The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-11

of causing it to be put straight. both as regards
my children's situation, and the cotton specu-
lation of the humanitarians.
Letter to DR.. Hone, dated Washington, May
IA, 1858
This letter was prefaced with the follow
ing memorandum
Please show to Messrs. Sanborn, Lawrence &
Co. Copies will be sent to Gov. Chase, who
found money, and Gov. Fletcher, who contrib
uted arms, and to others interested, as quickly
as possible.
THAN KANSAS.
When John Brown applied to me last spring
in the name OF the committees and humanitafi-
ans, answered, as you are aware. that being
an anti-slavery man, | would not stir merely to
get kansas for free white people," and on his
assuring me that he himself and the leading
minds among his associates had views similar
to my own, | considered that the application
being put upon that basis, l ought to 90.
Brown could not then disclose those details.
We examined at Tabor the respective merits
of our plans.
THE THREE PLANS.
Forbes plan was to organize "stampedes,"
that is, the flight of parties of slaves, from
twenty to fifty-twice month, or twice
week, if need be-along the northern bor-
der. so as to make slave property untenable,
and irritate the prO-slaveryites into blum
ders.
Browns plan was to organize body of
twenty-five or fifty men, black and white,
we'll armed, and with spare arms for the
slaves whom they were to call to their assis-
lance, to seize on the Armory at Harper's
Ferry and destroy what they could not carry
off. The slave quarters at other points to
be beaten up for recruits, and the band to
retreat to the mountains, and hold out till
northern convention should be called to over
throw the Democratic Administration. He
had hope too of foreign Intervention
The well matured plan was mixture of
the two, such as Brown endeavored to &C.
complish, and involved in this speculation
in cotton, and in the rise of exchange on
England. Brown told Forbes that Amos
Lawrence had promised him seven thousand
dollars whenever actual hostilities should
be commenced, the New England humani-
tarians intending to reimburse themselves by
the rise in cotton, and the sale of exchange
on England.
FORBES WANTS TO BACK DOWN.
In this letter to DR.. Howe, Col. Forbes
expresses desire to back out of the plot,
especially as his plan failed to be adopted.
He further insisted that Brown should not
be allowed to 60 on:
For these and other reasons call on you and
| your associates to stop B., and to take from
him your arms, &c. I have a right to exact
this, and do exact it. To your assertion that
to stop B. would denounce and betray, l echo
| what the aboltiOnists here say, that IF YOU do
not by taking from him your arms, &C., stop
him, you betray them, for this concerns the
abolitionists, and they have right to be
heard.
Because the crude project which he
and his confederates have in their heads is not
likely to succeed, bnt is merely suited for
| grand speculation in the sudden rise of cotton
on the exchange.
Irepeat that B. l. Co., shall not speculate on
| the rise in cotton. Some may say, "Why not
let them make little money, it won't harm
the cause" / say it will, because prudence
may demand that the initiative be unexpected
| ly hurried forward; or it may be essential that
be defeated some weeks, or even months but
speculation necessitates that the panic seize
the market exactly on theA preconcerted day
therefore, to manufacture that fraudulent rise
the ultimate success of the humanitarian move
without scruple be sacrificed.
|
of DIS proposal did not strike me till in.
| quired, by conversation, how Lawrence & Co.,
could be so public spirited as to advance
$1,000, and $4,000 to affect tariff in which the
whole trade, and not that firm alone, was inter.
ested. The reply was, that to house having
| heavy speculati0ns, it was we'll worth $lO0,OCO
to get within certain time change of duties,
which would enable the spectators to realize
five or ten times that amount.
| AMOS LAWRENCE IN THE SPECULATION.
Then the whole cotton scheme reappeared
| before me, and the recollection that B. HAD
| TOLD ME THAT Mr.. AMOS LAWRENCE
| HAD PROMISED $1,000 WHENEVER AC-
TUAL POSSIBILITIES SHOULD BE CON-
| MENCED. brought to my mind other refec.
tions. THIS UBIQUITOUS SPECULATION
IN HUMAN BLOOD FOR THE MERE
GREEDINESS OF DOLLARS SHALL SOME.
HOW BE STOPPED--though you cOolly tell
me that if Istop it betray because will not let
certain persons betray. To the abOlitionists |
say--you must yourselves unite together and
stop it, and to the coIored people say--if you
rise at the call of New England humanitarians,
New England spec ulators, and the colored
people may very likely be re enslaved.
TRACTS FOR THE TROOPS.
You have as strange notion of what is gen.
tlemanly as you have of what is just. Last
autumn when l was asked to write strong
tracts addressed to the U. s. troops, pointed
against the u. S. government and the border
ruffians, l compiled with the request, and the
productions were pronounced to be admirably
adapted to the purpose. l was urged to con-
tinue them, and because they suited you and
yours nothing was limited as to their being I'm.
gentlemanly or that that which cometh out
of the mouth defleth the man, and him only.''
WARNING AGAINST BROWN.
AbolitiOnists must, however, in The interest
of the cause, understand that Brown and his
associate New England spectators cannot be
trusted to undertake any project, because they
have pet scheme of private gain to crafty.
For this reason it should also be understood
widely that the secret service fund which you
and yours collect professedly for the prosecu-
ton of the "well matured plan," is not for
that, but is for the creation of cotton panic
through the alarm at probable interruption
or a sensible dmnution of the supply, which
panic, beforehand known to you and yours as
a thing about to be, would at one sweep bring
from the exchanges stacks of dollars into the
Golfers of half dozen managers. at the eX-
pense of the abolition cause, the blood of the
slaves, and the liberty of free colored people.
The BENNETT divorce case, which agita-
tod Nou Hovon Como nonthc oinco % AGAIN