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to secure friends and further his designs generally against slavery. The celebrated Canada Conference was held, a constitution for a provisional government drawn up, and the whole scheme of liberating the Southern slaves, us afterwards developed, framed. It was the arrangement to have made the attack at Harper's Ferry sooner, but various causes led him to defer the matter and make a strike in Kansas first. He accordingly labored to secure funds and arms with which to equip a company of one hundred men for demonstrations in South-eastern Kansas. Unsuccessful in a great measure in the accomplishment of the latter object, he returned, dissatisfied with his Eastern visit, in November, 1857, to this Territory, where, the following fall and winter, he co-operated with Montgomery against the Ruffians in Southern Kansas.

Old Brown, as he was familiarly called in Kansas, was no politician, and had taken no interest in politics since the first election of Jackson. He was decidedly a man of action and had no faith in the overthrow of iniquity and sin by moralizing and theorizing. His religious convictions were deep and settled; and it is only when we consider his unswerving and abiding Faith that the overruling Providence would protect and give success to the Right, that we are enabled to understand the reasons which actuated the man. He was a great lover of the Bible, and especially of the Old Testament, among whose characters Gideon was his favorite. He believed with the most unclouded Faith that the same Lord that strengthened Gideon, would strengthen him in his stroke for the oppressed. Viewed in any other light than that of Christian faith, his scheme for the liberation of the slaves is fanatical and absurd.

In January 1859, Brown left Kansas with a lot of slaves. taken from Missouri. He proceeded to Canada, where the details of his subsequent raid in Virginia were arranged. He spent the spring and summer in preparing for the anticipated stampede. On the 16th of October he made his

well known assault at Harper's Ferry, which cost him and two of his sons their lives.

Captain John Brown, Jr., upon hearing that Lawrence was menaced by a large body of invaders, set out with a company of sixty men to join in the defence of that place; but in consequence of the peace policy adopted, his services were never brought into requisition. After the sacking of the town he returned, disbanded his men and retired to work on his claim.

Pro-slavery men in the region of Osawattomie had for some time been very impudent, bold and threatening. The spirit of extermination which incited the destroyers of Lawrence and which had been breathing its threats along the Border all spring, at once seized the pro-slavery men of that section. To illustrate this fact, the case of Mr. Bell, who now lives near Baldwin City, will suffice. He had come from Missouri a short time before and settled in a pro-slavery neighborhood near where he still lives. He occupied a house belonging to a pro-slavery man and was kindly received by that party, they supposing, as he came from Missouri, that he was all "sound on the goose." But ascertaining his free state proclivities, they dropped him, and about the time that Lawrence was invaded, ordered him out of the house. In vain he entreated to be allowed to remain until his wife would recover from her sickness, and that he might be able to look around for another house. The order was imperative and with his afflicted family he moved into a rail pen for shelter. Leaving his family with only provision enough for two days he went to Missouri for a supply, but on his return, when within eight miles of home, was seized, taken back and held prisoner, though he earnestly importuned to be allowed to convey his provisions to his famishing wife and children.

While the men about "Osawattomie were absent at Lawrence, their pro-slavery neighbors visited their defenseless, families, insulted and notified them to leave the country,

and threatened, in case they did not observe this order to kill them all. A certain man who had a store was shockingly abused because he had furnished the free state men ammunition when they set out for Lawrence. It was

then, and is yet, believed by the residents of that part of the country that a plan had been arranged for the destruction of all the free state men in the neighborhood the latter part of May and especially those of the Browns.

On the return of Captain John Brown, junior, and his company, and learning the deep laid plots of assassination, a

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council was held near Osawattomie, at which the question of taking the field and engaging in actual hostilities was discussed, of which Captain John Brown, senior, warmly advocated the affirmative. The majority of the company on its being put to vote, deciding against him, he stepped out from the ranks, and with sword upraised, called upon all who were willing to begin "the war in earnest " to follow him. About eight responded, and with them, he left the camp of his son, to begin his memorable career. Proceeding up the Maries Des Cygnes a short distance, he halted his men, and there, in the still and deep-tangled

woods, held a council. Exactly what was said is not known. But Brown soon infused in his followers his own spirit of determination and hostility to slavery. At this council it was determined whenever any demonstration towards executing the plot to massacre free state men should be made that certain parties should be killed on the spot.

While Brown went North for aid, on the night of the 24th of May, Mr. Doyle and his two sons, Mr. Sherman and Mr. Wilkinson, were all taken from their houses and murdered. The act had been precipitated in consequence of certain outrages committed by the above mentioned parties the day before. Old Brown, who was absent at the time, fully sustained and approved of the deed.

Good people every where were shocked at the announcement of this seeming act of barbarity, so utterly at variance with the conduct and policy of free state men, many of whom strongly denounced it. But still, when men became familiar with the aggravating causes, the awful state of affairs in that section of the Territory, they viewed the matter in a different light. While all the reasons, which we have sought truthfully to state, that impelled the actors in this bloody drama, may not excuse their conduct, they tend in a great degree to palliate it. Perhaps it approaches nearer a cold blooded atrocity than any other which attaches itself to free state men in Kansas. While, therefore, we would not excuse, though we would not censure unjustly, an outraged and oppressed community, we can but deplore the occurrence, as partaking too much of the remorseless character of the Border Ruffians.

This occurrence, like the "murder of Jones," was used as a pretext for new outrages by Southerners and Missourians. The usual "war extras" were issued, S. G. Cato exerted himself to bring the murderers to justice, Shannon was petitioned for troops and arms, a messenger was dispatched to Fort Scott for aid, and every thing was hurry and confusion, as though an invading army was upon them.

Accordingly, Governor Shannon dispatched Captain Wood, then commanding at Lawrence, to the scene of difficulties. In a day afterwards, receiving word that armed bands were collecting on the Pottowattomie Creck, he sent Lieutenant Church with a small detachment to investigate the facts. This officer proceeded south of Lawrence about eighteen miles, where he met Captain Brown with a force of about eighty men, whom he commanded to disperse. Agreeable with this requisition, Captain Brown and his men repaired to their homes; the Lieutenant returned and reported that there were no men collecting for the purpose of invading the Territory.

For the purpose of capturing or destroying "Old Brown," Captain Pate, towards the last of May, set out for Osawattomie with his company of "Shannon's Sharp Shooters." He was a Virginian by birth, good looking and intelligent. Of some experience as a journalist, he made an excellent correspondent of the "Missouri Republican," in which he gave the pro-slavery version of Kansas matters. He took an active part with the Border Ruffians, and seemed to enjoy the invasions as the happy diversions of life. At the sacking of Lawrence he rode a fine horse, decorated with ribbons.

On arriving in the neighborhood of Osawattomie, he captured two of "Old Brown's" sons, John, a member of the State Legislature, and Jason, both of whom he found quietly working on their farms. They were charged with murder, kept in irons and treated with severity. Captain Pate proceeded to arrest other persons, and burn houses. Shortly Captain Wood arrived, when the prisoners were delivered over to him, by whom they were treated with the same inhumanity. Being unable to find Captain Brown, Sen., Pate, with his company and United States troops, set out, on the 31st of May, for the Sante Fe road. The troops, with the prisoners, encamped on Middle Ottowa Creek. They afterwards continued their journey to Lecompton,

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