October 25, 1859
The wind whipping in from across the plains had grown cold, and the news blowing in from the east had grown colder still. The headline of the most recent issue of The Liberator was in bold type so large that it took up nearly half the page, and it seemed to shout at the reader like a messenger carrying the worst news since Hannibal laid siege to Rome. “Raid on Harpers Ferry! John Brown Captured!” Below that was a picture of the would-be revolutionary clapped in irons and being led into a stockade by a pair of soldiers. It was news of apocalyptic proportions throughout the country, and Adams was certainly no exception. John Brown was a hero to many in that city on the prairie. Even those who did not approve of his methods most certainly approved of his rhetoric.
On the north side of town, Ruth was walking toward the Mutual Aid Society building when a grim-faced companion thrust the newspaper into her hand. She stopped walking to take a look at it, and her jaw dropped when she read the article. After it sunk in, she resumed walking as she talked with her friend.
“So it has finally come to this. I suppose I should have seen it coming. It seems to be the way things are going these days. What choice did the poor man have? Those slave drivers just won’t listen to reason. I’m surprised they are even going to bother with a trial; they obviously intend to execute him. They might as well be honest about it and just march him straight to the gallows. The man is a saint. That’s who he is, a modern-day saint. And now he’s about to become a
83 modern-day martyr. This is bad.”On the south side of town, Peter was on his way to the parade ground for militia drills when a comrade handed him the paper. He leaned on his rifle, read the news, and looked up with a thundercloud on his face.
“Well, now we see how those damn whip-crackers like getting a taste of their own medicine. Thank God there is at least one civilized man with some backbone. Now the rest of our northern brothers can see what we are up against. Tried for treason against the state of Virginia; what a load of absolute malarkey! How exactly does one commit treason against a state?
“And the government sent federal troops against him. What an unqualified travesty! I sure would like to meet this Robert E. Lee character in a dark Boston alley, I’ll tell you that much. We are in great danger my friends. We’ll have to step up our training; make sure every man here knows how to use these rifles. Double the guard as well, this news is sure to rattle that damn Jones’ cage. We should seriously consider calling up the entire militia to active service. With our own government turned against us somebody has got to stand up for what is right. It’s time for a new revolution, by God. This is bad.”
On the east side of town, Two Rivers was helping a newcomer build his home. They paused when they heard a group of men walking toward the parade ground discussing the day’s news. On receiving a copy of the paper, they passed it around so each could read it. Afterwards, Two Rivers shook his head and resumed swinging his axe. But try as he might, he just could not hold back the biting commentary.
“I never will understand why you white men just want to dive into every pool you come across head first without a thought for what rocks at the bottom you might dash your head upon. Instead of waiting for change, this John Brown tries to set the whole world on fire in a single night. Any fool with a torch can burn down a house. Destruction is all that comes overnight, it takes time to build. All he has done is stir up a hornets nest. This is bad.”
On the west side of town, Cassius was hard at work bringing in the autumn harvest. He and his fellows paused their labors for a moment when one of the townsfolk rode in to read them the news. Cassius leaned against his scythe and listened, then he shook his head in disgust.
“Shoulda known better. Them niggers been whipped so much they be scared o’ they own shadows, and you can fegit about the white man. That John Brown fellow might as well have asked ‘em to put them guns against they own heads. Prob’ly woulda had better luck askin’ ‘em to do dat. And know what; do he think they be better off now?
“I tell you what Jones and his like gonna do now. They goan round up every nigger that look at ‘em funny or they hear talkin’ under his breath. Then they goan beat on him and burn him and cut pieces off him ‘till he confess to bein’ in on it wit’ Brown. Then they goan string him up, but not befo’ he name names. Then they goan round them up and do the same. It ain’t never goan stop. They is goan be a whole lotta blood spilled ‘count a what that damn fool John Brown done gone and did. This is bad.”
In the center of the city, Jacob was at his desk composing a sermon when his secretary brought in the paper. Jacob read the article, and his eyes nearly popped right out of his head. He read it a second time just to make sure the event was real and not just his imagination running away with him. Then the man of prayer and meditation rose from his desk and started pacing back and forth in an uncharacteristically physical attempt to deal with his stress. He placed his left hand on the side of his face and started tapping his jaw with an index finger as he tried to figure out the full import of what he had just read. Finally, he spoke.
“So, Mr. Brown has decided to light the fuse on a powder keg that has been building for two and a half centuries already. Now Jones and every demagogue like him are going to stoke the fires. Everyone who listens to them will start stroking their guns and seeing slave revolts waiting to happen across every corner. Every state from Virginia to Missouri will start raising militias. I was hoping that a diplomatic solution to this problem may yet be reached, but I fear that it is too late now. You don’t need a weather vane to see which way the wind blows.
“With this the battle lines will be drawn. Houses will be divided against themselves. Brother will be set against brother and sons will rise up against their fathers. There can be no turning back. It has begun, and from this point out blows must decide. This situation is about to explode. The whole world has been turned upside down in a single night. This is bad, and it is about to get a whole lot worse.”