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I cannot see how your coming here can do me the least good, and I am quite certain you can do me immense good where you are. I am quite cheerful under all my afflicting circumstances and prospects; having, as I humbly trust, “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,” to rule in my heart.
You may make such use of this as you see fit. God Almighty bless and reward you a thousand fold.
Yours, in sincerity and truth, John Brown.
Letter from the Quaker lady.
Dear Friend: Since thy arrest, I have often thought of thee, and have wished that, like Elizabeth Fry towards her prison friends, so I might console thee in thy confinement.
But that can never be, and so I can only write thee a few lines, which, if they contain any comfort, may come to thee like some little ray of light.
You can never know how very many dear friends love thee with all their hearts, for thy brave efforts in behalf of the poor oppressed; and though we, who are non-resistants, and religiously believe it better to reform by moral, and not by carnal, weapons, could not approve of bloodshed, yet we know thee was animated by the most generous and philanthropic motives.
Very many thousands openly approve thy intentions, though most friends would not think it right to take up arms.
Thousands pray for thee every day; and, O, I do pray that God will be with thy soul.
Posterity will do thee justice.
If Moses led out the thousands of Jewish slaves from their bondage, and God destroyed the Egyptians in the sea because they went after the Israelites to bring them back to slavery, then, surely, by the same reasoning, we may judge thee a deliverer who wished to release millions from a more cruel oppression.
If the American people honor Washington for resisting with bloodshed for seven years an unjust tax, how much more ought thou to be honored for seeking to free the poor slaves!
O, I wish I could plead for thee, as some of the other sex can plead; how I would seek to defend thee!
If I had now the eloquence of Portia; how I would turn the scale in thy favor!
But I can only pray, “God bless thee!”
God pardon thee, and, through our Redeemer, give thee safety and happiness now and always.
From thy friend, E. B.
John Brown's reply.
My dear Friend, E. B. of R. I.: Your most cheering letter of 27th of October is received, and may the Lord reward you a thousand fold for the kind feeling you express towards me; but more especially
