The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-23

utstc Wa disappointed by the activity
81 the ant-siavery mcl. who poured oni-
SINUS INTO Kansas by the thousand. all
=. mem fe'dy Tor fight up0a the merits
VI Nne question. An odd enough sight Il
was 70 see ministers OF the gospei raising
money FOR the purpose Of buying rifles 10
usea ~ shooting pro-siavery advocates
- pitt"f guerrilla war sprnnr M fp the
-'i 'oiy and atrocities We're committed
-. Doth sides an this went on under
.ne laws OF the Fodc~al Government and
4" ~ suppos d state Of peacoi
inc war ended i'm tho adn,fss,o, -
N"nsaS INTO the Union as "a free state
IN ehis bloody struggle John Brown won
uHenF1bie reputation. He was one
~ the participants in q series OF par-
tr'a'ly brutal murders perpetrated I'm
to'o upon slavery settlers on the
~" 'anle river. Brown was charged
WIN inc crime. but 70 was not believed
lu ,he North al the time that he was
sDny' In view. however. Of the COM
p'ete evidence. there is no room for doubt
as 10 his participation. The Pottawata-
me massacre intensified the bitterness
OF the warfare. in the course OF which
Brown himself lost two sons
Browns Contempt for Law.
Al tho conclusion Of the Kansas affair
Brown occupation was gone. There ,vas
no fighting in the West lie then 49,
'lHed 10 make deliberate attack upon
saNery in one OF the Eastern e.nfe.
lie conducted a preliminary rait fro,,
Kansas into Missouri lu Decembe-. 1883
in which he attacked several bone~,aaas
Killed one man and carried of "A nurnbor
OF negroes and horses ami some other
property Brown succeeded in carr,,fn,,
ire slaves across the country. into CAM
aaa, where they became free under tho
British law
virginia as promising field FOR hts
"euNlly' lie seems 20 have irobibed "a
complete contempt for law. oerhaps nv
reason ~ his Kansas experiences He
Planned 10 establish himself I'm an inac-
ess.DIe position In the Virginia noun
'4'- whence he might conduct raids
mo ihe low country and carry or slaves
re- thought that tnis system o. warfare
Would 30 terrify and reduce tho slave
holders That there would be a general de-
hland ~. cmancip patton
brown s contempt for law EXTENDED 10
i.' much abused Constitution Of the
AIRED states. which be IeslreS 20 do
away with altogether ln tho Interests OF
negro freedom ana % simplifcatlon OF
ko'e-iment- Accordingly nc drew 10 at
Chatham. West Canada. what ha called
a provisional constitution" This la-cu-
ment WIS sufficiently absurd, ana there
is no need to describe % OBJ detail Its
Importance Hes iu tie fact that 81 shows
That Brown contemplated nothing less
IMAM "a general revolution throughout the
country. and - was used by the prose-
cit-us attorney ~ Browns trial as cvi-
dence 20 support the charge or treason.
II ia plain that John Brown ha5 shan-
ton"d - resnect for human law. ne read
into ~ Bible condemnation OF slavery.
which he Thought Justified him IN setting
Tie world upside down.
The Ag'tator's Methods.
Brown now began TO prepare To- the
Virginia venture. He secured the co..
operation of Gerrit Smith. a noted phil
anthropist. Theodore Parker. a Boston
preacher. and other reputable men.
Nothing more clearly indicates the power
OF the aboiitionlst emououalisn than the
readiness which men - character showed
% engage in an enterprise against the
Laws ard one which. they knew, must
involve bioodshed.
b~owu. in tile pursuance OF his plans.
rented farn on the Maryland side of
the Potomac. not far from Harpers
Ferry. and busted himself in receiving
consi gnncnts q arms and m aiing prep
arations for the raid. Finally. on the
nisht - October IS. 1859. the aboiition!st.
with his twenty-five followers. crossed
the river and assaulted the United states
arnory az Harpers Ferry. lie thus at
tackled the Federal Government as well
as the State % Virginia.
Tie details Of the lighting which fol.
lowed need no repetition Browns little
force found that the slaves would not
join them. and ~ was finally surrounded
in the armory building by United States
marines and militia The marines. under
tAc direction OF Col K. 2 Lee. stormed
tlc place Brown was wounded and
osegpowered. and most Of his followers
were XII ed or wounded. They. so turn
killed hvc men and wounded number
The whole country Immediately rang
with the affair Few incidents in our
history have awakened the like con-
temporary interest Virginia and the
South We're furious and afraid. Governor
Wise sent a large force OF militia TO
Harpers Ferry and preparations were
made on an extensive scale 20 meet any
further attempts AT incitlng slave insur-
recti0ns. The Northern press derideI
these preparations and made a consistent
effort 20 underrate the importance Of
Browns raid II ieered at Virginians as
towards and declared that a single regi-
1ent would have no trouble 10 con-
quering state o. such tipid people.
scared about nothing at all
AS "A matter OF fact, the Importance OF
Browns raid could hardly be over
estimated. and Wise did well TO have
large military force on hand.
Murder and Treason.
The temper OF the Virginia people and
the er-growing excitement throughout
th., country fed by the sensational news
n;,pers. made It advisable 70 try John
Brown as soon as possible. He was in
dicted for murder the attenpt 20 inc.te
a slave-ris'ng. and treason. Murder had
enthusiastically been committed. for blood
had been shed in time OF peace. This
Indictment was sufficient 70 hang man.
and enough IS as good as p feast. IT was
useless 10 add pm indictment for insurroc-
tion although Brown was guilty. A great
mistake was made I'm the accusation o.
treason. Murder sank into comparative in
Significance beside this fascinating crime
and the trial assumed political as we'll
as a criminal asnect. which fin view Of