Diary of Gerrit Smith, July 24, 1857

Col. Hugh Forbes arrives at 11 A. m., on his way to Kansas to assist my friend Capt. John Brown in military operations. I put some money into his hands. I have put some this season into the hands of Capt. Brown.

SOURCE: Octavius Brooks Frothingham, Gerrit Smith: A Biography, p. 236

John Brown to Franklin B. Sanborn, May 14, 1858

Chatham, Canada West, May 14, 1858.

My Dear Sir, — Your much-prized letter of the 10th inst. is received. I have only time to say at this moment that as it is an invariable rule with me to be governed by circumstances, or, in other words, not to do anything while I do not know what to do, none of our friends need have any fears in relation to hasty or rash steps being taken by us. As knowledge is said to be power, we propose to become possessed of more knowledge. We have many reasons for begging our Eastern friends to keep clear of F.¹ personally, unless he throws himself upon them. We have those who are thoroughly posted up to put on his track, and we beg to be allowed to do so. We also beg our friends to supply us with three or four hundred dollars without delay, pledging ourselves not to act other than to secure perfect knowledge of facts in regard to what F. has really done, or will do, so that we may ourselves know how we ought to act. None of us here or with you should be hasty, or decide the course to be taken, while under excitement. “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” A good cause is sure to be safe in the hands of an all-good, all-wise, and all-powerful Director and Father. Dear Sir, please send this to the friends at Boston and Worcester at once; and in the mean time send me on a plain copy of all that F. may hereafter write and say. The copy, together with fifteen dollars, is received. Direct all communications on outside envelope to James M. Bell, Chatham, Canada West; the inside, sealed, to Jason Brown.

Yours ever.

[No signature.]

P. S. You can say with perfect truth to F. that you do not know what has become of me; and you might ask him when he last heard from me, and where I was at the time.

_______________

¹ Hugh Forbes.

SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 456-7; Frank Preston Stearns, The Life and Public Services of George Luther Stearns, p. 169 which misdates Sanborn's letter to Brown as May 14.

George L. Stearns to John Brown, February 4, 1858

My Dear friend:

Your letter of the 11th inst. was received from Boston to-day. The $500 was furnished you by Whitman at my request. It was done because I thought you needed money for the winter, not because I felt myself under obligation to you, for I had made up my mind then, and still continue to believe that our friends need no aid in defending themselves from all marauders, and that their true course now is to meet the enemy at the ballot-box, and vote them down on every occasion. With the Territorial Legislature in their hands, they can defend themselves against every oppression, and they should do so. If I am correct in my conclusions, the contingency for which I gave you my pledge having ceased to exist, I am no longer bound by it, and it should be returned to me without conditions.¹ From your last letter to me I supposed you would return it as early as convenient to you.

If am in error I shall be glad to be enlightened by you, and hope to receive on my return to Boston an early reply to this.

I am not, however, indifferent to your request, believing your advice and encouragement to our friends to be of great importance.

If you can go to Boston you will have a much better chance of success, and I will aid you as far as it is proper that I should do so.

Colonel Forbes has written several abusive letters to Charles Sumner, and Sanborn, claiming that you had made a positive contract to pay him money, based on promises made to you by the New England men. Is it so?

Truly yours,

Geo. L. Stearns.

_______________

¹ This may refer to the draft for $7000.

SOURCE: Frank Preston Stearns, The Life and Public Services of George Luther Stearns, p. 162; Edward J. Jr. Renehan, Secret Six: The True Tale of the Men Who Conspired with John Brown, p. 130 for the date of the letter.

John Brown to his Friends, September 10, 1858

Osawatomie, Kansas, Sept. 10, 1858.

Dear Friend, And Other Friends, — Your kind and very welcome letter of the 11th July was received a long time since, but I was sick at the time, and have been ever since until now; so that I did not even answer the letters of my own family, or any one else, before yesterday, when I began to try. I am very weak yet, but gaining well. All seems quiet now. I have been down about six weeks. As things now look I would say that if you had not already sent forward those little articles,¹ do not do it. Before I was taken sick there seemed to be every prospect of some business very soon; and there is some now that requires doing; but, under all the circumstances, I think not best to send them.

