118 HRES 656 IH: Original Resolution Honoring John Brown
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-08-18
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Whereas this resolution may be cited as the Original Resolution Honoring John Brown
;Whereas the United States was established on the majestic inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence;Whereas these fundamental inalienable rights, despite being declared the moral compass of our Nation, were not initially applied to all of its inhabitants;Whereas this was especially evident in the early chapters of our history where slavery stood in stark contradiction to these noble ideals;Whereas, throughout history, countless courageous souls have endeavored to ensure these rights were honored for all people, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, or origins;Whereas, in the face of the contradictions of the early United States, many brave patriots of different hues took it upon themselves the task of shaping the Nation toward its founding ideals;Whereas Paul Revere was the Anglo patriot whose midnight ride in 1775 symbolized the quest for liberty as he informed fellow Americans of the impending battle for their rights;Whereas Crispus Attucks, a man of African and Native American descent, became a martyr in the fight for liberty, making the ultimate sacrifice as the first casualty of the American Revolution in the Boston Massacre of 1770, personifying the high cost of liberty;Whereas John Brown, a White patriot who epitomized the momentous fight for liberty, held an unwavering conviction in the absolute immorality of slavery and dedicated his life to abolishing this reprehensible crime against humanity in the United States;Whereas John Brown raised awareness about the inhumanity of slavery while galvanizing support for its abolition;Whereas John Brown’s liberation tactics, which included his participation in the violent conflict known as Bleeding Kansas
as well as his raid on Harpers Ferry in then-Virginia, influenced the course of the Nation’s history;Whereas the raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859, orchestrated by John Brown, was a watershed moment that sparked national debate on slavery and fast-tracked the Nation toward the Civil War and ultimately the Emancipation Proclamation;Whereas John Brown’s sacrifice in the face of oppressive powers was a demonstration of his profound belief in liberty;Whereas John Brown’s liberation tactics played a pivotal role in pushing our Nation toward the fulfillment of its founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;Whereas recognition of John Brown’s contribution to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness fosters a better understanding of the struggles faced in our journey toward the abolition of the horrific crime against humanity known as slavery;Whereas John Brown’s life and legacy evoke reflection on our Nation’s history and the high cost of liberty;Whereas, like Crispus Attucks, John Brown should be honored for sacrificing his life in the name of liberty; andWhereas, just as Paul Revere’s midnight ride was a harbinger of the battle between the colonies and Britain to come, John Brown’s raid on the Federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry to initiate a slave revolution was a harbinger of the war between slave and free States to come: Now, therefore, be it1.This resolution may be cited as the Original Resolution Honoring John Brown
.2.That the House of Representatives—(1)acknowledges and honors John Brown’s relentless endeavors in his pursuit of liberty for all human beings, his unyielding opposition to the institution of slavery, and his significant role in the abolition of this monstrous crime against humanity; and(2)encourages every American to reflect on our Nation’s diverse and complex history as we strive for a more perfect Union, one that is truly inclusive and upholds the majestic, inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.