Posted on 10/29/2019 6:04:04 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
Bleeding Kansas, Dred Scott, Lincoln-Douglas, Harper’s Ferry, the election of 1860, secession – all the events leading up to the Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.
Posting history, in reverse order
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.
Home Letters of General Sherman, edited by M.A. DeWolfe Howe, 1909
I will add, if the Court will allow me, that I look upon it as a miserable artifice and pretext of those who ought to take a different course in regard to me, if they took any at all, and I view it with contempt more than otherwise. As I remarked to Mr. Green, insane prisoners, so far as my experience goes, have but little ability to judge of their own sanity; and if I am insane, of course I should think I knew more than all the rest of the world. But I do not think so. I am perfectly unconscious of insanity, and I reject, so far as I am capable, any attempts to interfere in my behalf on that score.
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 574-5
RICHMOND, Va, Oct. 29th, 1859.
MADAM; Yours of the 26th was received by me yesterday, and at my earliest leisure I respectfully reply to it, that I will forward the letter for John Brown, a prisoner under our laws, arraigned at the bar of the Circuit Court for the county of Jefferson, at Charlestown, Va., for the crimes of murder, robbery and treason, which you ask me to transmit to him. I will comply with your request in the only way which seems to me proper, by enclosing it to the Commonwealth’s attorney, with the request that he will ask the permission of the Court to hand it to the prisoner. Brown, the prisoner, is now in the hands of the judiciary, not of the executive, of this Commonwealth.
You ask me, further, to allow you to perform the mission “of mother or sister, to dress his wounds, and speak soothingly to him.” By this, of course, you mean to be allowed to visit him in his cell, and to minister to him in the offices of humanity. Why should you not be so allowed, Madam? Virginia and Massachusetts are involved in no civil war, and the Constitution which unites them in one confederacy guarantees to you the privileges and immunities of a citizen of the United States in the State of Virginia. That Constitution I am sworn to support, and am, therefore, bound to protect your privileges and immunities as a citizen of Massachusetts coming into Virginia for any lawful and peaceful purpose.
Coming, as you propose, to minister to the captive in prison, you will be met, doubtless, by all our people, not only in a chivalrous, but in a Christian spirit. You have the right to visit Charlestown, Va., Madam; and your mission being merciful and humane, will not only be allowed, but respected, if not welcomed. A few unenlightened and inconsiderate persons, fanatical in their modes of thought and action, to maintain justice and right, might molest you, or be disposed to do so; and this might suggest the imprudence of risking any experiment upon the peace of a society very much excited by the crimes with whose chief author you seem to sympathize so much. But still, I repeat, your motives and avowed purpose are lawful and peaceful, and I will, as far as I am concerned, do my duty in protecting your rights in our limits. Virginia and her authorities would be weak indeed — weak in point of folly, and weak in point of power — if her State faith and constitutional obligations cannot be redeemed in her own limits to the letter of morality as well as of law; and if her chivalry cannot courteously receive a lady’s visit to a. prisoner, every arm which guards Brown from rescue on the one hand, and from lynch law on the other, will be ready to guard your person in Virginia.
I could not permit an insult even to woman in her walk of charity among us, though it be to one who whetted knives of butchery for our mothers, sisters, daughters and babes. We have no sympathy with your sentiments of sympathy with Brown, and are surprised that you were “taken by surprise when news came of Capt. Brown’s recent attempt.” His attempt was a natural consequence of your sympathy, and the errors of that sympathy ought to make you doubt its virtue from the effect on his conduct. But it is not of this I should speak. When you arrive at Charlestown, if you go there, it will be for the Court and its officers, the Commonwealth’s attorney, sheriff and jailer, to say whether you may see and wait on the prisoner. But, whether you are thus permitted or not, (and you will be, if my advice can prevail,) you may rest assured that he will be humanely, lawfully and mercifully dealt by in prison and on trial.
SOURCE: The American Anti-Slavery Society, Correspondence between L. M. Child and Gov. Wise and Mrs. Mason, of Virginia, p. 4-6
STEAMER L. M. KENNETT [at Cairo], Saturday, Oct. 29, 1859.
. . . Should my health utterly fail me or abolition drive me and all moderate men from the South, then we can retreat down the Hocking and exist until time puts us away under ground. This is not poetically expressed but is the basis of my present plans.
I find southern men, even as well informed as ——— as big fools as the abolitionists. Though Brown's whole expedition proves clearly that [while] the northern people oppose slavery in the abstract, yet very few [will] go so far as to act. Yet the extreme southrons pretend to think that the northern people have nothing to do but to steal niggers and to preach sedition.
