, 1860-02-03
Letter from Richard Reaif.-1lI. Opfn-
ION OF ErssSu and Cook.
Tho following is i COPY of letter from. RICH
nrd Realf, Old Browns Secretary Of State, to


nrd Realf, Old Browns Secretary Of State, to
the brother-in.)aw Of Cook, who was executed
for participating in the Brown raid:
WAsli,S01os, b. e., J4u. %. 1870.
DEAR Sln:-l'our favor Of the 9Th instant,
addressed in care Of the Senate Investigating
Committee, is received, and hasten to assure
you Of my sympathy aud coincidence with your
self and family in your recent sorrowiul be-
rcay. ment. You will, / am sure, pardon ME
for saying that in r4latiuu to your deceased
brother, cannot cou,cnt to adopt as my own
the sentiments with which you appear to regard
him. clunot, thnt is, consent to call him uu-
fortunate. Doubtless life is dear aud liberty
sweet, and to die by the executoner's haud IS
an ignomininus doom; yet when in the lapse OF
time the decd for which John Edwin Cook i'll
Cured the extreme penalty of the law shall he
seen in its true proportions, and calm analysis
shall he suLstitGd TOR LOUD nouthed hoEror, and
the motives which impelled to the alt shall, as
thev will, determine the verdict upon it, the
n:line and memory of your dead brother May
becnnlc unto you glorious Inheritance forever.
take no shame unto myself in that dissolved
my connection with that mistaken and iiI'iated
enterprise; aud yet, in justice to the solemn
dead, must confess that tile spirit Of bencyo.
lence, aud self sacrifice, and high audacity Of
courage, upon which it rested, eclipse so SUR
passin.ly my careful prudence and polite eau
lion. u,at though the result has confirmed tic
Justice Of my judicious tcars. cannot choosc
but do HOMAGE to their memories, as beings
who, in all noble attributes Of character, were
infinitely above myself.
The fatal error Of John Dr..wn consisted III
taking for granted tile premisc= upun which his
movement was prtdislted, and " thout the ab.
salute correctness Vi Which it could mi lWssi-
bly, succeed. 1t WAS based on the mistaken SUP
position ll.ut lLe slaves themselves were any
1ouSy awaiting in opportunity OF striking Cor
their freedom, and John Erown luborctl under
an iniuluatiou Ut Intellectual obtusity in at
tenpiin. to rAccute his project before having
thoroughly assured himself that he might rely
upoa their cooperation. He was swayeA by
ott,cr errors. lie co1fouudcd lis OWN infer.
euccs as to duty with duty itself, believing that
the conclusions which bound lis conscience
were binding on tue consciences Of nll other
men, and lie translated the senstiyenc>s Of bis
l;carl and the suggestions Of lis ,dnsvncruriei
TO be command unto him from Heaven. These
things impaired his reu>on, and prevented him
either from thinking imPartially or judging ac-
curately aud wisely.
But ~ he rnssessedthat strange power which
enables one i,,an TO inict ulany with Lis views,
he so psychological lis associates that, seeing
only through his medium Of vision, they consc
s,uently were unable to controvert ts theories
therefore The movement went blindy on. For
myself, too, il il certain that had not been
sent 10 Sew York, where, ont Of the reach oi
LIS riHtlt Il1tNtHEItE 4uuutHIE NUu1A susHe
| sur. master ihe questions involved, should
have becn will, the enterprise down to .bc bit
! ter end. should, indeed, have had np olle,
| choice. Had John Brown sent = lnass on an cr.
rand to H.t1es lie must have started thttlcr, ful
| le was one or {;nd's own commanders.
| knew vo,,r brother. We have btcn friends
Permit me 10 say ot Iiu, that his faults wert
>ucl, As belong I" !: warm, inpusise, chivalrou:
nature. lie WAS quick hearted, swift bloodel
brave unto recktts*ncss, generous unto prodi
sality. We hnye been together on tue stump
III thu solitude Of tl1c fur praires, in the socis
circle il, the retirement OF cur own homes, ans
never knew him other tha,, that which hav'
stated. III the history Of Kansas h. bore a.
honorable record; und ron must rot, III you
sorrow at the manner Of his recent death, for
ret to consider the causes that led thereto, To-
80 shall yom te camforted and cousoled by til
reflection, that all the clanorous noise and pas
sion whicl, the insurrectiou has cnEenlered
the sure and true Interpretation it will rereiv
from, time to time is even now being rendered
aud that, too, in tho spirit whic, sooner Or late
clu:cS ever the truth 10 come uppernost, an
makes Justice ever be done.
With much respect, yours truly,
| RICHARD REA1r.