Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-10-30
DOcuments Found Mt Browns House.

NEW York. October 27-The New York Herald
publishes a series of letters from Col Forbes, the
author of instruction books for guerrilla warfare
fnnrG at Browns house. to various Republicans,
principally 10 z. B. S9nbOrn, Secretary Of the Mas
sachusetts Emigrant Aid Society, and DR.. 3. u.
Howe Of Boston. One letter addressed to the lat
ter. dated May, 1855 is prefaced by the following
memorandum
Please show to SanbOrn, Lawrence Co. Cop
les arc TO be sent to Governor Chase, who found
money. and TO Governor Fletcher, who contributed
arms: to others interested as quickly as possible.
The letters give plans of Forbes aGd Brown Tor an
instruction.
and coored persons organized along the northern
slave frontiers of Virginia and Maryland especially
a series of stampedes of slaves, each one OF which
opcrations would carry of in night and at the
same place, twenty to fifty sayesy This was TO De
effected once or twice month, and eventually once
or twice week along uncontiguous posts OF the
line if possble without conflict only resortng TO
force If attacked Slave women accustomed TO heid
labor would be nearly as useful as men, Every
thing being in readiness 10 pass on the tugluyes
thew could be sent with such speed to Canada that
pursuit would be hopeless. In Canada prepare
lions were to b. made for instruction and employ
ment: any disaster which might betall stampede
would at the utmost compromise only those VINO
might be engaged in that single one we therefore
were not bound in good faith to the Ab0huonsts as
we did not ieopardZe that interest to consult more
than those engaged in the very project against the
chance of loss by occasional accidents, should be
WEIGHED the ADVANTAGES of a series OF successful
runs, the slave property would thus become untena
Die near the frontier: That frgntieP would De
pushed more and more southwark, and il might
reasonably be expected that the excitement and ir
ritation would impGl the prosaveryites to commit
some stupid blunder The Missouri frontier Being
SO far from the habitabe part OF Canada, and the
political parties, anti ard PFoslaYery being IN that
State Nissour) so nearly balanced, suggested pc
culiar action in that quarter, which would depend
in a great measure on affairs IN Kansas.
Brown had n different scheme. He proposed
with some twenty-five to fifty colOred and whites
mixed well armed, and bringing quanty OF spare
arms to beat up slave quarter IN Virginia. Io
this Forbes objected that no preparatory notice
having been given to the slaves. none could with
prudence be given. The invitation TO rise might
unless they we've already in state Of agitation meet
with no response, or feeble one. Ip this he re-
rIied that he was sure of a response. He oacula-
ted that he could get on the first night from 200 to
800 Half OF Whereabouts of this first lot he pro
poseJ to keep with him, mounting 100 or 90 of them
and make dash at Harpers Ferry mandatory,
destroying what he could not carry on The other
men not of his p0ri4, we're TO be subdiyided into
three or five distinct parties, each under two or
three of the original Band. and would beat up other
slave quarters, whence more would be sent to Jeln
him.
The burden of Forbes letters are grievous com
plants for not receiving the aid promised for his
port Of FORBES family In one letter be says: "6n
the list Of May 1853. had On interview With Sena-
tor William IL Seward of New York. went fully
into the whole matter in all its bearings. He ex-
pressed a regret that he had been told, and SAID
that he in his position ought not to have been in
formed of the circumstances. In part agree with
him and in part dIf0r / regret that the mlscon-
duct of the New Englanders should have forced me
10 address myself to him. but, being now enighten-
cd on the subect Zee esErot well let this business
continue in It's present cr6oked cvn4lieG A cotton
speculation devised by Brown, but objected to
bv Forbes. Brown told him that Amos Lawrence,
Of Boston had promised him 81 900 when hostilities
bad actually commenced All these letters were
y,-,.itt.p IN fS4a