The Washington herald., 1910-10-06
.ROOSEVELT'S VIEWS
ON JOHN BROWN
CONTROYERTED

Aslo ex-President Roosevelt says: 'Jonn
Brown stands 10 US now as representing
the men and the generation who rendered
the greatest service ever rendered this
country. He stood for heroic valor, grim
energy. fierce fidelity TO high ideals a
great debt IS owed 10 John Brown be-
cause he is one OF the most striking fig
ures In the mighty struggle which was
TO keep Us forever free and united ma
ton. which was 10 secure the continu-
anee 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 10 completion by the men
who bore aloft the banner OF the Union
during the four terrible years which in
tervened between Sumter and Apo
mattox."
Coming from one who has held the
highest Office in the gift of great ma
ton. this astounding encomium deserves
more than passing notice, BY a great
many native Americans in whom reason
is not clouded by sentiment, sympathy.
or prejudice, it viii be held that, despite
ceded as the impelling force TO John
Browns fanatcism the means employed
were such as 10 justify the doubt OF wis
dom or right of holding him up as an
example to this or other generations,
They win HOLLAND the proof is positive
that for the last several years of his
career he was not 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. SCI Of peaceable.
law-abidlng citizens. and was particeps
criminis in the murder OF man who was
exercising the first duty OF protecting his
home and family. his property and him
self; that on May . and IS, 1856, he
caused to be taken out OF their beds at
the dead hours OF night five persons 1.-TWO
! OF these lads under ago., and IN cold
blood directed members OF his own family
and others To cut them 20 death, which
they did; that he was for years an out
law and fugitive from justice, going about
| under assumed names, with a reward
out for HIS apprehension; that without
any provocation and without any decIa-
ration OF war he led an armed invasion
Of a peaceful community. carrying guns
and pixies with which TO arm a servile
race (lCnOwing, as those who gave him
moral and material aid in this expedl-1
| ton knew. Of the deplorable Southamp-
| ton insurrection only d few years before
in the same community. and murdered
/ or caused 10 be murdered unoffending
| citizens; that he was guilty OF treason
/ in seiZing and appropriating 20 his own
unlawful uses the property Of the United
States, AND that he was tried by court
| OF recognized Jurisdiction condemned
and executed Oh the gallows for his
crimes against God and the laws of his
! country.
Took Part in Massacre.
The truth Of the foregoing rests upon
unimpeaehable evidence. The parttSans
OF John Brown for 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 It stands out as one OF /
the foulest and most cowardly crimes in |
the annals OF that era OF murder and I
crime in Kansas in which both parties. /
Pro-Savery and Free Soil, disgraced /
America and civilization
Salmon Brown, a son. In a letter 10 1
F. b. Sanborn, author OF the Life and Let /
tiers Of John Brown. dated December q |
1889, says Il was one Of the company al |
the time OF the homicide and was never
away from him John Brown one hour
at time after we took up arms in Kan /
sas, therefore I say positively that he |
was not participator in the deed" And /
yet Sanborn, than whom none could be /
more OF partisan. says: Those who |
accomplished il were under Browns or
ders. and were directed In all their
movements by him. 04ife and Letters of
John Brown, page 259. The men who 1
composed this party were John Brown. /
his four sons. Watson. Oliver. Owen, and
Frederick; his son-in-law, Henry Thomp-
son. 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." Iife
and Letters of John Brown, page 2s4)
The men murdered were surprised IN
bed about . 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:
Il took Mr. William Sherman out of the
creek and examined him. Mr.. Whitman
was with me. SheTman's skull was split
in two places and some of his brain was
washed out by the water. A 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 a cry that they had been mutt
lated. but this was because Of the weap- Il
ons used" Ordinarily it would seem that
two gashes through the skull from which II
the brain was oozing might suffice with
out the extra thrust on the side and the Il
looping of of hand. However. the d.
rector was a man of high ideals" and
mutilation was impossible.
John Brown in Command.
Anothes of the victims was Mr.. VIII
kinsUn, who was the postmaster at Sher-
Evansville now Lance. and also mem
Der of the Territorial legislature Of Kan
sas. Mrs Wilkinson in her testimony |
said that she was sick In bed with the
measles, that she begged them to let her
husband stay with her as she was help
less. THE old man Brown who seemed
to be In command, looked at me and
then around at the children, and replied:
You have neighbors' They then took
my husband away. One OF them came
back and took two saddles. The next
morning Mr.. Wilkinson was found I
believe that one of Capt Browns sons
was In the party who murdered my hus-
band. My husband was a quiet man and
was not engaged in arresting or disturb