John Brown to Theodore Parker, February 2, 1858

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;

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

John Brown to his Family, September 12, 1857

Tabor, Fremont County, Iowa, Sept. 12, 1857.

Dear Wife And Children, Every One, — It is now nearly two weeks since I have seen anything from home, and about as long since I wrote. . . . We get nothing very definite from Kansas yet, but think we shall in the course of another week. . . . Got a most kind letter from Mr. F. B. Sanborn yesterday; also one from Mr. Blair, where Oliver was living. You probably have but little idea of my anxiety to get letters from you constantly; and it would afford me great satisfaction to learn that you all regularly attend to reading your Bibles, and that you are all punctual to attend meetings on Sabbath days. I do not remember ever to have heard any one complain of the time he had lost in that way.

Your affectionate husband and father,

John Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 414-5

John Brown to Franklin B. Sanborn, August 13, 1857

Tabor, Fremont County, Iowa, Aug. 13, 1857.

Much as I love to communicate with you, it is still a great burden for me to write when I have nothing of interest to say, and when there is something to be active about. Since I left New England I have had a good deal of ill-health; and having in good measure exhausted my available means toward purchasing such supplies as I should certainly need if again called into active service, and without which I could accomplish next to nothing, I had to begin my journey back with not more than half money at any time to bear my expenses through and pay my freights. This being the case, I was obliged to stop at different points on the way, and to go to others off the route to solicit help. At most places I raised a little; but it consumed my time, and my unavoidable expenses so nearly kept pace with my incomes that I found it exceedingly discouraging. With the help of Gerrit Smith, who supplied me with sixty dollars at Peterboro', and two hundred and fifty dollars at Chicago, and other smaller amounts from others, I was able to pay freights and other expenses to this place; hiring a man to drive one team, and driving another myself; and had about twenty-five dollars on hand, with about one hundred dollars' worth of provisions, when I reached here. Among all the good friends who had promised to go with me, not one could I get to stick by me and assist me on my way through. I have picked up, at different times on the way, considerable value in articles (indispensable in active service) which were scattered on the way, and had been provided either by or for the National Committee. On reaching here I found one hundred and ten dollars, sent me by Mr. Whitman, from sale of articles in Kansas, sent there by the National Committee. This is all the money I have got from them on their appropriation at New York. On the road one of my horses hurt himself so badly that I lost about ten days in consequence, not being in condition to go on without him, or to buy or to hire another. I find the arms and ammunition voted me by the Massachusetts State Committee nearly all here, and in middling good order, — some a little rusted. Have overhauled and cleaned up the worst of them, and am now waiting to know what is best to do next, or for a little escort from Kansas, should I and the supplies be needed. I am now at last within a kind of hailing distance of our Free-State friends in Kansas.

On the way from Iowa City I and my third son (the hired man I mentioned), in order to make the little funds we had reach as far as possible, and to avoid notice, lived exclusively on herring, soda crackers, and sweetened water for more than three weeks (sleeping every night in our wagons), except that twice we got a little milk, and a few times some boiled eggs. Early in the season, in consequence of the poor encouragement I met with, and of their own losses and sufferings, my sons declined to return; and my wife wrote me as follows: “The boys have all determined both to practise and learn war no more.” This I said nothing about, lest it should prevent my getting any further supplies. After leaving New England I could not get the scratch of a pen to tell whether anything had been deposited at Hartford, from New Haven and other places, for me or not; until, since I came here, a line comes from Mr. Callender, dated 24th July, saying nothing has been deposited, in answer to one I had written June 22, in which he further says he has answered all my letters. The parting with my wife and young uneducated children, without income, supplies of clothing, provisions, or even a comfortable house to live in, or money to provide such things, with at least a fair chance that it was to be a last and final separation, had lain heavily on me, and was about as much a matter of self-sacrifice and self-devotion on the part of my wife as on my own, and about as much her act as my own. When Mr. Lawrence, of his own accord, proposed relieving me on that score, it greatly eased a burdened spirit; but I did not rely upon it absolutely, nor make any certain bargain on the strength of it, until after being positively assured by Mr. Stearns, in writing, that it should, and by yourself that it would, certainly be done.

