answering
the call of the Lord. I have kept my affairs in such a condition that
in two weeks I could wind them up and be ready to obey that call,
permitting nothing to stand in the way of duty, neither wife, children,
nor worldly goods; whenever the time should come, I was ready.' Now
truly it seemed as if 'God's judgements' were to be abroad in the
earth, as if He was 'travelling in the greatness of His strength,
mighty to save' the oppressed; as if 'the Day of Vengeance' were in His
heart, and the 'Year of His redeemed was come'; and, said John Brown's
heart, 'He shall find one loyal henchman; I am ready.'

John Brown's call seemed to come after this wise. The enrolment of
each New State in the Union was the occasion of fierce contention as to
whether the territories should be free or whether slavery should be
permitted. Each party had sought at such junctures to score an
advantage, for the balance was often a very fine one between them.

The spirit of compromise had from the earliest days prevailed upon the
thorny question. Washington was against slavery. Statesmen like Adams,
Franklin, Madison, and Munroe had opposed it; but others had been
willing to purchase the preservation of Union by concessions to the
South, and toleration had been their consistent policy.

The Missouri compromise in 1820 had apparently settled the question as
to the new State of Kansas, for all future States north of the latitude
36d 30m were to be free. But at the enrolment of Kansas the slave
party circumvented this statute, and ensured local option for the State
upon this matter. In 1854 the new State of Kansas proceeded to
determine for itself once for all by popular election the grave
question whether she was to be a Slave or a Free State. But in these
young States, which were being almost daily reinforced by new
residents, each at once entitled to vote, the slave party saw a rare
opportunity for the manufacture of faggot votes. What was to hinder
the inhabitants of Missouri, the neighbouring State--who were slavery
men--from going over in a body and voting! Couldn't men migrate and
change their minds? Scandalous, you say. It was. But the scandal was
actually perpetrated. None other than the acting Vice-President of the
United States advised this course, and he found many ready to improve
upon his instructions. One official stated: 'To those who have qualms
of conscience as to violating laws, State or National, I say t