Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1897-03-03
LETTER FROM JOHN BROWN,
Farewell Words to His Cousin a Little
While Before His Execution.

Farewell Words to His Cousin Little
While Before His Execution.
The loan exhibition held for the
city library, says the Ogdensburg
| IN. Y. ) Journal, brought to light a
vast number of rare articles, some
/ of them of widespread interest, and
among them letter by old John
Brown of Ossawattomie, written
from the Jail at Charlestown, Va, 1S
days before he was hanged He
wrote:
CHARLEsTowN, Va, Nov 10, 1859.
| Rev. Luther Humphrey:
NY DEAR FRIEND--Y Your kind letter of the IL
inst, is now before me. So far as my knowl-
/ edge goes as to our mutual kindred / suppose
| | am the first since the landing oW'eter Brown
| from the Mayfower that has ether been sen.
| fenced to imprisonment; or to the gallows.
j But my dear old friend !; let not that fact alone
grieve you. You cannot have forgotten how
and where our Grand Father Capt John
| Brown fell in 1916 and that he too might have
| persisted on the scaffold had circumstances
been but very little different The fact that a
man dies under the hand of an executioner Tor
otherwise) has but little to do with his true
character, as suppose John Rogers persisted
| at the stake a great and good man as sup
pose but his being So does not prove that any
other man who has died in the same way was
good or otherwise.
Whether I have any reason to ''be of good
cheer Tor not) in view of my end can as
sure you that feel so: and that am totally
blinded if do not really experience that
strengthening and consolation you so faithful
~ implore i'll my behalf. God of our Father
reward your fidelity. I feel neither mortified.
degraded, nor in the least ashamed of my inn
prisonment, my chain or my near prospect of
death by hanging. l feel assured stthat not
one hair shall fall from my head without my
heavenly Father. also feel that have long
been endeavouring to hold exactly ''such
fast as God has chosen" See the passage in
Isaiah which you have quoted.
No part of my life has been more hapily
spent than that have spent here; and hum
bly, trust that no part has been spent to better
purpose. would not say this boastingly, but
''thanks be unto God who giveth us the vic
tory through Infinite grace
! should be Sixty years old were to live till
May 9th, 1860. have enjoyed much of life as
it is; 8 have been remarkably prosperous;
having early learned to regard the welfare 8
prosperity of others as my own. have never
since can remember required great amount
Of sleep: so that l conclude that have already
enjoyed full an average number of waking
hours with those who reach their 'sThree
Score years, 81 Ten have not as yet been
driven to the use of glasses, but can still see
to read & write quite comfortably. But more
than that ] have generally enjoyed remarka-
bly, good health.
! might go on to recount unnumbered and
unmerited blessings among which would be
some very severe Affections; g those the most
needed blessings of all. And now when think
how easily l might be left to spoil all have
done, or suffered in the cause of freedom:
hardly dare risk another voyage: if I even had
the opportunity.
1t is a long time since we met; but we shall
now soon come together in our 'sFather's
house, I trust "Let us hold fast that we al
ready have remembering that we shall
reap in due time if we faint not, /" ''Thanks be
ever unto God; who giveth Us the victory
through Jesus Christ our Lord. -
And now my old warmhearted friend Good
bye" Your Affectionate Cousin
JOHN BROWN.