Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-26
WHAT KIND OF A MAN WAS JOHN BROWN

Rev. David N. Utter, OF whom we do not
remember to have ever before heard, has in
the current issue OF the North .in.e,icaa Re.
cis'o an article on John Brown which will BIZ
read with interest and which will undoubted
y create considerable discussion. 1t is 9
protest against the prevailing idea OF Browns
character and an attempt to prove that ht
was little short of sanguinary and coward
ly murderer, whose only principles wer,
those OF the NiGlist-iirst make clean sweer
OF the present civilization and let the future
build what i, can. According to Mr..
Utter, John Brown went to Kan.
sas not rs settler but u fight
and he exercised a disturbing influence ftom
the first. He was anxious not to make Kan
sas free but TO fight Missouri. In 1855 the
abolition town Of Lawrence was sacked by a
pro-slavery mob. There was no resistance.
and no one was killed except by accident.
The Free State men had resolved upon n
peace policy and they carried it out strictly,
though it cost them dear. In the meantime
two companies OF armed men had been col.
lected IA the adjoining counties and marched
to the relief OF Lawrence. John Brown was
with them. While on the march news of
the sacking of the town reached them. They
were undecided whether to 90 on or to return
home. Brown therefore called for volunteers
ITO le5ln III, war in earnest" Not a man
resrolde to the call. lie persuaded, how.
ever, his five sons, n son-u.law and friend
to follow him. The party then made night
ioray on Musqlilo creek "a stream cmptylpg
into the Potawatamie), which Mr.. Utter de-
scribes as follows:
- Here Townsley, Winer aud Frederick
brown remained outside the house Tof a pro
slavery family while the captain Thrown /
and tue rest OF his family entered and
brought out James =. Doyle and his two
sons, Drury and William. These prisoners
were taken along the rold for about two hun
dred yards Here the captain gave the order
ior their slaughter, but it was either misun-
uerstood or disobeyed. Old John Brown
then himself drew his pistol and sho, the
ialher, James Doyle, in the forehead. Wat.
son ana Oliver Brown then fell upon the
younger Doyles, and William fell dead at
lhe mrs, cut OF one OF those murdcrous heavy
saores. Drury Doyle started to Iun to the
mouse, olt was oyertakcn by his assailant
and cut down. There was a Younger broth.
or OF the Doyles, then sixteen years of age.
In the house, whose life was spared at Ms
mothers fearful entrcaty."
The Brown party then proceeded to the
house of one Allen Wilkinson, took Wilkin.
son from the house and killed him after CO.
ing about one hundred and fifty yards.
lhey then proceeded to another house where
-FOUR men were sleeping Two of these men
gave satisfactory account of themselves
ana were not molesed the third was taken
prisoner and subsequently released, and the
FOURTH William Sherman, was killed by the
Diow OF sabre. John Brown then became
a fugitive and desperate. He and bis
sons were hunted down, their homes burned
and their stock driven away by "Missourians
lnilamcd with righteous WRATH" says Mr..
Utter.
Such are the principal charges, in outline.
brought against Brown. Between his char
actcr as thus portrayed and as described by
Ralph Waldo Emerson" the saint whose
martyrdom will make the gallows glorious
like the cross'-there is a wide discrepancy
The truth may well lie between the two OK
lremes. Brown certainly was no saint but
u is difficult to believe he was the cowardly
murderer that Mr.. Utter would try to make
him.