Henry David Thoreau 
Plea for Captain John Brown Read to the citizens of Concord, Massachusetts on Sunday evening, October thirtieth, eighteen fifty-nine 

pub One.info present you this new edition. I trust that you will pardon me for being here. I do not wish to force my thoughts upon you, but I feel forced myself. Little as I know of Captain Brown, I would fain do my part to correct the tone and the statements of the newspapers, and of my countrymen generally, respecting his character and actions. It costs us nothing to be just. We can at least express our sympathy with, and admiration of, him and his companions, and that is what I now propose to do.