Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-12-16

fOT inc tree Press.
FUNERAL OF JOHN BROWN.
Nr. Editor;
North Elba. the Home and Burial-plac'
Of John Brown, is. Just now, an object of greo
interest. \ few words from one who has been or
the spot, and was at the funeral of tho old Hero
may not be uninteros.ing to your readers.
North Elba is only few miles from the grea
| hunting region, beyond the Adirondaes near tn,
head-waters of the Sarannc and Ausable rivers
and about 80 miles from Burington,-a little
south of west. It may be reached by crossing the
lake to Port Kent and on by the way Of Keeseville
or BIZ landing az Essex, and on nv tho way Of Eli
abethtown and Keene. It is a wilderness, OF rnth
er, a mere clearing" in the woods, having son'
ten or a dozen houses, and population Of, proba
bly,, not more than 200 souls.
It embraces that tract Of country which Gerrit
Smith offered CONTINUOUSLY, in parcels suitable fol-
small farms, to such negro families would settle
there and till the land; which fact explains the
reason Of John Browns having made his homo
there; viz: to avail himself of an opportunity T.
do good to tho oppressed race, whose cause he 81
espoused with al his heart and SOUL By directing
their industry. and supervising generally the af
fairs Of the colony. He went there, however not
as n hired agent Of Mr.. Smith, but his o'rn re-
,pons6iity, and regularly purchased his land, act
| uatsd bv the noblest motives
That philanthropic enterprise of Gerrit Smith
may say in passing was, in the main. failure ;
| lst because Of the rigor Of the climate. and Sc
cnnd because Of the remoteness Of the region from
market towns and the extreme difficulty Of com
| munication. Some four five colored families
! still live there and it was an affecting circum-
stance connected with the funeral Of their Bene-
factor, that the singing done almost entirely
by colored singers, negro leading the choir
whose naturally plaintive voices touched every
heart.
John Browns house is a new, unfinished build
ing. m rising ground. overlooking tho plain
which stretches out from the Western slope Of the
| Adirondacs. and commands grand view Of the
mountains which tower up -he eastern horizon
In that humble dwelling mot n room Of which
is plastered) viii live this winter, FUR WIDOWS
Browns wife the wives Of his two sons, Watson
]
Thompson. who were slain at Har7cr's Ferry
his con. Sa'mon who was wounded in Kansas and
two Young dlurhters-the Younger about 6 wears
Of age, and an infant grand child-trulv a remark
able household, and all inbued with the same in
tens, barred Of zlavcrv and the same burning de-
sire to 50 some service for the oppressed.
Directly ia front Of his house is massive
boulder. about ten feet HIGH and thrice rs many
in circumference. by tho side Of which he was laid
in his r-ave-7 fitting he'd-stone for his epitaph
or pedestal for his monument.
Tho ea-vices ot his e,pa-aI vro-c eir,nIe as tbo-
should have been-sinrinc. PRAYER and two al
dresses: ono from ! N McKim. at whose bo,eo
Mrs. Brown stayed while in Philadelphia, and who
accompanied her to Harper's Ferry. FOR the holy
/ of her husband and another, beautiful, eloquent
and most ...t;r-. from Wendell Phillips. HI.
/ apost-o7br 70 the great one, dead was most sub
lime and his remarks Of consolation TO the flrnilv
exceed description. Altogether it was scene such
as is witnessed only at at great eporhs. Surely.
/ shall never forget. but to no one can tell. the
unutterable emotions Of nv heart, as 7 stood by
! that rravo the silence of the almost primeva
forest; the rrrat and solemn mountains; nature
/ on every hnud 50 grand and so wild; all outward
things so in harmony with the character Of the
! great, simple, heroic Man, and with the unwort
ed circumstances of his death violent death foi
such reason
took occasion to inquire Of the neighbors. AM
Of OF hers who knew Mr.. Brown personally, what
they thought Of the man. as they had had inter
course and dealings with him in business, &c
They invariably gave the same good opinion Of
him, speaking in warm and hearty terms Of his ir-
tegrty, his strong sense of justice and his disin
terestedness. I did not hear dissenting voice
and not word but Of respect and affection. Cup
right, honest, truthful. conscientious" was the
character given him by all ; and the same was
said Of his sons. lost no opportunity to asccr-
tain the truth, and have no reason toilet 60 par
tice of the admiration for him. his last days have
everywhere inspired.
| If your paper can spare the room, let me close
these rambling remarks with the following lines
written by the Rev Edmund II. Sears Of Way
| land, Mass