A Plea for Captain John Brown
by Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
- Free to read
- 35 min read
- Reading level: 8th & 9th grade
"A Plea for Captain John Brown" by Henry David Thoreau is an essay first delivered as a speech on October 30, 1859, two weeks after abolitionist John Brown's failed raid on Harpers Ferry. Speaking against widespread public condemnation, Thoreau defends Brown as a moral hero rather than a madman, comparing his impending execution to Christ's crucifixion. The essay challenges Americans who dismiss Brown's actions, arguing that his commitment to justice represents true sanity and courage in the face of state-sponsored injustice.
- Slavery
- Brown, John, 1800-1859
- Government, Resistance to
- Brown, John, 1800-1859 · Trials, litigation, etc.
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A PLEA FOR CAPTAIN JOHN BROWN
By Henry David Thoreau
[Read to the citizens of Concord, Mass.,
Sunday Evening, October 30, 1859.]
I trust that you will pardon me for being here. I do not wish to force my thoughts upon you, but I feel forced myself. Little as I know of Captain Brown, I would fain do my part to correct the tone and the statements of the newspapers, and of my countrymen generally, respecting his character and actions. It costs us nothing to be just. We can at least express our sympathy with, and admiration of, him and his companions, and that is what I now propose to do.
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About this edition
This free edition of A Plea for Captain John Brown by Henry David Thoreau comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #2567, released 2001-03-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Essays, Letters & Speeches, History - American.
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