Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-01-18
John Brown Again.

wise:
':Itis ten years since panic>stricken Virginia
! ! hung that brave. hearted, misguided old man,
John Brown, and set his spirit marching on
upon that wonderful path which spread its
widening track across this country, year by
year, until the great arm!es of the Republic,
selves along it, chanting, with 'knapsacks
strapped upon their backs the immortal war
song whose simple burden is that
s'John Bcown's body lies moulderngln In the ground:
Ills soul is marching on"
John Brown was fanatic, and died accord
ing to law. Virginia and her half crazed
Governor were terrified out Of every attribute
OF mercy aud tolerance, and old John Browns
magic influence, since exerted upon the world,
is largely due to the extravagant sensation
which Virginia made out of his mad raid upon
1lurpcr's Ferry. That raid was the act of
single enthusiastic old man, driven from just
mental balance by his personal wrongs. aud
it is no longer nccdful to defend the Republi>
can party from the oit>repsatcd charge of cCm
plicity in or responsibility for his crime"
1t is, Of course, impossible to expect truth,
in aught that regards the South. from u Rad
ical source. To extract fire from ice would
be more rational enterprise. Therefore it is
not surprising to hear tie BHileti" discOursing
of "panic stricken Virginia" and her hall
crazed Governor" being terrified into the
execution of John Brown. The Bukket'n
knows this to be lie, but it is precisely that
knowledge which gives TIE chief zest to its
uttGrance.
John Brown, in his attempt to kindle an
insurrecion in the peaceful State Of Virginia,
was taken prisoner the 20th of October,
1859; he was allowed counsel, and tried with
all the fnrmaities OF the law; and on the 1st
of November was sentenced to he hung. In
his speech at the time Of receiving sentence
he said II feel c:stirely satisfied with the
treatment | have received on my trial. Con
sidcriDg all the circumstances, it has been
more generous than | expected" II received
during his confinement several visits from
nIpathizing Northern friends. The reverend
clergy of the neighborhood rendered him the
solaces of religion. which he declined. His
last words to his Virginia jnilnr we're Il have
no words to thank you for all your kindness
TO me-" lie was hung on the ID cf Decem-
ber more than month after his sentence
Did that louk like the haste of panic? Ifso,
what was the hanging of Mrs. Snrratt, and
the alleged nssassins of Abraham Lincoln. tho
very day after the Judgment Of the court ?
Contrast the treatment of Mrs Surratt, a
woman now believed by all to be innocent
refused counsel, refused the aid Of clergy,
hung at once after sentence and her tery dead
body kept from her rciatlveS.-With the treat
mcnt by Virginia Of ohm Brown, the ack nowl
edged blood stained insurrNctionist and decide
to whom the reproach of being half crazed
with terror" properly applies.
1t is useless to re-npcn the discussion about
John Brown, but the man who had formed an
association, with provisional constitution and
ordinances decotng the whole South to abo-
litiUH and col iiscatiOn. and to death. if resis>
tancc were made, and who in pursuance of
that purpose invaded Virginia. captured with
an armed force the Arsenal. at Harper's Ferry,
having from 100 900 to,200 900 stand of arms,
imprisoned Virginia citizens and made actual
war upon her soil. certainly deserved death,
and if he had attempted the same in any
Northern State, under similar circumstances,
would in all probability. have been hung
without trial. 1t is only necessary to read the
records of an attempted insurrection in New
Y rk in former times, the horrible treatment
of the slaves, aud the refusal OF counsel even
to plead their cause. to divine what would
have been the fate of John Brown if he had
tried his devilsh enterprise in Northern
Statc. II,.rnce Greeley himself says. in his
work on The American Conflict" where
John Browns history is properly included,
that the complaints Of indecent haste and
unfair dealing on the part of the Virginia
authorities do not seem fully justified. Mr..
Lincoln too, in his famous Cooper Institute
speech. February 27. 1860, compares the act
OF John Brown to that of "enthusiast" as
sassins in Europe, and says that it was pre-
c;scIv the same as Orsni's attempt on louis
Napoleon, and intimn,es that it was as urgent
to hold New England responsible for the at
Of John Brown Old ENGLAND fnr