約翰‧布朗
(JOHN BROWN)

在法庭上的最後陳述
Last Statement to the Court

我相信：如我過去所做的那樣……為那些受人鄙視的上帝的可憐的孩子們進行干預，不是錯誤而是正確的。

約翰‧布朗(1800－1859)是一位狂熱的廢奴主義者，他相信上帝選擇他來摧毀萬惡的奴隸制度。他生於康涅狄格州的托靈頓。布朗和他的大家庭(他是二十個孩子的父親)四處搬遷，尋找職業。他們到過俄亥俄、麻塞諸塞、紐約和賓夕法尼亞。在各不同時期，他當過農民、羊毛商、制革者和土地投機商。1855年布朗移居到堪薩斯與他的幾個兒子團聚，他們已經在那塊因爭吵而不得安寧的土地上立界標佔有土地。那時堪薩斯正就以自由州加入聯邦還是以奴隸州加入聯邦的問題展開激烈的爭論。「自由州論者」和「邊境惡棍」(這是人們對贊成奴隸制的幫夥的稱呼)之間的武裝衝突產生出「流血的堪薩斯」這種說法。

1856年，當布朗獲悉贊成奴隸制的人洗劫了堪薩斯的勞倫斯城，他非常憤慨。布朗和他的同伴將五個贊成奴隸制的殖民者從他們家中拖出來砍死，以作為對他們的報復。這個事件被稱為波塔沃托米大屠殺，它導致更多暴力事件發生，致使兩百多人喪生。兩年後，布朗在密蘇裏又指揮了一次襲擊。在那兒，他殺死一個奴隸主，解放十一個奴隸，並和奴隸一起逃到加拿大去。

1859年10月，約翰‧布朗佔領了在維吉尼亞(現為西維吉尼亞)哈潑斯渡的美國軍工廠。布朗的奇襲隊伍是由五個黑人和十七個白人組成，其中包括他的三個兒子。布朗想武裝當地的奴隸，然後他們就可參加他的起義，但他們中沒有一個這麼做。在與州及聯邦軍隊的一場血戰中，這些襲擊者被捕了。這次襲擊從戰術上講是失敗的，但就布朗更大的目標而言，他取得了輝煌的勝利。它引起全國的注意， 加劇了地區間的緊張狀況。導致最後的衝突──戰爭。

布朗被判叛國罪、謀殺罪和煽動叛亂罪，他的五個同夥逃跑了，但其餘的或是在襲擊中被打死，或是被絞死。布朗於1859年11月2日被判決，12月2日被絞死。布朗在法庭宣佈對他的判決時對法庭發表的陳述，第二天就在《紐約先驅報》上列出。在他被處決的那一天，整個北方把他當作聖人和英雄向他致敬。

如果法庭允許．我想說幾句話：

首先，除了我所一直承認的，即我解放奴隸的計劃之外，我否認一切。我的確想把事情辦得乾淨利落，正如我去年冬天幹的那樣。當時我進入密蘇裏，在那裏雙方沒有開一槍便帶走奴隸，穿過這個國家，最後將他們留在加拿大。我計劃以更大的規模再做同樣的事。這就是我想做的一切。我從來就沒想過要去謀殺、叛國或破壞別人的財產，或訓練、鼓動奴隸反叛，或舉行暴動。

我還有一項抗議，那就是，我受到這樣的懲處是不公平的。如果我是以我所承認的方式進行過干預，而且我承認我所採取的方式已經被公正地核實了──因為我欽佩為本案作證的大部分證人的真誠和坦率，──如果我是為了富人、有權勢者、有才智者、所謂的大人物，或是為了他們的任何朋友，無論是其父母、兄弟、姐妹、妻子、兒女或任何一個這類人物，而進行這樣的干預，並且在這種干預中受到損害，犧牲了我所有的東西，那就沒事了。本法庭的每個人就會認為這是一個值得嘉獎的行動，而不是要給予懲處了。

我想本法庭也承認上帝的法規是有效的。我看到人們吻一本書，我想這本書是《聖經》或者至少是一本《新約全書》，它教導我，我希望人們怎樣待我，我也要怎樣待人。它還教導我說，要記住那些受奴役的人們，就像是和他們同受奴役一樣。我努力按照這一教誨行動。我說，我還是太年輕，無法理解上帝會待人有別。我相信：如我過去所做的那樣，──我總是直率地承認我幹過──為那些受人鄙視的上帝的可憐的孩子們進行干預，不是錯誤而是正確的。現在，如果認為有必要，為了推進正義的目標，我必須付出生命，必須把我的鮮血和我孩子們的血。以及在這個奴隸制國家裏，權利被邪惡、兇殘且不義的法律所 便摒棄的千百萬人的血混合在一起，我說，那就這麼辦吧!

讓我再說一句。對於我在審判中所受到的對待，我感到完全滿意。考慮到各方面的情況，它比我所預料的要寬宏大量。但我並不覺得自己有罪。我一開始就陳述了什麼是我的意圖，什麼不是。我從未圖謀反對任何人的自由，從未有過叛國的企圖，從未鼓動奴隸反叛或舉行大暴動。我從未鼓勵任何人這麼做，我總是規勸人們打消這類想法的。

對於那些與我有關的人所作的陳述，我也想就此說幾句。我聽說他們中有些人說我誘使他們入夥。但事實正相反。我說這話不是為了傷害他們，而是對他們的軟弱感到遺憾。他們中沒有一個人不是出自自願加入我的隊伍，而且大部分人還自己承擔費用。許多人在他們來找我之前，我從未見過他們，也從未與他們談過話，而他們來找我，是為了我所說的那個目的。

現在，我說完了。

Last Statement to the Court

I have, may it please the Court, a few words to say.

    In the first place, I deny everything but what I have all along admitted: of a design on my part to free slaves. I intended certainly to have made a clean thing of that matter, as I did last winter, when I went into Missouri and there took slaves without the snapping of a gun on either side, moving them through the country, and finally leaving them in Canada. I designed to have done the same thing again on a larger scale. That was all I intended. I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to exercise or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection.

    I have another objection, and that is that it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty. Had I interfered in the manner which I admit, and which I admit has been fairly proved--for I admire the truthfulness and candor of the greater portion of the witnesses who have testified in this case--Had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or in behalf of any of their friends, either father, mother, brother, sister, wife or children, or any of that class, and suffered and sacrificed what I have in this interference, it would have been all right. Every man in this Court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment.

    This Court acknowledges, too, as I suppose, the validity of the law of God. I see a book kissed, which I suppose to be the Bible, or at least the New Testament, which teaches me that all things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them. It teaches me, further, to remember them that are in bonds as bound with them. I endeavored to act up to that instruction. I say I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter of persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done, as I have always freely admitted I have done, in behalf of His despised poor, I did no wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I say, let it be done.

    Let me say one word further. I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received on my trial. Considering all the circumstances, it has been more generous than I expected. But I feel no consciousness of guilt. I have stated from the first what was my intention, and what was not. I never had any design against the liberty of any person, nor any disposition to commit treason or incite slaves to rebel or make any general insurrection. I never encouraged any man to do so, but always discouraged any idea of that kind.

    Let me say, also, in regard to the statements made by some of those who were connected with me, I hear it has been stated by some of them that I have induced them to join me. But the contrary is true. I do not say this to injure them, but as regretting their weakness. Not one but joined me of his own accord, and the greater part at their own expense. A number of them I never saw, and never had a word of conversation with, till the day they came to me, and that was for the purpose I have stated.

    Now, I have done.