a plea for captain john brown-第6章

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They　haven't　got　life　enough　in　them。　　They'll　deliquesce　like

fungi；　and　keep　a　hundred　eulogists　mopping　the　spot　where　they

left　off。　　Only　half　a　dozen　or　so　have　died　since　the　world　began。

Do　you　think　that　you　are　going　to　die；　sir？　　No！　there's　no　hope

of　you。　　You　haven't　got　your　lesson　yet。　　You've　got　to　stay　after

school。　　We　make　a　needless　ado　about　capital　punishment；taking

lives；　when　there　is　no　life　to　take。　　Memento　mori！　　We　don't

understand　that　sublime　sentence　which　some　worthy　got　sculptured

on　his　gravestone　once。　　We've　interpreted　it　in　a　grovelling　and

snivelling　sense；　we've　wholly　forgotten　how　to　die。



But　be　sure　you　do　die　nevertheless。　　Do　your　work；　and　finish　it。

If　you　know　how　to　begin；　you　will　know　when　to　end。



These　men；　in　teaching　us　how　to　die；　have　at　the　same　time　taught

us　how　to　live。　　If　this　man's　acts　and　words　do　not　create　a

revival；　it　will　be　the　severest　possible　satire　on　the　acts　and

words　that　do。　　It　is　the　best　news　that　America　has　ever　heard。

It　has　already　quickened　the　feeble　pulse　of　the　North；　and　infused

more　and　more　generous　blood　into　her　veins　and　heart；　than　any

number　of　years　of　what　is　called　commercial　and　political　prosperity

could。　　How　many　a　man　who　was　lately　contemplating　suicide　has

now　something　to　live　for！



One　writer　says　that　Brown's　peculiar　monomania　made　him　to　be

〃dreaded　by　the　Missourians　as　a　supernatural　being。〃　　Sure　enough；

a　hero　in　the　midst　of　us　cowards　is　always　so　dreaded。　　He　is　just

that　thing。　　He　shows　himself　superior　to　nature。　　He　has　a　spark

of　divinity　in　him。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Unless　above　himself　he　can

