The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-10-04

swered' Il have good cause to
be So He was entirely com.
posed and there was nothing to
indicate that he took any other
view ofhis impending death than
that it was to be accepted as a
part of the divinely appointed
order of events.
On arriving at the scaffold, he
was the first to ascend the steps
and stand upon it-erect, calm,
and grimly smiling. Hishat was
removed, the cap drawn over his
eyes, and the moose adjusted to
his neck. Il can't see, gentle.
men, you must lead me-" he said; ;
aud they placed him on the drop
OF the gallows. II am ready at
any time do not keeg me wait.
ing longer than necessary he
added. Those were his last
words. But he was kept wait
ing for fully ten minutes while
the troops under Gen. Taliaferro
went through a series of theatri.
cal and useless evolutions. Then
the trap was sprung, and the
sovereignty OF Virginia was
vindicated. The body swung for
nearly an hour, and then was
lowered to its coffin and deliver.
ed to the widow. That seemed
to be the end'of the man who
had caused so much uneasiness
and put great State to so much
trouble; but in fact it was only
the beginning. He died the death
of a common malefactor, in pur.
suance of law, and on account of
a reckless proceeding; but he
was destined to have a place in
the list of martyrs, and to become
posthumously potent in the aft.
fairs of his country and of civil
liSation. His body was to mold
er in the grave, but his soul was
TO go marching on The act
which cost him his life was not to
be defended strictly speaking,
but neither was sincerity to be
questioned, nor his herolsm
llghtly regarded, Herepresent.
easp force that was not 10 be.
suppressed; heset in MOTION an
avalanche that could not be ar.
rested or diverted as we can now
plainly see.
The immediate political effect
of this tragedy was hardly per-
ceptlbie, for the reason that par
ty leaders on both sides labored
strenously and with comparative
success to conceal its real mean.
ing. They assured the people
that John Brown had no claim to
respect or sympathy, because he
had violated the laws and sought
to inaugurate a servlle insurrec.
ton, and the people we're anxious
to believe that it was right to
take such a view of him. But the
the seed had been sown, and the
crop was sure to grow. Peace
was desired, and men were will.
ing TO purchase it at almost any
price. But it was not to be. The
issue involved certain moral con
siderations that were fundamen-
tai and irresistible. They would
not be put aside by sophistry and
suoterfuge. they would not yield
tomild aud soothing treatment.
The more the Harper's Ferry
movement was discussed, the
harder it became to hide the fact
that it had a vital relation TO the
slavery question. TWAS all very
we'll for the politicians TO talk of
it as a mere accident, and to say
that those engaged in it were
fanatics and criminals; but that
did not satisfy the public sense
of right and justice. and did not
stop the agitation of the matter
upon which the policy of com
promise had been exhausted.
The condition included the idea
of a lighted fuse, and the explo-
sion was inevitable.
We can afford. now that we
have the whole truth before us,
and everybody is glad that slav-
cry no longer exists, to speak
justly and fairly of John Brown.
tits not necessary to say of him
as was said by some of his eulo. |
gists at the time of his death that
he was 1.-The impersonation of
Providence, that be was sent to
ha ss.adoaroar ~ a roca - ,tat ba