John's1 position and Tom's2 may force me at times to appear opposed to extreme southern views, or they may attempt to extract from me promises I will not give, and it may be that this position as the head of a military college, south may be inconsistent with decent independence. I don't much apprehend such a state of case, still feeling runs so high, where a nigger is concerned, that like religious questions, common sense is disregarded, and knowledge of the character of mankind in such cases leads me to point out a combination of events that may yet operate on our future.
I have heard men of good sense say that the union of the states any longer was impossible, and that the South was preparing for a change. If such a change be contemplated and overt acts be attempted of course I will not go with the South, because with slavery and the whole civilized world opposed to it, they in case of leaving the union will have worse wars and tumults than now distinguish Mexico. If I have to fight hereafter I prefer an open country and white enemies. I merely allude to these things now because I have heard a good deal lately about such things, and generally that the Southern States by military colleges and organizations were looking to a dissolution of the Union. If they design to protect themselves against negroes and abolitionists I will help; if they propose to leave the Union on account of a supposed fact that the northern people are all abolitionists like Giddings and Brown then I will stand by Ohio and the northwest.
I am on a common kind of boat. River low. Fare eighteen dollars. A hard set aboard; but at Cairo I suppose we take aboard the railroad passengers, a better class. I have all my traps safe aboard, will land my bed and boxes at Red River, will go on to Baton Rouge, and then be governed by circumstances.
The weather is clear and cold and I have a bad cough, asthma of course, but hope to be better tomorrow. I have a stateroom to myself, but at Cairo suppose we will have a crowd; if possible I will keep a room to myself in case I want to burn the paper3 of which I will have some left, but in case of a second person being put in I can sleep by day and sit up at night, all pretty much the same in the long run. . .
1 John Sherman. — Ed.
2 Thomas Ewing Jr., brother of Mrs. Sherman. - Ed.
3 Nitre paper burned to relieve asthma.— Ed.
SOURCE: Walter L. Fleming, Editor, General W.T. Sherman as College President, p. 43-5
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
So, if this happened today? Talk of CW3?
Quite a contrast with the murder trial of Dan Sickles.
I did not realize there was such open talk of secession in the South even before Lincoln was a candidate.
The fire-eaters are agitating for secession already. They will have a chance to further their cause when the Democratic National Convention commences in Charleston next April, a month ahead of the RNC.
CONCORD, Oct. 31 [1859].
MR. BLAKE, — I spoke to my townsmen last evening, on “The Character of Captain Brown, now in the Clutches of the Slaveholder.” I should like to speak to any company in Worcester who may wish to hear me: and will come if only my expenses are paid. I think that we should express ourselves at once, while Brown is alive. The sooner, the better. Perhaps Higginson may like to have a meeting. Wednesday evening would be a good time. The people here are deeply interested in the matter. Let me have an answer as soon as may be.
HENRY D. THOREAU.
P. S. I may be engaged toward the end of the week.
* Thoreau’s editor.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 506
Concord, Sunday, Oct. 30, 1859.
Thoreau reads a paper of his on John Brown, his virtues, spirit, and deeds, at the vestry this evening, and to the delight of his company, I am told, — the best that could be gathered on short notice, and among them Emerson. I am not informed in season, and have my meeting at the same time. I doubt not of its excellence and eloquence, and wish he may have opportunities of reading it elsewhere.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 506
Contended that the code of Virginia defines citizens of Virginia as “all those white persons born in any other State of this Union, who may become residents here;” and that evidence shows without a shadow of a question that when Brown went to Virginia, and planted his feet at Harper's Ferry, he came there to reside, and to hold the place permanently. True, he occupied a farm four or five miles off in Maryland, but not for the legitimate purpose of establishing his domicil [sic] there; no, for the nefarious and hellish purpose of rallying forces into this Commonwealth, and establishing himself at Harper's Ferry, as the starting-point for a new government. Whatever it was, whether tragical, or farcial and ridiculous, as Brown's counsel had presented it, his conduct showed, if his declarations were insufficient, that it was not alone for the purpose of carrying off slaves that he came there. His “Provisional Government” was a real thing and no debating society, as his counsel would have us believe; and in holding office under it and exercising its functions, he was clearly guilty of treason. As to conspiring with slaves and rebels, the law says the prisoners are equally guilty, whether insurrection is made or not. Advice may be given by actions as well as words. When you put pikes in the hands of slaves, and have their master captive, that is advice to slaves to rebel, and is punishable with death.
