During the Dorr trial the Democratic press condemned the proceedings and heralded Dorr as a martyr to the principles of the Declaration of Independence. During the Brown trial, however, the state's most powerful Democratic newspaper, the Providence Daily Post, stated that Brown was a murderer, a man of blood, and that he and his associates, with the assistance of Republicans and Abolitionists, had plotted not only the liberation of the slaves but also the overthrow of state and federal governments. The Providence Daily Journal answered the Daily Post by stating that the raid of John Brown was characteristic of Democratic acts of violence and that ``He was acting in direct opposition to the Republican Party, who proclaim as one of their cardinal principles that they do not interfere with slavery in the states.'' The two major newspapers in Providence continued, throughout the crisis, to accuse each other of misrepresenting the facts and attempting to falsify history.

While the Daily Post continued to accuse Republicans and the Daily Journal continued to accuse Democrats, the Woonsocket Patriot complained that the Virginia authorities showed indecent and cowardly haste to condemn Brown and his men. Editor Foss stated, ``Of their guilt there can be no doubt but they are entitled to sufficient time to prepare for trial, and a fair trial.'' The Providence Daily Post thought that there were probably good reasons for the haste in which the trial was being conducted and that the only thing gained by a delay would be calmer feelings. The Providence Daily Journal stated that although the guilt of Brown was evident, the South must guarantee him a fair trial to preserve domestic peace.