Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-11-11
Mr.. Beecher on the Harpcr's Ferry AZ
fair


attack on lIarper's Ferry, Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher preached an able and eloquent SER
mon. upon the ,ubpc. OF slavery, having
special reference to the recen, outbreak, and
the constant danger in which shareholders
lived. lie deprecated this rash attempt,
pointing out the true way % accomplish
the overthrow Of slavery. The sermon Is a
grand embodiment Of conservative Northern
sntiment In relation to the great evil. The
description Of the panic that these fourteen
white men and five slaves created, affords a
capital opportunity Tor tho play OF hls keen
satire which be has improved.
The sermon I. founded on jeremiah vi.
1919. After referring to the pertinencc Of
the text % the time he said
laval myself, this evening, after long
silence upon this subject, in your midst, Of
the state Of the public mind to utter some
word. Of instruction on tho present state
Of our land
The surprise Of the whole nation, at re-
cen, event. j. itself the best evidence Of the
isolation Of that event. \ burning rag
ment struck the earth near lIarpcr's Ferry.
II the fragment OF an exploding aer,llia had
fallen down out Of the air, while the mc.
teor swept on, it would not have been more
sudden, or le'. apparently connected either
with a cause or IA elect
Seventeen men, white men. without a
military b,s'. wlth,u, supplies, without ar
ullery. without, organization more than =
squ.i o! militia. attacked = State and un.
dertook to relras, and lead away an ensltv-
81 race They DO not APPEAR 10 have been
called by tho sufferers, nor been welcomed
by them. They volunteered grace, aui
sought 20 enforce i,,acccrtance. Seventeen
white men surrounded two thousand, and
held them In durCs. They blrsicaded
themselves. and waited until the troops Vt
two States. the employees Of great rail.
way. and a portion u the forces Of the Fed
enl Government could, travelling bri'kly
nigh, and day. reach them. Then at one
dash they were .nuilrd out!
do not wonder that virsinians feel a
greA, deal Of modification IL is quite
natural that every Effort should he made to
enlarge the proportions Of this e'cnPaic.
tia, they may hide their weakness anil IN
competency behind a 'martly uptown hor.
ror y, one doubts the bravery % Virgin.
ians. IL need. no pni'ins. But even
brave men have plni''. Courage Is some
time. caught unavares. Certainly its,rikc'
at distance, a. remarkable thing.
that prisoner. three 20 one more than their
cap,or.. md two thousand citizens should
have remained days and night under tho
fear and control u seventeen white men.
Northern cuur.se ha, been az discount IN
the South hitherto. |, ought hereafter 20
rise IN mluc-.is least in Virginia.
The diligence which j. now shown, on
the part Of many public presses, to innlms
the public mind, and infect It with fear, -
quite foolish. The iuroecuhtiOn will not
take. Tho North may not be courageous,
but certainly j, not lilly. There il an
element II the ludcrou. in ,l.. Transaction
which will ,Grctually stop all panic.
Seventeen men terrified two thousand
brave yir.ruIau. into two day. submission
that cauuo, be ct over Tie common
,en.c Of common people cannot tail % see
through all attempt. 10 hide a natural
shame by - Dangling make-bclie'e that the
danger Va. really greater than It was =
Tho danger va' nothing, and the fear very
great. aud courage none at all. And moth.
ing can now change the facts Al tie
newspaper, ON earth will not make this
case APPEAR any better. Do what you
rleasg muster crowd Of supposed con-
fed.ratc.. call the roll Of couspIratJrs, and
include the mobiles, men Of these States, and
exhibit thr. imaginary army before tho pe''
pie. aud In the end It will appear that sew
entscn white men, o,erAwed town OF two
thousand brave yirsinians, and held them
cnp,i,es until ,lcsu had gone, laughing,
twice around the globe
And the attcmp, to hide the fear Of these
surrounded men by awakening larger fear
will never do. II is,co literal a faldlmeut
no, exactly ofproPhc'y but Of iabie-no' Of
Isaiah, but .E.op.
\ f1H having been caught in trap, 81
capped with the los OF hi. tail. lIo imme'
dn,ely wen, to bus brother foxes to per.
.uade them that they would all look better
il they. too, would cut ~ their ciudhl ap-
peudage.. They declined. And our two
thousand trends, who Loot their courage in
the presence Of seventeen men, are now ma
king an appeal to this nation to lose its
courage, too. that that the coWardice tthe
lew may DO hidden in the cowardice OF the
whole community! Ii, impossible. We
choose TO wear our courage lOr some time
longer.
A. shall not recur 10 this epic in Vir'
ginia history again to night, | must say a
word in respect 70 the head and heart Of It.
For it all stood in the courage of one man
An old man. kind AZ heart, industrious,
peaceful. wen, forth, with large family Of
children. 10 seek a new home IN Kansas
That iufan, colony held thousands OF souls
n. noble as liberty over Inspired or religion
enriched. \ great scowling slave State. it,
,,..,.s, ,.i,hb,r sought 20 tread down this