John Brown
Soldier of Fortune
A Critique
John BrownJohn Brown
Soldier of Fortune
A Critique
BY
HILL PEEBLES WILSON
Mr. Vallandigham: Mr. Brown, who sent you here?
John Brown: No man sent me here; it was my own promptingand that of my Maker, or that of the Devil, whichever youplease to ascribe it to. I acknowledge no master in humanform.
Post, 313
THE CORNHILL COMPANY
BOSTON
Copyright, 1913
Hill Peebles Wilson
Copyright, 1918
The Cornhill Company
TO THE MEMORY OF
MRS. SARA T. D. ROBINSON
OF KANSAS
PREFACE
The writer of this book is not an iconoclast, neither has he prejudgedJohn Brown. In 1859 the character was impressed upon his attention in apersonal way. An older brother, Joseph E. Wilson, was a member of thecompany of marines that made the assault on the engine-house at Harper'sFerry, on the morning of October 18th; and from him he heard the storyof the fight, and about Brown.
In 1889 the Topeka (Kansas) Daily Capital took a poll of the membersof the Kansas Legislature on the question: "Who was the mostdistinguished Kansan?" or something to that effect. At that time thewriter held the opinion that the public services rendered by John Brownin Kansas Territory, were of paramount importance in the settlement ofthe Free-State contention; and since the course which the nation was atthat time pursuing had been arrested by the result of that contention,and diverted into the path which led to the marvelous achievements ofthe succeeding years; he, therefore, over his signature cast his vote infavor of John Brown; saying, among other things, in his littlepanegyric, that Brown is the only Kansan whose fame was immortal.
In 1898 he reformed his opinions concerning Brown's character andconduct, and the importance of his public services in Kansas. The changecame about through an effort on his part to write a sketch of his lifefor a work entitled "Eminent Men of Kansas." In good faith, and withmuch of the confidence and enthusiasm characteristic of Brown'seulogists, he began an investigation of the available historical datarelating to the subject; when he found to his surprise, and disgust,that the[Pg 10] history of Brown's career contained nothing to justify thepublic estimate of him.
Reporting to his associate that he would not write the sketch, he saidthat he "could find but little in the record of his life which gave himcreditable distinction, and that he did not wish to write thediscreditable things about him which it contained."
Later he gathered up the threads of Brown's life and has woven them,conscientiously, into the web of history. The story reveals little whichis creditable to Brown or worthy of emulation and much that isabhorrent. But he indulges the hope that he has made it clear that hisconceptions of the character have not been inspired by "prejudice,""blind" or otherwise, for he has examined the records in the case; anexamination which has led him throug