a plea for captain john brown-第4章

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approve　of　his　method　or　his　principles；　recognize　his　magnanimity。

Would　you　not　like　to　claim　kindredship　with　him　in　that；　though

in　no　other　thing　he　is　like；　or　likely；　to　you？　　Do　you　think　that

you　would　lose　your　reputation　so？　　What　you　lost　at　the　spile；

you　would　gain　at　the　bung。



If　they　do　not　mean　all　this；　then　they　do　not　speak　the　truth；

and　say　what　they　mean。　　They　are　simply　at　their　old　tricks　still。



〃It　was　always　conceded　to　him；〃　says　one　who　calls　him　crazy；　〃that

he　was　a　conscientious　man；　very　modest　in　his　demeanor；　apparently

inoffensive；　until　the　subject　of　Slavery　was　introduced；　when　he

would　exhibit　a　feeling　of　indignation　unparalleled。〃



The　slave…ship　is　on　her　way；　crowded　with　its　dying　victims；　new

cargoes　are　being　added　in　mid…ocean　a　small　crew　of　slaveholders；

countenanced　by　a　large　body　of　passengers；　is　smothering　four

millions　under　the　hatches；　and　yet　the　politician　asserts　that　the

only　proper　way　by　which　deliverance　is　to　be　obtained；　is　by　〃the

quiet　diffusion　of　the　sentiments　of　humanity；〃　without　any　〃outbreak。〃

As　if　the　sentiments　of　humanity　were　ever　found　unaccompanied　by

its　deeds；　and　you　could　disperse　them；　all　finished　to　order；　the

pure　article；　as　easily　as　water　with　a　watering…pot；　and　so　lay

the　dust。　　What　is　that　that　I　hear　cast　overboard？　　The　bodies

of　the　dead　that　have　found　deliverance。　　That　is　the　way　we　are

〃diffusing〃　humanity；　and　its　sentiments　with　it。



Prominent　and　influential　editors；　accustomed　to　deal　with　politicians；

men　of　an　infinitely　lower　grade；　say；　in　their　ignorance；　that

he　acted　〃on　the　principle　of　revenge。〃　　They　do　not　know　the　man。

They　must　enlarge　themselves　to　conceive　of　him。　　I　have　no　doubt

that　the　time　will　come　when　they　will　begin　to　see　him　as　he

was。　　They　have　got　to　conceive　of　a　man　of　faith　and　of　religious

principle；　and　not　a　politician　or　an　Indian；　of　a　man　who　did　not

wait　till　he　was　personally　interfered　with　or　thwarted　in　some

harmless　business　before　he　gave　his　life　to　the　cause　of　the

oppressed。



If　Walker　may　be　considered　the　representative　of　the　South；　I　wish

I　could　say　that　Brown　was　the　representative　of　the　North。　　He

was　a　superior　man。　　He　did　not　value　his　bodily　life　in　comparison

with　ideal　things。　　He　did　not　recognize　unjust　human　laws；

but　resisted　them　as　he　was　bid。　　For　once　we　are　lifted　out　of

the　trivialness　and　dust　of　politics　into　the　region　of　truth　and

manhood。　　No　man　in　America　has　ever　stood　up　so　persistently　and

effectively　for　the　dignity　of　human　nature；　knowing　himself　for　a

man；　and　the　equal　of　any　and　all　governments。　　In　that　sense　he

was　the　most　American　of　us　all。　　He　needed　no　babbling　lawyer；

making　false　issues；　to　defend　him。　　He　was　more　than　a　match　for

all　the　judges　that　American　voters；　or　office…holders　of　whatever

grade；　can　create。　　He　could　not　have　been　tried　by　a　jury　of

his　peers；　because　his　peers　did　not　exist。　　When　a　man　stands　up

serenely　against　the　condemnation　and　vengeance　of　mankind；　rising

above　them　literally　by　a　whole　body；even　though　he　were　of　late

the　vilest　murderer；　who　has　settled　that　matter　with　himself；the

spectacle　is　a　sublime　one；didn't　ye　know　it；　ye　Liberators；　ye

Tribunes；　ye　Republicans？and　we　become　criminal　in　comparison。

Do　yourselves　the　honor　to　recognize　him。　　He　needs　none　of　your

respect。



As　for　the　Democratic　journals；　they　are　not　human　enough　to　affect

me　at　all。　　I　do　not　feel　indignation　at　anything　they　may　say。



I　am　aware　that　I　anticipate　a　little；that　he　was　still；　at　the

last　accounts；　alive　in　the　hands　of　his　foes；　but　that　being　the

case；　I　have　all　along　found　myself　thinking　and　speaking　of　him

as　physically　dead。



I　do　not　believe　in　erecting　statues　to　those　who　still　live　in

our　hearts；　whose　bones　have　not　yet　crumbled　in　the　earth　around

us；　but　I　would　rather　see　the　statue　of　Captain　Brown　in　the

Massachusetts　State…House　yard；　than　that　of　any　other　man　whom　I

know。　　I　rejoice　that　I　live　in　this　age；　that　I　am　his　contemporary。



What　a　contrast；　when　we　turn　to　that　political　party　which　is　so

anxiously　shuffling　him　and　his　plot　out　of　its　way；　and　looking

around　for　some　available　slave　holder；　perhaps；　to　be　its　candidate；

at　least　for　one　who　will　execute　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law；　and　all

