a plea for captain john brown-第1章

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A　Plea　for　Captain　John　Brown



by　Henry　David　Thoreau









＇Read　to　the　citizens　of　Concord；　Mass。；　Sunday　Evening；　October　30；　1859。＇









I　trust　that　you　will　pardon　me　for　being　here。　　I　do　not　wish　to

force　my　thoughts　upon　you；　but　I　feel　forced　myself。　　Little　as　I

know　of　Captain　Brown；　I　would　fain　do　my　part　to　correct　the　tone

and　the　statements　of　the　newspapers；　and　of　my　countrymen　generally；

respecting　his　character　and　actions。　　It　costs　us　nothing　to　be

just。　　We　can　at　least　express　our　sympathy　with；　and　admiration

of；　him　and　his　companions；　and　that　is　what　I　now　propose　to　do。



First；　as　to　his　history。　　I　will　endeavor　to　omit；　as　much

as　possible；　what　you　have　already　read。　　I　need　not　describe　his

person　to　you；　for　probably　most　of　you　have　seen　and　will　not

soon　forget　him。　I　am　told　that　his　grandfather；　John　Brown；　was　an

officer　in　the　Revolution；　that　he　himself　was　born　in　Connecticut

about　the　beginning　of　this　century；　but　early　went　with　his

father　to　Ohio。　　I　heard　him　say　that　his　father　was　a　contractor

who　furnished　beef　to　the　army　there；　in　the　war　of　1812；　that　he

accompanied　him　to　the　camp；　and　assisted　him　in　that　employment；

seeing　a　good　deal　of　military　life；more；　perhaps；　than　if　he

had　been　a　soldier；　for　he　was　often　present　at　the　councils　of

the　officers。　　Especially；　he　learned　by　experience　how　armies　are

supplied　and　maintained　in　the　field；a　work　which；　he　observed；

requires　at　least　as　much　experience　and　skill　as　to　lead　them　in

battle。　　He　said　that　few　persons　had　any　conception　of　the　cost；

even　the　pecuniary　cost；　of　firing　a　single　bullet　in　war。　　He　saw

enough；　at　any　rate；　to　disgust　him　with　a　military　life；　indeed；

to　excite　in　his　a　great　abhorrence　of　it；　so　much　so；　that　though

he　was　tempted　by　the　offer　of　some　petty　office　in　the　army；　when

he　was　about　eighteen；　he　not　only　declined　that；　but　he　also　refused

to　train　when　warned；　and　was　fined　for　it。　　He　then　resolved　that

he　would　never　have　anything　to　do　with　any　war；　unless　it　were　a

war　for　liberty。



When　the　troubles　in　Kansas　began；　he　sent　several　of　his　sons

thither　to　strengthen　the　party　of　the　Free　State　men；　fitting　them

out　with　such　weapons　as　he　had；　telling　them　that　if　the　troubles

should　increase；　and　there　should　be　need　of　his；　he　would　follow；

to　assist　them　with　his　hand　and　counsel。　　This；　as　you　all　know；

he　soon　after　did；　and　it　was　through　his　agency；　far　more　than

any　other's；　that　Kansas　was　made　free。



For　a　part　of　his　life　he　was　a　surveyor；　and　at　one　time　he　was

engaged　in　wool…growing；　and　he　went　to　Europe　as　an　agent　about

that　business。　　There；　as　everywhere；　he　had　his　eyes　about　him；

and　made　many　original　observations。　　He　said；　for　instance；　that

he　saw　why　the　soil　of　England　was　so　rich；　and　that　of　Germany

（I　think　it　was）　so　poor；　and　he　thought　of　writing　to　some　of　the

crowned　heads　about　it。　　It　was　because　in　England　the　peasantry

live　on　the　soil　which　they　cultivate；　but　in　Germany　they　are

gathered　into　villages；　at　night。　　It　is　a　pity　that　he　did　not

make　a　book　of　his　observations。



I　should　say　that　he　was　an　old…fashioned　man　in　respect　for　the

Constitution；　and　his　faith　in　the　permanence　of　this　Union。　　Slavery

he　deemed　to　be　wholly　opposed　to　these；　and　he　was　its　determined

foe。



He　was　by　descent　and　birth　a　New　England　farmer；　a　man　of　great

common…sense；　deliberate　and　practical　as　that　class　is；　and　tenfold

more　so。　　He　was　like　the　best　of　those　who　stood　at　Concord　Bridge

once；　on　Lexington　Common；　and　on　Bunker　Hill；　only　he　was　firmer

and　higher　principled　than　any　that　I　have　chanced　to　hear　of　as

there。　　It　was　no　abolition　lecturer　that　converted　him。　　Ethan

Allen　and　Stark；　with　whom　he　may　in　some　respects　be　compared；　were

rangers　in　a　lower　and　less　important　field。　　They　could　bravely

face　their　country's　foes；　but　he　had　the　courage　to　face　his　country

herself；　when　she　was　in　the　wrong。　　A　Western　writer　says；　to

account　for　his　escape　from　so　many　perils；　that　he　was　concealed

under　a　〃rural　exterior〃；　as　if；　in　that　prairie　land；　a　hero

should；　by　good　rights；　wear　a　citizen's　dress　only。



He　did　not　go　to　the　college　called　Harvard；　good　old　Alma　Mater

as　she　is。　　He　was　not　fed　on　the　pap　that　is　there　furnished。　　As

he　phrased　it；　〃I　know　no　more　of　grammar　than　one　of　your　calves。〃

But　he　went　to　the　great　university　of　the　West；　where　he　sedulously

pursued　the　study　of　Liberty；　for　which　he　had　early　betrayed　a

fondness；　and　having　taken　many　degrees；　he　finally　commenced　the

public　practice　of　Humanity　in　Kansas；　as　you　all　know。　　Such　were

his　humanities　and　not　any　study　of　grammar。　　He　would　have　left　a

Greek　accent　slanting　the　wrong　way；　and　righted　up　a　falling　man。



He　was　one　of　that　class　of　whom　we　hear　a　great　deal；　but；　for

the　most　part；　see　nothing　at　all；the　Puritans。　　It　would　be　in

vain　to　kill　him。　　He　died　lately　in　the　time　of　Cromwell；　but　he

reappeared　here。　　Why　should　he　not？　　Some　of　the　Puritan　stock

are　said　to　have　come　over　and　settled　in　New　England。　　They　were

a　class　that　did　something　else　than　celebrate　their　forefathers'

