Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-12-09
PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH
CAPT. BROWNS WIFE.

VISIT OF ALADY TO THE CHARLEsTowN JAIL.
Mr.. Theodore Tilton furnishes to the In
dependent sketch Of Mrs. Brown and Of the
visit Of lady to John Brown, in Charlestown
prison. We make few extracts
MRS. BROWN.
Ten minutes acquaintance is enough to
show that she is a woman worthy to be the
wife Of such a man. She is tall large and
muscular, giving the impression at first sight
Of frame capable Of great strength and long
endurance. Her face is grave and thoughtful,
wearing, even in this hour Of her trial, an
/ expression Of soberness rather than Of sadness
as IT. liSo her husband, she had long since
learned how 10 suffer and be calm. Her man
ner is singularly quiet and retiring, although
her natural simplicity and modesty cannot
hide the evident force of character, and
strength Of will and judgment, which have
fitted her so long to be a counsellor in her
husbands enterprises and a supporter in his
trials
She is native of Whitehall, near Lake
Champlain, and she has been the mother Of
thirteen children but notwithstanding the
cares Of her numerous family, and her many
prvatons and Struggles Independent Of
household burdens. she still appears as fresh
and hale as if she were only now in the prime
and vigor Of life.
The conversation, of course, was Of the
scenes Of Harper's Ferry-both those which
have already been enacted, and those which
are shortly to follow. She alluded, with
subdued, though evident emotion, to the
wounds of her husband and to the loss ofher
two sons, Watson and Oliver, who fell in the
struggle. But she made no such remarks as
that recently attributed to her in a New Eng
land newspaper. "that four of her sons had
already been slain, and she would be willing
that all the rest Of her family should be made
a sacrifice il necessary, to the cause of free
DOM
These words, she said to me, could never
possibly have fallen from her lips for she
/ had already felt too many griefs to court any
| fresh sacrifices and she could not think
without pain, Of any new death-strokc to her
family. She would not shrink from an,
necessary trial or struggle when the hour
came for it, but she could not look forward
/ with composure to any further lessening Of
her family already too sadly broken. Shi
regretted that such a remark should hav
been put in her mouth, "tor," as she oh
served, "they were unmothely words"
She said that she had been so long accus
toned to sorrows that she had been trained e.
bear them. While living in Ohio, four Of he
children died, from dysentery, within eleven
days, three Of whom were carried to th
grave together on the same day She men
toned, in this connection, that her husband
had always been watchful nurse and the
chief care-taker of the children and herself,
during periods of sickness.
CAPTAIN BRowN's REL1GIous CHARACTER.
| adverted, in alluding to Capt. Browns re-
ligous opinions, to the common report that he
| 81 Il s,J
that he had been church member ever since
he was boy; that he united, at sixteen
years of age, with Congregational church
in Hudson, Ohio and that on removing to
Pennsylvania, thirty years ago, he transferred
his membership to the Presbyterian church,
with which he had since remained connected.
She said that the religious element Of his
character had always been the ruling motive
Of his life.
He had always observed religious exercises
in his household with exemplary regularity,
it had been for many years the custom Of the
family to read the Bible every morning, in
regular course of chapters, each member
reading in turn a verse She said that her
husbands familiarity with texts Of Scripture
was so great that he could detect almost the
slightest misquotation Of any passage, and
that if portion Of verse in almost any part
of the Bible were read or repeated to him, he
could Immediately repeat the remainder.-
His conversation frequently abounded with
Scripture texts, and his letters were always
/ filled with them.
MS LONG MEDITATED DESIGN.
| referred incidentally to the design upon
Harpers Ferry as having been premeditatod
for two years, to which she Immediately re-
Piled
Not far tioo years, Bnt for hccntyl
He had been waiting twenty years for some
opportunity to free the slaves we had all
been waiting, with him, the proper time
when he should put his resolve into action,
and when at last the enterprise of Harper's
Ferry was planned, we all thought that the
time had now come ; Mr. Brown was san
guine Of success; we all were equally conf
dent he had no idea, nor did any Of the
family, that the experiment would result in
defeat we all looked to its fulfilling the
hopes of many years,
Is HE rNsANEa
! | then put the question which had been
chiefly solicitous TO ask: at is the common
talk Of the newspapers that Capt. Brown is
| insane what do YOU say to that opinion :"
81 never knew" she replied, ''of his in
sanity, until read It in the newspapers. He
is a clear-hoaded man. Tie has always been,
and now is, entirely in his right mind. He
is always cool, deliberate, and never hasty,
but he has always considered that his first
perceptions OF duty, and the first impulses to
action were the best, and the safest to be
/ followed lie has almost always acted upon
/ his first suggestions
No, he is not insane. His reason is clear
| His last act was the result, as all his other
acts have beon, Of tho truest and strongest
conscientious convictions
MRS. SIS coNvERsArfoN.
The lady who yisiiod Brown in prison
! furnishes material for the following;--
II never saw person who seemed less
troubled OF excited, whose mind was less
disturbed and more clear.
His remarks are pointed, pithy and sensible.
He is not in the least sentimental, and seems
10 have singularly excellent common-sonso
about everything
She asked him the direct qucstion-"Were
/ you actuated in auy degree, in undertaking
| your late enterprise, By feeling Of revenge -
adding that common impression TO that
effect had gone abroad.
! lie manifested much surprise at this state