The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1859-12-24
Hon. Howell Cobb, of Georgia, Secretary
of the Treasury, on the Virginia Re-


We commend to the careful reading of
our patrons the following from the pen of
the Hon. Howell Cobb, of Georgia. Speak
ing of the Harper's Ferry outrage, he says:
"1'hat infamous outrage has produced
deep excitement in every section of the
Union, and it is very natural that it should
have done so. If the parties Immediately
engaged in it were alone responsible for their
alarm AID anxiety which have been every
wi ere manifested. Its importance, however,
is GREATS magnifed when we consider the
causes wl'ch have led to this bloody trage
dv. For years the public mind has been
kept in constant state of excitement on
the sayeeu question. Confined at first, to
weak .miahed and fanatical men, it was a
matter Of 'ittsa moinet, and only excited
attention, en- the reckless and ambitious
spirits 50 3. to appropriate to political and
party puaeos the passions and preludices
which f; 5nilanhropy and wild fanatacism
had en-. ,ta5el ed in the popular mind 1t
has been the constant aim and study Of that
class of oit3,ians to poison and intlame the
public y on this existing subject. The
people h., heen taught by these men to re
card the Institutions of fifteen Of the sover-
eion Sta IS Of the U,ion as moral and poll
tical stgmas upon the national character.
The laws which our Legislators have passed
to enfor' the recognized rights of the citi
zens hau' been held up to public execration
and the Constitution which our revolutionary
fathers equeathcd to us has been denounced
as covenant with hell and league with
the devil" When men of high political
position, senators and representatives in Con
gress, governors and judges, the recognized
leaders of a political organization which
struggle with some hope of success to OBJ
tain cor fol of our general government, and
which !as already possession of most of the
non-s'; -holding States of the Union, con.
tinue, ds,g by day, in season and out of sea
son, by fubic speeches and lectures, in the
halls of State and National Legislatures,
upon et cry forum, and through every chan
mel by vhich the public mind can be reach
ed, TO uenounce the institution Of sav ry
as it exists in our country, as curse and
violation of the laws of God and man, and
to hold up the people of the Southern States
as an immoral and degenerate race, unwor-
thy Of their social, political, and religious as
socations; when such men, possessed Of rank,
power aad Influence, have planted deep and
strong in the hearts of the people of the
North the conviction that between them
and thtir brethren of the South there exists
in fact 40 ''irrepressible conflict" which can
only terminate with the social and political
degred Non of the one or the other-wben
such il The state of things in the country,
it shol, not be a matter Of surprise that
there saond be found men like the actors in
the Iafters Ferry tragedy, who felt called
up~s. q I'VE practical effect to the doctrines
ano t4arIiings of those from whom they
hs . teived their lessons of moral and
pt its i instruction.
.iI not stop to discuss the question how
far thest political leaders, senators and rep
resen'iives, are identified directly with the
recent outbreak at Harper's Ferry. 1t is
enough to know that the prominent actors
in that bloody scene looked to them as their
friends and supporters. When money was
wanted the appeal was made to those men
to supply it. When their plans were dis
cussed, and complaints Of bad faith were
made, it was poured into the ears of sena-
tors and representatives who would now