day；　and　eat　parched　corn　in　remembrance　of　that　time。　　They

were　neither　Democrats　nor　Republicans；　but　men　of　simple　habits；

straightforward；　prayerful；　not　thinking　much　of　rulers　who　did　not

fear　God；　not　making　many　compromises；　nor　seeking　after　available

candidates。



〃In　his　camp；〃　as　one　has　recently　written；　and　as　I　have　myself

heard　him　state；　〃he　permitted　no　profanity；　no　man　of　loose　morals

was　suffered　to　remain　there；　unless；　indeed；　as　a　prisoner　of　war。

'I　would　rather；'　said　he；　'have　the　small…pox；　yellow…fever；　and

cholera；　all　together　in　my　camp；　than　a　man　without　principle。。。。

It　is　a　mistake；　sir；　that　our　people　make；　when　they　think　that

bullies　are　the　best　fighters；　or　that　they　are　the　fit　men　to　oppose

these　Southerners。　　Give　me　men　of　good　principles；God…fearing

men；men　who　respect　themselves；　and　with　a　dozen　of　them　I　will

oppose　any　hundred　such　men　as　these　Buford　ruffians。'〃　　He　said

that　if　one　offered　himself　to　be　a　soldier　under　him；　who　was

forward　to　tell　what　he　could　or　would　do；　if　he　could　only　get

sight　of　the　enemy；　he　had　but　little　confidence　in　him。



He　was　never　able　to　find　more　than　a　score　or　so　of　recruits　whom

he　would　accept；　and　only　about　a　dozen；　among　them　his　sons；　in

whom　he　had　perfect　faith。　　When　he　was　here；　some　years　ago；　he

showed　to　a　few　a　little　manuscript　book；his　〃orderly　book〃　I

think　he　called　it；containing　the　names　of　his　company　in　Kansas；

and　the　rules　by　which　they　bound　themselves；　and　he　stated　that

several　of　them　had　already　sealed　the　contract　with　their　blood。

When　some　one　remarked　that；　with　the　addition　of　a　chaplain；　it

would　have　been　a　perfect　Cromwellian　troop；　he　observed　that　he

would　have　been　glad　to　add　a　chaplain　to　the　list；　if　he　could　have

found　one　who　could　fill　that　office　worthily。　　It　is　easy　enough

to　find　one　for　the　United　States　army。　　I　believe　that　he　had

prayers　in　his　camp　morning　and　evening；　nevertheless。



He　was　a　man　of　Spartan　habits；　and　at　sixty　was　scrupulous　about

his　diet　at　your　table；　excusing　himself　by　saying　that　he　must

eat　sparingly　and　fare　hard；　as　became　a　soldier；　or　one　who　was

fitting　himself　for　difficult　enterprises；　a　life　of　exposure。



A　man　of　rare　common…sense　and　directness　of　speech；　as　of　action；

a　transcendentalist　above　all；　a　man　of　ideas　and　principles；that

was　what　distinguished　him。　　Not　yielding　to　a　whim　or　transient

impulse；　but　carrying　out　the　purpose　of　a　life。　　I　noticed　that　he

did　not　overstate　anything；　but　spoke　within　bounds。　　I　remember；

particularly；　how；　in　his　speech　here；　he　referred　to　what　his

family　had　suffered　in　Kansas；　without　ever　giving　the　least　vent

to　his　pent…up　fire。　　It　was　a　volcano　with　an　ordinary　chimney…flue。

Also　referring　to　the　deeds　of　certain　Border　Ruffians；　he　said；

