Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-10-26
Browns Confession, or statements.

Mr.. Mason-Can you tell us, at least, who
furnished money for your expedition?
Mr.. Brown furnished most Of it myself.
cannot implicate others. / could have es-
capped.
Mr.. Mason-You mean if you had escaped
Immediately?
Mr.. Brown-No; | had the means to make
myself secure without any escape, but | al
lowed myself to be surrounded by force by
being too tardy.
Mr.. Mason-If you would tell US who sent
you here-who provided the means-that
would be information Of some value.
Mr.. Brown will answer freely and faith
fully about what concerns myself will an
swer anything can with honor, but not
about others.
Mr.. Vallandighsm (member of Congress
from Ohio, who had just entered MIR.
Brown. who sent you herey
Mr.. Brown-No man sent me here; it was
my own prompting and that ofmy Maker, or
that of the Devil, which ever you please to
ascribe it to. acknowledge no man in hui
man form.
Mr.. Eallandigham-Did you get up the
expedition yourself?
Mr.. Nallandigham-Did you get up this
document that is called Constitution.
Mr.. Brown did. They are a consttu-
ton and ordinance Of my own contriying and
getting up.
Mr.. Neutrality-suspicious. long have you
been engaged in this business!
Mr.. Brown-From the breaking out Of the
difficulties in Kansas Four of my SONS had
gone there to settle, and they induced me to
60. did not 60 there to settle because Of
the difficulties.
Mr.. Mason-llow many are engaged with
you in this movement? | ask these ques-
tons for our own safety.
Mr.. Brown-Any questions that | can
honorably answer | will; not otherwise. So
far as am myself concerned | have told
everything truthfully. value my word, sir.
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures did your men
come from? Did some Of them come from
Ohio!
Mr.. Brown-Some of them.
Mr.. Tallapdigham- From the Western
Reserve? None came from Southern Ohio?
Mr.. Brownies, believe one came from
below Steubenville, down not far from
Wheeling.
Mr.. Tallandigham-IIave you been in
Ohio this summer
Mr.. Brownies, sir.
Mr.. Tallandigham-Ilo lately?
Mr.. Brown passed through to Pittsburg
on my way in June.
Mr.. Vallandigham-Were you atany coun-
ty or State fair there?
Mr.. Brown was not-not since Juno.
Mr.. Mason-Did you consider this mill
tary organization, in this paper, the constl-
tution?) have not yet read it.
MIR. Brown did in some sense. wish
you would give that paper close attention.
Mr.. Mason-You considered yourself the
commander-in-chefo these provisional mil
itary forces"
Mr.. Brown was chosen agreeably to the
ordinance of certain document, commander
in-chief of that force.
Mr.. yallandigham-Were you ever in Day
ton, Ohio?
Mr.. Brownies, must have been.
Mr.. Neutrality-suspicious. you lived long
in Ohio?
Mr.. Brown went there in 1850. lived
in Summit county, which was then in Trum-
bull county.
Mr.. YaIlandgham-IIavs you been in
Portage county lately?
Mr.. Brown was there in June last
Mr.. vallandighanl-When at Cleveland
did you attend the Fugitive Slave Law Con-
vention there?
Mr.. Brown-No. l was there about the
time of the sitting of the courtto try the OBJ
erlin rescuers. spoke there publicly. |
spoke on the fugitive slave law and my own
rescue. OF course rs far as had any in
Auence at all, ! was disposed to justify the
Oberlin people for rescuing the slaves, because
| have myself forcibly taken slaves from
Missourito Canada last winter. | think |
spoke in Cleveland before the Convention. |
do not know that had any conversation with
any Of the Oberlin rescuers was sick part
of the time was in Ohio, with ague. was
part the time in Ashtabula county.
Mr. Valandigham--Did you see anything
of Joshua H. Uiddings there?
Mr.. Brown did meet him.
Mr.. Eallandigham Did you converse with
him?
Mr.. Brown did. would not tell you,
of course, anything that would implicate
Mr.. Giddings; but certainly met with him
and had conversations with him.
Mr.. Neutrality-suspicious. that rescue
Gaze?
Mr.. Brownies, did; heard him ex-
press his opinion upon it very freely and
frankly.
Mr.. Misunderstanding it?
Mr. Brownies, sir: do not compromise
him certainly in saying that.
Mr.. yallandigiam--Will you answer this:
Did you talk with Giddlngs about your ex-
petition here?
Mr.. Brown--No, won't answer that, be-
cause denial of it would not make, and
to make any affirmation Of it should be a
great Ounce.
Mr.. Vallandigham-lIave you had any
correspondence with parties ut the North on
the subject Of this movement!
Mr.. Brown have had correspondence
A Bystander-Do you consider this re-
Iigious movement?
Mr.. Brownie is, in my opinion, the
greatest service a man can render Cod
Bystander-Do you consider yourself an
instrument in the hands Of Providence?
Mr. Brown do.
Bystauder-Upon what principle do You
Justify your acts?
Mr.. Brown-Upon the golden rule. ]
pity the poor in bondage that have none to
help them; that is why | am here-not to
crafty any personal animosity, revenge, or
yindctiye spirit 1t is my sympathy with
the oppressed and the wronged, that are as
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