Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-11-10
Harper's Ferry Outbreak.

On the opposite page will be found letter
signed ''H Forbes" purportins &c give the origin
of the Harper's Ferry disturbance. MIR. Forbes
fell out with the s.humanitarians," ii seems from
letters found at the residence Of old Brown. In
one Of those letters he goes into the subject at
large, gives his own plan, Browns PLAZA, and
"mixed project" upon which they both agreed.
Before ANYTHING was done, Forbes fell out with
the whole concern, and engaged in something
else. We append the different projects, which,
togeth.r with what has been published, and For
bes' letter above alluded 10, covers the case:-
roRgEs. Project.
Mine was as follows: With carefully selected
coIored and white persons 10 organize along the
northern slave frontier Virginia and Maryland
especiallv) series of stampedes Oh slaves. each
one of which operations would carry oil in one
night, and from the same place, some twenty TO
fifty slaves; this to be effected once or twice
month. and eventually once or twice a week along
contiguous parts of the line; if possible with
out conflict, only resortng TO force If attacked
Slave women, accustomed TO field labor, would
be nearly as useful as men. Everything being IN
readiness 10 pass the fu-itires, they could be
sent with such speed TO Clnada that pursuit
would be hopeless. In Canada pre- partitions were
10 be made for their instruction and employment.
Any disaster which might befall STA impede
would at The utmost compromise those only who
might he engaged III that single onr; therefore we
Were not bound IN good faith TO the aboiItionsts
las dill not jeopardIZe tn 4 in,erest) TO consult
more than those engaged il: this very project
Against the chance of loss BY occasional accidents
should be weighed the advantages Of series OF
successful '.ruhs." Slave properly would thus
become untenable near the frontier; that Frontier
would be pushed more and mo e southwark, and
il might reasonably be expected that the excite
ment and irritation would lmpei the pro-slavery-
ties TO commit some stupid biunders. The MIS-
souri, frontier being so far from the habitable part
of Canada and the political parties (anti and
pro-slavery) being IN that State Missouri SO
nearly balanced, suggested peculiar action in
that quarter, which would depend IN great meas
lre on affairs in Kansas.
BROWNS PROJECT.
Brown had a different scheme. lie proposed.
with some twenty five TO fifty (colored and white
mixed well armed and bringing q quantity OF
spare arms, 10 beat UP a slave quarter in Virgin
Ia. To this | objected that, no preparatory notice
having been given 10 the slaves (no notice could,
with prudence. be gwen th6m,) the invitation TO
rise might, unless they were already in a state of
agitation, meet with 10 response, or feeqe one.
Ii this he replied that he was sure Of response.
lie CGiC nc COuiu gel on HTSl NlHul
from Two hundred 10 five hundred. Half, or
Whereabouts of this first lot, he proposed 10 Keep
with him, mounting one hundred or 50 of them,
and make dash at Harper's Ferry mandatory,
destroying nhat he could not carry off. The
other men not Of this party were TO be subdivided
into three, four five distinct parties, each under
Two three OF the original band, and woulu hea,
up other slavequarters, whence more men would
be sent 10 JOIN him.
He argues that were he pressed by United Stites
troops which after a,few days might concentrate;
he could easily maintain himself IN the Aleghan-
les. and that his New England partisans would IN
the meantime call Northern Con. ention 10 re-
store tranquility, and overthrow the pro-siaycry
administration This, commended, could at most
be mere local explosion. A slave instruction
being, from the very nature of things, deficient
in N n Of education and experience, would, ui,-
der such system as Brown proposed, be either
fash IN the pan, or would leap beyond his con-
troll or any control. become a scene OF mere an
archy, and assuredy be suppressed.
On the other hand, Brown considered foreign
Intervention as not impossible. As TO the dream
Of a Northern Convention, consider il as a total
fallacy. Browns New England friends would
not have fine courage to show themselves, SO long
as the issue was doubtful. See my letter 10 J..
d, dated I'D February.