I have heard nothing direct from Forbes for months, but expect to when I get to Lawrence. I have but fourteen regularly employed hands, the most of whom are now at common work, and some are sick. Much sickness prevails. How we travel may not be best to write. I have often met the “notorious” Montgomery, and think very favorably of him.

It now looks as though but little business can be accomplished until we get our mill into operation. I am most anxious about that, and want you to name the earliest date possible, as near as you can learn, when you can have your matters gathered up. Do let me hear from you on this point (as soon as consistent), so that I may have some idea how to arrange my business. Dear friends, do be in earnest; the harvest we shall reap, if we are only up and doing.

_______________

¹ The whistles, etc., mentioned in this note, sent to me from Brooklyn in March, 1858. “Please get for me (if you can) a quantity of whistles such as are used by the boatswain on ships of war. They will be of great service. Every ten men ought to have one at least. Also some little articles as marks of distinction, which I mentioned to you.”

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 477

Thomas Wentworth Higginson to Theodore Parker, May 9, 1858

Brattleboro, May 9, 1858.

I regard any postponement, as simply abandoning the project; for if we give it up now, at the command or threat of H. F., it will be the same next year. The only way is to circumvent the man somehow (if he cannot be restrained in his malice). When the thing is well started, who cares what he says?

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 458-9

Gerrit Smith to Franklin B. Sanborn, May 7, 1858

t seems to me that in these circumstances Brown must go no further, and so I write him. I never was convinced of the wisdom of his scheme. But as things now stand, it seems to me it would be madness to attempt to execute it. Colonel Forbes would make such an attempt a certain and most disastrous failure. I write Brown this evening.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 458

Franklin B. Sanborn to Thomas Wentworth Higginson, May 5, 1858

May 5, 1858

It looks as if the project must, for the present, be deferred, for I find by reading Forbes's epistles to the doctor that he knows the details of the plan, and even knows (what very few do) that the doctor, Mr. Stearns, and myself are informed of it. How he got this knowledge is a mystery. He demands that Hawkins be dismissed as agent, and himself or some other be put in his place, threatening otherwise to make the business public. Theodore Parker and G. L. Stearns think the plan must be deferred till another year; the doctor does not think so, and I am in doubt, inclining to the opinion of the two former.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 458

John Brown to his Family, May 12, 1858

Chatham, Canada West, May 12, 1858.

My Dear Wife And Children, Every One, — I have just received Oliver's letter of the 14th of April; also one from wife and Oliver, of the 5th inst. I am most glad of them; and I am thankful to be able to say that all here were well yesterday, when Owen and some others left for the eastward. I with others remain behind to wait for funds to arrive. I have also a letter from John, dated April 22, enclosing lines from Forbes, with printed slips attached. It seems now, by what we can learn, that his management may occasion some hindrance; that being the case, you at home will have the more time to prepare, and will wait for further advice in the matter. It would seem as though F. has a correspondent somewhere. Can it be at Lindenville or New York? I wish John would think over the matter, and see if he can get any light on the subject, and write me, enclosing what F. has lately written him, and also the substance of what he has lately written F. I suspect some one in Dr. McCune Smith's confidence is furnishing F. with information. It must be traced out, and the utmost care observed in doing it, as well as prudence exercised in all that is said, written, or done. I shall write you as often as I can, and shall assist you all I can. I cannot say what either flour or pork will be worth when you get them; you can easily find that out when you have them. Shall send you more money as soon as I can. It may be best to sell off much of the flour. I expect to leave here shortly, but I want to hear from you right away. Enclose in a sealed envelope, the outer one directed to James M. Bell, Chatham, as above. Was very glad to hear from Ellen. May God bless and finally save you all! Had a good Abolition convention here, from different parts, on the 8th and 10th inst. Constitution slightly amended and adopted, and society organized. Great unanimity prevailed. I hope you may be able to get the old granite monument home this summer.

