Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/881

 conviction that he had done nothing-hut his duty, never wavered for a moment. There is not a more remarkable instance of personal heroism and fearlessness in the annals of history than he displayed in this entire affair.

John E. Cook, who left on Monday with a Dumber of slaves for the Maryland shore, effected his escape to Pennsylvania, and after much Buffering and exposure, he was taken, and on the requisition of Governor Wise, was returned to Virginia. He was subsequently tried and convicted of murder and inciting the slaves to insurrection. Edwin Coppic, another of the company, was tried and convicted. Shields Green and John Copeland, the two negroes taken with Brown, were also tried and convicted. The execution of these four persons was fixed for the 16th of December, and was duly consummated at that time. Cook was a brother-in-law of Governor Willard, of Indiana, and very strong efforts were made by his friends to procure his pardon, but without avail.

John Brown was hung on the 2d of December, according to the sentence. An immense military force had been collected at Charleston under the pretense that a rescue was contemplated from the North, but nothing of the kind was ever attempted. On the day before his execution his wife paid him a visit in his cell. It was a most interesting event, as she appeared to have been as much of a heroine as he was a hero. Nothing was said by Brown on the gallows. Many letters were published in the papers at the time, all of them manifesting the same [sic]religous  [sic]beleif that he had been doing good service, and was ready and willing to die for the cause. His body, after the execution, was delivered to his wife, and was taken to North Elba, Essex county, New York, for burial. The funeral ceremonies were witnessed by a large concourse of his neighbors, and people from that section of the country. Wendall Phillips pronounced an oration or eulogy of the deceased.

John Brown, whose name will ever be associated with the Harper's Ferry insurrection, was born in Connecticut on the 9th of May, 1800. He had a large family of children, who seemed to inherit many of his peculiar traits of character. His religious faith was ever most firm, and he always appeared to act as if under the immediate direction and care of his Creator. No puritan in Cromwell's army was ever more impressed with the idea of the divine presence and protection. He was regarded by many of his best friends as deranged on the subject of slavery. During the Kansas troubles, he went there and took a prominent part in the border wars that so long afflicted that Territory. He had children living there. One of his sons was put to death by the Missourian border ruffians, under circumstances of peculiar atrocity. He [sic]presistently and indignantly denied the imputation of insanity, and his wife declared that she could not say she believed him insane, if that would save his life. His name will occupy a prominent position in history in connection with the Harper's Ferry affair.