Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-01
LETTER OF BROWN TO JOHNSON.
DORsET, AsHTABULA, Co., o., I
january 25th, 1860.

DoRsET, AsHTABULA, Co., O.,
January 25th, 1850.
NJ. JOHNSON, ESQ, U. S. MARSHAL, CLEVELAND,
omo-ST: Ihave received your favor Of the
oath inst informing me that you had left ct my
house a summons from the Select COmmitte of
the u s. Senate, commanding me to appear
before that Committee on the 9Oth inst.
After full and careful consideration of the
reasons which you offer why should obey that
summons, have for two reasons resolved not
to do so. The first, is, that in going to and re-
turning from Washington, I must of necessity
pass within the jurisdiction of either Maryland
or Virginia The latter State has especially
exhibited of late such remarkable facility of
perpetrating the grOssest injustice under the
forms of law, that no sane man would, in the
circumstances in which am placed, trust her
for moment Even if that State could not
crush me by judicial process, the widest en-
thusiast would not dream her power would be
thrown between me and the violence of her
mobs.
The protection under the law of Congress, to
which Senator Mason refers, you will see if bis
language is correctly quoted, applies only to
ga person who has been examined as witness"
but suppOsing otherwise, what regard has the
Nullifying State of Virginia for law Of Con-
gress which would interpose between victim
and the malice of her shareholders have ex>
perienced too much of slayeholding peTfdy TO
rely on the faith of State whose honor and
magnanimity are represented by the author of
de Fugitive SIaUe Bal, and whose chief revs
nue. is derived from the sale Of her Ol0a sons and
daughters.
The second reason why refuse to appear
| before that Committee is, that in swearing to
''tel the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the TRUTH" so far as my knowledge extends in
reference to the facts sought for in that investi.
CATION, / should obligate myself to make known
that which would implicate others, which, as
the Lord hvefh, I l5iH not do. You say that
by giving my testimony / can exempt myself
| from further trouble. In answer, / would
say that cannot purchase immunity from fur
thsr prosecution by an act Of treaeheTV. To
that system Of piracy which reduces to chattels
every sixth man, woman and child of our land,
owe no obligations, It 'hss no rights which
I am bound to respect" but, to the noble men
and women, who, in the came spirit which
prompted effort in behalf Of Greece, Italy and
Hungary, labored by word and deed to aid ana
tive Americans, ,"-deSeendGnts of the "frst fam
ilies of Virginia" to throw off their yokes-to
them owe unswerving fidelity. Some of them
reside in Slave States, and my testimony would
place their lives in jeopardy. On their account,
# for no other, I refuse to appear and answer and
shall patiently wait for the infection of "the
pains and penalties in such cases made and
provided"
And now to save unnecessary delay in pour
ing out upon me the "vials" of pro>slavery
"Wratb," viii say that business does not now
caIl me to Canada. Should revisit that tenn
psrarv home Of our American Exiles, it will be
from other considerations than those ofPersonal
| safety.
Possibly, at some time may "leave my
country for my country's good" but ncUsT for
the good Of The Slave Power.
With due respect, remain, DC,
JOHN BROWN, Jr.