, 1859-12-23
THE VIRGINIA lNSURRECTION.
3 he Editor Of The PUGET Sound Herald !:

10 Me EdttOF QJ Ao I.uyet oOdHd AeFuM
SrEILAcooM, W. T., Dec. Is, 1859.
Idesire to notice, through the columns Of your
Journal an editorial which have recently seen
in one Of the numbers Of the New York Times
on the subject Of the Harper Ferry outbreak.
This editorial has the merit Of offering quits as
much encouragement for another tOray as can be
found in the more outspOken Of the sect 1t
represents the South as being in panic, and
Virginia particularly as being "stricken down
with terror"
The editor Of the Times may possibly be ole
Of those who figure in sour best society" in the
city Of New York; and as il is said to be the rule
Of highest politeness to suppress the utterance Of
all vunJliUn, aud reduce everything to the calm
level OF propriety, he may have lost somewhat
the power Of discriminating the passions, and
nay thus conijund the strong language which
expresses q sense Of outrage with the excited
toass Of terror. II this be his mistake, We take
pleasure In correcting il; and though we Of the
South must confess to the bad manners Of being
slightly excited when some Of our citizens are shot
down without previous notice, and arms are Of
fered to our negroes, yet We do not believe that
any one has been ightened from his propriety."
The sensitiveness Of the South Is not due to
its assumed fact, "that they live in the midst Of
the most fearful perils which can haunt the So
eial life Of any community" that "Ihey are In
the power Of the slaves who surround them,
and that "they are in constant and abiding dread
Of conspiracy and insurrection among them"
Except very few old women and young chill
dren, who would not be able to sleep at all in the
free States IL they lived there, and knew their
criminal statistics, every one in the South is so
well assured Of immunity, that In country dis
tricts, scarcely house is locked, and not one IS
secure against the blows Of good axe; and
hardly one in our towns would be barred but for
the fact that the philanthropists who come among
Us usually combine with their benevolence some
aptitude for burglary. Strange as i may seem
70 the TINES, the South lies in state Of con-
scious security, which no other nation feels. II
the Tines cannot credit that he may be better
able to do so if he will turn to the page in some
Roman histOry-On the Caesars, we think-where
the slave, sent with drawn sword, TO execute
Marius, chained in q dungeon, Is repelled by his
aspect alone and retreats IN dismay from his pres
ence. II he Is still IncFedulous, we will recall to
his very short memory the recent fact that John
Brown got not one slave to join him. The OBJ
jections the South has to such attentions as that
illustrious prOto-martyr has paid US are, that It
costs the lives Of one or more Of our citizens
that we are ANXIOUS to protect, that It is an an
noyance 10 ITSELF and that il risks the destruc-
ton Of few negroes whom we cannot afford to
get rid Of in that way; for that sort Of "chatte"
is worth at the rate Of $1,000 for first rate field
hands.
As the Tines always appeals to our fears, we
presume Il usually addresses q class at home
Enthusiastically under the denomination Of such
. motive; and We are gTati6ed ct the inference,
since Il confirms slight impression Of our own
that the AbOlitionists, IS . class, are not born
insensible to fear" John Brown, indeed, seems
TO have been . perfectly courageous man, as a
bulldog or other vicious brute may be; but most
Of them viii, no doubt rejoice 70 hear from the
Times that Il Is safe and easy work TO strike of
the shackles from the slave. They viii only have
70 smuggle In q few more pixies and some Of
Shapes rifles give them 70 the negroes, and
then like Mexican officers retreat % safe place,
whilst the soldiers eight WeW "hn the flame
that Is already burning" and fly, panic-slricken
In I'll directions, leaving the aFea Of freedom 10
expand at iis leisure
But We must express our obligations 70 The
1ima for the "cOunsels Of common sense" Il
gives rs when L ventures 10 suggest that In no
othsr way can they possibly do 90 much toward
making this government formidable aud danger.
,ous e By their suggestionA" How kind and
eonsidsriisl An appeal like this could not lail
70 mako IN impression upon the South but for
enc thing-our blood is not cold enough 10 pEac-
tios On Il; Dor cen We understand what motives