Litchfield enquirer., 1863-12-17
OLD JOHN BROWN"

AN UNPUBLISHED LETTER-How HE FACED DEArH.-The Cleveland (Ohio) Herald pull ishes the following letter, never bef1re printed, written by Captain John Brown, who was hung at Charlestown, Virginia, four years az last Wednesday, to relative and old friend in Windham. Ohio. It shows how calmly he con tsmplated death. and clung to lis opinions even under the shadow of the gallows failing on him:
 CHARLEsrowN, JEFFERSON Co, Va,
 l9lh November, 1859. ]
 "RRv. LUTHER HUMPHREY--My Dear Friend :: -Four kind letter of the 18th instant is now before me. So far as my knowledge goes as to oar mutual kindred, suppose am the first since the landing of Peter Brown from the May6ower that has either been sentenced to Imprisonment or to the gallows. But, my dear old friend, let not that fact alone grieve you. You cannot have forgotten how aud where our grandfather (Captain John Brown) fell in l776 and that he, .oo. might have per ished on the scaffold had circumstances beel but very little different. The fact that man dies under the hand of the executioner for otherwise) has but little to do with his true character, as suppose. John Rogers perished at the stake, great and good man as l sup pose but his doing so does not prove that any other man who has died in the same way was good or otherwise. Whether have any req. son to be of good cheer tor not) in view of my end. l can assure you that l feel 80 /; and that am totally blinded if do not really ex perience that strengthening and consolation you so faithfully implore in my behalf. The < God of our Fathers reward yolr fidelity. l neither feel mortified, degraded, nor in the least ashamed of my Imprisonment, my chain. { or near prospect or deatt 5y hanging. feel assured that not one hair shall fall from my head without the will of my heavenly Father , l also feel that have long been endeavorng to hold exacly such a .fdtst as God Iias chosen See the passage in Isaiah which you have quoted. No part of my life has been more happily spent than that have spent here. aud humbly trust that no part has been spent to better purpose. would not say this boasting ly: but thanks be unto God who giyeth us a the victory, through infinite grace
 should be sixty years old were to live till May 9th, 1860. 1 have enjoyed much of life as it is, and have been re markedly prosper eus having early learned to regard the well fare and prosperity of others as my own. s have never, since can remember, required a RIeot aM0uut ol eiecp so IhaI concluue that have already enjoyed full an average number of waking hours with those who reach their three score years and ten.' have not as yet been driven to the use of glasses. but can see to read and write quite comfortably. But more than thst. have generally enjoyed remarkably good health. might go on to recount unnumbered and unmerited blessings. among which would be some very severe afaic- tions and those the most needed blessings of all. And now, when think how easily might be left to spoil all have done or sui. fsred in the cause of freedom, hardly dare wish another voyage even if had the oppor- tunity. It is long time since we met ; but we shall now soon come together in our Faith CTS house, trust. Let us hold fast that we already have,' remembering we shall reap in due time if we faint not Thanks be ever unto God, who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.' And now. my old warm-hearted friend, Good bye'
 Your affsctionate cousin,
 "JoHN BROWN"