James Redpath, The Public Life of Captain John Brown

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[346] forward the letter, he said, to the Commonwealth's Attorney, “with the request that he will ask the permission of the Court to hand it to the prisoner.” After asserting that Virginia and Massachusetts were not involved in a civil war; that the Federal Constitution gave to citizens of Massachusetts going to Virginia the immunities of a citizen of the United States; that, coming to minister to the captive in prison — a mission merciful and humane — she had the right to visit Charlestown, and would “not only be allowed, but be respected, if not welcomed,” the politician added, that “a few unenlightened and inconsiderate persons, fanatical in their modes of thought and action to maintain justice and right, might molest you, or be disposed to do so, and this might suggest the imprudence of risking any experiment upon the peace of a society very much excited by the crimes with whose chief author you seem to sympathize so much.” Declaring the readiness of Virginia to protect Mrs. Child against the fury of the populace, the next sentence of the letter was worthy of Mark Antony: “I could not permit an insult, even to woman in her walk of charity among us, though it be to one who whetted knives of butchery for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and babes ... His attempt was the natural consequence of your sympathy.” He concluded by announcing that whether the lady should see him or not, when she should arrive in Charlestown, would be for the Court and its officers to say. The Executive, he intimates, and the Judiciary are separate branches of the Government; a statement that the first attempt to try Stevens will explain.