New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-07-26
HUGO AND JOHN BROWN.
THE POETS TRIBUTE TO THE HERO OF
HARPER'S FERRY.

PARIS, July ~.
Since the death of Victor Hugo, the windows Of
the Paris bookshops have been full Of Hugoana.
biographies, photographs and portraits Of the
poet and rare editions of his works. few days
ago was sauntering along the Quai voltaire. that
paradise of the bibliophile, when my eye lighted
upon faded brochure heavily bordered with black.
and bearing this title: "John Brown, par Victor
Hugo" 1t was still fresh in my mind that the exilo
of Guernsey had once raised his voice in order to
try and the life of the hero of Harpers Ferry.
When Nh Moncure d. Conway was in this city last
February we called on Victor Hugo on the anniver-
sary Of his eighty fourth birthday. "Twenty-rwo
years ago." said Mr. Conway this occasion to the
aged bard, who was stricken down just three
months later. 81 presented you bust Of John
Brown In the name of group of Americans, az .
recognition of the noble letter in his defence which
you sent forth in 1850. and which. read all over the
United States, powerfully contributed to awaken
the North to sense OF its duty" stately bow
was Victor Hugo's only reply. l then wondered
where that bust could be, and where could lind q
copy of the letter that called it forth Judge from
certain clauses In the poets will that this bust
must be ut Hauteville House, Guernsey. where
Victor Hugo lived at the time of is presentation to
him. Perhaps. too. the original of the famous letter
may be among the papers slowed away in the garnet
of this same historic mansion. But. however this
may be, am now the possessor OF the little pam
pblet that has just been mentioned and which
contains this letter az we'll az some other curious
things concerning Victor HugOs relations with the
CharIestown tragedy. AS the pamphlet is very rare
it Is the only copy have been abc to lind in
Paris after months search-a brief account of its
contents may not prove undressing to your
readers.
koI IN pori In af In yuO pDt nj
the breaking out of the Civil War. In fact this 10
tho reason why it was published, o. will appear
further on in this letter. The epigraph the tito
page runs Us follows:
"Ohl va. nous to ferons dc bellies funerailes"
This verse was written by Victor Hugo at the
time Of the return of Napoleon's ashes from st.
Helena. and curouslv enough was often quoted last
month by the Republican papers aprOpos OF its
authors own funeral On the first page is this other
epigraph, taken from Victor Hngo's "Chants du
Crepuscule":
"Ceux qui pieusement sont morris pour 10 patrie
Ont droit qua leur cercue 10 f0ule vcnnc ct pric.
When the poets body lay in state under the Arc
de Triomphe, surrounded by the Partisan populace.
these verses. too. wero often repeated in the public
prints.
The pamphlet itself, which is composed Of but
eight octave pages, printed in large type, begins
with brief history of tho attack on Harpers Ferry.
the capture of the leaders, their trial and sentence.
IL was reported that John Brown had obtained o
respite from tho I'd to tho 10th of December. So
Victor Hugo seized his pen as he 80 often did after
ward on somewhat similar occasions, In order to
make supreme effort to save the life of the
condemned man. The letter begins with these
words: "When one thinks of the United States, a
majestic Ggare rises before the mind,-Washington.
Now here Is what is happening at this moment in
the native land of Washington" The writer then
briefly describes the unsuccessful effort to hberate
the slaves and hits of his heros character in these
words: "a Puritan. religions, anstere, full of the
Evangel. Chrisius nos iberarit, he proclaimed the
freedom of these men, his brethren" He next turns
his attention to the hurried trial and closes the
paragraph with this sentence: II affirm OH my
honor that this occurred not in Turkey but in
America" Then follows this thoroughly Hug0sh
passage: aSnch things cannot be done with
impunity In the face of the civilized world The
conscience of the universe is an open eye. The
Charlestown Judges. Hunter aud Parker, the slave
holding jurvmen the whole population OF Virginia.
should remember this. On les rot; IL "a queiqwsn.
The regard Of all Europe is fixed at this moment on
America. .. The hangmon Of John Brown-let us
speak painly-the haugnan OF John Brown will be
neither District-Attorney Hunter. nor Judge
Virginia. but-you shudder at the thought Of saying
1.-THE whole grand American Republic" Further
on occurs this prophetic declaration: "From q
political point of view the murder of Bro wn will be
an irrcparable mistake. 1t will open latent
assure that will finally split the Union asunder
The punishment of John Brown may consolidate
slavery in Virginia but it will certainly undermine
American Democracy. You preserve your shame,
but you destroy your glory" Tho letter closes with
these lines: "From a moral standpoint. 1t woald
seem if the light of humanity eclipsed. If
the notionlof justice and injustice were confused II
the world should witness tho consummation Of tile
assassination of Deliverance by Liberty. Yea
let America remember and ponder it we'll there is
something more terrible than Cain killing Abel it
Is Washington killing Spartacus."
This powerful appeal was dated Hauteville
House. December 2, 1s59,"--the very day that John
Brown of Ossawatomie was launched into eternity.
When the startling news reached Guernsey,
Victor Hugo deeply Affected, and Selling Y
pencil he quickly threw of his conception of the
tragic event. Later, Partisan publisher having
heard Of this drawing, expressed wish to
reproduce It, So Victor Hugo wrote the engraver
the following letter, which Is Incorporated into this
brochure both in fac simile and in printed form
HAUTEvILLE HOUSE, January Il, 1851.
DEAR Mr.. CHFNAY You once informed me that
you desired to engrave my drawing of John Brown,
give my consent, and may add that think it may
do some good. John Brown 10 hero and martyr.
His death was crime His gibbet 10 o cross. You
that I wrote these words under my
sketch: Pro Chrtsto, sicut Chrisfus. In December,
1859, when I announced to America with deep
sorrow that the rupture Of the Union would be the
consequence of the assassination of John Brown,
little Imagined that my prophecy would so soon
come true. Now everything that was hidden in the
scaffold OF John Brown is coming forth from 1t.
The latent fatalities of year ago visible to.day.
and we may now consider as sonsummated both tho
of the Union, great misfortune, and
tho abolition Of slavery, an immense progress Let
soc, therefore. this Charlestown gibbet
that they may know what was the starting point of
these grave events. My design. reproduced with
striking fidelity by your remarkable talent,
possesses no other value than that which centres in
this name Of John BroWs name that should be
continually rung In the ears both of the Republic
cans of America that they may not forget their