Analysis Of John Brown's Raid On Harpers Ferry

John Brown
How one views John Brown’s place in American history depends widely on where one is located geographically. If one is in the middle of the United States in a state like Kansas then one might have the view that John Brown’s efforts to keep slavery from spreading westward are heroic. If one is in the Southern region of the country you might have the viewpoint that Brown was nothing more than a terrorist that acted unjustifiably with his actions at Harpers Ferry. Brown himself obviously felt justified in his actions and that he was working through God, “I believe that to have interfered as I have done, in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right.” The fact of the matter is that today while his mind might have been in the
right place when it comes to the cause he was fighting for, his actions today are nothing more than an act of domestic terrorism and unjustifiable violence.
John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry led to a wide variety of responses.
The main difference between how he was covered was where the journalist was in the country and obviously how they viewed the practice of slavery. One Northern newspaper, The Philadelphia Press condemned his actions at Harpers Ferry, yet espoused their abolitionist views upon the readers, “By the Constitution and Laws, Slavery is recognized and tolerated. It was a compact made by our Fathers, and one that binds their heirs. We will oppose both its extension and its encroachments. Thus far, and no farther, goes our sense of duty to Freedom.” This goes to show that while the writers did not agree with his actions and even though they agreed with Brown’s view on slavery, they viewed his actions as going too far. The writers were clearly in favor of just not allowing slavery to spread any farther West or any farther North. However not all people were as indifferent to his actions as The Philadelphia
Press.
The response to his actions of the Southern states was as expected, but claimed Brown’s actions at Harpers Ferry were the first steps to what would become the Civil War. The Harpers Ferry Conspiracy in the Petersburg Express illustrated how an armed conflict was on the horizon for the United States, “Unless a change, a speedy and effectual change, sweep over Northern society, the great conflict must come.” This was in a response to the thought that Brown and his group of militants were not only a small faction of the Northern Republican Party but that they represented most of the party. Governor Henry Wise spoke to the Virginia Legislature and said that these acts showed that the North didn’t want to obey the laws that the Southern states had, “This is but an epitome, plan and unvarnished, without exaggeration. What is this but anarchy?”. Wise is saying that this act is only a small start to what the North wanted, and that the North was not going to stop until they overthrew the Southern government.
Today, the question still remains as to if what Brown did was justifiable.
Some disagreed with his actions but supported his abolitionist views. But to some people he was a God like figure. One of those people being Henry David Thoreau, “Some eighteen hundred years ago Christ was crucified; this morning Captain Brown was hung. These are the two ends of a chain which is not without its links. He is not Old Brown any longer; he is an angel of light.” He was comparing this man’s actions to Christ dying on the cross for our sins. This is a huge comparison to make to someone that just committed murder of several people. But the picture he was trying paint to his readers was that Brown was going to have a greater effect in death than he would have had, had his life been
spared.
Brown was not justified in his actions, regardless of how much you believe something to be true, taking over a government instillation and killing people is not the way to get people to support your cause. In fact, his actions divided the country even more and put the two sides of the country on a collision course that would inevitably end with the Civil War. Even though slavery is one of the most immoral things created by man, killing another in the name of your religion is not any better than the people you are fighting against. Today even though historians look back at John Brown and admire his actions and his courage, his actions today would have been considered domestic terrorism.