The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-11-10
OFFICE Press AND TRIBUNE,
Chicago, Norember 20, 1859


ments Of the New York Herald thereon, an at
tempt to imphcate you in common with Sena
tor Seward, Gov. Chase, Gov. Fletcher, ant
other wellknown Republicans, in the Harper
Ferry instruction, led by John Brown. w,
believe all covert charges and adroit innuendoe'
ofthat sort are unwarranted by the facts hence
we beg Of you, for publication, a statement o
your connection with and knowledge of the au
thor Of the letters to which we refer, and the
instruction now happily at an end.
Yours, very truly and respectfully,
EDIToRs Press AND TRIBUNE
Hon. JoAn''P. Hale.
Mr.. HALES REPLY.
RICHMOND House, CHICAGO,
October 80, 1859.
GENTLEMEN: Since received your note this
morning, have seen a number of the New
York Herald, to which you refer, and find in
an editorial article the following The main
thing proved by this correspondence is, that,
Tor the last year and half at least, the project
of the Harper's Ferry outbreak was well known
10 Seward, Sumner, Hale, and others, and that
they, in their intense selfshness, and TO forward
their political or commercial speculations, suf-
fered the project to ripen, and bear the disas-
trous fruit that it has borne They-not the
crazy fanatic, John Brown-are the real cul-
prits and it is they, not he, who, if Justice
we're fairly melted out, would have to grace the
gallows."
In the same paper find in large letters the
following Senators Seward, Sumner, Hale,
Wilson, Chase, and other Black Republicans,
implicated in old Browns plot"
And again, in the same paper, under the
head, Most Important Discoveries" in large
letters, the following, viz Further document
S-y testimony involving Seward, Sumner, Hale
Lawrence, Chase, Fletcher and other promi
nent Abolitionists correspondence between Col.
Forbes and his Abolitionist friends, his inter
view with Seward, Sumner, and Hale"
Again, in another article, in the same paper,
which appears TO be editorial, as | understand
It, appears the following, relating to Col
Forbes: again, he had interviews with Sum-
ner and Hale, also in Washington and, in fact.
II appears that all the leading Republicans and
Aboli6onists of the country were fully cog
infant Of the plans of Brown; and if they did
not fully identify themselves with him, they did
not denounce him to the authorities"
have not read the paper through, and do
not know but the same thing is reapted many
times more in the same paper, but | have
quoted enough to answer my purpose. The
foregoing extracts charge, in no equivocal Ian
guage, that Seward, Sumner, myself, and others,
knew all about Browns projected outbreak at
Harper's Ferry, encouraged it, are implicated
IN it that this is proved by documentary testi-
Inony, and that we deserve a felon's fate on the
gallows.
shall not undertake the task Of yindicating
either of the gentlemen named in connection
with myself from any Of the charges which may
be brought against them, collectively or indi-
Udually, by newspaper, or in any other mode,
but leave that to their own hands, not doubling
their entire ability to do it far more ably and
satisfactorily than | could. So far as relates 10
myself, can only reply by denying every word
and syllable, and pronouncing the whole, from
beginning TO end, in general and in detail, false,
and challenging the world for particle of test
imony, written or verbal, sustaining one of the
charges thus rccklessly brought against me.
or for a single circumstance calculated to
cast suspicion upon me in an unprejudiced
mind.
never had any knowledge or intimation
from any one that an instruction, or outbreak,
oE-StfT.hing Of the sort, was contemplated by
John Brown, or any one else, in Virginia or
elsewhere, nor had l the remotest suspicion of
the fact; and when the knowledge of the late &C.
curences in Virginia was first made public
through the newspapers of the land, am sure
thatto no human being were they more unexpect-
ed and surprising than they were to myself, or
heard by any one with more regret. ] do not
know how to make this denial more broadly
than l have; but when the aundiced eye of
some political opponent in the free States, who
IS now exuting and rejoicing over this sad his
tory, IN the hope that 1t may be made Of some
account politically, by which the Democratic
party may reap some benefit, and the RepubE
can party be injured, shall have pointed ont some
possible omission, behind which l nav be sup
posed to have sheltered myself l will be ready
70 meet that. But | will go further. and saw.
at If no oh Il.
asis charged, let it be laid before the Grand
Jury OF Maryland or Virginia, and let them
Ind bill against me for any violation of the
laws of either Of those States, and | pledOe
myself to go at any day into any State of the
Union, and meet the charge, in person, before
any judicial tribunal
But you ask me to state nv connection 81 with
and knowledge Of the author OF these letters
and the instruction, now happily at an end"
The latter part Of your inquiry have already
answered. In regard TO the other. viz: nv
knowledge OF and connection with Col. Forbes.
viii answer you TO the best Of my recollec.
ton. think the first time / saw Col. Forbes
TO know hiln, was several years since. when he
called on me at the ST. Nicholas Hotel in New
York, and asked me to attend meeting TO be
holden IN some public hall, to express approba-
ton OF the conduct of Capt Ingraham' of the
United States Navy, for his conduct in releas
lng hoszta from an Austrian vessel Of war.
Once after, he called on me in New York to
attend, and | think presided. at a meeting of n
portion of the foreign residents of New York
IN commemoratIOn Of some event In the history
OF liberty IN Europe, the precise nature of which
has now escaped me. Subsequently. he called
on me several times in New Y ork. and once or
more IN Washington.
The character Of that interview In Washing
ton is correctly stated by Col. Forbes when he
says that he in ormed me that all his expecta-
TONS OF pecuniary remuneration for going IN
Kansas had utterly failed, or nearly so :: that
IN consequence, his family were in a most suf
fer1ng and destitute condition, and he urged
me, Lot once only, but several times. to use nv
influence with my friends TO do something for
their aid. Indeed, such was their destitntion.
ns ne depicted 1t to me, that he was unwilling
70 leave Washington till / collected something
Tor him to remit TO them, and did collect from
several gentlemen, to whom stated his case. a
small sum, L do not remember how much.
which gave TO him. When | have stated the
above, l have stated briefly all | know of Col
Forbes, and all the communication, written or
verbal, that | ever received from him. excent
| should add, that at the time first became
acquainted with him he represented himself as
lntently watching the state of political affairs
IN Europe, and was living in almost daily ex.
pectation Of being recalled there by some revo,
luton IN which he was to act a part. To the
best of my recollection, as is stated in the same
number Of the Herald from which the extracts
have quoted are taken, 81 confined myself to
explaining the urgency of sending relief to my
family"
Col. Forbes, at that time, and on some prior
occasion, IN New York, think, represented to
me that he had abandoned very respectable
position which he had in New York, by which