a plea for captain john brown-第4章

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The　testimony　of　Mr。　Vallandigham；　though　less　valuable；　is　of　the

same　purport；　that　〃it　is　vain　to　underrate　either　the　man　or　his

conspiracy。。。。　　He　is　the　farthest　possible　removed　from　the　ordinary

ruffian；　fanatic；　or　madman。〃



〃All　is　quiet　at　Harper's　Ferry；〃　say　the　journals。　　What　is　the

character　of　that　calm　which　follows　when　the　law　and　the　slaveholder

prevail？　　I　regard　this　event　as　a　touchstone　designed　to　bring

out；　with　glaring　distinctness；　the　character　of　this　government。

We　needed　to　be　thus　assisted　to　see　it　by　the　light　of　history。

It　needed　to　see　itself。　　When　a　government　puts　forth　its　strength

on　the　side　of　injustice；　as　ours　to　maintain　slavery　and　kill　the

liberators　of　the　slave；　it　reveals　itself　a　merely　brute　force；　or

worse；　a　demoniacal　force。　　It　is　the　head　of　the　Plug…Uglies。　　It

is　more　manifest　than　ever　that　tyranny　rules。　　I　see　this　government

to　be　effectually　allied　with　France　and　Austria　in　oppressing

mankind。　　There　sits　a　tyrant　holding　fettered　four　millions　of

slaves；　here　comes　their　heroic　liberator。　　This　most　hypocritical

and　diabolical　government　looks　up　from　its　seat　on　the　gasping

four　millions；　and　inquires　with　an　assumption　of　innocence：　　〃What

do　you　assault　me　for？　　Am　I　not　an　honest　man？　　Cease　agitation

on　this　subject；　or　I　will　make　a　slave　of　you；　too；　or　else　hang

you。〃



We　talk　about　a　representative　government；　but　what　a　monster　of

a　government　is　that　where　the　noblest　faculties　of　the　mind；　and

the　whole　heart；　are　not　represented。　　A　semi…human　tiger　or　ox；

stalking　over　the　earth；　with　its　heart　taken　out　and　the　top　of

its　brain　shot　away。　　Heroes　have　fought　well　on　their　stumps　when

their　legs　were　shot　off；　but　I　never　heard　of　any　good　done　by

such　a　government　as　that。



The　only　government　that　I　recognize；and　it　matters　not　how　few

are　at　the　head　of　it；　or　how　small　its　army；is　that　power　that

establishes　justice　in　the　land；　never　that　which　establishes

injustice。　　What　shall　we　think　of　a　government　to　which　all　the

truly　brave　and　just　men　in　the　land　are　enemies；　standing　between

it　and　those　whom　it　oppresses？　　A　government　that　pretends　to　be

Christian　and　crucifies　a　million　Christs　every　day！



Treason！　　Where　does　such　treason　take　its　rise？　　I　cannot　help

thinking　of　you　as　you　deserve；　ye　governments。　　Can　you　dry　up

the　fountains　of　thought？　　High　treason；　when　it　is　resistance　to

tyranny　here　below；　has　its　origin　in；　and　is　first　committed　by；

the　power　that　makes　and　forever　recreates　man。　　When　you　have　caught

and　hung　all　these　human　rebels；　you　have　accomplished　nothing　but

your　own　guilt；　for　you　have　not　struck　at　the　fountain…head。　　You

presume　to　contend　with　a　foe　against　whom　West　Point　cadets　and

rifled　cannon　point　not。　　Can　all　the　art　of　the　cannon…founder

tempt　matter　to　turn　against　its　maker？　　Is　the　form　in　which　the

founder　thinks　he　casts　it　more　essential　than　the　constitution　of

it　and　of　himself？



The　United　States　have　a　coffle　of　four　millions　of　slaves。　　They

are　determined　to　keep　them　in　this　condition；　and　Massachusetts

is　one　of　the　confederated　overseers　to　prevent　their　escape。　　Such

are　not　all　the　inhabitants　of　Massachusetts；　but　such　are　they

who　rule　and　are　obeyed　here。　　It　was　Massachusetts；　as　well　as

Virginia；　that　put　down　this　insurrection　at　Harper's　Ferry。　　She

