Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-09
WASHINGTON Cry. Nov. 2S, 1859.

AsHISGTOS CITY. Nov. -, 1879.
Sir: received, on yesterday your favor
of the 18th inst, stating that y"u have re
ceived information from various quarters,
on which you rely, that y conspiracy, oi
formidable extent III means and numbers.
is formed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York,
and other States to rescue John Brown and
his associates. prisoners at Charlestown,
Virginia" The information. you believe.
is specific enough to he reliable" and you
are convinced that an attempt will be made
to rescue the prisoners, and, II that fails,
then to seize citizens oi this State irginla
as hostages and victims iii case OF execution.
You do not communicate the facts on
which your convictions IRE founded, in the
absence Of which it would seem almost in
credible that any portion OF the people of the
States mentioned should be guilty OF the
atrocous wickedness, as we'll as folly, Of at
tempting to rescue convicted traitors and
murderers from the penalty due 20 their
crimes under the outraged laws OF Virginia.
You express entire confidence, in which |
heartily participate, that the noble Old Com
nlonweal,h is abundantly able and willing
to carry her own laws into execution Had
this been otherwise, aud had you as the gov
ernor Of Virginia. the legislature not now
being in SESSION. made application to me
for the aid which the Constitution and laws
Of the United States would enable me to If
ford, this should have been cheerfully and
cordially granted. Still, there is one inca
sure which, ON the presumption that your
information is we'll founded, it is both my
right and my duty to adopt-tllat is. to rein
force the guard already stationed at llarper'S
Ferry. This may become necessary, not
only to protect the public property clearly
within federal jurisdiction, but to prevent
tho insurgents from sezIng the arms III the
arsenal at that place and using ttom against
the troops Of Virginia Besides. it is possible
the additional troops may be required 10 act
as posse comitatus, on the requsition ut the
marshal Of the United States for the western
district Of Virginia 10 prevent the rescue OF
Stevens, now in his cu,tody, charged with
the crime Of high treason. have there
fore, as a precautionary measure, directed
the Secretary Of War to order two compa.
MES OF artillery to proceed immediately from
Fortress Monroe to iIarpers Ferry.
You also inform me that places in Mary
hind. OHIO and Penn-y lvania have been DC
cupied rs depots and rendezvous by these
desperad,ps, unobstructed ly guards or
otherwise, to invade Virginia, and you mp
prise me ot these facts III order that may
take steps to preserve peace between the
States" am at u loss IL d;>c"yer any Prov.
sion in the Constitution or laws vi the U nited
States which would authorize me to take
steps" f,r this purpose. Ii is doubtless. the
imperative duty OF the respective 81 to GOV.
ernments to break up such dcpots, und to pre-
vent their citizens from making ncurslon'
into Virginia to disturb it's pence or prevent
the execution Of its laws II The Executive,
however. were 20 enter those States and per.
form this duty for them, it would he inan.
ifest usurpation Of their rights. We're thus
to act, it would be pa pable INVASION oil
State sovereignty, and, rs a precedent, might
prove highly dangerous My authority Tor
calling cut the militia or employing the army
and navy, is derived exclusively from the acts
of Congress Of the 18th February, l'95, and
the sd March, 1907, which, clearly, d. not
embrace such case as is now presented
Ii will not be pretended that such lncursions
from one State into another would be an III
vasion Of the United States from any foreign
nation or Indian tribe, under the act OF Feb.
ruary, 1875, rendering ItiawuI Tor the Pres
ident 10 employ the federal forces 10 repei
such INVASION"
| In conclusion beg to express the hope
! that, whether the information you have re.
ceived be founded in truth or not. the ener-
getic measures already adopted under your
direction will prove sufficient for any emer,
gency that may occur. Yours, very respect
fully, JAMES BlthANAN.
] To his Excellency Henry A. WISE. tower
+ 4 R,,hmnp1 An