The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-12
JOHN BROWN NEITHER
HERO NOR MARTYR
Kansan Tells the Truth About Insane Incendiary
Blot on the Escutcheon Of Kansas
Assassin and Anarchist.
BY COL. o. E. LEARNARn.

Colonel Lcarnard is an old settler Of
Kansas. who commanded a regiment
in tho Union army and is lifelong
Republican in politics. The article is
reprinted from the Confederate Vet
sran at the request Of Judge John II.
Goolrick. OF Fredericksburg. who sa*a
In connection with IL:
In the intcres, OF the truthtulness
OF history and the healthy education
or the young women and men OF this
country, especially Of the South, this
address Should be extensively publish
ed. and know or no better Journal
for This purpose than The Times Dis
patch. All of your readers. indeed all
our people will BIZ under many obli-
cations 10 YOU II you will cause this
republication, bnsidea 1t Will go great
good and be OF great aery!ce. Suci, IN
address coming from the person who
made It a ihis time should be given
Iiha widest ;,ossipla circulGtIon."
At the meeting o. this association
two years ago J was to have made
tome remarks il relation to John
Brown and his career in Kansas, but
"as unable 10 do SO on account OF Ill
.nealth. Since then ] have given thu,
matter little thought until that recent
inuch- heraided event at Osa :-atomfc
by and through which was revealed q
stated purpose 10 pervert tho facts oil
history In the interest uf y mawkish
aentimental!ty that deliberately Ignores
and derides Observation-Disclosures history
The late Joel *. Gcodin,i na letter 10
Governor Robinson, said: THE sickcn-
Ing adulation and Offensive slobbers
over come OF the ina girary savior. OF
Kansas TO freedom which have passed
the lips OF minister's and laymen lcct-
urers and politicians. editors and es-
sayists, during the past thirty years.
nave added little TO tho truthfulncss
Of history or the healthy education OF
the young men md young women OF
me state" Under the circumstances
IT seems pertinent that a least some
OF tho salem, facts OF the matter
should be stated
IN what have to say in the bricf
time allotted me this i4 ali can pre-
sumo upon. and DO this from no mo-
ii|e or Wish other than vindication
o. ne truth OF history II Is conceded
az The outset that most 81 the early
settlers those who were cognizaat Of
the facts, most Of whom, were parttci-
pants in the event. did not and do not
smart the sentiments which have re-
Gently been expressed as to the char
acter and achievements Of 1ohn Brown.
some 81 us who survive know better
The claims made for John Brown ara
that he was tho savior Of X ansaa 10
freedom: that lie inspired the organ
iHed armed resistance 10 border rutsiaD
aggression. and was It's master spirit
and guide. Each and MI OF the ciaims
on his behalf unheetatingly reput!i.
ate ami deny
The first organized and armed resist.
ancc was in what is designated MS tho
Nakarusa War Governor Robinson
WAS chief In command and General
Lane second. John Brown had bn. re-
Gently arrived, and on the strength OF
the representation that he had fought
IN the battle OF Plattsburg in the war
81 lSl2-~a representation, by the way.
that was absolutely fa!se--he WIS
given the nominal command or n sna,l
squad of men ''%'
During that brief and bIoodiess cam
paign John Brown spent most OF his
time IN fault finding and growing
about camp, particularly that Of tho
topeka company, so that thcy ordered
him to get out and STAY ont This
statement is made on the authorize a.
the late Guilford Dudley for a ,rea,
many years prominent and we'll,
known resident OF Topeka, and VINO
was member Of the Topeka COMPANY
lohn Speer. in his Life Of General
.ahe Telorring 10 the treaty tina,
closed the "Wakssusa War" sav..
The conflict WINS Remarkable for tho
f harmony among the free state leaders
heard of no disa greement excent
/. Brown. who wes Bitter againat any
settlement"
And this same habit OF growing ana
iault- hndiEg characterized all his later
. 80 Ions g the Tree state no"ement
H ana Its leaders. During the sDriny
and summer OF 1855 John Browng,.,s.
only occasionally about Lawrence. ana
only Tor brief periods, and al no t;,n,.
nd he have command here. He waa
mere on the 18th OF s:eptambor, / saw
nun little after noon as twenty i've
44ot us mounted mon started OUT to IL
cate The Missourians, about wb,n, ali
sorts Of ruInors were adoat. Tocetber
Win . possible half-dozen IN the garth,
works At the corner OF Massachusetts
and Henry Streets. Brown was sayi,,
10 the men: Il have no command harr
x put am used TO these Sharps rifles
Z and they shoot over. IL You want to
nit aim al the knees saw no ,,,ora
OF him that day, and Il know or No
one who did sow him at Rock C.reaI-
camp and one or-two other times DIR
ing the summer. When Lane pro,,osed
70 me to make the denonstrat ton on
/ Leavenworth that summer, lie couplea
With IT tho suggestion that Brow, -af.
eonpany us, 10 which replied that r
was willing TO make the trip, but that
Brown could not go with us, and Of
2 course, he did not,
Hs captured Clay Pate with The CO.
operation OF Captain Shore, whose
men outnnmbercd Brown But who ala
not share the credit. This was IN a
way q Victory, the only one Of his
IA Kansas career Most Of his operations
were IN the border counties or kansoa
aud Missouri-forays, night alarms and
frightening peaceful citizens. Gener-
ally his raids were fruitful OF pIurder
a pro slavery man or even a free Sta a
man who did not accord with his views
and methods had no rights or person
I or property that Brown respected. This
4 condition continued long after the free
4 State issue waB settled, the Territorial