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George Luther Stearns of the Secret Six that Financed John Brown
We have completed the last of the Secret Six mini-biographies on our blog. George Luther Stearns was not true to the transcendental mold of many of the early abolitionists. He was the least educated but perhaps the best at math and worst of language.[ii] Like the others, as time progressed he did seem to accept violence as a necessary means to end slavery. The horrendous Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, shifted all but the most pristine abolitionists from non-violence. The fugitive slave law permitted slave catchers to pursue self-emancipated slaves into free territories above the Mason-Dixon line[iii]. This law exploded in Boston in three major events. A good overview can be found by visiting our link on the three fugitive slave riots. At the end of the third riot, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act of May 30, 1854. This left the issue of slavery up to the citizens of the two territories. The Massachusetts State Kansas Committee[iv] was consequently formed to promote immigration to Kansas to ensure a free-state voting majority. Most of the Secret Six participated in freeing Kansas. Their activity in or on behalf of this cause brought them into contact with John Brown. George Luther Stearns played a major role financing John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry on October 17, 1859. He basically maintained the accounting and funded and wrote the checks to John Brown. The Sharps rifles[v], pistols, and pikes used by Brown’s little army were owned directly by George Stearns. He tried indecisively to control the movement and use of the weapons. Unfortunately, he let them into John Brown’s hands in Iowa, a safe haven to Kansas, and lost control of the weapons. George’s commercial life started successful enough. He borrowed money from a close neighbor to build a Boston oil-mill[vi] with his brother. They were so successful that the loan was paid back within two years. Unfortunately, in Boston’s Antebellum period, it is near impossible to avoid tragedies fostered by acts of nature. The natural enemies were hurricanes, winter storms or careless numerous fires. Their mill burned down in 1847. This was the pivotal moment that drew George away from industry and to the cause of slavery. According to his son Frank Preston Stearns, the timing was perfect for his father. Abolitionism had moved through several philosophical stages beyond compassion to action. The decades of 1840 to 1850’s required pragmatic men to take over leadership of the movement. [vii] Here is a quote from his son that might help you judge the violent end result of his compassion. His father s death must have made a severe im pression on the young boy, for there never was a more affectionate, tender-hearted, and sympathetic person than George L. Stearns. There was no effusive sentiment in him, for his nature was too deep to show itself readily upon the surface, and his regard for his relatives and friends was always expressed in deeds rather than words. That he treated others better than they treated him was a fact that never seemed to occur to him ; or, if it did, he brushed it aside as unworthy of consideration. Although he was shy and sensitive, there was nothing of the milksop in his composition, as those boys at the school who attempted to domineer over him discovered, often to their cost. In 1863, when he was organizing the colored regiments at Phila delphia, the auctioneer, James Furness, said to his brother, Rev. William H. Furness : " That George Stearns was the toughest little fighter we had at school: he never knew when he was whipped." He was not naturally quarrelsome, but on the con trary peaceable and kindly disposed to every one. He even disliked the contention of a common argu ment; but the exceptional modesty of his nature served as an inducement to the ruder sort of boys to worry and impose on him. [viii] George’s son, Franklin, had a first-hand view of the relationship between John Brown and his father. Each exhibited the same contrasting, idealistic yet practical personality not the least daunted by failures in their lives. Franklin defined the first meeting between his father and Brown: “they met like the iron and the magnet. Each recognized him at first sight, and knew him for what he was worth.” Here is a practical example; Stearns grew a patriarchal beard upon doctor’s orders to warm his chest that had been susceptible to bronchitis. This was copied by John Brown. Images are posted below. George Luther Stearns may not have initially intended to support John Brown’s violent raid on Harpers Ferry but, instead to provide arms for the defense of Kansas from the Missouri ruffians. Once pulled into the fight against slavery George Luther Stearns fought against slavery with all the instincts from his youth. He was committed to a total victory. George E. Heller wrote a wonderful Biography of George Stearns. Unfortunately, it is a very pricey book, especially today. Here are his thoughts supporting Franklin Stearns comments above. Per Heller, George believed that slavery was a threat to democratic capitalism and John Brown, violent or not, was the mechanic needed to eliminate the threat. George Luther Stearns’ family was intimately aware of his support of Free Kansas. According to Heller, it appears Stearns openly spoke to his family about the difficulty of financing the venture. Heller relates that one day Stearns’ son Harry came into his study and lay thirty cents on his father’s desk for the Kansas relief fund.