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Show J atnes Freeman Clarke. they make the glory of human nature, n.ntl grve us more faith in God and man. Such men die, but their act lives forever- Their memory wrnps tho duiiky mountain, Their spirit sparkles in tho fountain ; The meanest rill. the mightiest river, !tolls, mingling with their fnwo forever. You cannot get away from it. Call it fanatici. m, folly, madness, wickcdn c~ -it ri~cs before you still with its calm, marble feature~, more terrible in defeat and deal h than in life and vietory- the awful lineaments of Con cience. It is one of tho~e act of madness which History cheri. hcs, and which Poetry loYe forever to adorn with her choicest wreaths of laurel. One con"CCJlH'nce of the event will be, I cannot but think ' the aroul'ing of the Nation's Con cicncc. A thoroughly con-scientious act awakeu corLcience in other". I have already mentioned its efT' •ct at the Soutlt. It has command('d respect where we might have cxpcctecl violence. The quality of courage and nobkne:-; · iu the man, in all hi word - and his whole munncr, have evidently produced a rno t extraordinary impres ion. No bravado, no timidity- no concealment, no ostentation- perfect man line R, truth, and hone. ty, lun·e brcn so com.picuou , that these qualities have touched the hiO'hcr b nature::; of Southem men, and awak ned genu ine feelings of respect and admiration. The Slaveholders have at la t seen, face to fctcc, a specimen of their bete noi·r- an Abolitioni ·t. They find thcmsch·es compelled to respect him. Governor "\Vise now knows what an Abolitionist is; and finds lrim no a man wishing to murder women and children, but tender to non-combatants, careful of his prisoners' live~, doing no needless harm, but knowing no such thing as feat·. Our text says, that " I-Ierod f eared John, knowing !tim to be a Just man." Thi3 is one of those wonderful touches which mark the insight of the Seripture. The tyrant on his throne, sur- Jan1cs Frecn1an Clarke. rouncled by hi oldiers, backed by the mighty power uf Rome, was afraitl of the prophet in hi ~ pri~on- afraitl of him in his tomb-" knowing him to be a ju:-;t man." The awful majesty of Ju .. ticc penetratc<l thmugh gnnrcls nncl courtier , ante-room and fc ti val chamb e r~, and eau:wtl a thrill of terror to pass throu:rh the monar<'h's sou l. t-) () ~he Herod of Slavery fears J ohn Brown, in his pri ·on; will continue to fear him, in his tomb-" knowing him to be a ju t man." Ten thousand Southern pulpits have been proYing t hnt bccau o Abraham held Slaves, an<l Paul sent back Ot !t·~i mus, therefore it is no violation of the golden rul to wmk negroes to death on the rice plantation of South Carolina an(l the sugar coast of the l\l i~ i s~ i ppi . TC'n thotrsancl able editors, popular orator~, and philosophic profcs.'ors lta\·c b('<' tt proving tl1e ~arn e thing from st ati :;t i c~, ethnology, nml :lll:ll omy. But here come Old John Brown, believing Slav('ry a sin, and believing it so mueh a - to fling hi;; life a \\':l}; and in their hearts and ~ou l~, the r everend and lrarncd arguer::; (' '('l that th<·y ar , ophi:;t:.;, with no truth in them. \Vhen , u ·h a d '<'<1 i ~ done, it i · not the actual de(·<l, llltt that whieh it announ ce~, that is tcrrifi<'. Ilow many m ore~ John Browns may there not be l)('h intl r- so , ny in tlu·i r so uls to-day tlw whole population south of l\fa:'on's and Dixon':s line. This may be only the {i rst drop of t lw coming shower. True, the who1e writinO' atH1 Si>eakin .-r 1mbli(' ·tt 0 v ' the North difiavows and con<lcmns the deed, but whn t do those think of it, who, like ,John Brown him. elf~ do not talk, but act? I cannot tell- nci th •r can you. I know that great •rimes and great Yirtucs arc contagiou.'. uicidu i contagious. l\Iurdcr is rontwriou~. It may be that many a man. itting comfortably in hi ' easy chair, when he n'ad tl1e account, " wishe(l himself acrm·:-:ed he was not there " too. \Ve may be to-day on the brink of a civil war. A <.Tu:-::tdc is attractive to thou ands, whether it be in the form of filli- 28~'t: |