It was the poor condition of my noble-hearted wife and of her young children that made me follow up that encouragement with a tenacity that disgusted him and completely exhausted his patience. But after such repeated assurances from friends I so much respected that I could not suspect they would trifle with my feelings, I made a positive bargain for the farm; and when I found nothing for me at Peterboro', I borrowed one hundred and ten dollars of Mr. Smith for the men who occupied the farm, telling him it would certainly be refunded, and the others that they would get all their money very soon, and even before I left the country. This has brought me only extreme mortification and depression of feeling; for all my letters from home, up to the last, say not a dime has been paid in to Mr. Smith. Friends who never know the lack of a sumptuous dinner little comprehend the value of such trifling matters to persons circumstanced as I am. But, my noble-hearted friend, I am “though faint, yet pursuing.” My health has been much better of late. I believe my anxiety and discouragements had something to do with repeated returns of fever and ague I have had, as it tended to deprive me of sleep and to debilitate me. I intend this letter as a kind of report of my progress and success, as much for your committee or my friend Stearns as yourself. I have been joined by a friend since I got here, and get no discouraging news from Kansas.

Your friend,

J. Brown

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 412-4

George L. Stearns to John Brown, May 19, 1857

Boston, May 19, 1857.

Your favor of the 13th was received yesterday. Mr. Lawrence agreed with me that the one thousand dollars should be made up for you, and requested me to write you so. The next day he sent me a note stating that he had written to Mr. Smith to receive from him six hundred dollars, and let you mortgage for four hundred dollars. I learn to-day from Mr. Sanborn that Gerrit Smith intends to aid you in this, and also obtain something for your enterprise in his neighborhood. My agreement with Mr. Lawrence was that he having five hundred and fifty dollars towards the one thousand dollars, I would be responsible for one-half of the deficiency, if he would provide the other half, and when he returns I shall tell him he must fulfil the agreement with me. He will be home the 1st of June.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 409

John Brown to Franklin B. Sanborn, May 15, 1857

Peterboro', N. Y., May 15, 1857.

Your most kind letter of the 26th of April I did not get till within the last two or three days, and then I was on my way West, full of cares, and in feeble health. I have just written my friend Stearns a letter of explanation, in which I frankly ask that the one thousand dollars' donation I was so generously encouraged to expect for the permanent assistance of my wife and children be, under the circumstances as so explained, promptly raised. This, I think, much the cheapest and most proper way to provide for them, and far less humiliating to my wife, who, though not above getting her bread over the washtub, will never tell her trials or her wants to the world. This I know by the experience of the past two years, while I was absent; but I would never utter a syllable in regard to it, were I not conscious that I am performing that service which is equally the duty of millions, who need not forego a single hearty dinner by the efforts they are called on to make. I did not mean to burden my friends Stearns and Lawrence further with the thing. I do not love to “ride free horses till they fall down dead.”

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 408

John Brown to Franklin B. Sanborn, October 1, 1857

Tabor, Fremont County, Iowa, Oct. I, 1857.

F. B. Sanborn, Concord, Mass.

My Dear Sir, — Two days since I received your very kind letter of the 14th September; also one from James Hunnewell, Esq., saying he had sent me $72.68 through P. T. Jackson, Esq., of Boston; for both which I am very glad.¹ I cannot express my gratitude for your earnest and early attention to my wants and those of my family. I regret that Mr. Hunnewell did not at once send me either a check or a draft on New York or Boston, as it will probably be one month or more before I can realize it; and I have not the means of paying my board bill here, not having as yet received anything from Mr. Whitman toward a balance of five hundred dollars, nor heard from him. If I get the money from Mr. Hunnewell and Mr. Whitman, it will answer my present wants, except the secret service I wrote you about. I have all the aims I am likely to need, but am destitute of saddle-bags or knapsacks, holsters and belts; have only a few blankets, no shovels or spades, no mattocks, but three or four adzes (ought to have been one hundred), and am nearly destitute of cooking utensils. The greater part of what I have just named I must do without till another spring, at any rate. I found here one brass field-piece complete, and one damaged gun-carriage, with some ammunition suitable for it; some seventy to seventy-five old damaged United States rifles and muskets, one dozen old sabres, some powder and lead (enough for present use; weight not known), — I suppose sent by National Committee. Also one dozen boxes and barrels of clothing, boots, etc., with three hand gristmills, sent to Nebraska City, from same source. I also got from Dr. Jesse Bowen, of Iowa City, one old wagon, which broke down with a light load on the way; also nine full-rigged tents, three sets tent-poles (additional), eleven pairs blankets, and three axes, sent there by National Committee. Also from Mr. Hurd I got an order for fifty dollars' worth of tents, wagon-covering, ropes, etc., at Chicago, which was paid me. I find one hundred and ninety-four carbines, about thirty-three hundred ball cartridges, all the primers, but no iron ladles. This, I believe, with the teams and wagon I purchased, will give you a pretty good idea of the stuff I have. I had a gun and pair of pistols given me by Dr. Howe, and some three or four guns made for experiment by Mr. Thayer (a little cannon and carriage is one of them), and one nice rifle by the manufacturing company at Worcester.² I had also a few revolvers, common guns, and sabres left on hand, that I took on with me in 1855. While waiting here I and my son have been trying to learn a little of the arts of peace from Colonel F., who is still with us. That is the school I alluded to.