[ix] The thirty-cents was forwarded to John Brown. The raid on Harper’s Ferry failed miserably. Nonetheless, it was successful igniting tensions from the North through the South. Clearly, plantation owners in the South were threatened by the raid’s intent and sought more than John Brown’s blood. New York newspapers unraveled the financial network supporting John Brown. Initially, Stearns traveled to Canada with Samuel Gridley Howe to avoid arrest. George soon returned and was subpoenaed to appear at a Congressional hearing. George willingly appeared. Excerpts of the hearing are posted below. It is a worthwhile read to judge the man’s integrity. He was not indicted. None of the Secret Six were legally incriminated but only George Luther Stearns was examined. With John Brown now in his grave at the time of George’s testimony he could have hammered one more nail in the coffin of the Captain. It would have been so easy. Here is a sample of his direct testimony to Congress, from the Congressional Globe[x] page 9.[xi] “Question. Was it at Brown’s request that you put him in possession of these arms in January 1857? “Answer. No, sir; but because we needed an agent to secure them,” &c. And again at page 230, he was asked: “Did I understand you to say that this was voluntarily proffered to him, and not at his request?’ (Meaning the arms.) “Answer, Yes sir. John Brown’s raid clearly accelerated the walk up to the Civil War. During the war George was asked by Massachusetts Governor Andrews to recruit the 54th 55th and 5th cavalry regiments from the free African American community. This service took him south to Philadelphia, hostile Maryland and to Tennessee. He signed up 13,000 free African Americans to serve in the Massachusetts regiments. George arranged for the state of Massachusetts to financially support the families of the volunteers and provide schooling for their children. As a result, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton appointed him a major in the Union Army expanding his role in the recruiting process. This expanded responsibility came with far more difficulty, particularly around the fraudulent exercise of the substitution act and the jealousies among officers seeking fast promotions. George Luther Stearns died of pneumonia, at the age of fifty-eight on April 8, 1867, while visiting family in New York City. Ralph Waldo Emerson eulogized him and Poet John Whittier published this poem of him,[xii] "No duty could overtask him; No need his will outrun; Or ever our lips could ask him; His hands the work had done. A man who asked not to be great; But as he served and saved the state." Massachusetts commemorated his life with a tablet in the State House that reads; A merchant of Boston Who illustrated in his life and character The nobility and generosity of Citizenship Giving his life and fortune for the Overthrow of slavery and the Preservation of free institutions To his unresting devotion and unfailing hope Massachusetts owes The fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth regiments of colored infantry, And the federal government ten thousand colored troops, At a critical moment in the great war. In the darkest hour of the republic His faith in the people never wavered. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Testimony to the house committee[xiii] June 15, 1860. Question. Do you recollect that in January, 1857, you gave to John Brown an order for certain Sharp's rifled carbines, as the property of the Massachusetts State Kansas Committee? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. How was it that that committee were in possession of arms, if their object was only to relieve the sufferings of the people? Answer. I have made a statement on paper, which, as I am unaccustomed to speak in public, or even to give evidence -- for it is very seldom that I have been in courts as a witness -- I would ask the permission of the committee to allow me to read as evidence, because it would be a clearer and more condensed statement than I could make in any other way. Question. Do you recollect that in January, 1857, you gave to John Brown an order for certain Sharp's rifled carbines, as the property of the Massachusetts State Kansas Committee? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. How was it that that committee were in possession of arms, if their object was only to relieve the sufferings of the people? Answer. I have made a statement on paper, which, as I am unaccustomed to speak in public, or even to give evidence -- for it is very seldom that I have been in courts as a witness -- I would ask the permission of the committee to allow me to read as evidence, because it would be a clearer and more condensed statement than I could make in any other way. After consultation, the committee agreed to allow the witness to read his statement, which is as follows: In the spring of 1856, I went to the Boston committee for the relief of sufferers in Kansas, and offered my services. I worked for them until June of that year, and then, being willing to devote all my time to the cause, was made chairman of the State Kansas Committee of Massachusetts, which took the place of the first-named committee, and continued the work throughout the State. In five months, including August and December of that year, (1856,) I raised, through my agents, about $48,000 in money, and in the same time my wife commenced the formation of societies for contributions of clothing, which resulted in sending from $20,000 to $30,000 more, in supplies of various kinds. In January, 1857, our work was stopped, by advices from Kansas that no more contributions were needed except for defense. If we had not been thus stopped, our arrangements then made would have enabled us to have collected $100,000 in the next six months. Soon after our State committee had commenced work -- I think in August, 1856 -- a messenger from Kansas -- who came through Iowa (for the Missouri river was then closed by the Missourians to all free-State travelers) -- came to us asking earnestly for arms and ammunition for defense of the free-State party. Our committee met the next day, and immediately voted to send two hundred Sharp's rifles, and the necessary quantity of