a plea for captain john brown-第5章

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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　no

more　here。　　We　shall　then　be　at　liberty　to　weep　for　Captain　Brown。

Then；　and　not　till　then；　we　will　take　our　revenge。











End