Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-11-09

LYDIA MARIA CHILD's LETTERS TO Gov.
WISE AND JOHN BRowN.-The following cor
respondence has been alluded to in our col
umns we copy it in tull, as not the least in
teresting feature of the history of the Harper S
Ferry riot =
LETTER OF L. MARIA CHILD TO GOV. WISE.
Maryland, Mass, Oct 26, 1859.
Coz. WiSe-I have heard that you were a
man OF chvarous sentiments, and L know you
were opposed to the iniqutous attempt to force
| upon Kansas constitution abhorrent to the
moral sense of her people. Relying upon
these indications of honor and justice in your
| character l venture to ask favor OF you.
Enclosed is letter to Capt. John Brown.
| Will you nave the kindness, after reading it
yourself, to transmit it to the prisoner
/, and all my large circle of abolition ac-
quaintances, were taken by surprise when
news came of Capt. Browns recent attempt
nor do know Of single person who would
have approved of it, had they been apprsed OF
his intention But and thousands of others
| feel natural impulse of sympathy for the
brave and suffering man. Perhaps God, who
sees the inmost of our souls, perceives some
such sentiment in your heart also. He needs
mother or sister to dress his wounds and
speak soothingly to him. Will you allow me
to perform that mission of humanity Hyou
will, may God bless you for the generous
deed.
have been for years OH uncompromsing
abolitionist and should scorn to deny it or
| apologize for it as much John Brown HIM
self would do. Believing i'll peace principles,
deeply regret the step that the old veteran
has taken, while | honor his humanity towards
those who became his prisoners. But because
1t is my habit to be as open as the daylight, |
Will also say that if believed our religion JUS
titled men in fighting for freedom, | should
consider the ensaved everywhere as best
entitled to that right. Such an avowal is
simple, frank expression of my sense of
natural justice.
Butt should despise myself utterly if any
| circumstances could tempt me to seek to adj
vance these opinions in any way, direct
ly or indirectly, after your permission to visit
Virginia has been obtained ON the plea of sis
terly sympathy with brave and suffering man.
give you my word of honor, which was
never broken, that would use such permits
sion'solely and singly for the purpose Of nursing
your prisoner, and for no other purpose what
ever. Yours, respectfully,
l.. MARIA CHILD.
LETTER OF MRS. CHILD TO CAPT. BROWN.
WAYLAND, Mass, Oct. Is, 1859.
Dear Capt. BrOWn-Though personally I'M
known to you, you will recognize in my name
an earnest friend Of Kansas, when crcumstan-
ces made that territory the battle ground be-
tween the antagonistic principles of slavery
and freedom, which politicians so vainly strive
to reconcile in the government of the United
States.
Believing in peace principles, l cannot SYM
pathlze with the method you chose to advance
the cause of freedom. But honor your gen
erous intentions-I admire your courage, mo-
raj and nh SipaI I rpyaraOno won for ba Inn.
manity which tempered your zeal. l sympa-
thize with you in your cruel bereavement,
your sutierings, and your wrongs. In brief |
love you and bless you.
Thousands of hearts are throbbing with
sympathy as warm as mine. l think of you
night and day, bleeding in prison, surrounded
by hostile faces, sustained only by trust in
God and your own strong heart l long to
nurse you-to speak to you sisterly words of
sympathy and consolation. l have asked per-
mission of Governor Wise to do so. If the re-
quest is not granted, | cherish the hope that
these few words may at least reach your
hands, and afford you some little solace. May
you be strengthened by the conviction that no
honest man ever sheds blood for freedom in
vain, however much he may be mistaken in
his efforts. May God sustain you and carry
you through whatever may be in store for
you.
Yours, with heartfelt respect, sympathy and
affection. l.. MARIA CHILD.
Gov, Wise addressed to Mrs. Child the fol-
lowing letter in reply
RICHMOND, VA, Oct. 20, 1859.
Madam: Yours Of the 18th was received
by me yesterday, and at,my earliest leisure L
respectfully reply to it, that | will forward the
letter for John Brown, a prisoner under our
laws, arragned at the bar of the Circuit Court
for the county Of jefferson, at Charlestown,
Va, tor the crimes of murder, robbery, and
treason, which you ask me to transmit to him.
VIII comply with your request i'll the only
way which seems to me proper, by enclosing
it to the Commemorative Attorney, with the
request that he will ask the permission of the
Court to hand it to the prisoner. Brown, the
prisoner, Is now in the hands of the judiciary,
not of the Executive of this Commonwealth.
You ask me, further, to allow you to per-
form the mission 'of mother or sister, to dress
his wounds and speak soothingly to him."
by this, OF course, you mean to be allowed to
visit him in his cell and to minister to him in
the offices OF humanity. Why should you not
be allowed, Madam? Virginia and Massachu-
sets are involved in no civil war, and the con-
stitution which unites them in one confederacy
guarantees to you privileges and immunities
of citizen of the United States in the State
Of Virginia. That constitution | am sworn to
support, and am therefore, bound to project
your privileges and immunities as citizen of
Massachusetts,, coming into Virginia for
any lawful and peaceful purpose. Com
ing as you propose, to minister to the captive
In prison, you will be met, doubtless by all
our people, not only in chivalrous, but in a
Christian Spirit. You have right to visit
Charlestown, Virginia, Madam; and your
mission being merciful and humane will not
only be allowed, but be respected, if not well
coined. few unenlis htened and inconsider-
ate persons, fanatcal in their modes of thought
and action to maintain justice and right, might
modest you, or be disposed to do so, and this
might suggest the imprudence of risking any
experiment upon the peace of society very
much excited by the crimes with whose chief
author you seem 10 sympathize so much but
still, | repeat, your motives and avowed pur-
pose are lawful and peaceful, and will, as far
as | am concerned, do my duty in protecting
your rights in our limits
Virginia and her authorities would be weak
indeed, weak in point of folly and weak in
point ofpower, if her state faith and constitu-
tional obligations cannot be redeemed in her
own limits to the letter of morality as well as
of law and if her chivalry cannot courteously
receive a lady's visit to a prisoner, every arm
which guards Brown from rescue on the one
hand and from lynch law on the other, will be
ready to guard your person in Virginia. l
| could not permit an insult even to woman in
her walk Of charity among us, thought it be to
| one who whetted knives of butchery for
our mothers, sisters, daughters, and babes.
| We have no sympathy with your sentiments
| of sympathy for Brown and are surprised that
| you were taken by surprise when the news
came of Captain Browns recent attempt"