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Show H enry D . Thoreau. rl'l L f ·~ 1 · - Olll' " lewlino mell" nrc a harmless kind .~. 1e amoun o h ~, ·' . . of I'olk and th 'Y know well enoll.rJh that th ey we re not <hvmely ap' po·m te<1, u t elected by the \'Ot ':-> ol' their pn.rty. u . 1 , • J> . . "'VI · 't 1 o·e a(' .. ty reclutres that Captd.tn >1 0 \\11 he ' 10 1:3 l w 1 s .. c: .... hung ? Is it inuispen aule to any Northern ma~1 ? I I~ ',)there b • to cast tll'""C 1n '11 abo to the J\Imot,un . If 110 r esource U11 < "''' 1 t · -11 1you <o no w 't ""ay o tli ~tin ctly. "\Vhile the c things arc 1::; , " ' • ~ • • • • bcinrr done, beauty stands veiled and mus1c 1s a . cr' • cl~111 g he. Thit7k of him _ of hi , rare qualitie · ! such a man as 1t takes to m·1a rrc. <l~-e, <"~11U-1 <•1orr es to und<TRt:mu; 110 mock hero, nor the 0 , t'vc o{' .. 11y l)'lt·ty A man uch a' the ·un may not rc prc~e n~..a 1 " ' • • n· se upon .n. .r.r,·.·..· 111 in thi · beniorr ht •d JaneL To whose makmg went the costli est material, the fin est adamant; t-'ent to be the r edeem r oftho:=;c in captivity; ntHl the only usc to whi ·h you can put him is to hang him at the end of a rope ! You who pretend to care for Christ crucified, con:-:;itlcr whn.t y_ou arc about to tlo to him who ofl'ercu him elf to be the ::;a.v10ur of four million' of men. Any nuut know ~ when he ia ju ·tified, ~md all the wi ts in the world cannot enlighten him on that point. The murderer alway · kno\rs that he is justly puni:·dl d; but wh ' 11 ~~ g?v rnmcnt takes the life of a man without the con:ent of l11.' conscience, it il:) an audacious goverumcnt, and is taking a .stc~ toward::; it:-i own dis -olution. I ' it not possible that an mdlviuual may be rig!tt a1Hl a gov ernment wrong ? Are laws to be enforced ·imply bccau~e they were made? or dct;lat· •tl by any numb ·r of' men to be good, if they arc not good ? Is there any neces ·ity for a man's being a tool to perform a deed of which his better nature~ disapprove.·? I s it the intention of law-maken; that good men ~hall be hung ever ? Arc judges to interpret the law according to the letter, and uoL the spirit ~ \Vhat right have you to enter into a compact with yourself that you will do thus or o, against the light within yo u ? Is it f'•JI' yon to make 'UP yonr minu - to form ally r e::;olution whatcn.:r - anu not accept the convictions that arc iorceu upor.: H enry 1). 1'horcau. you, ancl whi ·h ever pa~:-i you I' untlcrst;llld ing? 1 <lo not be· lim·e in lawyt• r.:-;, in th:tl mode of' all: ll'king or <lvf'v11ding a ll l<tll , IJecau:->e you d e~eeml to 111 l'CL li t<' judge on hi:-; own groll lld, an tl, in cases of the highest im po rl:.wct•, iL i:; or no con:;<'<tllt' tH'<! w beth 'r a man breaks a humiln law or not. Let ]a w y<·r:-; deeitlc trivial cases. 13u ·itH'!-<:-1 men may <IITangc I hat :unong tlH'm selv e~ . If' tlrey were the interpret •r:-; of' the ev(' rla:->t ing ]i1,\\'S which rightfully lJind man, that wouh} be anoth <•r tllillg. A counterfeiting lnw-fa<.:tory, standing half in a ~-, la ve lnnd illHl lmlf in a fr e ! What kind of' law.' for free men can you expect from that? I am here to pl eatl his cau ~c wi th yon. I plea<l not for his lif<·, but for his character- hi ::; immortal life ; and so it heconH'.' your cause wholly, and is not hi ::; in the least. Home eighte en hun<lrcu years ago Christ wa. crucified; thi :-~ morning, perchance, Captain Brown wns hung. Tl1es · arc tlw I wo ends of a elra1u which i · not without its links. He iH 110L Old Brown any longer; l1e il:) n.n angel of lig ht. I i're now that it was necessary that tlte bran·. t nncl humanest man in all the coun try . l1oul!l be hung. P 1•rh ·q>. he saw it him;-;elf. J a1most fear that I may yet h<·ar of' his d ·li v<·rancc, <lonbt.ing if a prolonged life, if any li fe, can tlo as mueh good as his death. ,, 1\:li :-:.guitlt~d " ! "Garrnl o n ~" ! a Jn.-anc"! Vindietivc" ! So ye write in your ca;o:;y ('h:tirl', an<.l thu .~ he wotmd<·<l reR p0 11(1~ f'rorn the floor of the Armory, clear· a8 a <' I O\ttll es~ sky, true a~ the voice of nature is : " No man sent me h<· r ' ; it wa ' my own prompting and that of my 1\Inkcr. I acknowl •dgt· no ma~ te r in human form." And in what n. sweet and noble strain he proceed ~ , a~ l d r<•:.;sing his cnptors, who . tand OYer him: '' I think, my fr i<' IHl..;, you are guilty of a gn•at wrong ngain::;t God and humani ty, and it would uc p 'rfectly right for any on ' to in t<•rl'<·re wit h yo11 i'O 1:1r as to fi·ec tho ·e you will'ully aml wi(;kedly hold in bonuagc." |