Before I reached here, I had written particularly to friends in Kansas, saying that I wanted help to meet me here, and to wait for me should I be detained on the way. I also arranged with Mr. Whitman in regard to it in Chicago. He sent one man with one hundred and fifty dollars; forty of it he kept, and went immediately back. From that time I send you copies of some of the correspondence between Kansas and me, as rather essential to give you a correct idea of things in connection with my statements yet to be made. When I got on here I immediately wrote Mr. Whitman and several others what was my situation and wants. He (Mr. Whitman) has not written me at all since what 1 send. Others have written, as you will see. I wrote the man Mr. Whitman sent me, among the rest, but get no word from him since what I now send.

As to the policy of voting on Monday next, I think Lane hit his mark at the convention of Grasshopper's, if never before; I mean “An escape into the filthy sluice of a prison.” I had not been able to learn by papers or otherwise distinctly what course had been taken in Kansas till within a few days; and probably the less I have to say, the better.

I omitted above to say that I paid out five hundred and fifty dollars on a contract for one thousand superior pikes, as a cheap but effectual weapon to place in the hands of entirely unskilful and unpractised men, which will not easily get out of order, and require no ammunition. They will cost, handles and all complete, a little short of one dollar each. That contract I have not been able to fulfil; and wise military men may ridicule the idea; but “I take the whole responsibility of that job,” — so that I can only get them.

On hearing that Lane had come into Nebraska, I at once sent a young man with a line, saying I had been hurt, and was exceedingly anxious to see him early in September. To this he sent me no reply, unless Redpath's letter be one. I am now so far recovered from my hurt as to be able to do a little; and foggy as it is, “we do not give up the ship.” I will not say that Kansas, watered by the tears and blood of my children, shall yet be free or I fall. I intend at once to put the supplies I have in a secure place, and then to put myself and such as may go with me where we may get more speedy communications, and can wait until we know better how to act than we now do. 1 send this whole package to you, thinking Concord a less offensive name just now than Boston at this end of the route. I wish the whole conveyed to my friend Stearns and other friends, as old Brown's last report.

Until further advised, I wish all communications addressed to Jonas Jones, Esq., Tabor, Fremont County, Iowa, outwardly; and I hope you will all write often.

I had forgotten to say, that day before yesterday one single man, with no team at all, came from Lane to have me start at once for Kansas, as you will see by copies. Ho said he had left ten fine fellows about thirty miles back. The names he gave me were all strange to me, as well as himself. Tabor folks (some of them) speak slightingly of him, notwithstanding that he too is a general.

_______________

¹ This note explains the source and object of this seasonable contribution.

² These are the arms mentioned in Eli Thayer's letters.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 398-401

John Brown to Franklin B. Sanborn, October 3, 1857

October. 3, 1857.

Yours, covering check, is this moment to hand, and will afford most seasonable relief. Express goes to K. at once to see how the land lies. You will hear again soon.

Yours most truly,

J. Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 401

Franklin Benjamin Sanborn to Edward Clark, January 15, 1857

We have made the rifles subject to Captain Brown's order, as we wrote you. From Mr. Winchcll's account, we conclude that you will find them in the Territory, and in the hands of the Central Committee.¹ In the quarrel between the National and the Central Committees, we hope you will keep yourself strictly neutral, and inform us how the case really stands. We hear charges of misconduct from both sides. The order of Captain Brown will not probably be issued till spring, if it is at all, since his use of the rifles depends on a contingency which may not occur.

_______________

¹ Originally they had been forwarded to this committee, as appears by the following note:—

State Kansas Aid Committee Rooms,

Boston, Sept. 30, 1856.

