Year: 1860

have had some effect upon the destiny of John
Brown. But all the eioqnence of genius cannot
take the blackness from treason, or the crimson
stain from murder It requires something more
than outburst of fine poetry to turn crime into
Notwithstanding more than Impetuous de-
nunciation to check the solemn footsteps of JUS
tice.


Before this time you will have learned that
Virginia has vindicated the majesty of her laws !;
and that John Brown and his unhappy confede-
rates have passed to a higher tribunal for judg-
ment. You, will learn. also, that out of nearly
thirty millions of people, spreading over great
continent, there is but handful of men and wo-
men who have received the news of the execution
with disapproval. North and South, the great
body of our people acqniesce in the fate of John
Brown, an inevitable necessity-a solemn obi
CATION to the laws. Like you, we may feel COM
passion for the man who was brave even in his
crimes; but he was great criminal, and so per-
ished. God have mercy upon his soul!
The impulses of humanity which prompted
vonr letter meet with sympathy from every true
heart But no outburst of mpassion, no denun-
citation from abroad, is likely to influence peo-
pie who have learned to govern their passions
while they protect their rights.


When. in the ardor of your fancy, Washington
stood before you-immortal with heavenly great
ness-yOur Intellect should have gone step
farther, and formed itself more correctly regard
ing the Constitution, to establish which he gave
the best years of glorious life. You would have
learned that each State of this Union is sovereign
in itself-in its laws and in its power to punish
crimes committed on its soil.


To establish the distinct sovereignty of these
States and link them in one beautiful confedera-
ton, concessions were made and obligations of
forbearance were entered upon to which the sa-
cred honor of our Revolutionary fathers pled
ged-not for themselves alone, but for their child
rem and chidren's children. These obligations
make slavery with US a forbidden subject
Washington himself was born in a slavehold
ing State-ved and died the master of slaves
Neither on the battle field. the floor of Congress-
in the Presidential chair, did he suggest the
possibility Of revolt against the solemn compact
made in the Constitution.


Had treason, like that of Old John Brown, bro
ken out in his time, he would undoubtedly have
done what Jas Buchanan is doing now Main
tanning his august position AS the chef Of great
confederation, our President respects the rights
of soverei gn State, over whose internal laws he
has authority, and leaves to her Courts the
punishment or pardon of the treason which broke
out on her territory.


Washington could have done more than this
crown him with the halo of poetry you will


Virginia, a sovereign State has maintained
her authority John Brown is dead. Proven
guilty of ftreason-condemned for atrocous mur
ders-he has atoned for these crimes on the scat
fold 1t is impossible for man to stand upon
the verge of eternity, into which he must be
launched by violent death, without filling
ry good heart with grief and compassion. But
when he is brave--when his path of blood has
been lighted by the lurid torch of fanaticism
insanity-such minds as yours, affiuent. earnest,



in white garments, and forgetting the murderer
in the brave man, sing pocns to the martyr OF
vivid imag gnatC1 on Y.


| of a and of nature to whom these
feelings are kindred. / cannot think Of old John
Brown upon the scatfOld without shudder through
all my being l cannot think of man made in
the image of his God. suffering ignominious
death without thrills of pain. But find it i'm
possible to fix my mind on the scafu!d of this old
man. 1t goes back to his victims ut Harper Fer
ry-to the women made widows by the outbreak
of single morning-to the orphans, who had
never wronged him, cruelty bereaved by his
crime. ! see the w no bindly followed
his lead fall martyrs to his rebellious spirit.


look beyond all this. far away into the beau
tiful South and instead of an old man on the gal
lows l see thousands of my own countrywonen,
gentle, good and lovely, given up prey to wild


nsurrection-I those murderous pixies, manu-
factured with such cruel forethought plecing their
hosoms-I hear the cries of children calling for
the mothers who will never answer them again
| proud, strong men struggling against the
brute strength of their own household servants
This picture strikes my compassion dumb, and
can only cover my face and pray God to have
mercy the old mans soul.


John Brown was tried, condemned, and execu-
ted AS a traitor-a guard of American citizens
stood around the scafnid, sad at heart but steady
in their devotion to the laws The Legislature
of great Commonwealth sat, deliberately. after
his sentence, and pronounced it just The Fed
eral Union, in which thirty millions of souls
throb, stood by in solemn silence while the Trea-
son of this man was explrated.


Out of these thirty millions of intelligent, edu-
Gated men, who make their own laws and abide
by them not one hundred thousand can be found
to join with you in condemning the execution of
John Brown, hile every good heart among them
must sympathize in the pity for his fate, which
mingles eloquently with your denunclations
Some there may be,-nay, certainly are,-who
would add bitterness to your words, and wing
them, like poisoned arrows, far and wide, If they
had the power. But these are the very men and
women who instigaed his crime, who urged him
on to revolt, and shrunk away into safe places
when the gloom of his deeds settled around him
men and women who make money by incendi-
ary books, sermons and lectures and whe they
ncite crimes which coin gold for themselves
have no courage to meet the danger when it aris
es. But thousands and tens of thousands share
your pity for the old man-guity and mad as he
was,-while they put your denunciations aside
with calm forbe france, feeling how little know
ledge you possess a subject which agitates you
SO deeply.


But if the great mass of my countrymen join in
your pity for the unhappy man, it Is not because
they condemn his execution or sympathlse with
his revolt. Probably twenty-nine millions and
nine hundred thousands OF our people look upon
this execution full and solemn atonement for
crimes in which they have no sympathy. Our
country is now divided into three political par
ties, none of which will endorse this rebellion or
condemn the course justice has taken. When
YOU call upon the Federal Union to interpose its
authority against the laws of Virginia. there Is
not school boy throughout the land-for to all
such our Constitution Is text-book-w no would
not smile at your idea that the General Govern
ment has any right to interfere with the legal acts
of an independent Commonwealth, or that the
majority of single State would interfere, if 1t
had the power.


Your picture of John Browns trial is painful
one 1t must be hard heart which does not
swell with compassion as it presents itself :" Up
on wretched pallet, with six hafgaping wounds
scarcely conscious of surrounding sounds bath
inr his mattress with blood. and with the ghosty