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Old John Brown, the man whose soul is marching on by Walter Hawkins
page 45 of 53 (84%)
The Governor's public testimony was: 'They are mistaken who took
Brown to be a madman. He is a bundle of the best nerves I ever
saw. He is a man of clear head, of courage, fortitude, and
simple ingenuousness. He is cool, collected, and indomitable;
and it is but just to him to say that he was humane to his
prisoners, and he inspired me with great trust in his integrity
as a man of truth. He is a fanatic, vain and garrulous, but
firm, truthful, and intelligent. He professes to be a Christian
in communion with the Congregational Church of the North, and
openly preaches his purpose of universal emancipation, and the
negroes themselves were to be the agents, by means of arms, led
on by white commanders. Colonel Washington says that he was the
coolest and firmest man he ever saw in defying danger and death.
With one son dead by his side, and another shot through, he felt
the pulse of his dying son with one hand, held his rifle with the
other, and commanded his men with the utmost composure,
encouraging them to be firm, and to sell their lives as dearly as
they could.'

The trial for treason and murder took place in the Virginian
Court on October 27-31, ere he had recovered. He pleaded for
delay till his health allowed him to give more attention to his
defence, but the request was refused. So, weak and wounded, he
had to lie upon his pallet with a blanket thrown over him. His
words were few, and to the same effect as those we have quoted.
There was only one verdict possible in that court--GUILTY--and he
was sentenced to be hanged. Technically there was no other
course possible. The calm verdict of the CAMBRIDGE MODERN
HISTORY upon the raid is correct: 'It was the mad folly of an
almost crazed fanatic . . . the stain still upon him of the
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