Your affectionate husband and father,

John Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 455-6

John Brown to John Brown Jr., [February 1858?]

Dear Son John, — Forbes's letter to me of the 27th of January I enclose back to you, and will be glad to have you return it to him with something like the following (unless you can think of some serious objection), as I am anxious to draw him out more fully, and would also like to keep him a little encouraged and avoid an open rupture for a few weeks, at any rate. Suppose you write Forbes thus: —

“Your letter to my father, of 27th January, after mature reflection, I have decided to return to you, as I am unwilling he should, with all his other cares, difficulties, and trials, be vexed with what I am apprehensive he will accept as highly offensive and insulting, while I know that he is disposed to do all he consistently can for you, and will do so, unless you are yourself the cause of his disgust. I was trying to send you a little assistance myself, — say about forty dollars; but I must hold up till I feel different from what I now do. I understood from my father that he had advanced you already six hundred dollars, or six months' pay (disappointed as he has been), to enable you to provide for your family; and that he was to give you one hundred dollars per month for just so much time as you continued in his service. Now, you in your letter undertake to instruct him to say that he had positively engaged you for one year. I fear he will not accept it well to be asked or told to state what he considers an untruth. Again, I suspect you have greatly mistaken the man, if you supple he will take it kindly in you, or any living man, to assume to instruct him how he should conduct his own business and correspondence. And I suspect that the seemingly spiteful letters you say you have written to some of his particular friends have not only done you great injury, but also weakened his hands with them. While I have, in my poverty, deeply sympathized with you and your family, who, I ask, is likely to be moved by any exhibition of a wicked and spiteful temper on your part, or is likely to be dictated to by you as to their duties?

“I ask you to look over your letter again. You begin with saying, ‘With a little energy, all will yet be right.’ Is that respectful? and does it come with a good grace from you to the man you thus address? Look it all over; and if, after having done so, you wish him to have it, — go on! you can do so. But as a friend I would advise a very different course.”

As I conclude Forbes does not hold you as deeply committed to him, he may listen to you; and I hope he will. I want to see how a sharp but well-merited rebuke will affect him; and should it have the desired effect, I would like to get a draft for forty dollars, payable to his order, and remit him at once. I do not mean to dictate to you, as he does to me; but I am anxious to understand him fully before we go any further, and shall be glad of the earliest information of the result. . . .

Your affectionate father,

John Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 432-3

Franklin B. Sanborn to Hugh Forbes, January 15, 1858

Concord, Jan. 15, 1858.

Sir. — Yours of the 9th and 14th is received. I regret that you 1 should have continued the abusive strain of your letter to Mr. Sumner, towards a person of whom you are wholly ignorant, and whose character you so greatly mistake. Let me give you some facts, which you may believe or not, as you choose. I became acquainted with Captain Brown a little more than a year ago, and have since been his warm friend and admirer. Being a member of the Massachusetts Kansas Committee, I interested myself with my colleagues in his behalf, and we furnished him with some five thousand dollars in arms and money. As a temporary member of the National Committee, I procured the passage of a resolution appropriating five thousand dollars from that committee also, of which, however, only five hundred dollars has been paid. I also introduced him to a public meeting of my townsmen, who raised something for him. In the summer I visited Mr. Gerrit Smith, and made arrangements with him for the settlement of property worth one thousand dollars on the wife and daughter of Captain Brown. The money was raised in Boston by the men whom you calumniate. I visited the families in the wilderness where they live, and arranged the transfer of property. Mr. Smith first mentioned your name to me, — unless it were a member of his family, Mr. Morton. Captain Brown had never done so, nor did any one hint to me that there was any agreement between you and him of the kind you mention. I think I wrote to Brown from Peterboro', informing him that you were at Davenport, having seen your letter to Mr. Smith announcing that fact. On September 14 I received Mr. Smith's letter, asking that some money be raised for your family, but merely on general grounds. I was pledged to aid and support Brown, and could not give money to persons of whom I knew little or nothing. Had Brown or yourself informed me of your agreement, the case would have been different. I kept Mr. Smith’s draft just a week, returning it to him September 21; it was out of his hands just eleven days. Since then, I have had a few letters from Brown, and have seen some from you, but have heard nothing of any compact. To answer Brown's call for “secret service” money, I procured about six hundred dollars to be sent him, which, as he has not yet come into active operations, has probably been sufficient. My property is small, — my income this year hardly up to my expenses; but to carry out the plan which Captain Brown has matured, if the time seemed favorable, I would sacrifice both income and property, as he very well knows. But it is probable that Captain Brown placed too much confidence in the expectations of others, and that he may have mistaken hopes for promises. Does he join in your vituperation of his Boston friends? I know he does not.

