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 …show more content…
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 …show more content…
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
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 …show more content…
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 …show more content…
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