Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-12-09

/ ~ VkTH ~ ne puDilc uemOnStratlOnS on
Friday last throughout the Northern
States, the tolling of bells, the firing of
minute guns, the opening of churches,
and the fanatical speeches made on the
occasion of the execution of John Brown,
exhibit q singular, ifnot an alarming ev-
idence of the unsoundness of the public
mind in that section Of the country. The
Philadelphia Journal, referring to them
remarks:
They were in effect, and we cannot
but feel that IN many cases, they we're
intended to be demonstrations Of sympa-
thy with and approval of the crime for
which the life of Brown was forfeited to
the law. How else can we understand
the speeches which were made, in which
Brown was held up to the world as he
no and saint, in which he was compared
with the great martyrs of liberty, and
his name pronounced one ofthe immortal
names which will be held in everlasting
and grateful remembrance Now are
we to be told in this nineteenth century,
living ia civilized and professedly
Christian land, and by ministers of the
gospel too, that John Brown was
model man, that his character and con-
duct were worthy of all appreciation,
that his bloodtairsty spirit should receive
our sympathy, that his example should
be held up to the imitation of the young
-of our own children-and that the at
tempt to excite a servile insurrection,
and murder, when these are committed in
the guise ofphilanthropy, are not crimes,
but exalted virtues? Are the teachings
and example of the meek and lowIy Je-
sus-of the Prince of Peace--to be SUI
persedcd by the gospel of John Brown,
as promulgated and illustrated at Har-
per's Ferry, Virginia? Such. to our
mind, were the obvious import and the
natural effect of much of the laudation
that was bestowed on the misguided, aud
we think, insane man, who was executed
on Friday. Il is an alarming evidence
of the unsoundness of the public mind
that such sentiments Should have been
uttered, orreecived with approval and
we may well distrust the philanthropy
which would thus confound all our no.
ticns Of right aud wrong, and would
cauonize the man of violence and blood
as Christian saint and martyr"
The New York Commercial says:
The meetings and speeches ycster-
day here and elsewhere are no indication
Of the tone of public feeling in this city
or at the North. A score of fanatics,
whose demonstrations are witnessed by
a few hundred curiosities seekers, cannot
be regarded as representing the senti-
ment of the metropolis; and halfdozen
men, by firing minute guns, ringing bells
and telegraphing the fact, may give the
superficial idea that the heart of the com
munity in which they reside is in SYM
pathy with their foolish demonstrations
To the utterers of brave words in
Union square, aud to those who are so
ready not only to justify and applaud the
conduct Of John Brown, but to thank
God for his martyrdom,' and to express
the wish that thousands may be raised up
to accomplish the purposes in which he
failed, we have only to say, that martyr
dom is cheaply and easily attainable by
them, The border line is not remote
fares are low; slaves are there to be ox-
cited Sharpe's rifles are not high, and in
a months time the crown of martyrdom
can be secured, and practical and pos
tue exhibition may be given of their
faith in the opinions they are SO free to
promulgate at this safe distance. We
have no idea they will put themselves in
the way Of this speedy hero-worship, and
poor John Brown and his companions
will be left alone to seal with their blood
their testimony to the strength of the
convictions which animate them in their
mad and criminal purpose"
If our space admitted, we would like
to publish the reports of these meetings
referred to. They would be found quite
amusing, if not instructive.
DANGER OF THE UNION The Wash
ington correspondent of the New York
Express writes
"In all our political troubles I have
never felt one cloud of fear as to the T.
Mon, but now | have not only my doubts,
but | am sorry to say, almost the con-
Uiction that it will be dissolved, and that
even this session will witness the event,
without awaiting the result Of the cleo
fiop of 1Sf0 IL ,o ma 1onoo. A. IL.
and the jiTe-eaters of the South who ia
vor it. 1t is the sober-minded conscrv-
ativc citizens of every class. Judges,
lawyers, merchants, readers, artisans and
laborers-men who, year since, abhor-
red and secuted the idea-are now its
advocates My intercourse with south
ern men--the letters have, and others
that know Of, and from parties who
have had. heretofore, the most sound |
views--all go to confirm it. A spark
Il very small spark-will set off the ex-
plosion, and cause all the southern del
egation to return home and those States
will quietly take possession Of the forts,
custom-houses and other public property
within their limits, aud declare they are /
out of the Union, and wish to live, for
the future, separately from the North,
and, if possible, on friendly terms =
Such course would meet with no oppo-
sition at the South, but would be prompt
ly and universally approved.
am no alarmist one Of the des-
pairing kind-but. on the contrary, am
always hopeful, and disposed to look on