a plea for captain john brown-第2章

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the　best　planned　executed　conspiracies　that　ever　failed。〃



Not　to　mention　his　other　successes；　was　it　a　failure；　or　did　it

show　a　want　of　good　management；　to　deliver　from　bondage　a　dozen

human　beings；　and　walk　off　with　them　by　broad　daylight；　for　weeks

if　not　months；　at　a　leisurely　pace；　through　one　State　after　another；

for　half　the　length　of　the　North；　conspicuous　to　all　parties；　with

a　price　set　upon　his　head；　going　into　a　court…room　on　his　way　and

telling　what　he　had　done；　thus　convincing　Missouri　that　it　was　not

profitable　to　try　to　hold　slaves　in　his　neighborhood？and　this；

not　because　the　government　menials　were　lenient；　but　because　they

were　afraid　of　him。



Yet　he　did　not　attribute　his　success；　foolishly；　to　〃his　star；〃

or　to　any　magic。　　He　said；　truly；　that　the　reason　why　such　greatly

superior　numbers　quailed　before　him　was；　as　one　of　his　prisoners

confessed；　because　they　lacked　a　cause；a　kind　of　armor　which　he

and　his　party　never　lacked。　　When　the　time　came；　few　men　were　found

willing　to　lay　down　their　lives　in　defence　of　what　they　knew　to

be　wrong；　they　did　not　like　that　this　should　be　their　last　act　in

this　world。



But　to　make　haste　to　his　last　act；　and　its　effects。



The　newspapers　seem　to　ignore；　or　perhaps　are　really　ignorant　of　the

fact；　that　there　are　at　least　as　many　as　two　or　three　individuals

to　a　town　throughout　the　North　who　think　much　as　the　present　speaker

does　about　him　and　his　enterprise。　　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say　that

