Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-10-27
oLDJosE SHOWN.


Rev. David N. Utter contributes to
the November number of the North
American Review an article ON john
Brown, of Osawatomie, in which he
reveals some incidents in the life of
that canonized murdererer that are
likely to lower his sanity mich in the
Northern calendar. Mr.. Utter was
himself an abolitionist. He thinks
Browns slave-stealing exploits we're
correct in principle but bunglingly
executed, and he is not yet far enough
removed from the fanaticism that
warped the Northern mind, to think
there was anything morally wrong in
the adventure at Harpers Ferry. 1t
is the murderous doings of old John
out in Kansas that the writer brings
to light and from these he argues that
Browns memory is not entitled to the
adulation and reverence in which it
has been embalmed. He plays the
iconOclast with delicate hands and
seems to regret that so cherished an
idol must be overthrow by the stern
facts of history.
We are glad to see such an article
in so prominent periodical as the
North American Review, from a man
of Mr.. Utter's stamp. 1t indicates a
healthy reaction in public sentiment
at the North from the extreme Of IA
naticism into which the fervor of the
free soilers led many people in that
section. To such reaction in both the
North and the South are we to hope
for complete abolition of sectional
animosities. The South will come to
acknowledge the great wrong of sla-
very and the North VIII cease to exc
crate the old slave holding population.
From such mutual concessions is the
truth of history to be evolved.
1t would indeed be a pity for the
fame of such a man as joan Brown to
be transmitted to posterity as that OF a
hero martyr; yet it was the strange
desire of wise and good men of his
day that il should be so preserved.
Whittier has written verses about
him, and even the sage Emerson
spoke of him as the saint whose mar
tyrdom will make the gallows glori
Gus like the cross" These things,
and many more like them, were said
notwithstanding that Brown was gull
ty of numerous cold blood assassina-
tons that the most ardent abolitionist
could not attempt to justify. The Re-
publican leadears and newspapers at
the North have long made it test of
Southern repentance that we should
acknowledge the canonization of
Brown and speak OF him as truly
good saint and martyr. 1t is not I'M
common for INSCRIPTIONS journals
of an extremely partizan type like the
St Louis Globe-Democrat to make
such remarks as the following: "The
time has not come for the South to
shake hands with brother of the
woman who wrote Uncle Toms
Cabin and friend of the man who
sacrificed two sons to keep slavery out
of Kansas. Comment upon such a
spectacle would be superfuous. This
has reference to Mr.. Beecher's travel
through the South and is so false and
malicious ON its face that it needs no
denial. Mr.. Beecher was invited to
Memphis several years ago and was
received there with enthusiasm, and
during his recent travel in this sec
ton he has been received everywhere
with kindness and courtesy. But the
reference here made to old John
Brown proves that fanaticism still ex-
lists in the North and we rejoice in the
reaction which Mr.. Utter's article indi-
Gates.