* "When the denouement finally came, however, the public and press did not take a very favorable view of the transaction; it was too difficult to distinguish between George L.Stearns, the benefactor of the Kansas Committee, and George L.Stearns, the Chairman of that Committee." Villard, "John Brown," p.341.
Though Brown arrived in Kansas late in June, he took no active part in the pending measures for the final triumph of the free-state cause.It is something of a mystery how he was occupied between the 1st of July and the middle of December.Under the pseudonym of "Shubal Morgan" he was commander of a small band in which were a number of his followers in training for the Eastern mission.The occupation of this band is not matter of history until December 20, 1858, when they made a raid into the State of Missouri, slew one white man, took eleven slaves, a large number of horses, some oxen, wagons, much food, arms, and various other supplies.This action was in direct violation of a solemn agreement between the border settlers of State and Territory.The people in Kansas were in terror lest retaliatory raids should follow, as would undoubtedly have happened had not the people of Missouri taken active measures to prevent such reprisals.
Rewards were offered for Brown's arrest, and free-state residents served notice that he must leave the Territory.In the dead of winter he started North with some slaves and many horses, accompanied by Kagi and Gill, two of his faithful followers.In northern Kansas, where they were delayed by a swollen stream, a band of horsemen appeared to dispute their passage.Brown's party quickly mustered assistance and, giving chase to the enemy, took three prisoners with four horses as spoils of war.In Kansas parlance the affair is called "The Battle of the Spurs." The leaders in the chase were seasoned soldiers on their way to Harper's Ferry with the intention of spending their lives collecting slaves and conducting them to places of safety.For this sort of warfare they were winning their spurs.It was their intention to teach all defenders of slavery to use their utmost endeavor to keep out of their reach.As Brown and his company passed through Tabor, the citizens took occasion at a public meeting to resolve "that we have no sympathy with those who go to slave States to entice away slaves, and take property or life when necessary to attain that end."A few days later the party was at Grinnell, Iowa.According to the detailed account which J.B.Grinnell gives in his autobiography, Brown appeared on Saturday afternoon, stacked his arms in Grinnell's parlor and disposed of his people and horses partly in Grinnell's house and barn and partly at the hotel.In the evening Brown and Kagi addressed a large meeting in a public hall.Brown gave a lurid account of experiences in Kansas, justified his raid into Missouri by saying the slaves were to be sold for shipment to the South, and gave notice that his surplus horses would be offered for sale on Monday."What title can you give?" was the question that came from the audience."The best--the affidavit that they were taken by black men from land they had cleared and tilled; taken in part payment for labor which is kept back."Brown again addressed a large meeting on Sunday evening at which each of the three clergymen present invoked the divine blessing upon Brown and his labors.The present writer was told by an eye-witness that one of the ministers prayed for forgiveness for any wrongful acts which their guest may have committed.Convinced of the rectitude of his actions, however, Brown objected and said that he thanked no one for asking forgiveness for anything he had done.
Returning from church on Sunday evening, Grinnell found a message awaiting him from Mr.Werkman, United States marshal at Iowa City, who was a friend of Grinnell.The message in part read:
"You can see that it will give your town a bad name to have a fight there; then all who aid are liable, and there will be an arrest or blood.Get the old Devil away to save trouble, for he will be taken, dead or alive." Grinnell showed the message to Brown, who remarked: "Yes, I have heard of him ever since I came into the State....Tell him we are ready to be taken, but will wait one day more for his military squad." True to his word he waited till the following afternoon and then moved directly towards Iowa City, the home of the marshal, passing beyond the city fourteen miles to his Quaker friends at Springdale.Here he remained about two weeks until he had completed arrangements for shipping his fugitives by rail to Chicago.In the meantime, where was Marshal Werkman of Iowa City? Was he of the same mind as the deputy marshal who had accompanied Colonel Sumner? Two of Brown's men had visited the city to make arrangements for the shipment.
The situation was obvious enough to those who would see.The entire incident is an illuminating commentary on the attitude of both government and people towards the Fugitive Slave Law.In March the fugitives were safely landed in Canada and the rest of the horses were sold in Cleveland, Ohio.The time was approaching for the move on Virginia.
Brown now expended much time and attention upon a constitution for the provisional government which he was to set up.In January and February, 1858, Brown had labored over this document for several weeks at the home of Frederick Douglass at Rochester, New York.A copy was in evidence at the conference with Sanborn and Gerrit Smith in February, and the document was approved at a conference held in Chatham, Canada, on May 8, 1858, just at the time when Forbes's revelations caused the postponement of the enterprise.It is an elaborate constitution containing forty-eight articles.The preamble indicates the general purport:
