The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-22
No. 677.

occasions, and in every form, in combating evil
wherever it exists, forget that the right which
they claim for themselves exists equally in every
other person. All Governments, the best which
have been devised, encroach necessarily more OF
less on the individual rights of man, and to that
extent may be regarded as evils Shall we
| therefore destroy government, and in place OF
regulated and constitutional liberty inaugurate
a state of anarchy, in which every man shall be
permitted to follow the instincts of his own mas
sions or prejudices, and where there will be no
protection to the physically weak against the
cncroachments of the strong? Till we are pre-
pared 10 inaugurate such q state as this no ma n
can justify the deeds done at Harper's Ferry.
In regard to the misguided man who led the
! insurgents on that occasion, have no remarks
to make. He has already expiated upon the gal
lows the crime which he -coamitted against the
laws OF his country and to answer for his errors
or bis virtues, whatever they may have been he
has gone fearlessy and willingly before that
Judge who cannot err there let us leave him.
The amendment which | propose to offer to
the resolution which is pending, and in which
trust, may have the support of every Senator,
provides for the investigation of like transac-
ton which occurred in the State of Missouri.
will briefly state what that transaction was, as
| it may not be fresh in the recollection of Sena-
| tors.
The Government of the United States had an
arsenal at the town of Liberty, in the State OF
Missouri, of which Captain Leonard bad charge
In December, lS55-and the facts which I state
appear upon the official records of the country
Captaia Leonard testifes that Judge Thomp-
son, III company with large number of others
appeared at the arsenal, overpowered him, con-
fined him, broke open the magazines, supplied
themselves with cannon, rifles, swords, and pis-
tolls with powder and ball, and took them away
from the arsenal. This was followed by the in
vasion of a peaceful Territory; not TWENTY-FIVE
| persons only, but more than a thousand men,
marched into the adjoining Territory armed with
weapons taken by violence from an arsenal of the
United States, under the charge of an officer OF
the United States with the avowed object OF
making that Territory slaveholding State. Ii
| appears that societies were formed-secret or
Notwithstanding from Missouri into vari-
Gus States, aud, among others, the State of Vir-
! GINA, whose object and design was by force to
introduce Slavery into Kansas and to carry out
this object, these men seized upon these arms
and munitions belonging to the Government OF
| the United States. Captain Leonard, in his
statement under OATH says:
The Judge and others mo there were troubles in
Kansas they wanted but would nothing wrong
with them told the Judge this aggressive the
part OF Missouri, and every community competent
take care oi its Affairs, and that the Mssourans ough;
not to interfere good deal more said OF both sides
and iet indignant at the aggression. The Judge himself
did Lot say uncyil word TO had not expected any
I td s b , i "o HiS' Sd" 'no 'uose' VI oouii
Inc mob Proceeded 10 take arms forcing the doors and
took three sx-pounders swords pistols rifles aud
ammunition powder balls Sc- as much as they wanted
the KEYS to get INTO the oyyjer magazne bch
brick ana had double doors Captain Price
ing man ' ere WA as uha , hr out was There
and am,auuton thew wanted and had zone away Jnd~,
Thompson being the last when let me 60 out, AM
'hen ne le In himself ns t, ,,,. ocou,,..,. a.,
turned TO the arsesai They were len was told at Col
Aliens place. threequarters of mile from the
Hal IN ,he mean ume' naa reported inc iacts 70 Col sum
men sent 70 me to know If wond receive the Arms and
told them l not in command, and referred them u
Spcnn beai anu he told them " bring them along they
was some artillery harness cannot secosct now mani
SETS There deficiencies in the number of rifles
swords and pistols and some harness returned but can
never been made n1s The eitizsns OF Missouri bn y
been instructed by Col Craig the head of the ordnance
paren' a. Washngsoh 70 purchase sanesen' Q, suen aru
deGcepcy and we did 40 bu, the swords pistols and RI
des, have been able make up do how
much has beea expended IN making up THIS deficiency I'm
Col Csy at Washnslon specfyUg the nnmbep anS aonp
of different articles taken In the course of tn,
winter he sent me orders to ship the public property
ME Of the amount to be taken 10 each nsce gbch d rs
soon as navigation opened House Report No 100 Thirty
fourth Congress, first session" pages llSo-Si.
1t seems that the arsenal at Liberty was bro
ken nm and what remained of tha r,ns uare
! 4,
shlppeu 10 othei hiiltary posts. NOW, sir, Ihert
! is very striking similarity between the break.
! ing into that arsenal and the attack upon the
% :. -, T, M E q, -
one Ut harper rerty. lne quesuoh vi slavery
had to do with both. The arsenal In Missouri
| WAS broken into for the nurnose of ohtanino
! -. - c.. cr1o - - 49, al, - e
aims W ioiou oia'eiy up"h hansaS! TUG al seui
at Harpers Ferry was taken possession OF for the
purpose of expellino Slavery from the State o.
v;;; III, ;,a.;eLI. "a :. .a a.
| 'Tgihh unJus1ihaoie, anu, III seems to
|
| Perhaps the latter would never have occurred il
|
inquiry nao oeeh ihaue, anu sne proper sUeps hao
been taken when the cry Tor succor came iron
| Eansae and ber c;t;zans uera ,nurderad bv IN,
| ,or,, ar,,s toLon Co., liz orao,.l - =, 90,
| '|i! ems ' o ti' '' Vi -. any
rate by persons In the same army with them
Then the com plaints that were made were treated
| "a tho 60 Shr;als of bIeed;ra Koroac - ona ,bo,
as ,ne hilehs Vi 1ieoIins ha".as, anu 'Aey
couIu not DE nearu' trust tney may ge'
| a better hearing now. Now, sir, when the
shrieks Of Virginia are heard, and the ears o.
Tue country are opened, trust those from Nan
| sas may get nearing also. am prepared 70
near both and nope that the investigation IL
regard 10 harpers ferry may De Impartial
tnorough, ana complete, ana let whoever Is I'M
piicatea In tne uniawiul transactions there DC
! heid Responsible; ana so, 100, IN regard 10 the
SEIZURE OF the arsenal IN the State OF Missouri
oher the ioiiowing amendment:
Alter the word invaded near the end Of the resolution
Apd h, said committee also noure into the facts attend
ing the nvason seizure and robbery, in December s55
Of the arsenal Of the United States at Liberty in the State
yS, & s1r and ghv ya , n.1n, anu h rep
ance TIC authorities Of the United states and followed By
an nvasn Of the Territory Of Kansas and the punder ant
noS so,es nv e b hus ~ any Ilen a
ammunition Of the Government, or others combined witt
the whether said seizure and robbery OF the arsenal were
ina ven Of ,es or 70 10 M
Union what the character and extent Of such orgazl
ton ami any Citizens Of the United states not pres
tribo,ons Of aompnjton or o,epse :! Sba
was the character and extent Of the military equipments
the hands or under the control Of said mob and how am