John Brown, Soldier of Fortune: A CritiqueWilson, Hill Peebles
History
John Brown, Soldier of Fortune: A Critique
Wilson, Hill Peebles
Brown, John, 1800-1859
I want to put into the hands of my young men, copies of
Plutarch's "Lives," Irving's "Life of Washington," the best
written Life of Napoleon, and other similar books, together
with maps and statistics of States ... I also want to get a
quantity of best white cotton drilling--some hundred
pieces, if I can get it. The use of this article I will
explain hereafter.
About January 1st, the two Soldiers of Fortune--Brown and
Forbes--arrived at the parting of their ways. They seem to have been in
agreement and in full sympathy with each other when they separated
November 2d; for Brown at that time gave Forbes a letter to Mr.
Frederick Douglass, commending him to his confidence and asking Douglass
to assist him. The letter Forbes lost no time in presenting. He stopped
at Rochester, as he went east, and got what money he could. Mr. Douglass
says[286] that he was not favorably impressed with Forbes at first, but
took him to a hotel and paid his board while he remained, and gave him
some money for his family in Europe, then in destitute circumstances. He
introduced him to some of his German friends whom Forbes "soon wore out
with his endless begging."
Failing to collect money for the cause, as fast as he thought he was
entitled to, or as fast as he needed it, Forbes began to try to force
contributions from Brown's friends, claiming that he had been employed
by him, and that sums of money were due him on account of arrears of
salary. Later he threatened to expose Brown's plans of invasion,
believing, or assuming to believe, that such plans were a part of a
general conspiracy, among the northern Abolitionists, to overthrow
slavery. Information relating to his conduct was received by Brown at
Springdale, and caused him to halt there until he could ascertain the
extent of Forbes's defection. Upon confirmation of his advices, and
being unable to pay Forbes's salary, he dropped him; refused to answer
his letters, and changed his plans of procedure. Pressed by his
necessities, Forbes became aggressive, and, carrying his case to Mr.
Charles Sumner and to Mr. Henry Wilson, and to Mr. William H. Seward,
denounced Brown as "reckless, unreliable and vicious." He approached
Mr. Wilson in the Senate chamber at Washington and demanded that Brown
and his men be disarmed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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