John Brown Jr. to John Henry Kagi, August 11, 1859

Syracuse, N. Y., Thursday, Aug. 11, 1859.

Friend J. Henrie, — Day before yesterday I reached Rochester. Found our Rochester friend¹ absent at Niagara Falls. Yesterday he returned, and I spent remainder of day and evening with him and Mr. E. Morton, with whom friend Isaac² is acquainted. The friend at Rochester will set out to make you a visit in a few days. He will be accompanied by that “other young man,” and also, if it can be brought around, by the woman¹ that the Syracuse friend could tell me of. The son will probably remain back for awhile. I gave “Fred’k”¹ twenty-two dollars to defray expenses. If alive and well, you will see him ere long. I found him in rather low spirits; left him in high. Accidentally met at Rochester Mr. E. Morton. He was much pleased to hear from you; was anxious for a copy of that letter of instructions to show our friend at “Pr.”,³ who, Mr. M. says, has his whole soul absorbed in this matter. I have just made him a copy and mailed him at R., where he expects to be for two or three weeks. He wished me to say to you that he had reliable information that a certain noted colonel, whose name you are all acquainted with, is now in Italy. By the way, the impression prevails generally that a certain acquaintance of ours headed the party that visited St. J. in Missouri lately. Of course I don't try to deny that which bears such earmarks. Came on here this morning. Found Loguen gone to Boston, Mass., and also said woman. As T. does not know personally those persons in Canada to whom it is necessary to have letters of introduction, he thinks I had better get him to go with me there. I have made up my mind, notwithstanding the extra expense, to go on to Boston. Loguen is expecting to visit Canada soon, anyway, and his wife thinks would contrive to go immediately. I think for other reasons, also, I had better go on to Boston. Morton says our particular friend Mr. Sanborn, in that city, is especially anxious to hear from you; has his heart and hand both engaged in the cause. Shall try and find him. Our Rochester friend thinks the woman whom I shall see in Boston, “whose services might prove invaluable,” had better be helped on. I leave this evening on the 11.35 train from here; shall return as soon as possible to make my visit at Chatham. Will write you often. So far, all is well. Keep me advised as far as consistent.

Fraternally yours,

John Smith.

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¹ F. Douglass. The “woman” spoken of was Harriet Tubman, a Maryland Deborah. “Fred’k” is also Douglass.

² John Brown.

³ Petersboro’.  “Our friend at Pr.” was Gerrit Smith, in whose family, it will he remembered, Edwin Morton was living; but he happened then to be visiting in Rochester.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 536-7

Gerrit Smith to John Brown, June 4, 1859

Peterboro', June 4, 1859.

Captain John Brown.

My Dear Friend, — I wrote you a week ago, directing my letter to the care of Mr. Stearns. He replied, informing me that he had forwarded it to Westport; but as Mr. Morton received last evening a letter from Mr. Sanborn, saying your address would be your son's home, — namely, West Andover, — I therefore write you without delay, and direct your letter to your sou. I have done what I could thus far for Kansas, and what I could to keep you at your Kansas work. Losses by indorsement and otherwise have brought me under heavy embarrassment the last two years, but I must, nevertheless, continue to do, in order to keep you at your Kansas work. I send you herewith my draft for two hundred dollars. Let me hear from you on the receipt of this letter. You live in our hearts, and our prayer to God is that you may have strength to continue in your Kansas work. My wife joins me in affectionate regard to you, dear John, whom we both hold in very high esteem. I suppose you put the Whitman note into Mr. Stearns's hands. It will be a great shame if Mr. Whitman does not pay it. What a noble man is Mr. Stearns!¹ How liberally he has contributed to keep you in your Kansas work!

Your friend,

Gerrit Smith.

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¹ To those who could read between the lines, this letter disclosed the whole method of the secret committee. No one of them might know at any given time where Brown was, but some other was sure to know, — and in this one note four persons are named who might be at any time in coromnnication with Brown wherever he was, — George L. Stearns, Edwin Morton, F. B. Sanborn, and Mr. Smith himself. The phrase “Kansas work” misled none of these persons, who all knew that Brown had finally left Kansas and was to operate henceforth in the slave States. The hundred dollars given by Mr. Smith April 14, added to the two hundred mimed in this letter, and the note of E. B. Whitman, of Kansas, which Brown received from Mr. Smith, make up five hundred and eighty-five dollars, or more than one-fifth of the two thousand dollars which he told Brown he would help his "Eastern friends" raise. Those friends were Stearns, Howe, Higginson, and Sanborn, — for Parker was then in Europe, and unable to contribute.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 524

Edwin Morton to Franklin B. Sanborn, June 30, 1859

June 30.

News from Andover, Ohio, a week or more since, from our friend. He had received two hundred dollars more from here,¹ was full of cheer, and arranging his wool business; but I do not look for a result so soon as many do.

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¹ That is, from Gerrit Smith.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 468

Edwin Morton to Franklin B. Sanborn, June 1, 1859

June 1.

Mr. Smith has lately written to John Brown at New York to find what he needed, meaning to supply it. He now sends to him according to your enclosed address. I suppose you know the place where this matter is to be adjudicated. Harriet Tubman suggested the 4th of July as a good time to “raise the mill.”

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 468

Edwin Morton to Franklin B. Sanborn, April 18, 1859

April 18.

Brown left on Thursday the 14th, and was to be at North Elba to-morrow the 19th. Thence he goes “in a few days” to you.¹ He says he must not be trifled with, and shall hold Boston and New Haven to their word. New Haven advises him to forfeit five hundred dollars he has paid on a certain contract, and drop it. He will not. From here he went in good spirits, and appeared better than ever to us, barring an affection of the right side of his head. I hope he will meet hearty encouragement elsewhere. Mr. Smith gave him four hundred dollars, I twenty-five, and we took some ten dollars at the little meeting. . . . “L’expérience démontre, avec toute l'evidence possible, que c'est la société que prépare le crime, et que le coupable n'est que l'instrument que l'exécute.” Do you believe Quetelet?

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¹ He actually reached [Sanborn’s] house in Concord, Saturday, May 7, and spent half his last birthday with me.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 467-8

Edwin Morton to Franklin B. Sanborn, Wednesday Evening, April 13, 1859

Wednesday Evening, April 13, 1859.

You must hear of Brown's meeting this afternoon, — few in numbers, but the most interesting I perhaps ever saw. Mr. Smith spoke well; G. W. Putnam read a spirited poem; and Brown was exceedingly interesting, and once or twice so eloquent that Mr. Smith and some others wept. Some one asked him if he had not better apply himself in another direction, and reminded him of his imminent peril, and that his life could not be spared. His replies were swift and most impressively tremendous. A paper was handed about, with the name of Mr. Smith for four hundred dollars, to which others added. Mr. Smith, in the most eloquent speech I ever heard from him, said: “If I were asked to point out — I will say it in his presence — to point out the man in all this world I think most truly a Christian, I would point to John Brown.” I was once doubtful in my own mind as to Captain Brown's course. I now approve it heartily, having given my mind to it more of late.¹

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¹ When I first met Brown at Peterboro', in 1858, Morton played some fine music to us in the parlor, — among other things Schubert's “Serenade,” then a favorite piece, — and the old Puritan, who loved music and sang a good part himself, sat weeping at the air.

“Northward he turneth through a little door,

And scarce three steps ere music's golden tongue

Flattered to tears this aged man and poor.

But, no; already had his death-bell rung;

The Joys of all his life were said and sung."

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 467