ammunition, which was procured and sent to the National Kansas Committee at Chicago, to be by them forwarded through Iowa to Kansas. From some cause, which I have never heard explained, these arms were delayed in Iowa; and in November or December of that year we directed an agent to proceed to Iowa at our charge, and take possession of them as our property. Early in January, 1857, John Brown, of whom I had heard, but had not seen, came to Boston and was introduced to me by one of our Kansas agents, and after repeated conferences with him, being strongly impressed with his sagacity, courage, and stern integrity, I, through a vote of our committee, made him our agent to receive and hold these arms and the ammunition, for the defense of Kansas, appropriating $500 to pay his expenses. Subsequently, in April of that year, we authorized him to sell 100 rifles, if expedient, and voted $500 more to enable him to proceed to Kansas with his armament. About this time, on his representing that the force to be organized in Kansas ought to be provided with revolvers, I authorized him to purchase 200 from the Massachusetts Arms Company, and when they were delivered to him in Iowa, paid for them from my own funds; the amount was $1,300. At the same time I gave him, by a letter of credit, authority to draw on me at sight for $7,000 in sums as it might be wanted, for the subsistence of 100 men, provided that it should be necessary at any time to call that number into the field for active service in the defense of Kansas, in 1857. As the exigency contemplated did not occur, no money was drawn under it, and the letter was subsequently returned to me. In the summer of 1857, I contributed with others, $1,000 to purchase an addition to the farm then and now occupied by his family at North Elba. The money was paid by my agent for that purpose, and satisfactory evidence given me on his return that a proper conveyance of the land had been made to the family of John Brown. My subscription to that fund was $260, as appears by the subscription paper. Besides these transactions, which were for specific purposes, I have given him money from time to time, how much I do not know, as I never keep any account of my personal expenses, or of money I give to others; it is all charged to my private account as paid me. I should think it might amount to, say from $1,500 to $2,000. About May, 1858, I saw a letter from Henry Wilson to Dr. Howe, and also one or two from a Mr. Forbes. I had never heard of Forbes until I saw his letters, which were so coarse and insulting in their language, and incorrect, in ascribing to others what I had done, that I concluded he was an adventurer whose only aim was to extort money; but at Dr. Howe's request, I wrote the letter to John Brown, dated May 14, 1858, of which he has forwarded to you a copy. In addition to what I have before stated, I raised money and sent an agent to Kansas to aid the free-State party in the Lecompton election, and again for the election in 1858. Question. Was it at Brown's request that you put him in possession of those arms in January, 1857? Answer. No, sir; but because we needed an agent to secure them. They were left in Iowa, and under circumstances that made it doubtful whether they would not be lost entirely, and we put them into his hands because it was necessary to have some agent to proceed there and reclaim them from the hands they were in, and take proper care of them. Question. It is stated in the writing, "I, through a vote of our committee, made him our agent to receive and hold these arms and ammunition for the defense of Kansas?" Answer. Yes, sir; of course they were intended for the defense of Kansas, and that was the object for which they were to be held. Question. Do you know that the pistols were delivered to Brown? Answer. The exact statement of the case is, that upon the delivery of the railroad receipt to me, promising to deliver them to him in Iowa, I paid for them. Question. Do you know, from the admission of Brown or otherwise, that he afterwards got those pistols? Answer. No, sir. Question. There are copies of two letters here, among those forwarded by Dr. Howe, did you read them? Answer. I have not read the whole, but I have read my own letters. Question. There is a copy of a letter purporting to have been written by you, as chairman of the Massachusetts State Kansas Committee, to John Brown, dated at Boston, January 8, 1857, and another to John Brown from you, dated at Boston, April 15, 1857, and the third dated Boston, April 15, 1857. I will read them to you. I only want to know if they are correct copies of your letters? The following letters were then read to the witness: Massachusetts State Kansas Committee Room Boston, January 8, 1857. Massachusetts State Kansas Committee Room Boston, January 8, 1857. Dear Sir: Inclosed we hand you our order on Edward Clark, Esq., of Lawrence, Kansas Territory, for two hundred Sharp's rifled carbines, with four thousand ball cartridges, thirty one military caps; and six iron ladles; all, as we suppose, now stored at Tabor, in the State of Iowa. We wish you to take possession of this property, either at Tabor or wherever it may be found, as our agent, and to hold it subject to our order. For this purpose you are authorized to draw on our treasurer, Patrick T. Jackson, Esq., in Boston, for such sums as may be necessary to pay the expenses as they accrue, to an amount not exceeding five hundred dollars. Truly yours, George L. Stearns, Chairman Massachusetts State Kansas Committee. At a meeting of the executive committee of the State Kansas Aid Committee of Massachusetts, held in Boston, April 11, 1857, it was Voted , That Captain John Brown be authorized to dispose of one hundred rifles, belonging to this committee, to such free-State inhabitants of Kansas as he thinks to be reliable, at a price not less than fifteen dollars, and that he account for the same agreeably to his instructions, for the relief of Kansas. George L. Stearns, Chairman Massachusetts State Kansas Committee. At the same meeting it was Voted , That Captain John Brown be authorized to draw on P.T. Jackson, treasurer, for five hundred dollars, if, on his arrival in Kansas, he is satisfied that such sum is necessary for the relief of persons in Kansas. George L. Stearns, Chairman Massachusetts State Kansas Committee. The Witness. The first letter speaks of thirty one military caps. It should be thirty one thousand military caps meaning percussion caps. Question. The first letter directs Brown to take possession of the arms as your agent, and hold them subject to your order. Did I understand you to say that this was voluntarily proffered to him, and not at his request? