brown sympathizsrs had better adjourn