Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-10-28
CnNNINn.-r

send for publication, the tolowip,..,..
ments Of the Philadelphia Americas, .r...
recent affair AT Ilarpcr's Ferry, which d.,
friend from Philadelphia writes m,. m,rr
regarded As expressing much the >.u.,. ,,,..
ments on the matter, Is those held Ly,i,...
majority of the intelligent citizen. If ,t,.
place-and in Pennsylvania, out d, ..n..
abolition nciShborhoodS- for there ar. h..
ded abolition reighborlioods in the H..
Stone State, and some abolition!s.s # -,
worst stamp. The extract j. given n,r...
as an indication Of the feelings Of thy,evb.
are not run mad against slavery. +
a wilder, weaker, or more wicket ,.l.,..,
was hardly ever coniurei up by the c,r,cj
brain of man, and the only surprise /. 49,
a project so manifestiy ins,igatei Iva ,s. .,'
less and unbalanced mind, could baye t.p,i
even one morbid enthusiast. or tanati,-,, -
lower, TO have believed in il pu>>b,I;,y
much less its practicablity. NJ better sy,'
dence Of the mad deluSion OF ,hp>e Nh, >,
gagged in it could be furnished. than H. t,r,
that 50 small band should have combine,
together, and staked their lives upon ! m.
lure which. according u every human ,al,r.
iation afforded no chance Of escape n.
most desperate men really prize lite aS much
n the prudent. and count the peril> As carr.
fully. In this instance. they rushed In i,
death, seeking, as it were an imaginary
crown Of martyrdom. Is the only rewar! /,
their rash daring.
But. whether sane or crazel, the crime
against society and the laws is the same N
its pubic relation. The unfortunate mon
who undertook this crusade, aimed deadly
blow at both, and voluntarily assumed a posi.
ton which depri,es them Of sympathy, AMI
denies them liberation. 1t is not Tor u, +,
scrutinize the motives which may have insti.
gated an enterprise, already stained alike
with innocent and guilty blood II Brown.
the acknowledged leader, had giiciS to Re.
dress. and wrongs 10 rcNcngc in Kansas. and
against border ruifans. y, is admitted he
had it is not pretended h. had any proyuca-
ton from the peaceablc people Of IIarpers
Ferry. who were aroused from their mid.
night Sabbath sleep, 10 confront armed intru.
ders, and hurried of as prisoners, with threats
Of worse fate In this aspect Of the cave,
especially. the crime appears the more afro
cious, as being both wanton and unproyokcd.
We protest against every open or inslicus
attempt to make any purity responsible for
m outrage which the whole moral sentiment.
Of the country rebukes with unqualified and
unsparing condemnation. The miserable
suggestion that this nal adventure j. IL" re-
suit Of sectional antipathy, or the develop
ment Of any organized hostility Il the South.
is too base to demand retutation Any cher
crime might as properly be charged 10 the
same account. When, not very long ago, 4
cargo of Africans were imported into ,ieor
gia, after public warning had been given by
the chief capitalist of that enterprise, If ms
purpose to try the experiment, the South, A.
a section. was not held accountable for that
fragrant violation of law and moral duty
4 statute Of the United States stlgmatlIes
the traffic rs piracy, and arms the hands d
civilized men everywhere, with weapons d
summary justice against it, There arc tens
OF thousands Of men At the North, and We
believe AT the South, too, who conscicntIou>ir
regard the slave trade with Is much horror
rs the South does scryile instruction.
But they would have been grossly culpabIe
in holding whole section accountable for
the acts of venal gang OF spectators m
human flesh. So, on the other hand must
every attempt be regarded which proposes
to charge the North with the insane but
indefensible conduct of Brown and his fol
lowers.
The whole matter is about to be subjegt"i
to a judicial investigation, which il the only
proper recourse under our system Of govern.
lnent. All good men will unit" IN the de.
sire 10 see the laws indicated and offended
Justice satisfied In this connection. We
cannot but commend the dccoruu- spirit u
the charge delivered by Jud=" Parker, d the
Circuit Court Of Jefferson county, Va, %
the Grand Jury before which the complaint
against Brown will be preferred.