Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-03-11
Answers Pres, HaW|ev,
Salmon Brown Quotes His,
tory on Old John Brown.
He Completely Vindicates His Fathers
Anti-Slavery Record.

EDITOR JoURNAL:-Will you please
spare me space in which to answer,
briefly, this modern traducer oi John
Brown.
Who is this Hawley, with his hy-
ena instincts ? This man whose chief
delight seems to be to destroy in the
minds of the young their yeneration
for the noble dead ? L never heard of
him until | came to Salem. Prehaps
he may say l am back number, to
which l would reply that l have
heard Baron Won Humboldt, Geo.
Francis Train, Mark Twain, and Rev.
g. O. Brown. Is this young fellow
seeking TO obtain national reputa-
tion, because his local fame is about
worn out by his persistent determina-
tion TO keep his name before the pub
lie, in one way or another
If Mr. Hawlcy had eyer been known
as self-sacriticing hero in his daily
walk, or had any notOriety for his be-
nevolence, kindness, and charity, l
would Yenerate his name, but sIch
Christianity as his will be the means
Of making more intidels than Robert
IngOrSol. He seems TO be one OF those
to serve God and mammou.
Very likely mammon has blessing
laid up for him; if not, IL will not be
because he has not bowed down to the
Golden calf. For instance, his i'll
advised congratulations to well
known millionaire politician. Won
der il he got his deserved tip. If
not, it will not be altogether fail
ure, as he gained little notoriety for
being indiscreet, weak, and thirsty
for fame.
L can hardly account for this fellow.
1t looks as If he had been brought up
in an aristocratic manner by being
sucked on foster mother of Ethi-
Opian descent, somewhere down South
or perhaps his ancestors were from
Canada or Novia Scotia. If he dis
claims all this then he must have de-
scended from Tory stock, and is there
fore wholly un-American in his in
stinctS.
/ feel a certain kind of charity for
him, and would like to diagnose his
head, as l think l could help him
somewhat by showing him his weak
points. To be forewarned is TO be
forearmed. An excess Of self-estee III
gives man the big head. An excess
of appropriateness makes a man a
fool. Little boats should keep near
the shore.
demand in the interest Of edu-
cation an opportunity to diagnose
this would-be historians head to see
if he is qualified to correct history.
If 1 were younger man or not a
cripple now, l would Increase the size
of some of his intellec Ial bumps, or
die in the attempt.
YoungHawley, L have not called.you
liar, a Wilkes Booth, or gentle
man, but for your editication let
me inform you that a man OF your
mental calibre can no more under
stand the heroic element in the nature
of John Brown, or his sympathies for
the down-trodden and oppressed than
braying ass can understand or ap-
preciate the symphonies or Mendels-
sohn or Beethoven.
AS a matter of fact in regard to the
history of my father L will inform
you that Peter Brown, Of the May
flower is on record in the town Of
Plymouth for the purchase of the
first town lot. My fathers grand
father was a captain in the Revolu-
tIonary war and was direct descend
ent of Peter Brown.
| fought side by side with my father
in the Kansas border war. Later in
war of rebellion l had lieutenant's
commission in the Goth New York
regiment, therefore claim the right
TO have something TO say, in this
western world, as to your right to
desecrate my fathers grave to crafty
an ungodly thirst for notoriety.
1t is not necessary to go farther
back than 1850 to fully vindicate
John Browns anti slavery career, and
to show that his plan was the only
feasible one, and the one that was
afterwards adopted by The govern
ment maintain our free institutions.
John Brown was indicted for treason
against the state of Virginia for an
attempt to free their slaves. The
United States government committed
the same act Of treason against the
state of Virginia by carrying out the
attemIt that John Brown started.