Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-12-19
The Last Hours of John BEown.


From the Hon. Thomas Russell's Address
at the Massachusetts Clubs Cemmem>
grafton. .nr
My first acquaintance was made with
him in November, 1856. in the republican
headquarters, and, in a few days, he was
in trouble.
He learned that warrant was issued
against him, as he presumed, for high
treason. He did not KIN w exactly where
to GO, and l suggested that he should go
to my house. He never went out except at
night, and then Dr. David Thayer and
other fighting abolitionis's accompanied
him. He took out every night before
going to bed his revolver and re 1eater, and
unloaded and reloaded them, saying that
there were eighteen lives. I remember his
once saying to my wife: IF you hear q
noise, put the baby under the pillow. I
should hate to spoil the carpets; but you
know cannot be taken alive"
He used to walk the floor with his hands
behind him, land occasionally brought out
an idea. One remember very distinctly.
1T would be better that whole genera~
ton should perish from the earth, than
that one truth in the sermon on the m punt
Oh the Declaration of Independence should
be forgotten among men,"
He gave an account one day of the death
of his son who was shot by the border
ruffians-by a sheep in every fold and my
wife broke out and said: ST were in
your place. Mr.. Brown, I would fight
those fellows as long as l lived" That"
said he, sis not "a Christian spirit. If I
had one bit of that spirit, would never
shareholders, but on slavery"
He carried out this idea in Missouri,
where he passed over the border ruffiars,
and ran off the slaves of the quiet gentle-
men, so that nobody could think it was res
venge he was fighting for. He was bat-
thing for aprinciple and against system.
One Sunday morning George l.. Stearns
came into my house to see him with Mrs.
Stearns on, the way to hear Theodore
and equip a company for Ksnsas-and
remember that Mrs Stearns asked to sell
her carriage and horses that she might add
$1,000 more to the gift. That morning /
received characteristic letter from Theo>
dore Parker, which ran as follows:
SUNDAY MORNING.
"MY DEAR JUDGE: If John Brown
falls into the hands Eof the marshal from
Kansas, he is sure either of the gallows or
something yet worse. --
off were in his position should shoot
dead any man who attempted to arrest me
for these alledged crimes; then should be
tried by Massachusetts jury; and be &C.
quilted.
"P. ST. do not advise John Brown to
do this; but it is what / should de-"
John Brown was always very agreeable.
He used to hold up my little girl, eighteen
month old, and say: Now when / am
hung for treason, you can say that you
used to stand on old Captain Browns
hand2" and when he came to Boston on
his way to Harper's Ferry, he brought to
her and one or two of Mrs. Stearns' child
rem two or three cakes of maple sugar.
Let me mention the fact that his ances-
tor, Peter Brown, who came over in the
Mayfower, left son who was made com
missioner of the four colonies, and when
something was planned against the Indians
of that day-somea Internal scheme, no
doubt, but not half as bad as some that
have been concoeted in our day-he
learned that if he went to the meeting of
the commissioners he would make quo
rum, and he stayed away Instead Of going
and voting for them. And 50 the SCENE
failed.
When John Brown had been taking
prisoner, he wrote TO me from jail asking
me to come and visit him. was unable
to GO at once, not finding any associate to
take my place in court. But John A. An
drew, DR.. Howe, and others obtained
council; young Hoyt hurried on, got adj
mitted 10 the Virginia bar,
stood up in lawyers office
and studied volumes of practice in
the Virginia courts uutil he tainted away
on the floor, aud then went in and obtained
such delay as was necessary, until Carlisle
could go. l was Just in time to hear the
sentence of desth passed upon John Brown
and to hear that magnificent speech which
he made when a.ked why sentence Of
death should not be passed upon him. 1n-
stead of assuming that they were Christ
ians at once, arguing ON that basis, be said:
81 have observed that during this trial
witnesses have been required to kiss
the New Testemant from which / infer
that Christianity is not unknown here"
I then went with Mrs. Russell to see him
in the Jail, and he was in the best of
spirits. [ remember this saying: i have
no kind of fault to find aboat the manner
of my death. TIE disgrace of hanging
does not trouble me in the least. In fact,
l know that the very errors by which my
scheme was marred were decreed before
the world was made"
He was thoroughly Orthodox man. ST
had no more to do" he said. with the
course pursued than shot leaving can
non has to do with the spot where it shall
fall" Whether that be good theology or
not, it is good theology for a martyr. He
gave as full account of the affair, and
said it was .hrough'his mercy to his pris-
oners that he had not taken thousands of
men out of bondage; but he stayed to pro-
tect them until he was overpoWered.
Captain Avis, his jailor, who was always
his friend, left the cell at once, SO that we
might have him alone, but one of his un-
derstrapppers remained until Mrs. Russell
sewed up the holes in the old mans coat,
where the sword had cut through, and
then she asked him to brush it. and he
went away in disgust, for he could not re.
fuse, because a.lady asked him. The old
man expressed himself gratifed at what he
had done, and the only thought that