those　other　unjust　laws　which　he　took　up　arms　to　annul！



Insane！　　A　father　and　six　sons；　and　one　son…in…law；　and　several

more　men　besides；as　many　at　least　as　twelve　disciples；all　struck

with　insanity　at　once；　while　the　same　tyrant　holds　with　a　firmer

gripe　than　ever　his　four　millions　of　slaves；　and　a　thousand　sane

editors；　his　abettors；　are　saving　their　country　and　their　bacon！

Just　as　insane　were　his　efforts　in　Kansas。　　Ask　the　tyrant　who　is

his　most　dangerous　foe；　the　sane　man　or　the　insane？　　Do　the　thousands

who　know　him　best；　who　have　rejoiced　at　his　deeds　in　Kansas；　and

have　afforded　him　material　aid　there；　think　him　insane？　　Such　a　use

of　this　word　is　a　mere　trope　with　most　who　persist　in　using　it；

and　I　have　no　doubt　that　many　of　the　rest　have　already　in　silence

retracted　their　words。



Read　his　admirable　answers　to　Mason　and　others。　　How　they　are

dwarfed　and　defeated　by　the　contrast！　　On　the　one　side；　half…brutish；

half…timid　questioning；　on　the　other；　truth；　clear　as　lightning；

crashing　into　their　obscene　temples。　　They　are　made　to　stand　with

Pilate；　and　Gesler；　and　the　Inquisition。　　How　ineffectual　their

speech　and　action！　and　what　a　void　their　silence！　　They　are　but

helpless　tools　in　this　great　work。　　It　was　no　human　power　that

gathered　them　about　this　preacher。



What　have　Massachusetts　and　the　North　sent　a　few　sane　representatives

to　Congress　for；　of　late　years？to　declare　with　effect　what　kind　of

sentiments？　　All　their　speeches　put　together　and　boiled　down；and

probably　they　themselves　will　confess　it；do　not　match　for

manly　directness　and　force；　and　for　simple　truth；　the　few　casual

remarks　of　crazy　John　Brown；　on　the　floor　of　the　Harper's　Ferry

engine…house；that　man　whom　you　are　about　to　hang；　to　send　to

the　other　world；　though　not　to　represent　you　there。　　No；　he　was　not

our　representative　in　any　sense。　　He　was　too　fair　a　specimen　of　a

man　to　represent　the　like　of　us。　　Who；　then；　were　his　constituents？

If　you　read　his　words　understandingly　you　will　find　out。　　In　his

case　there　is　no　idle　eloquence；　no　made；　nor　maiden　speech；　no

compliments　to　the　oppressor。　　Truth　is　his　inspirer；　and　earnestness

the　polisher　of　his　sentences。　　He　could　afford　to　lose　his　Sharpe's

rifles；　while　he　retained　his　faculty　of　speech；a　Sharpe's　rifle

of　infinitely　surer　and　longer　range。



And　the　New　York　Herald　reports　the　conversation　verbatim！　　It　does

not　know　of　what　undying　words　it　is　made　the　vehicle。



I　have　no　respect　for　the　penetration　of　any　man　who　can　read　the

report　of　that　conversation；　and　still　call　the　principal　in　it　insane。

It　has　the　ring　of　a　saner　sanity　than　an　ordinary　discipline　and

habits　of　life；　than　an　ordinary　organization；　secure。　　Take　any

sentence　of　it；〃Any　questions　that　I　can　honorably　answer；　I

will；　not　otherwise。　　So　far　as　I　am　myself　concerned；　I　have　told

everything　truthfully。　　I　value　my　word；　sir。〃　　The　few　who　talk

about　his　vindictive　spirit；　while　they　really　admire　his　heroism；

have　no　test　by　which　to　detect　a　noble　man；　no　amalgam　to　combine

with　his　pure　gold。　　They　mix　their　own　dross　with　it。



It　is　a　relief　to　turn　from　these　slanders　to　the　testimony　of　his

more　truthful；　but　frightened　jailers　and　hangmen。　　Governor　Wise

speaks　far　more　justly　and　appreciatingly　of　him　than　any　Northern

editor；　or　politician；　or　public　personage；　that　I　chance　to　have

heard　from。　　I　know　that　you　can　afford　to　hear　him　again　on　this

subject。　　He　says：　　〃They　are　themselves　mistaken　who　take　him　to

be　madman。。。。　　He　is　cool；　collected；　and　indomitable；