litionists mourned his death and used it as incentive in later battles against slavery. Wendell Phillips, a well known orator, spoke kindly of John Brown, “John Brown has twice as much right to hang Governor Wise than he has to hang him.” Emerson and Thoreau both compared Brown’s hanging to the crucifixion of Jesus. Horace Greely said, “If slavery is wrong, then John Brown was wholly right.John Brown’s execution brought together many important people of his day. Robert E. Lee, the colonel of marines, that responded to Brown at Harper’s Ferry, would later lead the Confederate armies against the Union in the Civil War. One of the militiamen was John Wilkes Booth, who would be responsible for killing the later President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. And then there is, of course, John Brown who succeeded in changing America forever. After his hanging, a song was written about Brown. It was entitled, “John Brown’s Body”. Union soldiers would chant and sing this song as they marched. After the worst defeats they would use it to cheer themselves up.John Brown did not live to experience an America where slavery does not exist. Like so many Americans who fought their whole lives to make this country a better place he is looked back upon as a criminal. As citizens of the United States, it is our duty to stand up for what is right. John Brown knew that force was necessary to put an end to slavery. It is a sad fact, but it is true. Throughout history people have fought and killed over almost everything. It is a part of our nature and in some cases conflict is unavoidable. The average person remembers the wars of the world as glorious and admirable. Why can we not look upon John Brown in the same way? We can and should....