they　are　an　important　and　growing　party。　　We　aspire　to　be　something

more　than　stupid　and　timid　chattels；　pretending　to　read　history　and

our　Bibles；　but　desecrating　every　house　and　every　day　we　breathe

in。　　Perhaps　anxious　politicians　may　prove　that　only　seventeen

white　men　and　five　negroes　were　concerned　in　the　late　enterprise；

but　their　very　anxiety　to　prove　this　might　suggest　to　themselves

that　all　is　not　told。　　Why　do　they　still　dodge　the　truth？　　They

are　so　anxious　because　of　a　dim　consciousness　of　the　fact；　which

they　do　not　distinctly　face；　that　at　least　a　million　of　the　free

inhabitants　of　the　United　States　would　have　rejoiced　if　it　had

succeeded。　　They　at　most　only　criticise　the　tactics。　　Though　we　wear

no　crape；　the　thought　of　that　man's　position　and　probable　fate　is

spoiling　many　a　man's　day　here　at　the　North　for　other　thinking。

If　any　one　who　has　seen　him　here　can　pursue　successfully　any　other

train　of　thought；　I　do　not　know　what　he　is　made　of。　　If　there　is

any　such　who　gets　his　usual　allowance　of　sleep；　I　will　warrant　him

to　fatten　easily　under　any　circumstances　which　do　not　touch　his

body　or　purse。　　I　put　a　piece　of　paper　and　a　pencil　under　my　pillow；

and　when　I　could　not　sleep；　I　wrote　in　the　dark。



On　the　whole；　my　respect　for　my　fellow…men；　except　as　one　may　outweigh

a　million；　is　not　being　increased　these　days。　　I　have　noticed　the

cold…blooded　way　in　which　newspaper　writers　and　men　generally　speak

of　this　event；　as　if　an　ordinary　malefactor；　though　one　of　unusual

〃pluck；〃as　the　Governor　of　Virginia　is　reported　to　have　said；　using

the　language　of　the　cock…pit；　〃the　gamest　man　he　ever　saw；〃had

been　caught；　and　were　about　to　be　hung。　　He　was　not　dreaming　of　his

foes　when　the　governor　thought　he　looked　so　brave。　　It　turns　what

sweetness　I　have　to　gall；　to　hear；　or　hear　of；　the　remarks　of　some

of　my　neighbors。　　When　we　heard　at　first　that　he　was　dead；　one　of　my

townsmen　observed　that　〃he　died　as　the　fool　dieth〃；　which；　pardon

me；　for　an　instant　suggested　a　likeness　in　him　dying　to　my　neighbor

living。　　Others；　craven…hearted；　said　disparagingly；　that　〃he

threw　his　life　away；〃　because　he　resisted　the　government。　　Which

way　have　they　thrown　their　lives；　pray？such　as　would　praise　a　man

for　attacking　singly　an　ordinary　band　of　thieves　or　murderers。　　I

hear　another　ask；　Yankee…like；　〃What　will　he　gain　by　it？〃　as　if　he

expected　to　fill　his　pockets　by　this　enterprise。　　Such　a　one　has

no　idea　of　gain　but　in　this　worldly　sense。　　If　it　does　not　lead　to

a　〃surprise〃　party；　if　he　does　not　get　a　new　pair　of　boots；　or　a

vote　of　thanks；　it　must　be　a　failure。　　〃But　he　won't　gain　anything

by　it。〃　　Well；　no；　I　don't　suppose　he　could　get　four…and…sixpence

a　day　for　being　hung；　take　the　year　round；　but　then　he　stands　a　chance

to　save　a　considerable　part　of　his　soul；and　such　a　soul！when

you　do　not。　　No　doubt　you　can　get　more　in　your　market　for　a　quart

of　milk　than　for　a　quart　of　blood；　but　that　is　not　the　market　that

heroes　carry　their　blood　to。



Such　do　not　know　that　like　the　seed　is　the　fruit；　and　that；　in　the

moral　world；　when　good　seed　is　planted；　good　fruit　is　inevitable；

and　does　not　depend　on　our　watering　and　cultivating；　that　when　you

plant；　or　bury；　a　hero　in　his　field；　a　crop　of　heroes　is　sure　to

spring　up。　　This　is　a　seed　of　such　force　and　vitality；　that　it　does

not　ask　our　leave　to　germinate。



The　momentary　charge　at　Balaclava；　in　obedience　to　a　blundering

command；　proving　what　a　perfect　machine　the　soldier　is；　has；　properly

enough；　been　celebrated　by　a　poet　laureate；　but　the　steady；　and

for　the　most　part　successful；　charge　of　this　man；　for　some　years；

against　the　legions　of　Slavery；　in　obedience　to　an　infinitely　higher

command；　is　as　much　more　memorable　than　that；　as　an　intelligent

and　conscientious　man　is　superior　to　a　machine。　　Do　you　think　that

that　will　go　unsung？



〃Served　him　right；〃〃A　dangerous　man；〃〃He　is　undoubtedly　insane。〃

So　they　proceed　to　live　their　sane；　and　wise；　and　altogether　admirable

lives；　reading　their　Plutarch　a　little；　but　chiefly　pausing　at　that

feat　of　Putnam；　who　was　let　down　into　a　wolf's　den；　and　in　this

wise　they　nourish　themselves　for　brave　and　patriotic　deeds　some

time　or　other。　　The　Tract　Society　could　afford　to　print　that　story

of　Putnam。　　You　might　open　the　district　schools　with　the　reading　of

it；　for　there　is　nothing　about　Slavery　or　the　Church　in　it；　unless

it　occurs　to　the　reader　that　some　pastors　are　wolves　in　sheep's

clothing。　　〃The　American　Board　of　Commissioners　for　Foreign　Missions〃

even；　might　dare　to　protest　against　that　wolf。　　I　have　heard　of

boards；　and　of　American　boards；　but　it　chances　that　I　never　heard