I can excuse much to one who has so much reason for anxiety as you have in the distress of your family. Yet be assured that if you had written to me (or if Captain Brown had done so) the true nature of your compact with him, I would have supported your wife and children rather than have allowed what has happened to take place. You knew my address, — why, then, did you not write to me rather than send a slanderous letter to Mr. Sumner?

As for your threats, you are at liberty to speak, write, and publish what you please about me, — only be careful to keep within the limits of your knowledge; do not tax your imagination for facts. I have written to Captain Brown for his statement of the relation between you, and have also sent to Mr. Gerrit Smith for any information in his possession. In the mean time I send you ten dollars, promising that if I find you have any further claim on me, either in law, justice, or humanity, I will discharge it to the uttermost.

The gentlemen with whom I am associated, and for whose action I am in any way responsible, are honorable men, and as far from deserving the vulgar slanders you heap upon them as your language is lacking in common courtesy and justice. They always keep and always will keep their engagements; but they have made none with you. You cite the people of New Haven. I have nothing to do with them, nor with the other towns which have failed in their promises.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 429-30

Franklin B. Sanborn to Theodore Parker, January 15, 1858

Concord, Jan. 15, 1858.

Dear Friend, — I send you a letter this day received from Forbes. During the week I have received a note from Mr. Sumner, who sent me two letters of Forbes to him, in which he says these same things. Now, if it were not for the wife and children, who are undoubtedly in suffering, the man might be hanged for all me, — for his whole style towards me is a combination of insult and lunacy. But I fear there was such an agreement between him and Brown, though Brown has told me nothing of it; and if so, he has a claim upon somebody, though not particularly upon us. Is there anything that can be done for him? I have written to Brown inquiring about the matter, but cannot get an answer before the middle of February. Have you heard anything from Brown or Whitman? When you do, please let me hear of it. Forbes's threats are of no account, and they, with the vulgar abuse which he uses, show what sort of man he is. I shall answer his letter, and send him ten dollars.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 428

Franklin B. Sanborn to Theodore Parker, January 17, 1858

January 17.

Mr. Sumner suggests that in my note to Forbes I might have been “less sharp;” but the character of F.’s epistles convinces me that, if I erred at all, it was on the side of gentleness. I have since received a letter from Forbes himself, in which he goes over the same charges and insinuations with “damnable iteration” This I have also answered, explaining more fully my position in the matter. Forbes threatens terrible things, — meaning, as I conjecture, to give notice at the South of Brown's position and designs. Should he do this, he would deserve nil the suffering which his own carelessness has brought on his family; but their suffering troubles me, and I am trying to do something to relieve it, and also to find out from Brown the true condition of affairs.

Yours affectionately,

F. B. Sanborn.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 428

Hugh Forbes to the New York Herald, October 25, 1859

New York, Oct. 25, 1859.

