John Brown, The End

Quinn Foxx 10/14/2008 3:41 A10/P10

John Brown:

The End Prologue

John Brown hated slavery so; he led an attack on Harpers Ferry to free the slaves there. In the battle, his troops, without his permission, killed many white men and a FREE black man. A few weeks later he was tried against the state of Virginia and sentenced to die on the morning of December 2, 1859 in Charlestown, “Case dismissed!” the judge yelled complimented by the sharp “clack” of his wooden mallet. December 2, 1859 Charlestown, Virginia Morning “It’s time. Get up!” the guard said. Calmly I stood, I turned toward the door. The guard walked out. I followed. Gun pointed at me, he motioned toward my right. I obeyed. I followed him down the hall and I turned around and saw another guard behind me. He jabs me in the back with his gun. I turn and quicken pace for what do I have to lose? The front door opens, courtesy of yet another guard. I am at first blinded by the light but my eyes quickly adjust: An infinite crowed of people lie before me, some yelling and some sobbing. An African American woman holds her child up to me. I stop and look down onto him the future of America. I give her a brief smile and continue. A way was made for me through the crowd toward the monstrosity before me like a lion ready to devour its meal. As I continued down the path of death, I regret that I will experience freedom before those that I have labored all my life to free. I look into the crowd and try to see familiar faces, none to speak of. And then out of the corner of my eye, there he was, the reporter from the past. His article brought attention to abolition and also cast hateful eyes on me. I remember telling him how I hid the Harpers Ferry attack plans by wrapping it around three cigars and placing the package on a hill so to the untrained eye, it looked like someone left the now spoiled cigars over from a picnic. But the next morning, they were gone from the hill according to plan. I try to look beyond the crowd, beyond this blanket of emotional fog that is all around me, to happier times. I only can find one sliver of joy: My wife, but even that leaves me as fast as it came. I can feel sobs just thinking about it, because, she is sleeping. As will I… soon. I reach the monster and advance up its steps. I am yanked into position and have the necklace of death draped over me. I hold my breath. Everything has prepared me for this. “Um, sir?” I turn and see a guard talking to me, “What!?!” I ask. “The council has agreed that it’s only fair that you are given a chance to say any last words.” Well that changed the plans a bit for me. I hold my chest high, inhale and…, “In the first place, I deny everything but what I have all along admitted, the design on my part to free the slaves. I intended certainly to have made a clean thing of that matter, as I did last winter, when I went into Missouri and there took slaves without the snapping of a gun on either side, moved them through the country, and finally left them in Canada. I designed to have done the same thing again, on a larger scale. That was all I intended. I never did

Quinn Foxx 10/14/2008 3:41 A10/P10 intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection. “I have another objection; and that is, it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty. Had I interfered in the manner which I admit, and which I admit has been fairly proved (for I admire the truthfulness and candor of the greater portion of the witnesses who have testified in this case), had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or in behalf of any of their friends, either father, mother, brother, sister, wife, or children, or any of that class, and suffered and sacrificed what I have in this interference, it would have been all right; and every man in this court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment. “This court acknowledges, as I suppose, the validity of the law of God. I see a book kissed here which I suppose to be the Bible, or at least the New Testament. That teaches me that all things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them. It teaches me, further, to "remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them." I endeavored to act up to that instruction. I say, I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter of persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done as I have always freely admitted I have done in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit; so let it be done!” The guard reached toward the lever that would send me to the pit of doom. But I was not done…, “Let me say one word further. I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received on my trial. Considering all the circumstances. it has been more generous than I expected. But I feel no consciousness of guilt. I have stated from the first what was my intention and what was not. I never had any design against the life of any person, nor any disposition to commit treason, or excite slaves to rebel, or make any general insurrection. I never encouraged any man to do so, but always discouraged any idea of that kind. “Let me say, also, a word in regard to the statements made by some of those connected with me. I hear it has been stated by some of them that I have induced them to join me. But the contrary is true. I do not say this to injure them, but as regretting their weakness. There is not one of them but joined me of his own accord, and the greater part of them at their own expense. A number of them I never saw, and never had a word of conversation with, till the day they came to me; and that was for the purpose I have stated. “ Now I have done.” The floor gave way and at last, I… was… free… Epilogue John Brown is the embodiment of equality in the early years of America. His legacy lives alongside Martin Luther King Jr.s in all Americans today…