Dear Sir, — At a meeting of this committee it was voted. That the arms purchased by Dr. Cabot, in accordance with a vote of the committee, passed September 10, be forwarded to the Kansas Central Committee at Lawrence, with instructions that they be loaned to actual settlers for defence against unlawful aggressions upon their rights and liberties.

GeorGe L. Stearns, Chairman.

H. B. Hurd, Esq., Chicago.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 368-9

1st Lieutenant Charles Fessenden Morse, March 5, 1862

Headquarters Co. B, Berryville Tollhouse,

Charlestown, Va., March 5, 1862.

You see by my elaborate heading that we have not moved since my last letter was written. General Banks has about eight thousand troops in town; General Sedgwick has about ten thousand at Harper's Ferry. I believe that ten or twelve thousand more are to join Banks from Williamsport, what was formerly Lander's division; then, I imagine, all will be ready for an onward movement to Winchester or elsewhere.

I sent, day before yesterday, a few papers I picked up in Andrew Hunter's office. This latter gentleman is some great man in the Confederate Senate; his office is occupied by some of our officers. He was the lawyer employed by the Government in the John Brown case, and those who had the first dip into his legal papers found some very interesting documents; such as a letter from Governor Wise to Mr. Hunter before the trial came on, saying that he had made up his mind not to pardon John Brown or any of his accomplices, but that every one should suffer death. There was another anonymous letter from Boston implicating T. W. Higginson, Sanborn and others; also letters from the different prisoners suing for pardon.

Three of our companies are quartered in the Court House; one is in a printing office, from which they have issued various bulletins, such as, “Confederate notes to be had at par;” “Hard bread to be exchanged for chickens;” “Gas wanted by Company D, for the Union Theatre.” Our mess has a room formerly occupied by a secesh confectioner; it still retains the smell of peppermint. I drank some rye coffee, the other day, and liked it very much; with cream and sugar, it makes a very good drink. Marching orders! I close for the present.

SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 40-1

Franklin B. Sanborn to Harvey B. Hurd, January 3, 1857

State Kansas Committee Rooms,

Boston, Jan. 3, 1857.

H. B. HURD, Esq., Secy. National Kansas Committee.

Dear Sir, — The Massachusetts Kansas Committee have thought it best to rescind the vote by which certain rifles owned by S. Cabot, Jr., are made subject to the order of the Kansas Central Committee, and to resume possession of the same. They were taken on to Tabor, it is understood, by Dr. J. P. Root; but they seem to be still at Tabor, and not to be at present needed in Kansas. Any information which you can give our agent Mr. Clark, or any directions to your agents which will facilitate his business, we hope you will give him. The necessary expense of transporting the rifles will be reimbursed by this committee when they have obtained actual possession of them; and they will be held in trust for the people of Kansas for the present.

Truly yours,

F. B. Sanborn,

Cor. Sec. Mass. S. K. Com.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 358

Franklin B. Sanborn to Harvey B. Hurd, December 18, 1856

State Kansas Committee Rooms, 17 Niles Block,

Boston, Dec. 18, 1856.

H. B Hurd, Esq., Chicago, Ill.

Dear Sir, — Yours of the 10th was received to-day, and the arrangement which you have made with regard to the money will no doubt be satisfactory. I am sorry to say, however, that our committee are not satisfied with the infrequent and irregular communication which exists between us and you. It is now more than four months since our committee has been expecting and hoping for an account of the money we have sent you,  . . . and yet we can get no definite information as to the way in which your agents have expended our money; nor have we had from time to time much knowledge of the general course of your operations. You say that you have no time for such communications; but certainly a committee like ours, representing so many people and so much money, ought to take precedence in a correspondence with individuals. Such information as we seek is absolutely necessary to our acting in concert with you; and for want of it we are now compelled to act by ourselves. In order to satisfy the committee and our contributors as to what has been done, it is necessary that we should have copies of your accounts, — so far, at least, as they relate to our money; and therefore we ask for the copy mentioned in the indorsed vote. And I am further directed to request that you will give our agent, Mr. E. B. Whitman, such information on this point as he may desire. . . . All that our committee wish is a full and business-like statement of what you have done and are doing; for want of this they are compelled to cease acting as collectors of money for which they can obtain no sufficient vouchers.

Truly yours,

F. B. Sanborn,

Corresponding Secretary Mass. State Committee.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 357-8

Massachusetts Kansas Committee to Governor James W. Grimes, December 20, 1856

State Kansas Aid Committee Rooms,

Boston, Dec. 20, 1856.

