The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-27

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Moro Disclosures from Harper's Ferry
Two Years Secret History OF Abolition.
Ism.
The conspiracy correspondence which we
published the other day exclusively in the
HERALD was suggestive of the extensive rami-
fcations Of the plot, and conclusive as to the
completely therein of such abolitionists and
black republicans as Joshua r. Giddings, of
Ohio; Gerrit Smith, of Peterboro; F. B. SAN
born, of Concord, Mass and DR.. Howe, of Bos-
ton. But the disclosures that are made in the
documents which we print to day involve much
higher game-referring as they do to Seward,
Sumner, Hale, Chase, Fletcher, Greeley, Law
renee and many other leading republicans
There Is q curioua h;atnry eonu-cte0 with
this correspondence, and suggestive of the
truth of the old maxim about the effect of
thieves falling out. A certain Hugh Forbes
Familiarity known as Colonel Forbes-an old
comrade of Garibaldi's in lS4S, and since then
a refugee in this country, seems to have been
hired, on the Dugald Dalgetty principle, to 20
to Kansas couple Of years since, to cooperate
with Ossawatomie Brown and to impart to his
raw levies little instruction in the art of war.
Forbes and Brown pulled together well enough
for some months, until there came to be mis-
understanding in regard to the pay and pro-
vender. Forbes appealed from Brown to the
general abolition commissariat In this region,
but found that he was doomed to be cheated all
round. Greeley fell back on the strict letter
of the law, and pleaded that he was not bound
by Forbes contract with Brown. Sanborn,
who was the Secretary Of the Massachusetts,
Emigration Aid Society, and Howe, a well
known aboliionist Of Boston, kept paltering
with Forbes until, in the words of one of his
own letters, his family's credit was stopped at
the French or Italian restaurant where they
used to get their meals. Forbes became indip-
nant against Brown and the humanitarians, az
he styles them, and denounced them all in
pretty round terms. But still the troubles of
bis family did not wean him altogether from
the work to which he had lent his hand On
the contrary, he devised plan which
he submitted to his abolitionist friends
North, to perform efectually the "Kansas
work" that Gerrit Smith speaks Of in his
letters.
Forbes planw simply an organized system
Of stampeding slaves along the border States,
and thus gradually driving the institution
farther South. Browns project was declared
SO long ago as May, 1858-to be Mentically
that which has had such miserable failure at
Harper's Ferry. Forbes was too experienced
stager not to see the inevitable result of such
ridiculous project, and much of his CORES
pondence that has fallen into our hands Is
taken up with foundations of Browns crazy
idea, and Of appeals to the leading republicans
to stop Brown or to denounce him.
1t appears beyond all peradventure, by this
correspondence, that among the persons to
whom he denounced the Harpers Ferry pro-
ject, year and half ago, was Senator VIM
H. Seward. He had an interview with that
Senator in Washington city, in May, 1858; and
as appears by one of his letters, he went fully
into the whole matter. Again, he had inter-
views with Sumner and Hale, also in Washing
ton; and, In fact 1t appears that all the leading
republicans and abolitionists of the country
were fully cognizant of the plans of Brown,
and, if they did not actually identify themselves
with him, they did not denounce him to the au-
thorities. On the contrary, they kept him fur
nished with money and arms, and carried on
correspondence with him.
Forbes letters show another thing Thev
show that 1t was not alone feeling of philan-
thropy, nor even political motive. that led
these New England and New York abolitionists
to encourage old Brown Of Ossawatome
Something more than all that was at the hot
tom of the movement. And what? Specula.
ton in the rise of cotton had more to do with
the Harper's Ferry outbreak than all other
causes combined. The correspondence places
that beyond a doubt. Old Brown told
Forbes that member Of the house of
Lawrence, Stone g. Company celebrated
for the $4,000 free-wool movement in Con-
gress, few years ago. had promised him $4,000
if he succeeded in his Harper's Ferry dash.
But Forbes, like blunt soldier who had gone
INTO the thing as a military speculation solely,
could not understand making commercial
speculation out Of it; and SO be denounced the