Insurrection

BROWN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 11/13/2010 at 18:44:20

Western College Advocate, Western College, Iowa, November 1, 1859

INSURRECTION

It appears from our exchanges that Capt. John Brown of Kansas celebrity has been making himself more than ever famous at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Collecting at that place a band of desperate men-17 whites and 4 negroes; on the 17th of October he took possession of the U. S. Arsenal and the town and making a most determined resistance to the troops sent against him was taken only after he was severely wounded and nearly all his men were shot down.
Capt. Brown has shown for a long time that the aim of his life is to liberate the slave and avenge the death of his offspring. We cannot deny that he has done some good service and had his efforts been confined to giving aid to escaping slaves without causing bloodshed, we should say “God speed him.” And notwithstanding we most emphatically condemn such outbreaks as this at Harper’s Ferry, and hope the law may have its course with him we can hardly consider him more guilty in the sight of God, than thousands of slaveholders whom the laws of the land do not reach.