Dear Sir, — Your letter of the 16th has been received, and we are glad to find that the importance of State action in regard to Kansas is appreciated in Iowa as well as here. The first question seems to be, Is such action really needed? And I will state what I believe to be substantially the views of this committee, who are now laboring to obtain an appropriation from our legislature.

There can be no doubt that the measures of which you speak (the purchase of land, erection of mills, etc.) could not well be engaged in by a State; and certainly no grant for that purpose could be obtained here. But although present destitution may be relieved in Kansas, it is by no means certain that there will not be great suffering there in the spring, before any crops can be raised, — especially if for any cause business should not be active. Then who can be sure that the scenes of last summer will not be acted again? True, things look better; but the experience of the past ought to teach us to prepare for the future. But even if things go on prosperously there, money may still be needed. Men have been subjected to unjust punishments, or at least threatened with them, under the unconstitutional laws of the Territory. It is desirable that these cases should be brought before a higher tribunal; while the accused person may be a poor man unable to bear the expense of such a suit. The State appropriations could then be drawn upon for this purpose, and used to retain counsel, furnish evidence, and in other ways to forward the suit of the injured man.

Would it not therefore be well for each State to make an appropriation, which should remain in the hands of the Governor, as in Vermont, or of a committee, until it should be needed in Kansas? It would thus be a contingent fund, to be drawn on only in cases of necessity, and it would be ready against any emergency. It might never be called for, or only a portion of it might be used; but should occasion arise, it would save our citizens in Kansas from many of the horrors which have afflicted them the past year. A bill embodying these ideas will be introduced into our legislature; and from the tone of our people we have good hope that it will pass. If a similar bill could pass your legislature I have no doubt the example would be followed by New York, Maine, Michigan, Connecticut, and perhaps by Ohio, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. A general movement of this kind would give us all we want; and we might make Kansas free, I think, without expending a dollar of the money voted. The moral effect of such action on emigration from the North, and on the employment of capital, would be very important. Security would be given that the rights of emigrants would be supported; and the first result would be the emigration of thousands as soon as spring opens; so that by July we should have a force of Northern settlers there, enough to sustain any form of law which might be set up. Without this, 1 fear that next year, in spite of the flattering promises of the present, will only see the last year's history repeated. There will be no confidence in the tranquillity of the Territory; capital will shun it; emigration be almost stopped; and a year hence we may be no better off than now, — and perhaps worse. With these opinions, we look on State appropriations as the salvation of Kansas, and hope that the whole North may be led to the same view.

With much respect,

F. B. Sanborn,

Corresponding Secretary of State Committee.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 355-6

John Brown to Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, August 27, 1857

[Tabor, Iowa, August 27, 1857]

Mr Dear Friend, — Your most welcome letter of the 14th inst., from Au Sable Forks, is received. I cannot express the gratitude I feel to all the kind friends who contributed towards paying for the place at North Elba, after I had bought it, as I am thereby relieved from a very great embarrassment both with Mr. Smith and the young Thompsons, and also comforted with the feeling that my noble-hearted wife and daughters will not be driven either to beg or become a burden to my poor boys, who have nothing but their hands to begin with. I am under special obligation to you for going to look after them and cheer them in their homely condition. May God reward you all a thousandfold! No language I have can express the satisfaction it affords me to feel that I have friends who will take the trouble to look after them and know the real condition of my family, while I am “far away,” perhaps never to return. I am still waiting here for company, additional teams, and means of paying expenses, or to know that I can make a diversion in favor of our friends, in case they are involved again in trouble. Colonel Forbes has come on and has a small school at Tabor. I wrote you some days ago, giving a few particulars in regard to our movements; and I intend writing my friend Stearns, as soon as I have anything to tell him that is worth a stamp. Please say to him, that, provided I do not get into such a speculation as shall swallow up all the property I have been furnished with, I intend to keep it all safe, so that he may be remunerated in the end; but that I am wholly in the dark about it as yet, and that I cannot natter him much now. Will direct where to write me when I know how to do so.

Very respectfully your friend,

N. H.¹

¹ N. H. stands for "Nelson Hawkins," one of the names by which Brown was known to his friends when in an enemy's country.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 113-4

The Secret Six: John Brown’s Financial Backers

• Thomas Wentworth Higginson
• Samuel Gridley Howe
• Theodore Parker
• Franklin Benjamin Sanborn
• Gerrit Smith
• George Luther Stearns