The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-04-05
Thomas J cffcrson-Jo.,m Brown.

! '''
, signing my letters, "A jefferson Demo
= crat," it became necessary to, show fully the
t views of Jefferson on this vexed slavery
question. did not regret this necessity
since nothing can be more instructive than
critical examination of the views of the
men that formed this government-and es.
, pecially of the views of jefferson, the great
. est of them ALL now icel no hesitation in
, alleging that, in the mind Of every candid
man, have shown that the positions of Mr..
Jefferson were directly the opposite of the
positions of the present Democratic
party; and that | supported no prin-
, cipc conflicting with his principles. am O
, jefferson Democrat, and to my Democrat
| c friends would say that if they wish to
/ know precisely the doctrines | support, En-
anime the principles Of Jefferson. | believe
his views corr ct on the slavery question
, and | endorse and support then--not
so much because they were the views Of JEFF
ferson as because they are correct and true.
Ny Flaming Friend has signaly failed
thus far, to maintain the opposite of these
opinions,-not for want of ability, because
there are none in his party more able than
he, but because truth is invincible" Should
any respectable member of that party differ
with me in this matter. he.e throw down
the glove and challenge him to a discussion.
say that the first resolution of the last
Democratic State Convention, which AYERS
that the Democratic party supports the prin-
ciples Of Jefferson is totally false, and that it
is a SANDER on the character Of Jefferson. l.
there in Wapello county a Democrat able TO
maintain the contrary?
Being Jefferson Democrat, | act with
the Republican party, since it is at present
the substantial representative Of his prInci-
Piles. 4 Jefferson Democrat is really Re-
publican "Ry his advice the opposition
party which had been called anti-f63cr0IiSts
claimed the name Of REPUBLICANS, while
their federal opponents called them Demo
Gratis, after that name was introduced here
from France. The term Democrat, was sell
dom used or countenanced by Jeferson."--
(See Statesman's Manual, Vol. 1st, page
1867 So we find that the great founder of
the government--and the great founder of
the anti-federal party--and the great repre-
sentative Of the principles of the nresent Re-
publican party, called himself and his party
Republicans in preference to Democrats
A Jefferson Democrat would then have
been Republican, and Jefferson Demo
crat is now a Republican.
promised to take up John Brown for
consideration, bnt think it has now become
quite unnecessary. The charge of Repub-
lican sympathy with Browns Virginia move.
ment, has rebounded with crashing effect on
the originators Of the vile caumny so that it
might with safety be left to work out its
own destiny. But as | have promised to
speak of John Brown I will do so.
Who was John Brown? The pages of i'm
partial history will answer, ale was born in
New England-livcd in Pennsylvania and
ohio-emgrated to Kansas to make it his
home and become popular soUareign Of that
territory. He was a decided AbolitoniSt
and a religious enthusiast He was made
the object Of the most cruel prosecutions OF
the MisSourians, and all the bitterness of his
stern nature was stirred up against them
One of his sons was met in the road by II
body or":,.s-tss' rt,fiis,fsn and brutay mnr-
dered; one other was loaded with chains
and driven on foot before the horses Of his
captors so far in the hot sun as to produce
insanity and DEATH His own house and the
houses Of both his sons were burnt down
the women ortheir families grossly insulted.
AMI he notified to leave the territory in three
days or be hung. Brown then became q
desperate man and at last mailman. He
attributed all his wrongs and his sunrerings
to the slave power and he became its most
n,placable enemy. Hereditary insanity
was soon Enthusiastically manifested in his
short-sightejl attempt to produce an insur-
rection in Virginia, where, TO the mind OF
any sane man his attempt was vain, and the
destruction Of himself and party inevitable.
If this is a true history of Brown, as be-
lievc it is, | will answer your question,
whether sympathize with him, by saying,
that the instincts of humanity call forth a
feeling ofpity in his behalf Neither morals
nor law will hold man responsible for his ac-
tons when insane, nor will any power or
earth, except the corrupt Democratic party
and the equally insane State of Virginia. II
Brown was not insane then have no sym
pathy with him Whatever in his Virginia
, raid he would then be traitor and muir
dcrer and should have been tried fairly un-
der the laws of Virginia and executed The
everlasting reproach to Virginia is that she
did not give him fair trial
In his defense OF the rights of property
and person in Kansas against the Border
Ruffians, encouraged by the Administration
and Stephen A. Douglas, did sympathize
with Brown; but claim that slavery is ex-
clusively within the control of the States
where it exists, and no person except citi-
zen Of the State has any right to interfere
, with it,-therefore, Brown had no right to
, interfere with slavery in Virginia.
, ooh, but some big, pompous Democrat re-
plies, 'perhaps you do not sympathize with
, Brown personally, but you sympathizc with