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 575; “The Virginia Rebellion. Trial of John Brown.” The New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, November 1, 1859, p. 1 for the date only.
CHARLESTOWN, JEFFERSON COUNTY, VA., Oct. 31, 1859.
MY DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN, EVERY ONE, — I suppose you have learned before this by the newspapers that two Weeks ago today we were fighting for our lives at Harper's Ferry; that during the fight Watson was mortally wounded, Oliver killed, William Thompson killed, and Dauphin slightly wounded; that on the following day I was taken prisoner, immediately after which I received several sabre-cuts on my head and bayonet-stabs in my body. As nearly as I can learn, Watson died of his wound on Wednesday, the second — or on Thursday, the third — day after I was taken. Dauphin was killed when I was taken, and Anderson I suppose also. I have since been tried, and found guilty of treason, etc., and of murder in the first degree. I have not yet received my sentence. No others of the company with whom you were acquainted were, so far as I can learn, either killed or taken. Under all these terrible calamities, I feel quite cheerful in the assurance that God reigns and will overrule all for his glory and the best possible good. I feel no consciousness of guilt in the matter, nor even mortification on account of my imprisonment and irons; and I feel perfectly sure that very soon no member of my family will feel any possible disposition to “blush on my account.” Already dear friends at a distance, with kindest sympathy, are cheering me with the assurance that posterity, at least, will do me justice. I shall commend you all together, with my beloved but bereaved daughters-in-law, to their sympathies, which I do not doubt will soon reach you. I also commend you all to Him “whose mercy endureth forever,” — to the God of my fathers, “whose I am, and whom I serve.” “He will never leave you nor forsake you,” unless you forsake Him. Finally, my dearly beloved, be of good comfort. Be sure to remember and follow my advice, and my example too, so far as it has been consistent with the holy religion of Jesus Christ, — in which I remain a most firm and humble believer. Never forget the poor, nor think anything you bestow on them to be lost to you, even though they may be black as Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian eunuch, who cared for Jeremiah in the pit of the dungeon; or as black as the one to whom Philip preached Christ. Be sure to entertain strangers, for thereby some have — “Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them.”
I am in charge of a jailer like the one who took charge of Paul and Silas; and you may rest assured that both kind hearts and kind faces are more or less about me, while thousands are thirsting for my blood. “These light afflictions, which are but for a moment, shall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” I hope to be able to write you again. Copy this, Ruth, and send it to your sorrow-stricken brothers to comfort them. Write me a few words in regard to the welfare of all. God Almighty bless you all, and make you “joyful in the midst of all your tribulations!” Write to John Brown. Charlestown, Jefferson County, Va., care of Captain John Avis.
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn,
The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 579-80
October 31st.
MY DEAR FRIEND — Such you prove to be, though a stranger – your most kind letter has reached me, with the kind offer to come here and take care of me. Allow me to express my gratitude for your great sympathy, and at the same time to propose to you a different course, together with my reasons for wishing it. I should certainly be greatly pleased to become personally acquainted with one so gifted and so kind, but I cannot avoid seeing some objections to it, under present circumstances. First, I am in charge of a most humane gentleman, who, with his family, has rendered me every possible attention I have desired, or that could be of the least advantage; and I am so recovered of my wounds as no longer to require nursing. Then, again, it would subject you to great personal inconvenience and heavy expense, without doing me any good. Allow me to name to you another channel through which you may reach me with your sympathies much more effectually. I have at home a wife and three young daughters, the youngest but little over five years old, the oldest nearly sixteen. I have also two daughters-in-law, whose husbands have both fallen near me here. – There is also another widow, Mrs. Thompson, whose husband fell here. Whether she is a mother or not, I cannot say. All these, my wife included, live at North Elba, Essex county, New York. I have a middle-aged son, who has been, in some degree, a cripple from his childhood, who would have as much as he could well do to earn a living. He was a most dreadful sufferer in Kansas, and lost all he had laid up. He has not enough to clothe himself for the winter comfortably. I have no living son, or son-in-law, who did not suffer terribly in Kansas.
Now, dear friend, would you not as soon contribute fifty cents now, and a like sum yearly, for the relief of those very poor and deeply afflicted persons, to enable them to supply themselves and their children with bread and very plain clothing, and to enable the children to receive a common English education? Will you also devote your own energies to induce others to join you in giving a like amount, or any other amount, to constitute a little fund for the purpose named?
I cannot see how your coming here can do me the least good; and I am quite certain you can do immense good where you are. I am quite cheerful under all my afflicting circumstances and prospects; having, as I humbly trust, “the peace of God which passeth all understanding ” to rule in my heart. You may make such use of this as you see fit. God Almighty bless and reward you a thousand fold!
