Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-06-26
BAyARD In KANSAS.
Why John Brown Was Not Upheld to
the Youth of the West.

-
In recent issue OF the st. Louis
Globe-Democrat appears an elaborate
editorial under the caption OF bay ard
and Brown" in which the writer was
evidently striving to create prejudice
against Bsyard and the present admin.
istiation. The occasion of Bayard's
visit TO Kansas was In response to an
Invitation to deliver an address before
the students ofthe State University OF
Kansas. The speaker took for his sub
Ject thNsheme OF Independence Of per-
sonal character, and because,
in all bis selection Cf illustra-
lions, he failed to mention
the name of old John Brown and eulo-
gize him AS the bravest example OF
personal character and most worthy
criterion for the youth OF Kansas. The
Globe-Democrat assumes that the fail
ure to do so was to bring purposeIy
forward Mr.. Bayard's contempt for
John Brown and Browns principles.
Now let us see If Secretary Bayard,
or any public man of reputation, could
afford to endorse unqualitiedly the
character of the famous John Brown.
To begin with we will cay that
Browns wish 10 see the stain of hui
man slavery wiped off the statutes OF
| our government was an eminently
proper one, and wish shared in to a
large degree of multitudes of the
best citizens OF the Union, both North
and South. The idea OF the Liberation
of the slaves OF the South was not
original with John Brown, nor was
his murderous, traitorous plans con-
tinued after his death. III Brown had
really been the martyred hero in n
holy cause that the Globe-Democrat
pretends, why was his policy Of plot
ting and massacre not carried on by
his now Jealous adherents
Slavery, as 1t existed with us, can
not be defended upon either moral or
social grounds, and there Is nothing
farther away than the intention OF de-
Tending 1t in this article. Liberation
of the slaves was a necessity which
would have occurred just as certainly
had John Brown never existed. The
fact had been foretold in senate
and hall, and the probably
attendant horrors of execution fully
understood and evaded Us long rs pos.
sible, long before John Brown app
peared upon the scene.
III tllt llGhN SAih iuiJ VI EbANkkhuk
events there is little time for analyz
ing the character of participants and
much excuse for unworthy adulation,
but from this distance, when men aud
facts may be impartially examined, IL
would be but little short OF faulty for
man Of marked and splendid ability
to endorse, as an illustrious example of
morals and high patriotism such a
oh az a. aa that nf Holm HrnNpn
Browns misguided enthusiasm carried
him and his followers, both in Kansas
and at Harper's Ferry, into acts OF
open rebellion and deeds of blood and
violence. His plans OF cam
paign lacked all but one Of
the essentials of high-minded
and commendable patriotism. They
were rash, ill.considered, vicious and
demoralizing. His only redeeming
trait OF character was the purpose OF
! freeing the slaves, but his method was
hypocriticsl, tIaitorous, riotous, muir
derous and damnable. Ignorant and
incapable as a leader, insane upon a
single subject OF thought, Brown may
well be placed in the same category OF
criminal and deadly lunatics with j..
Wilkes Booth and Guiteau, and like
them be Justly suffered the penalty OF
outraged Justice. All We're brave men,
all were self-sacriticing, all intensely
enthusiastic and all criminals of the
most deadly and dangerous class. OF
these, Brown alone can lay claim to
any right to respect on account
of his ultimate " purpose, but
even that is so blurred
and befouled by his savage brutality
and reckless disregard of all estab.
; lished laws, that the good really IN
the man Is difficult to distinguish IN
his general career and character.
Secretary Bayard, before the youth
of Kansas, could not have justified his
action before the American people hao
he pointed those young men to JOIN
Brown for lesson In moral states
mansnip and pure patriotism.
But it may be a correct surmise tina
the attack upon Bayard by the Globe
Democrat is prompted by the now evi
dent public desire to soften the asperl
: ties resultant upon the war, as mani
tested by courteous war articles now
appearing in the leading maya
zines OF the country. Thi
the Globe Democrat does no
approve, and hence its desire TO sela
and exagerate each faint opportunit,
to keep the old spirit OF party preju
dice alive. The Globe-Democrat Is
good newspaper aud it Is to be hoped
that it, too, will perceive the futility o
striving TO keep our united people IRON
forgetting dead Issues in the nght
, new progress.