My name is John
Brown; I have been well known as Old Brown of Kansas. Two of my sons were
killed here to-day, and I'm dying too. I came here to liberate slaves, and was
to receive no reward. I have acted from a sense of duty, and am content to
await my fate; but I think the crowd have treated me badly. I am an old man.
Yesterday I could have killed whom I chose; but I had no desire to kill any
person, and would not have killed a man had they not tried to kill me and my
men. I could have sacked and burned the town, but did not; I have treated the
persons whom I took as hostages kindly, and I appeal to them for the truth of
what I say. If I had succeeded in running off slaves this time, I could have
raised twenty times as many men as I have now, for a similar expedition. But I
have failed.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John
Brown, p. 560-1