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. Why did you desire to place these arms in his possession? Answer. For safe-keeping. Question. Were they not in safe-keeping where they were? Answer. They were not substantially in our hands. We had passed them into the hands of the National Kansas Committee to be transported to Kansas, and they had an idea that they being called the National Kansas Committee, everything which was sent to them for transportation became their property the moment it passed into their hands, which we disputed; and after some letters had passed between us they gave them up to us again and we assumed the possession of them. That was a question which we had to settle with them -- whether the property we sent to Kansas was theirs the moment it got into their possession. We denied it. Question. Were the 100 Sharp's rifles, referred to in the letter of April 15, a different weapon from the Sharp's rifled carbine before spoken of? Answer. The same weapon. A part of the same lot. Question. Then the 100 rifles mentioned here were part of the 200 mentioned in that? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. Did he ever sell these rifles, as he was thus empowered? Answer. I have no reason to suppose that he did. I never knew that he sold them. He never gave me any intimation that he sold them. Question. Did he ever account with you for the proceeds? Answer. No, sir. Question. Did he ever advise you that he had sold them? Answer. No, sir. Question. Did he draw for the $500 that you authorized him to draw for? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. You saw Brown after that in 1857? The Witness. After April, 1857? Question. After April, 1857? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. Was there any conversation then between you as to those arms that were in his possession? Was any reference made to them? Answer. I simply asked him if they were safe and in order. He told me they were. Question. Did he tell you where they then were, in 1858? Answer. I do not think he did. I do not recollect that he did. Question. I find in the manuscript sent by Dr. Howe a copy of a letter written by you to John Brown, dated at Boston, May 14, 1858, addressed to him at Chatham, Canada West, which I will read, and ask you if it is a correct copy. The letter was read to the witness, as follows: Boston, May 14, 1858. Dear Sir: Inclosed please find a copy of a letter to Dr. Howe from Hon. Henry Wilson. You will recollect that you have the custody of the arms alluded to, to be used for the defense of Kansas, as agent of the Massachusetts State Kansas Committee. In consequence of the information thus communicated to me, it becomes my duty to warn you not to use them for any other purpose, and to hold them subject to my order as chairman of said committee. A member of our committee will be at Chatham early in the coming week, to confer with you as to the best mode of disposing of them. Truly your friend, George L. Stearns, Chairman Massachusetts State Kansas Committee. Mr. John Brown, Chatham, Canada West. The following letter was also read to the witness: Boston, May 15, 1858. Dear Sir: I wrote to you yesterday informing you that a member of the Massachusetts State Kansas Committee would visit Chatham, to confer about the delivery of the arms you hold. As I can find no one who can spare the time, I have to request that you will meet me in New York city some time next week. A letter to me, directed to care of John Hopper, 110 Broadway, New York, will be in season. Come as early as you can. Our committee will pay your expenses. Truly yours, George L. Stearns, Chairman Massachusetts State Kansas Committee. [i] Known today as pneumonia [ii] Stearns, Frank Preston. Life and public services of George Luther Stearns. Books On Demand Ltd, 2013. Originally J. B. Lippincott Philadelphia and London. P.21 [iii] The general border between Free and Slave states. [iv] Thanks to the Raid on Harpers Ferry the six gentlemen of the Mass., State Kansas Commission are remembered as the Secret Six that financed John Brown’s raid. [v] A technologically advanced breech loading rifle named after Christian Sharps. [vi] They were way ahead of us. George’s mill crushed seeds, nuts and other matter to make vegetable oil. [vii] Stearns, Frank Preston. Life and public services of george luther stearns. Place of publication not identified: Book On Demand Ltd, 2013. Possibly J. B. Lippincott Philadelphia and London. A dilightful commentary on a father son relationship and the life and times of three generations. Ibid Page 22. [ix] Heller, George E. "Portrait of an abolitionist: a biography of George Luther Stearns, 1809-1867." Choice Reviews Online 33, no. 11 (1996). doi:10.5860/choice.33-6513. P.84. [x] The predecessor to the Congressional Record. [xi] 36th Congress 1st Session SENATE Rep.Com. No. 278, page 9. [xii] Atlantic Monthly entitled "G.L.S" (pg 385, The Life and Public Services of George Luther Stearns). Of him Whittier wrote. [xiii] http://www.wvculture.org/history/jbexhibit/stearnsmasontestimony.html The Congressional Globe available from many edu's.
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