Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1864-12-31
WEEKLY TRINITY JOURNAL.
The Hanging of John Brown.


We invite attention to the following extract
from an editorial in recent number of the
American Flag. The information afforded was
gathered from an eyewitness of the tragic scene
In former article we left off without follow
ing John Brown through the last sublime act of
the tragedy. We left him in the court of the
inquisitors, surrounded by implacable enemies,
thrsting for his blood. In vain he asked for a
single days delay for the arrival of counsel who
did not hate and wish to destroy him. His trial
was a blasphemous mockery of justice, dis
grace to civilization, and what would have been
nsuiferable torture to n soul less indomltable
and unfearing. But, John Brown had made
covenant with death he was impatient OF the
nummery of Shareholders courts He had fought
the good fight he had finished his course, and
was ready to be offered up. On the morning Vi
his execution, while engaged in writing iet'ers
to his friends, he was interrupted by the oheri" !,
who told him that the hoar had come. "lluout
n tremor, and with a 1.-the firm step, he mounted
the wagon and rode off towards the gallows.-
Arriving at the summit of n hill, he looked all
around the horizon, and said to the undertaken :
81 What beautiful country | never saw the
gun shine so gloriously. What beautiful world
] am going to leave p % Captain Brown, said
the man of collins, - Captain Brown, you are
the gamest man ever saw !; You do not seem to
feel as badly do" why should I?'
said the indomitable stole, q hare reason TO
feel as badly you DO; more than fifty years ago.
my mother taught me not to be afraid have
been shot at over thirty times, yet do not think
! ever felt the emotion of fear. Think of such
expressions within sight of the gallows, and
within the last half hour of life surrounded by
furious enemies longing to his mortal struggle
without friend beneath the skies that stopped
over the beautiful but tragic valley of the Shen-
andoah Ascending the sealiOld with step as
firm as that with which he pursued the border
rufians Kansas, he threw down his hat, COM
posed his limbs to be bound by the cxecutioner
carefully adjusting the rope which was to choke
out his heroic life Captain Brown" said the
sheriff, you not standing on the trap. VIII
you walk forward ~ @ cannot sce' said the
victim - am blndfolded you know will you
please 10 lead me p? | am ready to go.
True to the brutal instincts of slavery, the
wretclIes kept the old man standing ten minutes
on the trap, with the rope round his neck, while
the - Home Guards" were being pat through q
series of military evolutons by drunken cap
tain, marching, counter-marching. wheeling,
deploying and advancing with fixed bayonets on
an imaginary army of aboltionists. Thank
God they have had more warke exercises
since then, the accursed, cowardIy torturers !
AT last, when the revolving crowd began to cry
9 Shame y and the drop fell, it was found that
with certain kind of diabolical parsimony, the
great commonwealth of Virginia had denied the
victim sufficient length Of rope TO disiocate
his neck, and during twenty minutes the strong
soul of John Brown wrestled with death But. at
length, the dreadful man, who, with some eigh-
teen or twenty followers, had terrified the whole
State of Virginia, was dead, and John Browns
soul set out on its march to be followed by
the laundering cohorts of revolution.
In spite of the formula of law the tragic
death of John Brown sent a cold tremor through
the Northern heart. The ascending spirit trod
upon and shook the branches Of the Northern
pine. 1t was remembered how valiantly he had
fought for freedom in Kansas that he had gone
TO Virginia. not to create instruction of the
Slaves and murder the inhabitants. but to set at
liberty % them that were bound The mex
orable law pronounced his condemnation, but
the popular heart denied the justice of the SEN
tence and when an opportunity offered. the
Puritans Of New England sprang like thirsty
tigers upon John Brown cxecutioncrs and left
many CORY ripple on the placid bosom Of the
Potomac. All around John Browns gallows is
one vast cemetery. Back and forth over that
historic and melancholy spot Gibbs and flows the
bloody crested tide of bate. And may we not
believe that all the while, the old mans soul,
armed with the soul of the spirit, walks like
spectral warrior back and forth along the crest
of the Blue Ridge, keeping guard over that Val
lev of Death