There having appeared in yesterday's “Tribune” a false and malicious attack upon me, I shall, after the trial of John Brown, publish the correspondence between himself, his friends, and myself, which correspondence commenced about two years ago, and was continued during the spring of 1859. Some Abolitionists of good judgment insisted strongly that I should make Brown desist from his projects, which they considered would prove fatal to the antislavery cause ; and as there were sundry persons in the free States interested, copies of most of the letters were furnished to each of them and to Brown. I could not myself take all the copies, therefore some friends occasionally copied for me. I feel sure that none of these letters were suffered to be seen by the Secretary of War: first, because I have faith in the reliability of those who had them in their hands: and, secondly, because it is absolutely impossible that, had such authentic evidence been placed before him, he could have been taken so by surprise as he was at Harper's Ferry.

H. Forbes.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 426

Joseph Bryant to John Brown, June 25, 1857

Yours of the 22d was duly received by me on yesterday, and I, according to your request, called on the colonel. I learned that he intends to leave here to join you in about ten days (certainly, barring accidents). I learned, too, that he had drawn the money, and I think it is pretty well used up by this time. I did not say anything about his refunding, as he assured me, in the most positive way he could, that he would set out as soon as he got his book finished, which would be done in about a week. He says he is as anxious as you are to do everything that can be done; but he still thinks that there will be no need of action before winter. Yet he admitted it was best to be ready; and he thinks his book of extracts is all-important, — a part of the necessary tools to work with. He has given up the idea of getting his family over to this country, and is about sending his daughter back to her mother. She will leave in a few days. He sent his family (I understood from himself) about one hundred and twenty dollars some time ago of the money he drew, and I suppose it will take some hundred dollars for his daughter to go home on; yet I think the colonel is acting in good faith, and is an honorable man.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 390

Joseph Bryant to John Brown, June 16, 1857

I called on the colonel last night; found him well, except very anxious about getting his family to this country. He is not ready to join you; thinks nothing will be needed out West before winter, — not till Congress have met and acted in favor of the constitution about being framed; so he thinks. He is getting along, he tells me, as fast as possible with his book; will have it ready in about ten days; has as yet raised no funds to pay the passage of his family. Thinks they will have to come in the third class passage, which grieves him very much, as his wife is not in good health. I had promised what money was in my hands to defray the expenses of publishing his book; this I promised him on account of your introduction to me of him.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 390

Joseph Bryant to John Brown, June 1, 1857

I this day saw your friend Colonel Forbes; he is trying to raise funds to get his family brought to this country, but I fear he will not succeed very well. I will have, when collected, some six dollars only in my hands; this I intend passing into his hands. I may get a few dollars more, but the prospects are not very good here at present to raise money. The colonel says he is getting along well in getting his printing done (and is losing no time).

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 390

John Brown to Colonel Hugh Forbes, June 22, 1857

22d of June, 1857

[Colonel H. Forbes, New York City, New York.]

sir, — If you have drawn on W. H. D. Callender, Esq., cashier at Hartford, Conn., for six hundred dollars, or any part of that amount, and are not prepared to come on and join me at once, you will please pay over to Joseph Bryant. Esq., who is my agent, six hundred dollars, or whatever amount you have so drawn.

[Endorsement:]

I did not present this to the colonel, as I presumed it would be of no use; and then he is, I am persuaded, acting on good faith.

Joseph Bryant.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 389

Draft of William H. D. Callender to Hugh Forbes, April 27, 1857

New York, April 27, 1857.

No.___.     $400.

At sight, pay to the order of Ketchum, Howe, & Co. four hundred dollars, value received, and charge the same to account of

Hugh Forbes.

Indorsed : Cr. our account,

Ketchum, Howe, & Co.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 389

Draft of William H. D. Callender to Hugh Forbes, April 29, 1857

New York, April 29, 1857.

No.___.     $200.

Pay to the order of Ketchum, Howe, & Co. two hundred dollars, value received, and charge the same to account of

Hugh Forbes.

W. H. D. Callender, Esq., Hartford, Conn.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 389