Final answer:
Most white southerners saw John Brown as a dangerous fanatic, whose raid intensified the South's commitment to slavery and heightened the existing tensions between North and South leading up to the Civil War. The correct answer is option a).
Step-by-step explanation:
The majority of white southerners regarded John Brown as a demented old man who wanted them dead. In the aftermath of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, southern sentiment was one of intense anger and fear, as they saw Brown as a terrorist threatening their way of life and the institution of slavery. Southerners grew concerned about other potential uprisings and began to unite more firmly in support of slavery and against northern abolitionist efforts. They sought retribution against Brown, and after his trial and execution, they demanded investigations into the suspected financial backing he might have received from the North. Moreover, Brown's inability to garner slave support for his cause and the federal government's defense of slavery provided some solace to the unsettled South.