The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-28
The Exposurc Of tho Nigwer WershiPpiag
Insurrccetonfs1s.

II the crafty sohemers wbs encouraged old
Ossawatomle Brown to carry out his insane
project of Selling on the Harper's Ferry armo-
nv, distributing arms to the slaves, melting
them to insurrection and revolutionizing the
government, had Rugged themselves into the
delusion that they had covered up their tracks
and were safe from the chances Of exposure.
the correspondence which We have published
within the hast few days must have dispelled
that Illusion. They are, one and all of them,
known now to the government and to the coun-
try as sneaking conspirators, who, with guilty
knowledge Of the plans Of the crazy old ia
natic whose earthly career is fast drawing to q
close, managed to keep themselves perhaps
clear of direct responsibility to the law, but at
the same time gave to Brown countenance, en-
coursgenent and support.
Can any one have read the documents which
we have printed, as traced to the possession Of
the chief actors in the Harper's Ferry drama,
and have failed to have it brought home to his
mind with inevitable precision that the whole
plot was fully known for the last year and q
half to Seward, Sumner, Hale, Chase, Fletcher,
Giddings, Ssnborn, Howe, and the lead
ing abolitionists aud black republicans on
both sides of the Atlantiog 1t is impos-
sible to resist the conviction that
they all knew and approved Of it.
That they knew is clearly proven by the COR
respondence of Brown himself, and of Forbes
the British abolitionist whom they employed to
train Browns men in guerilla tactics. That they
approved is not only shown afirmatively by the
fact of their supplying Brown with money and
arms but is as clearly shown, Indirectly, by
the fact of their not denouncing him. Here
were Senators Of the United States, members of
Congress, Governors of States, merchants aud
prominent men in New York, New England
and the West, who kept in their own guilty
breasts secret which might have involved,
and which actually seemed to involve, the very
existence of the government whereas, word
from them would have stopped the conspiracy
in its very inception. They are morally, if not
legally, as guilty in the eyes of the country
and Of the world as are the unfortunate men
now on trial for their lives at Charlestown
Apropos of Colonel Dugald Dalgetty Forbes
and his correspondence with the conspirators-
some of which we published yesterday-we
have received the following letter from that
gentleman
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
NKw York, Oct. q, 1859
sn-l cannot complain at your publishing all you can
find that you consider TO be nteresnghat Is your pro-
feesion and your duty to the public did intend, and
may yet publish something myself and regret to find
in portion Of my c0rrespondence-for is but portion
that you have already publshedceain names and cir
cumstances which would have withheld must there.
FORE beg Of TO publish that when Captain Brown pro-
cured an introduction to me from Mr.. Leav that gentle
man was wholly ignorant OF his having any projects fur
Their than Kansas. Moreover the letter which
from New York TO Senator Sumner in December 1857
solely alusion to the brutal treatment Of my family
by the humanitarians and the communication which Mr.
s read to me from Dr. Howe-responded to in my first
letter to him. dated April 49, lS5S-relaed to the same
subject and was his answer TO my memorial to the Lon
don Anti Slavery Society," sent in January, 1859 As 70
Senator Hale he knew nothing Of Browns projects from
me-nohing Mr.. Hale merely spoken TO respecting
the treatment Of my family, and he Dr. Bailey and gem
eman south Of Mason and Dxons line the only per-
sons who seemed to take any interest in that matter
When penned to Dr. Howe the letter Of May 8, 1885,
little expected TO see in newspaper and when trans
mted to Captain Brown copies Of all my correspondence
with his friends never dreamed that the most terrible
engine AZ destruction which he would carry with him In
his campaign would be capet bag loaded with 400 letters
be turned against his friends Of whom the journals
sert that forty already compromised. His
John, receipt Of couple OF copies, informed that
they together with the rest would be carefully preserved
till should be suitable TO make use of themaganst
myself. OF course, clearly understood No copies
by sent to but those directly concerned aud
would have been wrong in me not 70 have informed
him and them fully on all points. Respectfully yours,
H. FORBES
In what we published of this correspondence
we were notl likely to be much influenced by
what Colonel Forbes might or might not wish
to have suppressed. That was our business,
and ours only. The correspondence speaks
for itself; and as to how it came into our hands,
that is also our own business. There are other
portions of it which we have not yet received
butwhich we hope soon to be able to publish
including letters from Mr.. Forbes abolition
friends in reply to his communications. In the
meantime, just to keep up the interest in the
matter, we publish to-day report purportinl
to have been made by Mr.. Forbes to the British
Anti-Slavery Society, giving resume of Anne
rican politics, in which the niger drivers 0
the South and the negro worshippers of tn
North are sketched with afree pencil.
We have ascertained one curious fact in thi
Harper's Ferry matter which must not be over
looked, and that is that the outbreak was ex
pected to have taken place several months ago
and that, in that expectation, VIM II. Sewart
went to Europe, and Horace Greeley intende,
to have done 80, but afterwards changed hi
destination to the Pacific coast. After Brow
and his unfortunate comrades shall have beer
disposed Of, the turn Of Seward and the othe
republican Senator'S and members Of Congress
will come. fthey be not impeached and con
demned, then neither should hair Of Johr
Browns head suffer, for he is really less guilty
than they,
THUR0w WEEDS ONsLAUGHrs UpoN tn,
DEMocRAcY.-The Albany Euening Journal con
tains another savage onslaught upon the lead
ers Of the democracy in this city. In tn,
nniniou of the Zoarennl the darnncranu af Ill