The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
JOHN BROWNS LAST LETTER.
Courage of the Famous Lfberntor in
the Shadow Of the Scaffold

Courage of the Famous Lfberntor I'm
the Shadow Of the ScafTold.
Cincinnati Special to st. Louis Globe Dem
ocrat.
The following unpublished letter from the
pen of the great liberator John Brown will
be OF unusual interest. The letter was writ
ten 10 an old friend and relative Rev Luth-
er Humphreys, of Windham, O., short
time before his execution and while Brown
was under sentence OF death. The letter fol-
lows:
'Charlestown, jefferson County. Va. Nov.
H. looy-kev. Luther Humphreys, Windham,
u: My Dear triend--Y our kind letter OF
Aug. ~ Is now before me- so Tar as my
kheWleuge goes as 10 our mutual kindred,
suppose / am the first since the landing
OF refer Brown from the Maynower that has
either been sentenced 10 Imprisonment or 10
the galIows but, my dear old TREND let
not tnat TACT grieve you. You cannot nave
forgotten how and where our grandfather
(Capt. john BROWN fell in 1776, and that he,
too, might have persisted on the scaffold had
circumstances been but very little 0lI1erent.
Inc Iact that the man dies under the hand
OF the executioner or otherwise has but little
10 DO with his true character.
Jonn Rogers, a great and good man. as
suppose, persisted at the stake, but his doing
SO uoeS not prove that any other man who
Gled IN the same way was good or otherwise.
whether L have any reason to be of good
cheer or not, in view OF my end, l can as
sure you that feel so, and that / am total
~ Dilnded II do not really experience that
strengthening and consolation you so faith
Iuliy implore in my behalf. The God OF our
fathers reward your fidelity. / neither feel
mortlned. degraded nor in the least ashamed
OF my Imprisonment, my chain nor my near
prospect of death by hanging. 1 feel as
Sured that not one hair shall TALL from my
mead without the will of my Heavenly
Father l also feel that have long been
endeavoring to hold exactly such a last as
God has chosen. See the passage in Isaiah
which you have quoted. NO part of my life
has been more happily spent than | have
spent here, and humDly trust that no part
mas been spent to better purpose. i would
not say this hesitatingly, but thanks be unto
COO, who glveth us the victory through in
finite grace
Il should be sixty years old were to live
until May 3, 1860. have enjoyed much of
lie as 1t is and have been remarkably pros
porous, having early learned to regard the
welfare and prosperity of others as my own.
L nave never since L can remember required
great amount of sleep, so that L conclude
that / have already enjoyed an average
number OF waking hours as those who reach
their three score years and ten. | have not
as yet been driven to the use of glasses, buC
can see to read and write quite comfort
ably. More than that, / have generally en-
Joyed remarkably good health. l might go
on 10 recount unnumbered and unmerited
blessings, among which would be some very
severe Affections, and those the most needed
blessings of all. And now when l think how
easily might be left TO spoil all have done
or suffered in the cause of freedom / hard
ly dare wish another voyage, even if L had
met, but we shall soon come together in our
Fathers house, l trust. Let US hold fast
that already have remembering 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 warm-hearted
friend, goodbye, a long farewell. Your af-
fectionate cousin, JOHN BROWN"