San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-11-13
JOHN BROWNS BODY
Lies Wondering In The
Ground.
BUT HIS LETTER COMES AT
LAST TO THE LIGHT
OF DAY.
Written While In Charleston Jail
To His Cousin, The ParSOa- 1t Is
Calm, Dignified, Cheerful And
Teaches The Spirit Of The
Quaint Old RefOrmer.

New York, Nov. ia dispatch to
the World from New Hartford, Conn.,
says:
The Rev. Luther Humphrey, cous-
in of the famous abolitionist' John
Brown, died here recently. Among his
effects has been found letter written
by John during his incarceration at
Charlestown, Va, after his raid on
Harpers Ferry. 1t is claimed that it
has never been published before. 1t
is dated "Charlestown, Jefferson coun-
ty, Va, Nov. 10, 1852" and is as fol-
lows:
REV. Luther Humphrey. Ny Dear
Friend-Your letter of the 18th inst.
is now before me.
80 far as my knowledge goes as to
our mutual kindred, 1 suppose 1 am
the first since the landing of Peter
Peter Brown from the Mayflower, that
has either been sentenced to imprison-
ment or the gallows, But, my dear
old friend, let not that fact alone grieve
you. But you cannot have forgotten
how and where your grandfather
Brown from the Mayfower, that
he too might have persisted on the
scaffold had circumstances been but
very little different.
1.-The fact that a man dies under the
hand of an executioner or otherwise,
has but little to do with his true char
acter, as i suppose, John Rogers per-
ished at the stake a great and good
man, as / suppose, but his being so
does not prove that any other man
hnx iA1 IN
good or otherwise.
Whether l have any reason to be
of good cheer or not, in view of my end
can assure you that / feel so and
that / am totally blinded if l do not
really experience that Strengthening
and consolation you so faithfully i'm
plore in my behalf. God of our fathers
reward your fidelity.
II neither feel mortified degraded,
nor in the least ashamed of my i'm
prisonment, my chain or my near pros
pect Of death by hanging. feel as
sured that not one one hair shall fall
from my head without my Holy Fa-
theirs will. I also feel that 1 have
long been endeavoring to hold exact
ly such a part as God has chosen. See
the passage in Isaiah which you have
quoted.
NO part of my life has been more
happily spent than that have spent
here, and 1 humbly trust that no part
has been spent for better purposes.
Thanks be unto God who giveth us
the victory through infinite grace.
Il should be sixty years old were l
to live until May 1860 1 have en-
Of fg
been remarkably prosperous, having
early learned to regard the welfare and
of others as my own. have
never, since 1 can remember, required
a great amount of sleep, so that con-
clude that 1 have already enjoyed full
ly an average number Of waking hours
with those who reach their three-scOre
years and ten. have not as yet |
been driven to the use of glasses, but |
can still see to read and write COM |
but more than that 1 have |
enjoyed remarkably good |
health.
Il might go on to recount unnum-
,ered and unmerited blessings, among |
which would be some very severe afflic-
ions, and those the most needed bless
ngs of all. And now when I think
low easily 1 might be left to spoil all
have done and suffered in the cause |
freedom, 1 hardly dare risk another
oyage, if / even had the opportunity.
t is a long time since we met but we
hail soon come together in our Fa- :
hers house, 1 trust. Let US hold
lst what we already have, remember :
lg that we shall reap in due time if =
'e faint not. Thanks be ever unto =
3D. who giveth us the victory through :
esus Christ, our Lord. And, now, =
d warm-hearted friend, goodbye =
our affectionate cousin,