Disunion Feed

"Several strange men, for some time past, were stopping in Chambersburg, boarding at different places; who they were or what their legitimate business was, nobody knew, and the strangers themselves did not see proper to tell. [...] They represented themselves as Mineralogists, but who they were, what they were and what they were after, nobody knew. Our citizens were as totally ignorant of their designs--of their dark and damning plot--as were the citizens of Harper's Ferry, into whose midst these Sharp's Rifles, Revolvers, Pikes, Picks, Shovels, Spades, &c. were transported and secreted."

The Republican paper in Brown's staging town — same day as the Democratic Valley Spirit across town, earlier in this feed — pleads local innocence while condemning the 'dark and damning plot.' Its Oct 19 issue went to press before the news — this is its first reaction. Fragments joined with [...].

Read it in the original — Franklin Repository, Oct 26, 1859 (Valley of the Shadow) ↗

Next post: William Lloyd Garrison, Oct 28, 1859 →

"the well-intentioned but sadly misguided effort of Capt. John Brown and his score of confederates [...] As to Capt. Brown, all who know him personally are united in the conviction that a more honest, conscientious, truthful, brave, disinterested man, (however misguided or unfortunate,) does not exist [...] For, by the logic of Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill, and by the principles enforced by this nation in its boasted Declaration of Independence, Capt. Brown was a hero, struggling against fearful odds, not for his own advantage, but to redeem others from a horrible bondage, to be justified in all that he aimed to achieve, however lacking in sound discretion. And by the same logic and the same principles, every slave-holder has forfeited his right to live, if his destruction be necessary to enable his victims to break the yoke of bondage; and they, and all who are disposed to aid them by force and arms, are fully warranted in carrying rebellion to any extent, and securing freedom at whatever cost."

Garrison was a pacifist; the editorial calls the effort 'well-intentioned but sadly misguided' and the enterprise 'wild and futile', while defending Brown's character. The 'forfeited his right to live' sentence is the second half of an argument from 'the logic of Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill' and the Declaration of Independence, stated in the sentence before it. Corrected 2026-10-03: an earlier version of this card left that sentence out, which removed the premises and risked presenting the conclusion as an unqualified call; the same day, the post's opening line regained his 'well-intentioned', which it had dropped. Fragments joined with [...].

Read it in the original — The Liberator, Oct 28, 1859 ↗