Question

Read this excerpt containing a quote from John Brown and answer the question. You remember his words: "If I had interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or any of their friends, parents, wives or children, it would all have been right. But I believe that to have interfered as I have done, for the despised poor, was not wrong, but right."
Why did Emerson most likely include the quotation from John Brown in his speech?
A. to support the righteous notion that John Brown was condemned because he chose to risk being vilified for defending impoverished, helpless people rather than protecting the wealthy and politically well-connected
B. to establish that John Brown would have received a lighter sentence had he acted to defend the influential people of the country rather than choosing to defend those that others had determined unimportant
C. to suggest that John Brown believed that people holding a public office only cared about influential people, and since he tried to fight for the rights of people of no social position, his actions would inevitably be punished
D. to contradict others' responses to John Brown, especially those who felt that the legal judgment for his actions depended on those groups of people he helped; since he only assisted people who had no voice in politics, his actions were condemned

Answer 1

Answer is C. 

Emerson used this John Brown's quote to let his audience know that the intention of the abolitionists was to provide support to those who were most in need of it, those who are ignored by others. He is condemning the 'politically correct' paths that most people follow. Those who assist the closer ones instead of the impoverished. Emerson states that assisting the ones in need is the correct thing to do, regardless of what the favored ones might think about it.