The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1869-04-03
AND HIS SOUL GOES MARCHING ON

! 1t is among the greater misfortunes
in American history that the complete
reports nf he raid, capture, trial. and
execution, of John Brown. and his fel
low Aboli'ionis;s, should be so lily
accessible The general reader-beine
as they are confined % the old files OF
the New York Herald a great piece
of good fortune befel us yesterday
whereby we came into possession OF
one Of those papers containing the story
Of Ossowattamie Brown, and his per
f,rmance upon the - sacred soil' of
Virginia
On this scrap of old newspaper we
find these the diving words of that i'm =
mortal nero whose " soul goes march
ing on"
Mr.. Brown Immediately rose, and in
clear, distinct voice, said
81 have, may it please the Court, few
words to say. In the first place, l deny
everything but what have all along admit
ted of design on my part to free slaves. l
intended certainly to have made clean
thing of that matter, as l did last Winter
when l went into Missouri, and there took
slaves without the swapping of a gun on
either side, moving them through the coun-
try, and finally leaving them in Canada. |
designed to have done the same thing again
on larger scale. That was all | intended
to do. never did intend murder or treason,
or the destruction of property, or to excite
or iucite slaves to rebellion, or to make in
surrection. l have another objection, and
that is that it is unjust that | should suffer
such a penalty. Had l interfered in the
manner in which admit, and which admit
has been fairly proved-for | admire the
truthfulness and candOr of the greater pOr
ton of witnesses who have testified in th.
case-had l interfered in behalf of the
rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the So
called great, or in behalf of any of their
friends, either father, mother, brother, or
sister, wife, children. or any of that |
class, and suffered and sacrificed what |
have in this interference, il would have been |
all right, and every man in this Court would |
have deemed it an act worthy of reward |
rather than punishment. The Court ac-
knowledges too. as l suppose. the validity of
the law of God. ! see a book kissed, which !
l suppose to be the Bible, or a, least the
New Testament, which teaches me that all
things whatsoever | would that men should |
do to me, l should do even so to them. 1t
teaches me further to remember them that
are in bonds as bound with them. I en-
deavored to act up to that instruction. l
say l am vet too young to understand that
God is any respector of persons. l believe
that to have interfered as l have done, as I
have always freely admitted, have done
h1l ,h e |
but right. Now, If it is deemed necessary
that should forfeit my life for the further
ance of the ends of justice, and ningle nv
blood with the blood of my children and
with the blood of millions in this slave
whose rights are disregarded by
wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, l say
let it be done. Let me say one word further.
feel entirely satisfied with the treatment |
have received on my trial. Considering all
the circumstances, it has been more gener-
Gus than l expected. But l feel no con-
FIRST what was my intention and what was
not. l never had any design against the
liberty of any person, nor any disposition to
commit treason or excite slaves to rebelsor
make any general insurrection. l never en-
couraged any man to DO so, but always dis
Outraged any idea Of that kind. Let me say
.lso in regard to the statements made by
'ome of those who we're connected with me.
fear it has been stated by some of them
hat have induced them to join me. but
he contrary is true. l do not say this to
njure them, but as regretting their weak
less. Not one but joined me of his own
lccord, and the greater part at their own
Expense. A number of them l never saw,
md never had word of conversation with
ill the day they came to me, and that as
or the purpose l have stated. Now, have
lone.
These words so bravely spoken, have
ent such thrill through the world as
lothing which has been said since the