　　Erect　himself；　how　poor　a　thing　is　man！〃



Newspaper　editors　argue　also　that　it　is　a　proof　of　his　insanity

that　he　thought　he　was　appointed　to　do　this　work　which　he　did；that

he　did　not　suspect　himself　for　a　moment！　　They　talk　as　if　it　were

impossible　that　a　man　could　be　〃divinely　appointed〃　in　these　days

to　do　any　work　whatever；　as　if　vows　and　religion　were　out　of　date

as　connected　with　any　man's　daily　work；　as　if　the　agent　to　abolish

slavery　could　only　be　somebody　appointed　by　the　President；　or　by

some　political　party。　　They　talk　as　if　a　man's　death　were　a　failure；

and　his　continued　life；　be　it　of　whatever　character；　were　a　success。



When　I　reflect　to　what　a　cause　this　man　devoted　himself；　and　how

religiously；　and　then　reflect　to　what　cause　his　judges　and　all　who

condemn　him　so　angrily　and　fluently　devote　themselves；　I　see　that

they　are　as　far　apart　as　the　heavens　and　earth　are　asunder。



The　amount　of　it　is；　our　〃leading　men〃　are　a　harmless　kind　of　folk；

and　they　know　well　enough　that　they　were　not　divinely　appointed；

but　elected　by　the　votes　of　their　party。



Who　is　it　whose　safety　requires　that　Captain　Brown　be　hung？　　Is　it

indispensable　to　any　Northern　man？　　Is　there　no　resource　but　to

cast　this　man　also　to　the　Minotaur？　　If　you　do　not　wish　it；　say

so　distinctly。　　While　these　things　are　being　done；　beauty　stands

veiled　and　music　is　a　screeching　lie。　　Think　of　him；of　his

rare　qualities！such　a　man　as　it　takes　ages　to　make；　and　ages　to

understand；　no　mock　hero；　nor　the　representative　of　any　party。　　A

man　such　as　the　sun　may　not　rise　upon　again　in　this　benighted　land。

To　whose　making　went　the　costliest　material；　the　finest　adamant；

sent　to　be　the　redeemer　of　those　in　captivity；　and　the　only　use

to　which　you　can　put　him　is　to　hang　him　at　the　end　of　a　rope！　　You

who　pretend　to　care　for　Christ　crucified；　consider　what　you　are

about　to　do　to　him　who　offered　himself　to　be　the　savior　of　four

millions　of　men。



Any　man　knows　when　he　is　justified；　and　all　the　wits　in　the　world

cannot　enlighten　him　on　that　point。　　The　murderer　always　knows

that　he　is　justly　punished；　but　when　a　government　takes　the　life

of　a　man　without　the　consent　of　his　conscience；　it　is　an　audacious

government；　and　is　taking　a　step　towards　its　own　dissolution。　　Is

it　not　possible　that　an　individual　may　be　right　and　a　government

wrong？　　Are　laws　to　be　enforced　simply　because　they　were　made？　or

declared　by　any　number　of　men　to　be　good；　if　they　are　not　good？

Is　there　any　necessity　for　a　man's　being　a　tool　to　perform　a　deed

of　which　his　better　nature　disapproves？　　Is　it　the　intention　of

law…makers　that　good　men　shall　be　hung　ever？　　Are　judges　to　interpret

the　law　according　to　the　letter；　and　not　the　spirit？　　What　right

have　you　to　enter　into　a　compact　with　yourself　that　you　will　do

thus　or　so；　against　the　light　within　you？　　Is　it　for　you　to　make

up　your　mind；to　form　any　resolution　whatever；and　not　accept

the　convictions　that　are　forced　upon　you；　and　which　ever　pass

your　understanding？　　I　do　not　believe　in　lawyers；　in　that　mode　of

attacking　or　defending　a　man；　because　you　descend　to　meet　the　judge

on　his　own　ground；　and；　in　cases　of　the　highest　importance；　it　is

of　no　consequence　whether　a　man　breaks　a　human　law　or　not。　　Let

lawyers　decide　trivial　cases。　　Business　men　may　arrange　that　among

themselves。　　If　they　were　the　interpreters　of　the　everlasting

laws　which　rightfully　bind　man；　that　would　be　another　thing。　　A

counterfeiting　law…factory；　standing　half　in　a　slave　land　and　half

in　free！　　What　kind　of　laws　for　free　men　can　you　expect　from　that？



I　am　here　to　plead　his　cause　with　you。　　I　plead　not　for　his　life；

but　for　his　character；his　immortal　life；　and　so　it　becomes　your

cause　wholly；　and　is　not　his　in　the　least。　　Some　eighteen　hundred

years　ago　Christ　was　crucified；　this　morning；　perchance；　Captain

Brown　was　hung。　　These　are　the　two　ends　of　a　chain　which　is　not

without　its　links。　　He　is　not　Old　Brown　any　longer；　he　is　an　angel

of　light。



I　see　now　that　it　was　necessary　that　the　bravest　and　humanest　man

in　all　the　country　should　be　hung。　　Perhaps　he　saw　it　himself。　　I

almost　fear　that　I　may　yet　hear　of　his　deliverance；　doubting　if　a

prolonged　life；　if　any　life；　can　do　as　much　good　as　his　death。



〃Misguided〃！　　〃Garrulous〃！　　〃Insane〃！　　〃Vindictive〃！　　So　ye　write

in　your　easy…chairs；　and　thus　he　wounded　responds　from　the　floor　of

the　Armory；　clear　as　a　cloudless　sky；　true　as　the　voice　of　nature

is：　　〃No　man　sent　me　here；　it　was　my　own　prompting　and　that　of　my

Maker。　　I　acknowledge　no　master　in　human　form。〃



And　in　what　a　sweet　and　noble　strain　he　proceeds；　addressing　his

captors；　who　stand　over　him：　　〃I　think；　my　friends；　you　are　guilty

of　a　great　wrong　against　God　and　humanity；　and　it　would　be　perfectly

right　for　any　one　to　interfere　with　you　so　far　as　to　free　those

you　willfully　and　wickedly　hold　in　bondage。〃



And；　referring　to　his　movement：　　〃It　is；　in　my　opinion；　the　greatest

service　a　man　can　render　to　God。〃



〃I　pity　the　poor　in　bondage　that　have　none　to　help　them；　that　is

why　I　am　here；　not　to　gratify　any　personal　animosity；　revenge；　or

vindictive　spirit。　　It　is　my　sympathy　with　the　oppressed　and　the

wronged；　that　are　as　good　as　you；　and　as　precious　in　the　sight　of

God。〃



You　don't　know　your　testament　when　you　see　it。



〃I　want　you　to　understand　that　I　respect　the　rights　of　the　poorest

and　weakest　of　colored　people；　oppressed　by　the　slave　power；　just

as　much　as　I　do　those　of　the　most　wealthy　and　powerful。〃



〃I　wish　to　say；　furthermore；　that　you　had　better；　all　you　people

at　the　South；　prepare　yourselves　for　a　settlement　of　that　question；

that　must　come　up　for　settlement　sooner　than　your　are　prepared　for

it。　　The　sooner　you　are　prepared　the　better。　　You　may　dispose　of

me　very　easily。　　I　am　nearly　disposed　of　now；　but　this　question　is

still　to　be　settled；this　negro　question；　I　mean；　the　end　of　that

is　not　yet。〃



I　foresee　the　time　when　the　painter　will　paint　that　scene；　no　longer

going　to　Rome　for　a　subject；　the　poet　will　sing　it；　the　historian

record　it；　and；　with　the　Landing　of　the　Pilgrims　and　the　Declaration

of　Independence；　it　will　be　the　ornament　of　some　future　national

gallery；　when　at　least　the　present　form　of　slavery　shall　be