The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-20
LIFE OF JOHN BROWN"
Mr. ConnelIey's New Book Pub
Iished by Crane & Go.
Regarded In the East as One of
the Ablest Books of Recent
Times.


Times.
It is becoming known in the east that
Kansas intends to invade all the fields of
industry, art and literature and that To-
peka aspires to be a great literary and
publishing center. Much in the way of
making this aspiration a reality has al
ready been accomplished. The most popu-
lar American book ever written is the
work of a Topeka minister. Topeka was
the home of the late Colonel Henry In
most prominent and respected citizens
The works Of both are published by the
great house of Crane & Company. of this
city, and are read and admired wherever
the English language is spoken
new life of John Brown, written the past
summer by William E. Connelley, of To-
peka, and published by Crane & Company.
makes a few facts concerning the author
nOuntaineer of which fact he is proud;
for, as he says, mountaineers have been
the conserVators of human liberty all
along the ages. Those of Kentucky stood
for the Union and freedom in the War of
the Rebellion. Mr.. Connelley was born In
1855, and from his earliest recoHeetion was
taught that John Brown, General Lane,
Colonel Montgomery, Governor Robinson
Champions of human rights. His home
was in mourning on the day of the mar
fought through the war in the Union
army.
dotte county, in 1881. There he taught IN
the public schools. and held some of the
highest offices in the gift of the people OF
the county, among them that of county
clerk In September, 1899. he moved TO
Topeka to take a position with Crane q
Company He is an enthusiastic stuuehs
of history. and believes the history of
Kansas of more Importance than that
of our history. His provisional Govern
ment of Nebraska Territory" was a sur
prise to even so great historian as non.
D. w. Wilder, who was not aware of the
extent and Importance of the old govern
Kansas river while the territory now en-
braced in Kansas and Nebraska, was
known as Nebraska Territory.
He has written the biography of Cen
eral James H. Lane, and of each of the
Kansas Territorial Governors. For years
he has been engaged in gathering origi-
nal documents concerning the early his
tory of this country, and his collection IS
one of the finest and most valuable IN
existence.
History is not the only science in which
Mr.. COnneIley is exceptionally proficient.
He has made extensive investigation in
ethnology. archaeology and anthrop logy
as well as in the social chara cteristics #
Indian tribes; his collection of vocabular-
les of Indian languages surpasses in some
respects even those of the bureau of eth
nology at Washington One of the most
interesting and valuable Kansas publica-
tons is his ''Wyandot Folklore" All
his books are published by Crane & Com
pany His works have caused him TO be
elected to membership in many learned
societies, both at home and abroad. He
ciety
The life of John Brown is meeting with
remarkable success. and it bids fair to
become the most ronllIar of Mr. Connel-
ley's books. No western book has ever
been received more promptly with greater
favor in the east. 1t was Wri ten to make
two numbers Of The Twentieth Century
Classics. The demand for it was so great
added much to it. wrote great number
of critical and historical notes. and Crane
& Company are now bringing it out in
vance orders have exbaiIsted a large edi-
fa6 a
publishers And the first edition has not
vet reached the bfnderv No such inter-
est has been manifested in any other re-
cent Kansas book The New York Times,
a few days ago, gave it three column re-
view in its literary issue. Among the
many reviews of this work appearing
daily in the great eastern papers. the fol-
(Iass.l Republican. of October 10th;
With like conception of Browns
search into facts. the new life of Brown
by w r. Connelley of Kansas, published
comes to efface the spots which the en-
vious have been trying to fGsten upon the
against the grain. The mass of Kansas
people, young and old, pay no regard to
tempt is made where every rood OF east
err Kansas bears witness In tale and le-
men who saved the young state from
slavery. It is, in fact, the very difficulty
certain persons can nave no exclusive
glory till Brown and his fighting friends
are set aSide-hence these lOng-c 9ntlnued
struggles to make black look white.
Mr.. COnnelley, who is kentuckian. of
South Carolinian ancestry, but sincere
hater of slavery. as so many kentuckians
were, long before emancipation, does not
give in to this detra elton of the KansaS
hero, s did Mr.. Spring in his unsatisfac-
tory history of Kansas A clique, few in
number, but with some of the elements of
power, particularly that which money
represents. have been laboring for about
a quarter of a century to exalt themselves |
the saviors of Kansas. and the eman-
cipators of 100000 slaves. To do this it
was thought needful to pull down the rep
utatiOn of Brown and his friends by every
sort of misrepresentation. In his prefs &c /
Mr.. COnnelley makes short work of this |
shabby business He says:
. Was John Brown a saint. whose every |
act was just, who was incapable of doing |
wrong, who alone and unaided saved /
Kansas to freedom and America to lib |
erty? No. And we must insist that those /
who seek to sink him to the level of the |
ma1efactor.-Who distort their countrys |
history with malice and venom, to crafty |
private anfmosity exalt contempo- /
rary, much in error The efforts |
of both are futile Posterfty comes to a |
right verdict the actions of all The /
strength of John Browns character lies /
not in his having been always right No |
man has ever been So But it lies in his /
and perhaps did. fail in judgment,-but |