The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-24
Trial of tho Harper's Ferry conspir.tors,


Trial OF tho Harpcr's Ferry Conspirstors.
No criminal trial has taken place in this
country within the last half century that ap-
preached in point Of national Importance the
cause which is to be heard and adjudicated in
few days in tho Circuit Court Of Virginia.
The trial of Aaron Burr, Gfty-two years ago, for
treason against the republic, did not excite
more intense feeling than will be called into
action by the trial of Ossawattomie Brown and
be called upon, as he probably will be, to sur.
render to the State Of Virginia the bodies Of
Gerrit Smith, Fred. Douglass and others, who
may prove to have been accomplices of Brown
in his crimes Of murder and instruction, the
excitement already existing will be intensified
to the highest degree. If the demand be made
and refused, then the bonds of the confederacy
will be in danger Of speedy and violent disrup-
ton; but if the demand be acceded TO-, then we
may look out for most terrible demonstrations
on the part of the Northern fanatics who up
hold the abomnable doctrine of the irrepressi-
BILE conflict.
In either and in all events, however, the pub
excitement during the continuance of the
criminal proceedings instituted against the
Harper's Ferry abolition insurrectionists.
Burr's case had nothing to do with the sia-
very question, and was therefore of minor in
terest as compared with the case Of Brown,
who has not only incurred the penalties Of
treason and of murder, but has aimed at arm
ing the Southern slaves and melting them to
slaughter the whites. With one half the Union
the question involved is of life and death; with
the entire republic it is question of national
existence Therefore it is that we regard tho
impending trial as tho most tremendously i'm
portant and most deeply exciting that has, per-
haps, ever occurred in our history
Tomorrow the trial Of John Brown, Aaron
G. Stephens and Edwin Coppie (white men),
and Shields, Green and John COPELAND (colored),
commences at Charlestown, the county seat Of
Jefferson county, in Virginia, distant about
eight miles from Harper's Ferry. The charge
against them is for felonious conspiracy to make
IN abolition insurrcction and open war against
The commonwealth of Virginia, for making open
war, for numbering divers citizens, and for in
citing slaves to rebel and make insurrection
The practice in that State differs from the prae-
tice here in this point, that in advance Of .
final trial before a court and jury, there Is d
preliminary trial and examination before
Court Of Justices, where the accused may
examine witnesses and 60 fully into his defence.
OF course he may also decline to 60 into his
defence before this court
The trial tomorrow Is to be before such q
Court of Justices. Brown and his associates
may, and probably will, go fully into their de-
fence before this court, and all the ramifca-
tions of this vast conspiracy, which extended
ern States, will be exposed The final trial,
before jury, will follow immediately, as 1t is
probable that indictments will be presented to-
day or tomorrow. In view of the immense
Importance of these proceedings to the coun-
try and to the world, the HERALD purposes to
have them fully reported and transmitted by
telegraph, as was done in the Sickles CASE II
any of our contemporaries choose to participate
in the enterprise and its expense, they may do
so; but whether they do Tor do not, the readers
Of the HERALD will suffer no disappointment in
the matter.
Years Record or Shipping Disasters
ON tho British Coast.
We have received the Life Boat, journal of tho
National Iifo Boat Association English publication
for the present month"; containing complete wreck chart
Of the British coast, which shows the locality Of
the strandng laundering dismasting and collision Of
steamers and sailing vessels during the year on the
shores Of the British scs also the precise location Of
the life boats From the wreck register for the year 1855