Brown admitted that he had a "design to free slaves," but, contrary to the court's decision, he argued that there was nothing wrong with this. He said that if he had intervened to preserve the lives of the wealthy or the powerful, instead of slaves, he would have been considered a hero rather than a criminal. But he ultimately praised the court and the trial, which he considered as fair under the circumstances. And he claimed that he was honored to have his blood "mingle" with that of slaves, expressing the hope that his actions would help bring about the end of slavery.