of　this　particular　lumber　till　lately。　　And　yet　I　hear　of　Northern

men；　and　women；　and　children；　by　families；　buying　a　〃life　membership〃

in　such　societies　as　these。　　A　life…membership　in　the　grave！　　You

can　get　buried　cheaper　than　that。



Our　foes　are　in　our　midst　and　all　about　us。　　There　is　hardly

a　house　but　is　divided　against　itself；　for　our　foe　is　the　all　but

universal　woodenness　of　both　head　and　heart；　the　want　of　vitality

in　man；　which　is　the　effect　of　our　vice；　and　hence　are　begotten

fear；　superstition；　bigotry；　persecution；　and　slavery　of　all　kinds。

We　are　mere　figureheads　upon　a　hulk；　with　livers　in　the　place　of

hearts。　　The　curse　is　the　worship　of　idols；　which　at　length　changes

the　worshipper　into　a　stone　image　himself；　and　the　New…Englander　is

just　as　much　an　idolater　as　the　Hindoo。　　This　man　was　an　exception；

for　he　did　not　set　up　even　a　political　graven　image　between　him

and　his　God。



A　church　that　can　never　have　done　with　excommunicating　Christ　while

it　exists！　　Away　with　your　broad　and　flat　churches；　and　your　narrow

and　tall　churches！　　Take　a　step　forward；　and　invent　a　new　style

of　out…houses。　　Invent　a　salt　that　will　save　you；　and　defend　our

nostrils。



The　modern　Christian　is　a　man　who　has　consented　to　say　all　the

prayers　in　the　liturgy；　provided　you　will　let　him　go　straight　to

bed　and　sleep　quietly　afterward。　　All　his　prayers　begin　with　〃Now

I　lay　me　down　to　sleep；〃　and　he　is　forever　looking　forward　to　the

time　when　he　shall　go　to　his　〃long　rest。〃　　He　has　consented　to

perform　certain　old…established　charities；　too；　after　a　fashion；

but　he　does　not　wish　to　hear　of　any　new…fangled　ones；　he　doesn't

wish　to　have　any　supplementary　articles　added　to　the　contract；　to

fit　it　to　the　present　time。　　He　shows　the　whites　of　his　eyes　on　the

Sabbath；　and　the　blacks　all　the　rest　of　the　week。　　The　evil　is　not

merely　a　stagnation　of　blood；　but　a　stagnation　of　spirit。　　Many；

no　doubt；　are　well　disposed；　but　sluggish　by　constitution　and　by

habit；　and　they　cannot　conceive　of　a　man　who　is　actuated　by　higher

motives　than　they　are。　　Accordingly　they　pronounce　this　man　insane；

for　they　know　that　they　could　never　act　as　he　does；　as　long　as　they

are　themselves。



We　dream　of　foreign　countries；　of　other　times　and　races　of　men；　placing

them　at　a　distance　in　history　or　space；　but　let　some　significant

event　like　the　present　occur　in　our　midst；　and　we　discover；　often；

this　distance　and　this　strangeness　between　us　and　our　nearest

neighbors。　　They　are　our　Austrias；　and　Chinas；　and　South　Sea　Islands。

Our　crowded　society　becomes　well　spaced　all　at　once；　clean　and

handsome　to　the　eye；a　city　of　magnificent　distances。　　We　discover

why　it　was　that　we　never　got　beyond　compliments　and　surfaces　with

them　before；　we　become　aware　of　as　many　versts　between　us　and　them

as　there　are　between　a　wandering　Tartar　and　a　Chinese　town。　　The

thoughtful　man　becomes　a　hermit　in　the　thoroughfares　of　the

market…place。　　Impassable　seas　suddenly　find　their　level　between　us；

or　dumb　steppes　stretch　themselves　out　there。　　It　is　the　difference

of　constitution；　of　intelligence；　and　faith；　and　not　streams　and

mountains；　that　make　the　true　and　impassable　boundaries　between

individuals　and　between　states。　　None　but　the　like…minded　can　come

plenipotentiary　to　our　court。



I　read　all　the　newspapers　I　could　get　within　a　week　after　this　event；

and　I　do　not　remember　in　them　a　single　expression　of　sympathy　for

these　men。　　I　have　since　seen　one　noble　statement；　in　a　Boston

paper；　not　editorial。　　Some　voluminous　sheets　decided　not　to　print

the　full　report　of　Brown's　words　to　the　exclusion　of　other　matter。

It　was　as　if　a　publisher　should　reject　the　manuscript　of　the　New

Testament；　and　print　Wilson's　last　speech。　　The　same　journal　which

contained　this　pregnant　news；　was　chiefly　filled；　in　parallel

columns；　with　the　reports　of　the　political　conventions　that　were

being　held。　　But　the　descent　to　them　was　too　steep。　　They　should

have　been　spared　this　contrast；been　printed　in　an　extra；　at　least。

To　turn　from　the　voices　and　deeds　of　earnest　men　to　the　cackling

of　political　conventions！　　Office…seekers　and　speech…makers；　who

do　not　so　much　as　lay　an　honest　egg；　but　wear　their　breasts　bare

upon　an　egg　of　chalk！　　Their　great　game　is　the　game　of　straws；

or　rather　that　universal　aboriginal　game　of　the　platter；　at　which

the　Indians　cried　hub；　bub！　　Exclude　the　reports　of　religious　and

political　conventions；　and　publish　the　words　of　a　living　man。



But　I　object　not　so　much　to　what　they　have　omitted；　as　to　what　they

have　inserted。　　Even　the　Liberator　called　it　〃a　misguided；　wild；

and　apparently　insaneeffort。〃　　As　for　the　herd　of　newspapers　and

magazines；　I　do　not　chance　to　know　an　editor　in　the