The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1865-01-10
John Brown and his Associates.

A correspondent of the Rocheste,
Evening Express, writing from Har
per's Ferry, thus alludes to John Brown
whose latter days were so intimatly
connected with that place:
"Here, too, right under my eve is tho
engine-house where John Brown and
his associates tookrefnge and held but SC
long against the frightened Virginians
1t is a notable fact that all those who
took part in the capture and execution
of John Brown and his men, were the
first to take sides against us in the pres.
Eent rebellion. OH Gov. Wise was tho
foremost, and we find at this day that
John Brown is spoken of among Union
Virginians as "noble and honorable
man." a"martyr ofhuman liberty" &c.
while old Wise is stigmatized as an Gin
famous traitor" and an "oppressor of
the enslaved as well as the poor white
man." 'ipa
eve, at the North, speak of John
Brown as ''lunatic" for undertaking
the overthrow of slavery with mere
handful of men. Not 10 here. Men
speak of him as one who well knew
what he was abont, ard his associates
as being men of character and respecta-
bility, who had their country at heart
and who sincerely believed their plan as
the only one that would bring the cursed
institution to an end. They did not
believe they themselves would bring it
about, but that it would be the ''begin-
ming ofthe end" At their last meeting
the night before the attack, they talked
the matter over calmly, and came to the
solemn conclusion that none would es-
cape death, that their numbers were too
small to succeed, but that they must lay
down theirlives for the cause of human
freedom.
"Brow nassured them that they were,
"marching on" to death, but that they
would lay the foundation of freedom to
the enslaved, which would in time
spread over the entire South; and if
there was any one among them who
feared to die, he was at liberty to leave
them. Not one faltered. Reii, his
Adjutant General, then rose and said
that he was satisfied that he should not
escape death, but that he loved the
cause and was willing to die for it.
John Edwin Cook, Captain, adressed
the assemblage, and seemed more san
guine of success, but was willing to take
the consequences. One after another
then spoke till all had done, and not
one besitated to go on VITA the great
undertaking. Their final preparations
were made, and all know the result.
The most of their arms and ammunition,
of which they had an abundance, were
secreted in farm house in MARYLAND.
They got over in the night enough for
present use and left the rest there. All
these men were intelligent, of refined
manners and respectable parentage.
When John Brown was hung he utter
ed the following language. 'It is glori-
Gus to die for ones country, but more
glorious to die for principle"
"The facts above written are derived
from an eye witness and one who was
admitted to the meetings of the devot-
ed band. Mrs. Cook, the widow of
Captain Cook, is now visiting her
mother at this place. Her residence
IS in New York with her father-in-law,
whois wealthy man. She has one child
i've years old. | might give many
more incidents in regard to the "John
Brown Raid" but space will not allow.
lie is dead and gone, but"
His soul is maj ching on"