Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-02-22


have been few spirits more pure and de-
voted than John Browns, and none
that gave up their breath in nobler
cause. Let the American State hang
his body, and the American church
damn his soul, still the blessing of such
as are ready TO perish will fall ON him,
and the universal justice of the infinite
ly perfect God will take him welcome
home. The road 10 heaven is as short
from the gallows as from a throne, per-
haps also as easy" These men were the
radical abolitiOnists of the time, to be
sure; but as has been already said,
their words and sentiments were adopt
ed during the war period by the entire
north, and since then largely by the civ
ilized world.
But to the average citizen of to-day
such extrayagant eulogy of a doubtful
character isdistasteful. The mention
of the name of John Brown no longer
brings down the house, and for two or
three years a spirit of doubt has been
slowly spreading eastward from Kansas
whether the man deserves any eulogy
whatever. John Brown was a disturb
ing influence in Kansas from the first.
He went to the territory not as settler,
but to fight. His voice was always for
war, and he probably was more anxious
to fight Missouri than to make Kansas
free. Those who had gone to Kansas to
make homes and build a state naturally
felt very differently. They would fight
If it became necessary in support of
their principles, or in defense of their
rights but a general war with Missou-
ri, or the south, was last and least
among things desired or hoped for.
1t will be remembered that the first
territorial legislature was elected frau
dulently by voters who actually lived in
Missouri. This body of law makers as
sembled first at Pawnee in July, 1855,
but Immediately moved to Shawnee
Mission, near the Missouri border,
where they completed their labois in a
proslavery atmosphere and in the most
shameless proslavery yfashion-establish-
ing the entire code of Missouri as the
laws of Kansas and adding whatever
beside they could think of that they be-
lieved would aid in the establishment of
slavery in the territory. These were
the bogus laws resisted from the first
by the free state party, but they receiv-
ed in due time the approval and sane
tiOn of President Pierce. Then it be-
came very serious question what was
to be done. A few extremists were in
favor of resisting these laws to the bit
ter end, even to the point of fighting
United States troops. But the wiser and
more moderate policy of submitting for
the present and fighting out differences
at the ballot box finally prevailed, hay
ing all along had the support of the very
best citizens, even the most earnest alb
olitionists. John Brown was among
those who secuted voting policy, and
urged an armed resistance TO the frau
dulently enacted laws. Not that bis
voice was heard in the councils of the
time, as he was then an unknown and
unnoticed man, but it was afterward
remembered that he had always been
numbered among the revolutionists.
The leaders of this fighting party, so fan
as it can be called party, were not cit
liens generally, but correspondents OF
eastern newspapers, and people who, IN
various ways, lived upon money sent
from the east to help make Kansas a
free state.
On the 2lst of May, 1856, occurred
what is knownin history as the sacking
of Lawrence. The Free State Hotel
was shot through with cannon balls and
afterward burned. The two free state
printing Offices were destroyed, many
private houses pillagtd, and that of DIR.
Robinson, then governor" according
to the Topeka or free state faction,
burned. This was done by band OF
nearly eight hundred men, partly United
States troops commanded by federal of.
ficers, but largely mob of men frons
nearly all the southern states, who had
come on their own account to wipe out
the abolition town." There was no resist
ance and nobody was killed except by
accident. A peace policy had been re-
solved upon, and was strictly carried
out by the Free State men, though il
cost them heavily that day.
While these events were taking place
in Lawrence, two companies of rifiemen
were being organized in the adjoining
counties of Franklin and Miami to come
to the defense of the illfated town
these were the Osawatomie company
commanded by Mr.. Dayton, and the
Potawatomie company, whose captain
was John Brown, Jr. Beth companies
started for Lawrence, and they met on
the way and continued their march all
night. On the morning Of the 22d, old
John Brown was with these armed mer
near Palmyra, within twelve miles OF
Lawrence. 1t is not quite certain wheth.
er he started with one of the compa
nies, or whether he met them on the
way. On this Thursday morning they
heard that Lawrence had fallen on the
day before, and were undecided most ol
the day whether to go forward or return
1t was toward the evening of this da,
in the camp of his sons company on OF
tawa creek, that old John Brown called
for volunteers Ito begin the war in ear
nest" He wanted only brave men and
men who would obey him implicitly
There was hardly any response to thii
call, and perhaps not single man an
swered- But the old warrior was no
to be bafiied. He had five sons presen
and a son-in-law; these, at least, h,
could command. John Jr., however
protested against the movement, say
that the men could not be spared, a
they were now near the enemy. Thel
the other four sons, Owen Brown, Wat