John Brown Quotes


It is a war to the death between good and evil. We must fight fire with fire.


Context

They had seen many other abolitionists attacked and butchered by the pro-slavery forces. The civil war of Kansas was over whether Kansas would enter the Union as a slave state of a free state. If a free state, the free states would be able to block further slavery. If Kansas were to become a slave state, the slave states would have a sufficient majority to make all future expansion hospitable to slavery. The slavery forces started sending man and families into Kansas so that they could vote; the abolitionists did the same. Both sides armed and a war began with each faction trying to kill or drive the other faction out of Kansas before the vote. See {617388} and {612516}.


Citations

John Brown, 1800-1859, Abolitionist, Justification of his murders and atrocities he and his sons and followers committed in Kansas, 1855

Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations

Linked Quotes

The issue is whether Kansas would enter the Union as a slave state of a free state. If a free state, the free states would be able to block further slavery. If Kansas were to become a slave state, the slave states would have a sufficient majority to make all future expansion hospitable to slavery. The slavery forces started sending men and families into Kansas so that they could vote; the abolitionists did the same. Both sides armed and a war began with each faction trying to kill or drive the other faction out of Kansas before the vote. See {612516} for the anti-slavery perspective.


Related Quotes
John Brown
John Brown
  • Born: May 9, 1800
  • Died: December 2, 1859
  • Nationality:
  • Profession: Tanner; Cattle, Horse, Sheep Breeder Trader; Farmer

John H. Brown was an American abolitionist leader. Brown felt that violence was necessary to end American slavery, as years of speeches, sermons, petitions, and moral persuasion had failed.