SOURCES: The American Anti-Slavery Society, Correspondence between Lydia Maria Child and Gov. Wise and Mrs. Mason, of Virginia, p. 15-6; Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 580-1
Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher
THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA,
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:
Know you, that our Governor, in pursuance of authority vested in the Executive by law, hath constituted and appointed William N. Kelly the Agent of this Commonwealth, to demand and receive from the Executive authority of the State of Pennsylvania a Fugitive from Justice, called William Harrison alias Albert Hazlett, alias E. H. or some name not known, & to deliver him to the proper authority of this State, to be dealt with according to Law.
{SEAL}
Witness, Henry A. Wise our said Governor, this first day of November A.D. 1859 and in the eighty fourth year of the Commonwealth.
By the Governor.
HENRY A. WISE
GEORGE W. MUNFORD
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Requisition for Harrison alias Haslett
In obedience to the Warrant of Wm P Parker by Gov of Penna I have granted my warrant to the within named Wm N. Kelly to take the person of Wm Harrison, alias Albert Hazlet and deliver him to the authorities of the State Virginia.
Witness my hand as Presg Judge of the 9 Judicial district of Penna the 5 Nov 1869
S. H. GRAHAM.
SOURCE: Massachusetts Historical Society, Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Third Series, Volume 1, p. 513-4
BOSTON, November 1,1859.
. . . The Natural History, Horticultural, and other societies are making great efforts to secure a long parallelogram of the new-made land west of the Public Garden and parallel with the lower part of the Milldam, about the Toll-gate, and they have good hopes of succeeding. They have already prepared plans for large and elegant structures for their accommodation severally. You would be surprised to see the extent of solid ground 'that has already been formed in this quarter, and the style of the sandstone buildings that have been commenced just below the Public Garden. That part of the city bids fair to be a place of palaces, in comparison with which Beacon Street and Mount Vernon Street will be but second-rate or less.
The papers will give you accounts of the late occurrences at Harper's Ferry. Brown, the leader in this almost crazy attempt, had already earned great honour with the friends of freedom by his bravery in Kansas. He had suffered cruelly at the hands of the Missouri propagandists of slavery, having seen two of his sons killed by them while helping to defend him, and having suffered wounds and indignities on his own person. He has shown in his late attempt great heroism and even humanity, with a most extraordinary want of knowledge and judgment. His fate excites great sympathy, and I believe that should the sentence of the law be carried out to his execution, new strength will be given to the anti-slavery movement in the Northern States. I think the Executive of Virginia will endeavour to commute the sentence. There has been something very impressive and almost sublime in the manliness and spirit he has shown during the trial. . . .
SOURCE: Emma Savage Rogers & William T. Sedgwick, Life and Letters of William Barton Rogers, Volume 2, p. 15-6
CHARLESTOWN, JEFFERSON COUNTY, VA., Nov. 1, 1859.
MY DEAR FRIEND E. B. OF R. I., — Your most cheering letter of the 27th of October is received; and may the Lord reward you a thousandfold for the kind feeling you express toward me; but more especially for your fidelity to the “poor that cry, and those that have no help.” For this I am a prisoner in bonds. It is solely my own fault, in a military point of view, that we met with our disaster. I mean that I mingled with our prisoners and so far sympathized with them and their families that I neglected my duty in other respects. But God's will, not mine, be done.
You know that Christ once armed Peter. So also in my case I think he put a sword into my hand, and there continued it so long as he saw best, and then kindly took it from me. I mean when I first went to Kansas. I wish you could know with what cheerfulness I am now wielding the “sword of the Spirit” on the right hand and on the left. I bless God that it proves “mighty to the pulling down of strongholds.” I always loved my Quaker friends, and I commend to their kind regard my poor bereaved widowed wife and my daughters and daughters-in-law, whose husbands fell at my side. One is a mother and the other likely to become so soon. They, as well as my own sorrow-stricken daughters, are left very poor, and have much greater need of sympathy than I, who, through Infinite Grace and the kindness of strangers, am “joyful in all my tribulations.”
Dear sister, write them at North Elba, Essex County, N. Y., to comfort their sad hearts. Direct to Mary A. Brown, wife of John Brown. There is also another — a widow, wife of Thompson, who fell with my poor boys in the affair at Harper's Ferry — at the same place.
