The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-18
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER l8, 1859.

The news of Servile Instruction at Harpers
Ferry-of the seizure of the Arsenal and Govern
ment works at that place, and the detention of the
trains on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, by an
armed mob of whites and negroes-came upon this
community yesterday with the suddenness and un-
expectedness of clap of thunder from an uncloud-
ed sky. Probably nothing was farther from mems
thoughts at the time, than the occurrence of such
an instruction anywhere in this country-and far
thest of all was the possibility of such an event so
close to our own doors So secretly had the plans
of the insurgents been matured, that not sus-
pcion of their purposes would seem to have
crept abroad. Unless we except the anony-
nous letter said to have been received
by Secretary FLOYD, not a warning whisper
appears to have reached the of the
authorities, whose duty it was to foresee and
guard against such an outbreak. The Railroad
Company, which, through its numerous agents
and employees, one would imagine, would have
been in possession of the earliest and most anthem
tic information on the subject, was in profound
ignorance of the bold enterprise that was in con-
temptation, until the decisive blow was struck.
All this argues extensive preparation and thorough
organization on the part of the rebels, while the
selection of Harpers Ferry their point of attack
would seem to indicate an expectation of support
Situated between the two States of Maryland and
Virginia-n populous section of country, where
there are few slaves and still fewer abotionists,
and at point where a large body of troops may
be concentrated against them, within compare
lively short period of time-the rebels would
hardly have thrown themselves into such posi-
tion unless they had counted confidently upon their
ability to make good their stand, Or at all events,
their retreat. What the Interior object Of the
rising may be- we are little able to conjecture,
as we are to divine its immediate cause. In
the absence of all positive information on
the subject speculation naturally enough is rife as to
the origin of the revolt. The fact that the Rail-
road Company had recently discharged large
number of men, who were supposed to be still out
of work, and scattered along the line of the road
was thought by many to give color to the suppo-
sition that the Company the real object of at
tack Others attributed the whole affair to a strike
among the workmen employed in the Government
shops The latest and most authentic advices
however, seem to establish the fact that it is an in
surrecton of the blacks-instigated and planned
by Abolitionists from the North. At least thu
white men who are represented as the leaders o
the movement, and whose numbers are roughly es
timated to be in the neighborhood of two hundred
and fifty, are said to be strangers in the town o
Harper's Ferry, and to have brought their arm
and ammunition from distance. Whatever ma,
be the causes or character of the rising, however
the duty of the authorities is equally plain.
must be crushed, and that without delay-with a
little effusion of blood as possible-but still with
out any such exhibition of weakness, on the par
of the authorities, marked the course of th
Federal Executive in the pacifcation of Utah
In the case of an outrage so daring and treasona
~ bic as that of these insurgents, justice SHOULD
precede mercy, and the vindication of the laws b
complete before any act of clemency is though
of. The safety of the people demands it, and n
other guaranty of safety can bel given.