Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-11-09
THE VIRGINIA 1NsuRREcrIoN.

Mr.. Griswold made the opening speech for the
defense. He claimed that Brown could not
be guilty of treason, as he had never sworn al
legiance toVirginia. Neither did the evidence
show that he had levied war against the State.
He admitted that the prisoner had come there
to run of slaves, and was amenable to the
laws of the State against such an act. As TO
conspiracy to incite inSurrectlon, there
was difference between running Oft slaves
and causing an uprising among them. He
was followed by Mr.. Hunter for the proSecu-
tiOn, who closed his argument, and Mr.. Chill
ton asked the Court to instruct the Jury, that
if they believed Brown was not citizen of
Virginia, they could not convict him on a
count of treason. The Court declined, and
Mr.. G. asked that the Jury should be instruct
! ed that they must be satisfied that the offense
was committed within Jefferson County. This
was granted After recess, the Jury came
in with verdict of guilty Of treason, advising
and conspirng with slaves and others to rebel,
and for murder in the first degree. Mr.. Chill
ton moved for an arrest of Judgment both on
account of errors in the indictment and err
rorS in the verdict. On Tuesday, the Jury in
! the case of Coppie was sworn, and testimony
! taken. Cook waived an examination before
| the Magistrates Court. On the I'd Brown was
| brought into Court, and the Court Overruling
the objections made, he was asked whether he
had anything TO say why sentence should not
| be pronounced, when he remarked:
81 have may il please the Court, "a few words
to say. In the first place, | deny everything
but what have all along admitted. The de-
| sign, on my part, was to free the slaves. l
intended certainly to have made clean thing
| OF that matter, as did last winter when
went into Missouri, and there took the slaves
without the swapping OF gun on either side.
| l moved them through the country ,and finally
left them in Canada. | designed to have done
the same thing again on larger scale. That
| was all l intended. never did intend to
commit murder or treason, or to destroy prop
! pcrty, Or to excite, or to incite the slaves to
! rebellion, and to make an insurrection.
have another objection, and that is, 1t is unjust
| | should suffer such penalty had interfered
in the Dlanner, and which | admit has been
| fairly proved, for | admire the trGthfuness
| and candor Of the greater portion Of the wit
neSseS who have testified in this case. Had
| so interfered in behalf of the rich, the pow
erful, the intelligent, the called great, or
in behalf of their friends, either father, moth
er, brother, sister, wife or children, any of
| that class, and sacrificed what | have IN this
| interference, il would have been all right.
| Every man in this court would have deemed
it an act worthy Of reward rather than punish
| ment- This court acknowledges, ,as suppose,
| the validity of the law of God. | see a book
kissed here which | suppose to be the Bible,
or least the New Testament, that teaches me
that all things whatsoever [ would that men
| should do to me l should do even so to them ;
it teaches me further to remember them that
are in bonds as bound with them. | endeavor-
ed to act up TO that instruction. | say am
| yet too young to understand that God is any
respector of persons. | believe that to have
! interfered as | have done, as | have always
| freely admitted l have done in behalf Of his
despised poor, was no wrong, but right. Now
if it is deemed necessary that | should mingle
my blood further with the blood of my chill
dren and with the blood of millions in this coun-
try, whose rights are disIegarded by wicked,
| cruel and unjust enactments / submit; SO let
| it be done. Let me say one word further; |
feel entirely satisfied with the treatment have
| received my trial. Considering all the
! circumstances, it has been more generous than
| | expected, but |. feel no consciousness of
guilt have stated from the first what was
my intention, and not. l never had any
design against the life of any person, nor any
disposition to commit treason or excite the
slaves to rebel, or make any general insurrec-
| tion l never encouraged any man to do So,
| but always discouraged any idea of that kind.
| Let me say, also, in regard to the statements
| made by some Of those connected with me;
hear it has been stated by some of them that
L have induced them to join me, but the con-
trary is true. don't say this TO injure them,
but regretting their weakness not one
Joined me but of his accord and the
greater part at their own expense; number
of them never saw, and never had word OF
conversation with till the day they came 10
me and that was for the purpose have stated.
| Now have done"
While Brown was speaking perfect quiet
prevailed. When he had finished, the Court
proceeded to pronounce the sentence, after a
few preliminary remarks. lie said no reason
able doubt could exist as to the prisoner S
guilt. He sentenced him to be hung, in pub
lie, on Friday the I'd of December. Brown
received the sentence with composure. The
only demonstration made was the clapping of
hands by one man in the crowd, who is not a
resident OF Jefferson Co. This was promptly
suppressed, and much regret was expressed
by citizens at its occurrence.
The verdict in COppee'S case is guilty on all
the counts of the indictment. Shields Green,
one of the negro prisoners, was put on trial
on the 4th. Copeland is next for trial, and on
Monday it is expected that the wounded man
Stevens will be brought up. 1t is almost GER
tain that Cook will plead guilty, first submit
ting written confession or statement of his
connection with Brown. His brother-in- law,
Gov. Willard, of Indiana, is still there.
The capture of the arsenal at Harper's Fer
ry was not unprecedented except in the folly
OF the enterprise. On the 4th Dec. 1858, Cap
tain LeOna.d, of the u. S. army, had charge
of the United States arsenal at Liberty, Mis-
souri,. Judge James V. Thompson, of that
State, asked the Captain for permission to see
the arsenal, and while there party of Nilsson
rians, numbering more than Browns tatterde-
maliOD force, surprised the place, took Capt.
L. prisoner, forced open the arsenal, took can
non, guns and powder, and then let Leonard
go. Those arms were used in the attack upon
and burning OF Lawrence, Kansas, by the claw
r and order' men. We have yet to hear that
either the State or Federal authority was ex-
erted to apprehend and punish the ruffians.
A SoUTHERN VIEW OF IT.-The Baltimore
-7merlcdn, after saying that ssit is difficult to
: decide whether the Uarpar,s Fen, o,,t =,