The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-07-24
the Policy of old John Brown two wears
before Sumpter was fired upon, Truly,
great minds run In the same chann.Itl

Naturally the Presidency of the New
Government was taken by OsSawottomie.
himself. cor Secretary Of State he selected
one Richard Realf, an English poet-vaca-
BOND, who closely re>embled Lord Byron.
and was believed to be his son. The fact
thai healt held intimate correspondence with
Lady byron. and other members Of the Eng
l!sh nobility, rather strengthened the suppo-
sItlon. But he was Il better poet than any
thing else and after deserving Brown IN the
hour OF peril, fled To the west, became a
breyet Colonel, and died last year, like his
Ola leader, with Il rope around his neck.
though applied by his own hand, in Gin
clnnati hotel.
Brown 5 plan for beginning the war upon
the South was certainly not lacking i'm bold
ness and audacity. He proposed to capture
Harpers Ferry, which Is only 100 miles west
OF " ashlngton. rally a large force of slaves.
call for volunteers from the North. and
march upon the Capital, gathering recruits
as he went, like a roll NJ ball OF snow. The
news would be followed by a general IN
rising Of the slaves throughout the South.
the shareholders would be forced to fy, and
the whole country could be divided out to
loyal persons"
The scheme appears visionary; but it
should be remembered the conspirators had
reason to believe they would be reinforced by
immense armies of Abolitionists marching
Southwark, and negroes h~urrying North
ward. Brown. upon his DEATH bed Ias then
believed told Coy. Wise that he had good
grounds for expecting success. Il had ii
arranged he d~eclared-''that | could at
any time arm loo men. | had plenty of
ammunition, and provisions, and had a good
right to expect the aid Of from 2Ooo to 5000.
men as soon As | wanted them. Help was
promised me from Canada, Maryland, Nir-
gina, Kentucky, North and South Carolina.
The blow was struck a little too soon
| do not doubt that he had abundant as
surances Of aid; and there was only
a small corps Of Federal soldiers
anywhere within striking distance.
Still less can any one doubt that Brown
expedition was sanctioned BY the Abolition
leaders. Gerrit Smith told me during his
visit to me III Albany Penitentiary that he
had given above s., 900, and the best years
OF his life, to the freeing OF the slave before
a shot vas fired in the war Rev. o. i.
rockingham, himself an Abolitionist, open
" asserts IN his Life Of Gerrit Smith,
that the facts are unimpeachab!e that
Mr.. Smith was tattl"utcly Gc1U4iAtei with
the plans Of John Brown +. b. Sanborn,
another b~iographer Of Smith, affirms the
same thing.
Wendell Phillips only a few months ago, III
an Grafton over the body Of Lloyd Garrison,
admitted that he, and all the other leaders
of the anti slavery crusade, We're colleagues
of the so-called "lunatic.' | quote a SEN
tence from his address: The grandest
name beside his in American history is that
of John Brown. Brown stood on the plat
form that Garrison had built; and Mrs.
Stowe, herself, charmed the audience that
he gathered for her with words which he IN
spired, with a heart that he kindled. Sitting
at his feet were the leaders who are the
guides Of public sentiment. | know whereof
| affirm
"SINEWs OF WAR WANTED.
To obtain funds for organizing his free
booting expedition. Brown issued a call
(printed in all the Abolition iournalsl,
which shows that his operations were not a
secret, and that he knew what he was about.
"To THE FRIENDS OF FREEDOM: The undersigned
he first engaged in the struggle for Liberty IL Kansas,
being now still more destitute, ana anxious TO continue
friends of Freedom throughout tie United states III the
firm belief that his call viii not go unheeded. / ask all
and female, to hold up my hands by contributions Of
pecuniary aid, either as counties, cities, towns, villages,
societies, churches, or individuals.
/ will endeavor to make a ~judicious and faithful appli-
cation Of all such means as | may he supplied with.
Contributions may be sent III drafts 10 ii. d. CaleI-
der, Cashier State Bank, Hartford, Connecticut. II Is
my intention TO visit as many places q ! can, during my
stay III tAt = ~ o'IiI > Oil
suon OF the inhabitants 10 aid me III M efforts. lntor-
nation may be communicated to me at Springfield,
Mass. WI the editors, friendly TO the cause, kindly
second the measure, and also give this some halt a
dozen Insertions? VIII either gentlemen or ladies', who
love the cause, volunteer to take up the business. 1t Is
with no little sacrifice of personal feeling that | appear
in this manner before the public. JOIN BROwS.'
The response was no doubt prompt and
liberal. At Ill events he was enabled to
purchase two thousand Sharps Rifles, W
hundred Maynard's Carbines, and a quantity
of revolycrs, and iron spear-polnts, or
sspikes;'' all of which he transported in
safety to the mountain cabin near Harper 5
Ferry.
The selection Of this point for crossing
the Potomac-Rubicon exhibited Judgment
hardly compatible with "lunacy. In all
respects except one the small number OF
negroes in the vicinity, it was admirably
fitted for the comp F etot. Easily approach
ed through the mountains by, stealth, it was
also accessible by open march OF half a day,
from the free-State border. Easily defend
ed. except against a force sufficient to hold
all the surrounding heights, it was also easily