John Brown Quotes

Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!

I am quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think vainly, flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.

Be mild with the mild, shrewd with the crafty, confiding to the honest, rough to the ruffian, and a thunderbolt to the liar. But in all this, never be unmindful of your own dignity.

These men are all talk; What is needed is action - action!

I don't think the people of the slave states will ever consider the subject of slavery in its true light till some other argument is resorted to other than moral persuasion.

Caution, Sir! I am eternally tired of hearing that word caution. It is nothing but the word of cowardice!

The United States is a place where the men govern, but the women rule.

I cannot remember a night so dark as to have hindered the coming day.

The intent and not the deed Is in our power; and, therefore, who dares greatly Does greatly.

Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills.

The same eye cannot both look up to heaven and down to earth.

Symptoms are the body's mother tongue; signs are in a foreign language.

I never wanted to fight against the Union, but could not turn my back on Virginia.

I think every family should have a dog; it is like having a perpetual baby; it is the plaything and crony of the whole house. It keeps them all young.

It is not a case we are treating; it is a living, palpitating, alas, too often suffering fellow creature.

There is a shrine in the temple of age, where lie forever embalmed the memories of such as have deserved well of their country and their race.

I will answer anything I can with honor, but not about others.

A people without the memories of heroic suffering and sacrifices are a people without a history.

...what we need is action - action!

General Lee, this is no place for you. These men behind you are Georgians and Virginians. They have never failed you and will not fail you here. Will you boys?

No people in the history of the world have ever been so misunderstood, so misjudged, and so cruelly maligned.

Tis mean for empty praise of wit to write, As fopplings grin to show their teeth are white.

Mars is not an aesthetic God.

Now let us thank th' eternal power, convinced That Heaven but tries our virtue by affliction: That oft the cloud that wraps the present hour Serves but to brighten all our future days.

The angels are ministering spirits; they are not governing spirits.

I was shot down by a fifth ball, which struck me squarely in the face, and passed out.

I am worth inconceivably more to hang than for any other purpose.

I am gaining in health slowly, and am quite cheerful in view of my approaching end, - being fully persuaded that I am worth inconceivably more to hang than any other purpose.

No doubt you can get more in your market for a quart of milk than for a quart of blood, but that is not the market that heroes carry their blood to.

John Brown, raised by disciplinarians, became one himself.

Find the problem, find the story.