Secret Six
Encyclopedia
The Secret Six, or the Secret Committee of Six, were six wealthy and influential men who secretly funded the American abolitionist
, John Brown
. They were Thomas Wentworth Higginson
, Samuel Gridley Howe
, Theodore Parker
, Franklin Benjamin Sanborn
, Gerrit Smith
, and George Luther Stearns
. All Six had been involved in the abolitionist cause prior to their meeting John Brown, and had gradually become convinced that slavery would not die a peaceful death.
Brown was planning to capture weapons from a federal armory
at Harpers Ferry
, Virginia
(now West Virginia
), and lead a slave rebellion
in the South
. However, while it is unclear whether these men knew of Brown's ultimate plan, the Six did not necessarily support the use of violence as a way to bring about the destruction of slavery. Many were ambivalent. Brown met with them several times over the course of 1858 and 1859 to discuss how he would attack the slave system.
In October 1859, Brown's plan failed. During and after his trial, the New York Times and the New York Herald
began to link the names of the Six with Brown's. On November 7, Smith had himself confined to an insane asylum, denying that he had been involved in supporting Brown. Howe, Sanborn and Stearns fled to Canada
temporarily to avoid arrest. Parker, dying of tuberculosis, remained in Europe
until his death in 1860. Higginson was the sole member to remain in America and to publicly proclaim his support for Brown. He even developed a plan to have Brown rescued from his jail cell, but Brown did not want any part of it.
In 1867, Gerrit Smith helped post bail to release the imprisoned former Confederate President, Jefferson Davis
.
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
, John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
. They were Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Thomas Wentworth Higginson was an American Unitarian minister, author, abolitionist, and soldier. He was active in the American Abolitionism movement during the 1840s and 1850s, identifying himself with disunion and militant abolitionism...
, Samuel Gridley Howe
Samuel Gridley Howe
Samuel Gridley Howe was a nineteenth century United States physician, abolitionist, and an advocate of education for the blind.-Early life and education:...
, Theodore Parker
Theodore Parker
Theodore Parker was an American Transcendentalist and reforming minister of the Unitarian church...
, Franklin Benjamin Sanborn
Franklin Benjamin Sanborn
Franklin Benjamin Sanborn was an American journalist, author, and reformer. Sanborn was a social scientist, and a memorialist of American transcendentalism who wrote early biographies of many of the movement's key figures...
, Gerrit Smith
Gerrit Smith
Gerrit Smith was a leading United States social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist...
, and George Luther Stearns
George Luther Stearns
George Luther Stearns was an American industrialist and merchant, as well as a noted recruiter of blacks for the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
. All Six had been involved in the abolitionist cause prior to their meeting John Brown, and had gradually become convinced that slavery would not die a peaceful death.
Brown was planning to capture weapons from a federal armory
Armory (military)
An armory or armoury is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
at Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
), and lead a slave rebellion
Slave rebellion
A slave rebellion is an armed uprising by slaves. Slave rebellions have occurred in nearly all societies that practice slavery, and are amongst the most feared events for slaveholders...
in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. However, while it is unclear whether these men knew of Brown's ultimate plan, the Six did not necessarily support the use of violence as a way to bring about the destruction of slavery. Many were ambivalent. Brown met with them several times over the course of 1858 and 1859 to discuss how he would attack the slave system.
In October 1859, Brown's plan failed. During and after his trial, the New York Times and the New York Herald
New York Herald
The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...
began to link the names of the Six with Brown's. On November 7, Smith had himself confined to an insane asylum, denying that he had been involved in supporting Brown. Howe, Sanborn and Stearns fled to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
temporarily to avoid arrest. Parker, dying of tuberculosis, remained in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
until his death in 1860. Higginson was the sole member to remain in America and to publicly proclaim his support for Brown. He even developed a plan to have Brown rescued from his jail cell, but Brown did not want any part of it.
In 1867, Gerrit Smith helped post bail to release the imprisoned former Confederate President, Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
.
Further reading
- The Secret Six: The True Tale of the Men Who Conspired With John Brown, by Edward RenehanEdward RenehanEdward John Renehan, Jr. is a publisher, consultant and writer, and onetime professional musician. He made headlines in 2008 when he was convicted of document theft.-Biography:...
. (1997) (ISBN 1-57003-181-9) - Ambivalent Conspirators: John Brown, the Secret Six, and a Theory of Slave Violence, by Jeffery Rossbach. (1982)
- The Significance of Being Frank, by Tom Foran Clark. http://www.bungalowshop.com/sanborn/index.html
- The Secret Six: John Brown and the Abolitionist Movement, by Otto J. Scott. (1979) (ISBN 0-8129-0777-9)