The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-12-24

ton of yOur executive influence i'll behalf
of these poor, miserably misguided men.
Whatever may have been the impulses
that moved them to this desperate act of
self-destruction, it must be remembered
that they are one, in identity of interest.
and of national prescription
with the men whose liberty they sought to
secure.
Dir, when you remember that for two
ssof the counts charged againt them, in the
indictment of the Grand Jury, it is impos-
sslble, after critical examination of law, to
sconviet them, solely on the ground of their
having no part or lot in the common bles.
] sings of this confederacy, save by suffer.
sance, not by right.
When you remember, sir, that these
men were driven to desperation by pro-
sscriptive laws, which your own manhood
would never tolerate or submit to, if an
splied to your own race, and that even your
] own acts, speeches and example have
taught them these sacred lessons-lore
atiberty, hate StoUery.
When you remember, sir, that all these
things may have operated upon their
minds as an incentive, driving them into
1.-THE ranks of Capt. Brown, do they not pre-.
sent strong arguments in the extenuation
sof their guilt, and may they not justly
sclaim the interposition of Executive Gle
mency in their behalfl
We have heard, that you, at one time,
sthought it reasonable to commute the SEN
stence of one of the culprits (Coppic)
Whatever may have led you to such
conclusion, or caused your radical and de-
scisive change of determination on this SUBJ
! iect, we indulge the hopest that Heaven, and
Ia clear consciousness of right may dictate
Ito you more potent claims than we are able
Ito offer, in favor of communication OF the
sentence of these poor men.
sMBut, sir, we request again THAT IN the
event of their being hanged and paying
! the forfeiture of their lives for Virginias
violated law that you grant to us, their
friends and brethren, the privilege OF pay
ling the last sad tribute of respect to the
memory of men, who have recklessly torn
] themselves from home and friends, to die
/ friendless amid the reproach even Of an en-
ahghted Christian community.
Humbly and hopefully awaiting your
sreply, we subscribe ourselves, severaily,
4 your obedient, humble servants,
A. NJ GREEN,
j. p. CAMPBELL,
JEREMIAH ASHER.
Hon. I'll. A Wise, Richmond, Va.
Mr.. Parker T. Smith offered the follow
ling resolution:
Rssolpsd, That the letter which appeared in the
s''Ledger" Of this morning. requesting of Gov.
Wise the bodies of Copeland and Green, does not
meet the appreciation Of the colorsd citizens Of
Philadelphia.
The letter was reprobated in the strong
est terms by Messrs. Parker t. Smith,
Robert NJ Turner, John W. Simpson
and Jacob G. White, ST., and defended by
the committee alone. The language in
/ the petition which CRATES so harshly upon
!. the ear are the words " misguided men who
/ fell at Harper's Ferry" Why this cring-
/ ing to man who robs cradles of its in
mates and holds aged men in unrequited
! toll 7 | would not cater to the prejudices
of man-stealer for the purpose of having
/ a favor granted, and the man who does has
! my disapprobation. After much discussion
an Intellectual motion was made to indeti-
nitely postpone the matter, in order to
! hear the report of the committee, but the
debate was opened anew and continued for
some time, when another motion to post
/ pone was carried
The committees report was then read,
1 and adopted by unanimous reclamation, ex-
scept the resolution to discharge them,
which was lost, in view of the pending re-
solution of disapprobation. The following
lis the committees report:
Whsreas, We behold in the late transaction at
Harper. Ferry, and the noble and heroic sondue
sof Captain John Brown, Oliver and Watson
Brown, his sons, Aaron B. Stephens John E.
lCook, Edward Coppic, Shields Green and John
SCopeland and their associates in this grand
tragedy, the most noble development Of pure de-
avotion to the cause of human liberty and equal
rights; and
Whereas, 1t is our sincere opinion that the
cause of freedom human elevation, and pure and
undefled religion, il advanced by every such de-
monstraton in any part of the world, and in behalf
] Of any portion of oppressed humanity therefore
q Rescued That we hold ever in memory and by
proper demonstration the return Of the several
4davs on which the blow truck at Harpsrs
Ferry, and those man wsre sacrificed on the altar
of freedom for their love and devotion to the cause
I of religion and truth in this country viz; Oct.
10th; Dec 3D. and Dec 10th, and that those days
or such Of them shall be determined upon, be
celebrated as the anniversary of new era Of the
slavery movement and the trus birth Of the IT.
8repressible conflict that shall be rocked In the
acradIe Of American politics North and South, IN
1 till every vestige of this hydra-headed monster
shall be expunged from our sscutchson and the be-
Z loved soil that gave it birth
q RESOLVED, That we experience much inson-
Hvenience from the fact that most Of our church
. literature is made by men who sympathzs with
1.-THE aystern of slayerv we recommend the aQop-