The Trial of John Brown (1859) Flashcards
wilmont proviso
a resolution to prohibit slavery from going into the Mexican Cession (lands captured from Mexico)
•debated repeatedly 1846-1848, passes House, stalled in Senate
Compromise of 1850
- CA- free state
- Nm and Utah territories created
- Nm- one or more slave states
- Utah- one or more free states
- Slave trade banned in Washington, D.C
The fugitive slave law
~Article 4 section 2 (US Constitution)
oBurden of proof placed on alleged runaways
oSlave catchers/ marshals could deputize bystanders
oNew federal commissioners in every county
oJury trials and habeas corpus prohibited
oAlleged fugitive can’t testify on his or her own behalf
oNo statute of limitations
Shadrach Minkins
- Slave escapes from Norfolk, VA to Boston 1850
- Working as a waiter, US marshals pose as customers
- Freed by “Boston Vigilance Committee”
•Rescue of Joshua glover
•5000 person mob freed runaway slave in Milwaukee, underground railroad
•abolitionist Sherman Booth charged with violating the fugitive slave act
~supreme court found slave act unconstitutional
Anthony Burns
o Captured in Boston
o Mob kills us marshal
o President franklin pierce sends troops
o Burns sent back to VA
Stephan Douglas and “Popular Sovereignty”
•Wanted to become president
o Utah and NM territory open to slavery by popular sovereignty and compromise of 1850
o Wanted to let the settlers vote whether or not they wanted slavery or not
Nebraska - Kansas Act
• The most vocal people for slave and against slaves run to Kansas to get the vote for what they want
Lecompton Constitution
- Speaking against slavery became a criminal offense
- Death penalty for aiding runaway slaves
- Rigid slave code
- All voters had to take an oath to uphold the slave codes
The Sacking of Lawrence
May 21, 1856
John Brown
• Born in CT in 1800
• Stern Calvinist father who believed “Golden Rule” applied to people of all races
• Failed businessman 20 different enterprises
oPersonality perhaps too rigid for business
• Mary Anne Brown
o Gives birth to 13 of Brown 20 kids
o 2nd wife
• believes the declaration of independence and golden rule have the same meaning
• leads a Kansas anti- slavery militia “The Liberty Guards”
treason as defined by VA law
•punishment = death by hanging
Colonel lewis Washington
- Witness for the prosecution
- Testifies that brown was courteous and not threatening to the hostages and even told his men not to shoot at unarmed people.
Lawson Botts
defense attorney for Brown ~ slave owner Botts introduces Insanity Telegram from Brown’s family •Everybody in Brown’s family is crazy •Brown doesn’t like that idea
Samuel Chilton
•Well known defense attorney (paid for by abolitionist) arrive late in the trial
Samuel Chilton’s Closing Argument
•No treason for non-virginian
•Not clear brown murdered anyone
Barclay Coppac
- One of john Browns men that was able to get away as part of a hunting party once Brown got caught.
- Coppac dies in Platte Bridge Railroad Tragedy (sept 1860)
Article 4 section 2
•Cant run from treason even if you leave the state.
Election of 1860
•Lincoln says Brown is a republican
•Lincoln not put on the ballot in the south
•Needed a massive amount of votes from the north
oHe got them
John Brown’s Body
- Lyrics added to an old camp meeting folk song
* Favorite marching tune of the Union Army
Battle hymn of the republic
o Julia Ward Howe changed the lyrics to todays Battle hymn of the republic
o 1862