I do not feel conscious of guilt in taking up arms; and had it been in behalf of the rich and powerful, the intelligent, the great (as men count greatness), or those who form enactments to suit themselves and corrupt others, or some of their friends, that I interfered, suffered, sacrificed, and fell, it would have been doing very well. But enough of this. These light afflictions, which endure for a moment, shall but work for me “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” I would be very grateful for another letter from you. My wounds are healing. Farewell. God will surely attend to his own cause in the best possible way and time, and he will not forget the work of his own hands.
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 582-3
CHARLESTOWN, JEFFERSON COUNTY, VA., Nov. 1, 1859.
TO MY FRIENDS IN NEW ENGLAND AND ELSEWHERE, — Aaron D. Stephens, one of the prisoners now in confinement with me in this place, is desirous of obtaining the assistance of George Sennott, Esq., of Boston, Mass., in defending him on his trial to come off before the United States Court. Anything you can do toward securing the services of Mr. Sennott for the prisoner will add to the many obligations of your humble servants.
JOHN BROWN.
The above contains the expression of my own wishes.
A. D. STEPHENS.
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 583
Well, that was just about sex, and everybody would shoot a man down in the street over sex, you know.
I have, may it please the Court, a few words to say.
In the first place, I deny everything but what I have all along admitted, — the design on my part to free the slaves. I intended certainly to have made a clean thing of that matter, as I did last winter, when I went into Missouri and there took slaves without the snapping of a gun on either side, moved them through the country, and finally left them in Canada. I designed to have done the same thing again, on a larger scale.1 That was all I intended. I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection.
I have another objection: and that is, it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty. Had I interfered in the manner which I admit, and which I admit has been fairly proved (for I admire the truthfulness and candor of the greater portion of the witnesses who have testified in this case), — had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or in behalf of any of their friends, — either father, mother, brother, sister, wife, or children, or any of that class, — and suffered and sacrificed what I have in this interference, it would have been all right; and every man in this court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment.
This court acknowledges, as I suppose, the validity of the law of God. I see a book kissed here which I suppose to be the Bible, or at least the New Testament. That teaches me that all things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them. It teaches me, further, to “remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them.” I endeavored to act up to that instruction. I say, I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter of persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done — as I have always freely admitted I have done — in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, — I submit; so let it be done!
Let me say one word further.
I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received on my trial. Considering all the circumstances, it has been more generous than I expected. But I feel no consciousness of guilt. I have stated from the first what was my intention, and what was not. I never had any design against the life of any person, nor any disposition to commit treason, or excite slaves to rebel, or make any general insurrection. I never encouraged any man to do so, but always discouraged any idea of that kind.
Let me say, also, a word in regard to the statements made by some of those connected with me. I hear it has been stated by some of them that I have induced them to join me. But the contrary is true. I do not say this to injure them, but as regretting their weakness. There is not one of them but joined me of his own accord, and the greater part of them at their own expense. A number of them I never saw, and never had a word of conversation with, till the day they came to me; and that was for the purpose I have stated.
Now I have done.
1 In explanation of this passage, Brown three weeks afterward handed to Mr. Hunter this letter:
• John Brown to Andrew Hunter, November 22, 1859
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 584-5
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
“Audiences that tolerate Verdi” ...
Snarky!
It’s not like they could watch television instead.
Nov. 3, 1859.
P. S. Yesterday, November 2, I was sentenced to be hanged on December 2 next. Do not grieve on my account. I am still quite cheerful. God bless you!
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 580
NEW BEDFORD, Nov. 3, 1859.
DEAR SIR: — i embrace this opertunity to inform you that i received your letter with pleasure, i am enjoying good health and hope that these few lines will find you enjoying the same blessing. i rejoise to hear from you i feel very much indetted to you for not writing before but i have been so bissy that is the cause, i rejoise to heare of the arrival of my wife, and hope she is not sick from the roling of the sea and if she is not, pleas to send her on here Monday with a six baral warlian and a rifall to gard her up to my residance i thank you kindly for the good that you have don for me. Give my respects to Mrs. Still, tell her i want to see her very bad and you also i would come but i am afraid yet to venture, i received your letter the second, but about the first of spring i hope to pay you a visit or next summer. i am getting something to do every day. i will write on her arrivall and tell you more. Mr. R. White sends his love to you and your famerly and says that he is very much indetted to you for his not writing and all so he desires to know wheather his cloths has arived yet or not, and if they are please to express them on to him or if at preasant by Mrs. Donar. Not any more at preasent. i remain your affectionate brother,
WILLIAM DONAR.
SOURCE: William Still, The Underground Railroad: A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters &c., p. 275
Continued from October 19 (reply #18) .
Nicole Etcheson, Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era
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