A Plea for Captain John Brown

I trust that you will pardon me for being here. I do not wish to forcemy thoughts upon you, but I feel forced myself. Little as I know ofCaptain Brown, I would fain do my part to correct the tone and thestatements of the newspapers, and of my countrymen generally, respecting his character and actions. It costs us nothing to be just. Wecan at least express our sympathy with, and admiration of, him and hiscompanions, and that is what I now propose to do.First, as to his history. I will endeavor to omit, as much as possible, what you have already read. I need not describe his person to you, forprobably most of you have seen and will not soon forget him. I am toldthat his grandfather, John Brown, was an officer in the Revolution; thathe himself was born in Connecticut about the beginning of this century, but early went with his father to Ohio. I heard him say that his fatherwas a contractor who furnished beef to the army there, in the war of1812; that he accompanied him to the camp, and assisted him in thatemployment, seeing a good deal of military life, more, perhaps, than ifhe had been a soldier, for he was often present at the councils of theoffice