The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-06
DIR, WyETH WRITES
OF HIGH IDEALS
Analyses Roosevelt's Lauda-
tion of John Brown
SOME OF BROWNS DEEDS
Roosevelt Has Written of Brown as n
Man of "Heroic YnIor, Grim En-
ergy, Fierce Fidelity to
High Ideals.


| John A. Kyeth, a former Alabamian,
and now prominent citizen of New
York. has written the following letter to
the New York Sun and will appear In
that paper tomorrow:
To the Editor Of The Sun:
Sir-In the Outlook for September g.
1910, ex-President Roosevelt says: John
Brown stands to us now as representing
the men and the generation who rendered
the greatest service ever rendered this
county He stood for heroic valor.
grim energy, fierce fidelity to high ideals.
A great debt is owed to John Brown be-
cause he is one of the most striking fig
ures In the mighty struggle which was
to keep up forever free and united
nation, which was to secure the continu-
ance of the most tremendous democratic
experiment ever tried. He did much in
his life and more in his death; he en-
bodied the inspiration of the men of his
generation. John Browns work
was brought to completion by the
men who bore aloft the banner of the
Union during the four terrible years
which interviewed between Sumter and
Appomattox.
Coming from one who has held the
highest office in the gift of great ma
ton. this astounding encomium deserves
more than a passing notice. BY a great
many native Americans in whom reason
is not clouded by sentiment, sympathy or
prejudice. it will be held that despite the
unselfish motive which may be con-
coded as the impelling force to John
Browns fanaticism, the means employed
were such as to Justify the doubt of the
wisdom or right of holding him up as
an example TO this or other generations.
They will HOLLAND the proof is positive
that for the last several years of his ca
reer he was not a law-abiding citizen;
that he repeatedly and with premedita-
ton sinned against the laws of God and
his country: that he took by violence
and against the law the property (slaves,
wagons, live stock, etc) of peaceable.
law-abiding citizens and was particeps
crimnis in the murder of man who
was exercising the first great duty of
protecting his home and family, his
property and himself; that on May 1926,
1856. he caused to be taken out of their
beds at the dead hours of night five per-
sons 1.-TWO of these lads under age), and
in cold blood directed members of his
own family and others to cut them to
death. which they did; that he was for
years an outlaw and fugitive from JUS
tice, going about under assumed names,
with reward out for his apprehension;
that without any provocation and with
out any declaration of war, he led an
armed invasion of a peaceful community.
carrying guns and pixies with which to
arm a servile race knowing, as those
who gave him moral and material aid In
this expedition knew, of the deplorable
Southampton instruction only "a few
years before in the same community,
and murdered or caused to be murdered
unoffending citizens; that he was guilty
of treason in seizing and appropriating
to his own unlawful use the property of
the United States; and that he was tried
by a court of recognized jurisdiction. con-
demned and executed on the gallows for
his crimes against God and the laws of
his country.
Lie lIotH VI tIlc lOitSOlnR rests upon
unimpeachable evidence The partisans
of John Brown for a long time denied his
participating in the cold blooded massa-
ere on the Pottawatomie, and his family
deliberately lied about it. The truth is
now known, and II stands out as one of
the foulest and most cowardly crimes In
Kansas in which both parties, pro-slav-
cry and free soil, disgraced America and
civilization.
Vol u, l.t4 20 L
B. Sanborn. author of the Life and Let
tiers of John Brown" dated December 81,
1853, says: II was one of the company
at the time of the homicide, and was
never away from him John Brown one
hour at a time after We took up arms in
Kansas. Therefore l say positively that
he was not a participator in the deed"
and yet Sanborn, than whom none could
be more of partisan. says: Those who
accomplished 1t were under Browns or
ders and were directed in all their move
nents by him" ("Life and Letters of
John Brown" page 250 The men who
composed this party were John Brown,
his four sons, Watson, Oliver owen and
Frederick, his son-in-law, Henry Thomp
son, a Mr. Weiner and James Townsley.
Sanborn says: THE weapons used were
short cutlasses, straight and broad, and
were freshly ground for this expedition
at the camp of John Brown, Jr." c'Life
and Letters of John Brown" page 264.)
The men murdered were surprised in
bed about 2 o'clock In the morning of
May 26, 1856. One of these was William
Sherman, James Harris In his testimony
before the committee of Congress swore:
IT took Mr.. william Sherman out of the
creek and examined him. Mr.. Whitman
was. with me. Sherman's skull was split
in two places and some of his brain was
washed out by the water. large hole
was cut In his breast, and his left hand
was cut Off except a little piece of skin
on one side.' Sanborn says: when the
bodies of the dead were found, there
went up cry that they had been mu-
tilated: but this was because of the
weapons used Ordinarily it would seem
| that two gashes through the skull from
which the brain was oozing might suf-
fee without the extra thrust on the side
and the looping OF of hand However,
| the director was man Of high ideals
| nd r,,ufilation was impossible.