rapidly　paring　away　his　speech；　like　an　experienced　soldier；

keeping　a　reserve　of　force　and　meaning；　〃They　had　a　perfect　right

to　be　hung。〃　　He　was　not　in　the　least　a　rhetorician；　was　not　talking

to　Buncombe　or　his　constituents　anywhere；　had　no　need　to　invent

anything　but　to　tell　the　simple　truth；　and　communicate　his　own

resolution；　therefore　he　appeared　incomparably　strong；　and　eloquence

in　Congress　and　elsewhere　seemed　to　me　at　a　discount。　　It　was　like

the　speeches　of　Cromwell　compared　with　those　of　an　ordinary　king。



As　for　his　tact　and　prudence；　I　　will　merely　say；　that　at　a　time

when　scarcely　a　man　from　the　Free　States　was　able　to　reach　Kansas

by　any　direct　route；　at　least　without　having　his　arms　taken　from

him；　he；　carrying　what　imperfect　guns　and　other　weapons　he　could

collect；　openly　and　slowly　drove　an　ox…cart　through　Missouri；

apparently　in　the　capacity　of　a　surveyor；　with　his　surveying　compass

exposed　in　it；　and　so　passed　unsuspected；　and　had　ample　opportunity

to　learn　the　designs　of　the　enemy。　　For　some　time　after　his　arrival

he　still　followed　the　same　profession。　　When；　for　instance；　he　saw

a　knot　of　the　ruffians　on　the　prairie；　discussing；　of　course；　the

single　topic　which　then　occupied　their　minds；　he　would；　perhaps；

take　his　compass　and　one　of　his　sons；　and　proceed　to　run　an

imaginary　line　right　through　the　very　spot　on　which　that　conclave

had　assembled；　and　when　he　came　up　to　them；　he　would　naturally

pause　and　have　some　talk　with　them；　learning　their　news；　and；　at

last；　all　their　plans　perfectly；　and　having　thus　completed　his　real

survey　he　would　resume　his　imaginary　one；　and　run　on　his　line　till

he　was　out　of　sight。



When　I　expressed　surprise　that　he　could　live　in　Kansas　at　all；

with　a　price　set　upon　his　head；　and　so　large　a　number；　including

the　authorities；　exasperated　against　him；　he　accounted　for　it　by

saying；　〃It　is　perfectly　well　understood　that　I　will　not　be　taken。〃

Much　of　the　time　for　some　years　he　has　had　to　skulk　in　swamps；

suffering　from　poverty　and　from　sickness；　which　was　the　consequence

of　exposure；　befriended　only　by　Indians　and　a　few　whites。　　But

though　it　might　be　known　that　he　was　lurking　in　a　particular　swamp；

his　foes　commonly　did　not　care　to　go　in　after　him。　　He　could　even

come　out　into　a　town　where　there　were　more　Border　Ruffians　than

Free　State　men；　and　transact　some　business；　without　delaying　long；

and　yet　not　be　molested；　for；　said　he；　〃No　little　handful　of　men

were　willing　to　undertake　it；　and　a　large　body　could　not　be　got

together　in　season。〃



As　for　his　recent　failure；　we　do　not　know　the　facts　about　it。　　It

was　evidently　far　from　being　a　wild　and　desperate　attempt。　　His

enemy；　Mr。　Vallandigham；　is　compelled　to　say；　that　〃it　was　among

the　best　planned　executed　conspiracies　that　ever　failed。〃



Not