The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-11-10
JOHN BROWN.
MAN AFTER ROOSEVELT'S OWN
HEART.

Fiiend Man of High Ideals to
Whom the Country Owes
Much-Dr. John A. Weyth,
a Gallant Southerner, De-
nounces Roosevelt's Tribute
to the Kansas Traitor and
Insurrectionist and Proves
That He is More Kinds of
an Ass than He Was Known
to be Before.
The New York Sun recently printed
the following letter from DR.. John A.
Wythe. a Southerner, as a comment
on an editorial expression by Mr..
Roosevelt in the Outlook:
To the Editor OF the Sun-Slr: In
the Outlook for September 3, 1910,
ex- President Roosevelt says: John
Brown stands to Us now as rep
resenting the men and the genera
ton who rendered the greatest ser
vice ever rendered this country. He
stood for heroic valOr, grim energy,
fierce fidelity to high ideals. Agreat
debt is owed to John Brown because
he is one Of the most striking figures
in the mighty struggle which was to
keep US forever a free and united
nation, which was to secure the con-
tiuuance of the most tremendous
democratic experiment ever tried.
He did much in his life and more in
his death; he embodied the insplra-
ton of the men Of his generation. y
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
nation, this astounding encOnlum
deserves more than a passing notice.
By Il great many native Americans
in whom reason is not clOuded by
sentiment, sympathy or prejudice, 1t
will be held that despite the unseltish
motive which may be conceded as the
impelling force Of John Browns ia
naticism the means employed were
such as to justify the doubt Uf the
wisdom or right of holding him up as
an example to this or other genera
tons They will hOld-and the proof
Is pOsitive-that for the last several
years of his career he was not d law
abiding citizen; that he repeatedly
and with generalization slnned
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, Iaw-abidiDg citizens and
was particeps criminis in the murder
OF a man who was exercising the first
great duty of protecting his home
and family, his property and him
self; 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 to cut them to
death, which they did; that he was
for years an outlaw and fugitive from
Justice, going about under assumed
names, with a reward out for his APP
prehensiOn; that without any provo
cation and without any declaration
OF war, he led an armed invasion OF
q peaceful community, carrying guns
and pixies with which to arm seryile
race knowing, as those who gave
him moral material aid in this expe
dition knew, OF the deplorable South
amptOn instruction only few years
before in the same community and
murdered or caused to be murdered
unoffending citizens; that he was
guilty Of treason in Selling and ap-
propriating to his own unlawful uses
the property OF the United States; and
that he was tried by a court ofrecog
nized Jurisdiction, condemned and
executed on the gallOws for his
crimes against God and the laws Of
his country.
TRUTH UNIMPEACHABLE.
The truth of the foregoing rests
upon unimpeachable evidence. The
partisans OF John Brown for a long
time denied his participating in the
cold blooded massacre on the Pot
tawatomie, and his family deliberate
ly 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 MUIR
der and crime in Kansas in which both
parties, Pro-Slavery and Free Soil,
n A 0iI
Salmon Brown, a son, in letter
to 2. II. SanbOrn, author OF the Life
and Letters OF John Brown" dated
December 81, 1859, 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 Kan
sas, therefore | say positively that
he was not a participation in the
| deed;' and yet SanbOrn, than whom
none could be more of a partisan,
says: Those who accomplished it
were under Browns orders and were
directed in all their movements by
him" ellie and Letters OF John
Browu," page 25S.) The men who
COuIpOSeu CHIS parry were oOuL
Brown, his four sons, Watson
Oliver, Owen and Frederick, his son
in-law, Henry Thompson, a Mr.
Weiner, and James Townsley San
born says: The weapons used were
short cutlasses, straight and broad
and were freshly ground for this ex
petition at the camp of John Brown
Jr." (''Life and Letters OF Johr
Brown" page 264)
The murdered men were surprised
in bed about O'Clock in the morn