sent　the　marines　there；　and　she　will　have　to　pay　the　penalty　of

her　sin。



Suppose　that　there　is　a　society　in　this　State　that　out　of　its　own

purse　and　magnanimity　saves　all　the　fugitive　slaves　that　run　to

us；　and　protects　our　colored　fellow…citizens；　and　leaves　the　other

work　to　the　government；　so…called。　　Is　not　that　government　fast

losing　its　occupation；　and　becoming　contemptible　to　mankind？　　If

private　men　are　obliged　to　perform　the　offices　of　government；　to

protect　the　weak　and　dispense　justice；　then　the　government　becomes

only　a　hired　man；　or　clerk；　to　perform　menial　or　indifferent

services。　　Of　course；　that　is　but　the　shadow　of　a　government　who

existence　necessitates　a　Vigilant　Committee。　　What　should　we　think

of　the　Oriental　Cadi　even；　behind　whom　worked　in　secret　a　vigilant

committee？　　But　such　is　the　character　of　our　Northern　States　generally；

each　has　its　Vigilant　Committee。　　And；　to　a　certain　extent；　these

crazy　governments　recognize　and　accept　this　relation。　　They　say；

virtually；　〃We'll　be　glad　to　work　for　you　on　these　terms；　only

don't　make　a　noise　about　it。〃　　And　thus　the　government；　its　salary

being　insured；　withdraws　into　the　back　shop；　taking　the　Constitution

with　it；　and　bestows　most　of　its　labor　on　repairing　that。　　When　I

hear　it　at　work　sometimes；　as　I　go　by；　it　reminds　me；　at　best；　of

those　farmers　who　in　winter　contrive　to　turn　a　penny　by　following

the　coopering　business。　　And　what　kind　of　spirit　is　their　barrel

made　to　hold？　　They　speculate　in　stocks；　and　bore　holes　in　mountains；

but　they　are　not　competent　to　lay　out　even　a　decent　highway。　　The

only　free　road；　the　Underground　Railroad；　is　owned　and　managed

by　the　Vigilant　Committee。　　They　have　tunnelled　under　the　whole

breadth　of　the　land。　　Such　a　government　is　losing　its　power　and

respectability　as　surely　as　water　runs　out　of　a　leaky　vessel；　and

is　held　by　one　that　can　contain　it。



I　hear　many　condemn　these　men　because　they　were　so　few。　　When　were

the　good　and　the　brave　ever　in　a　majority？　　Would　you　have　had　him

wait　till　that　time　came？till　you　and　I　came　over　to　him？　　The

very　fact　that　he　had　no　rabble　or　troop　of　hirelings　about　him

would　alone　distinguish　him　from　ordinary　heroes。　　His　company　was

small　indeed；　because　few　could　be　found　worthy　to　pass　muster。

Each　one　who　there　laid　down　his　life　for　the　poor　and　oppressed

was　a　picked　man；　culled　out　of　many　thousands；　if　not　millions；

apparently　a　man　of　principle；　of　rare　courage；　and　devoted　humanity；

ready　to　sacrifice　his　life　at　any　moment　for　so　much　by　laymen　as

by　ministers　of　the　Gospel；　not　so　much　by　the　fighting　sects　as

by　the　Quakers；　and　not　so　much　by　Quaker　men　as　by　Quaker　women？



This　event　advertises　me　that　there　is　such　a　fact　as　death；the

possibility　of　a　man's　dying。　　It　seems　as　if　no　man　had　ever　died

in　America　before；　for　in　order　to　die　you　must　first　have　lived。

I　don't　believe　in　the　hearses；　and　palls；　and　funerals　that　they

have　had。　　There　was　no　death　in　the　case；　because　there　had　been

no　life；　they　merely　rotted　or　sloughed　off；　pretty　much　as　they　had

rotted　or　sloughed　along。　　No　temple's　veil　was　rent；　only　a　hole

dug　somewhere。　　Let　the　dead　bury　their　dead。　　The　best　of　them

fairly　ran　down　like　a　clock。　　Franklin；Washington；they　were

let　off　without　dying；　they　were　merely　missing　one　day。　　I　hear

a　good　many　pretend　that　they　are　going　to　die；　or　that　they　have

died；　for　aught　that　I　know。　　Nonsense！　　I'll　defy　them　to　do　it。

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