Rochester, N. Y., Feb. 2, 1858.
My Dear Sir, —
I am again out of Kansas, and am at this time concealing my whereabouts; but
for very different reasons, however, from those I had for doing so at Boston
last spring. I have nearly perfected arrangements for carrying out an important
measure in which the world has a deep interest, as well as Kansas; and only
lack from five to eight hundred dollars to enable me to do so, — the same
object for which I asked for secret-service money last fall. It is my only
errand here; and I have written to some of our mutual friends in regard to it,
but they none of them understand my views so well as you do, and 1 cannot
explain without their first committing themselves more than I know of their
doing. I have heard that Parker Pillsbury and some others in your quarter hold
out ideas similar to those on which I act; but I have no personal acquaintance
with them, and know nothing of their influence or means. Cannot you either by
direct or indirect action do something to further me? Do you not know of some
parties whom you could induce to give their abolition theories a thoroughly
practical shape? I hope this will prove to be the last time I shall be driven
to harass a friend in such a way. Do you think any of my Garrisonian friends,
either at Boston, Worcester, or any other place, can be induced to supply a
little “straw,” if I will absolutely make “bricks”! I have written George L.
Stearns, Esq., of Medford, and Mr. F. B. Sanborn, of Concord; but I am not
informed as to how deeply-dyed Abolitionists those friends are, and must beg
you to consider this communication strictly confidential, — unless you know of
parties who will feel and act, and hold their peace. I want to bring the thing
about during the next sixty days. Please write N. Hawkins, care William J.
Watkins, Esq., Rochester, N. Y.
Very respectfully
your friend,
John Brown.1
_______________
1 Weiss's Life of Theodore Parker, vol. ii. pp.
163, 164.
SOURCES: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of
John Brown, p. 434-5; Frank Preston Stearns, The Life and Public Services
of George Luther Stearns, p. 161;
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