The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-11
Before touching these letters, let us see
who Col. Forbes is. The New York Times

Before touching these letters, let us see
who Col. Forbes is. The New York Times
says:
Col. Forbes is an Englishman, who came to
this country in ls49, soon after the break down
of the revolutions in Europe, in which he had
been somewhat involved. He had some mill
tary experience, having been connected, in a
subordinate position, with Garrbaldi in Rome.
The New York Evening Post says:
This Forbes, on his arrival from Italy a
needy adventurer, was employed by the Amer
can and Foreign Christian Union. He wrote
for them tracts against the Roman Catholics
and their Church, but was much dissatisfied
ton which, ont of pity, probably, they allowed
him.
Such is the introduction of Col. Forbes
to the United States. After his arrival
here we gather his history from various
sources. After graduating from the Chris
tan Union he was engaged to write for
New York weekly paper established by
foreigner and called the European, its pur-
pose being to discourage and prevent emf
grafton to this country. This object was
pursued by villifying our institutions, ex-
aggerating onr defects, and giving full de-
tails of all the crimes perpetrated in the
country. 1t was while engaged on this
paper that Brown, of Kansas, came to him
with letter of introduction from the Rev.
Joshua Leavitt, one of the editors of the
Independent, and proposed that be should
return with him to Kansas for the purpose
of aiding the Free State men in their war
fare. He went with him-joining the Mas
sachusetts emigrant party that went through
IOwa-and intending to reach Kansas in
time for "work." But before arriving,
Gov. Geary had arranged affairs so as to
prevent collision, and there was no more
work to be done in that quarter. Peace
soon after prevailed in Kansas, and the
men of war were all thrown upon their own
resources again. Col. Forbes appealed to
Brown for the payment he had promised
him, but Brown had nothing himself, and
had depended entirely upon anticipated
contributions from the East and North-to
which, however, the restoration of peace put
an end.
In this state of affairs, Brown turned his
attention to war Of invasion upon slavery
in Missouri, and headed the expedition for
running off number of negroes, with which
the public is already familiar. Forbes re-
turned to the East and went first to Wash
ington, where, driven almost to desperation
by the pecuniary restitution of his family,
he made the most earnest appeals to the
prominent Republicans for aid. Having no
further use for him at the time, he met with
poor success in his appeals to the " Friends
Of freedom" and becoming thoroughly dis
gusted with his late employers and unbur-
thened his mind in several letters ia DR.. S.
e. Howe, of Boston, prominent Republi-
can and Aboliti0nist, and F. B. Sanborn,
Secretary of the Massachusetts Emigrant
Aid Society. In these letters the develop.
ments are made, mixed up with vast
amount of bitter denunciation against the
humanitarians, as Col. Forbes contempt
uously calls the Republicans and Abolition.
lists. We make such extracts as possess
striking significance
Letter to DR.. HoUe, dated Washington,
April 10, 1859.
1t seems that Col. F. had induced Sena-
tor Sumner to write to DR.. Howe in bis
behalf, and the Senator received a reply
obtaining seven points. Forbes says:
SIR SENATOR Sumner has read to me your
answer to the letters he wrote to you in accord.
ance with his kind offer to get this matter "put
straight" Capt. B. came to
me with letter from Rev. Joshua Leavltt, of
the New York Independent.
FORBES APPEALS TO THE HUMANITARIANS TO
FULFILL THEIR PROMISES.
This extract is fair sdecimen of the
bulk of the letters
My family has been brutally treated, my
good faith has been taken base advantage of,
and demand redress. do not beg, nor will
l. You may suppose that cannot cope with
you, because you are many and l am alone
one. You are at home and am stranger;
you are rich and am poor. You do not take
in consideration that you are perpetrating an
atrocious wrong, while am struggling to save
my family. am the natural protector of my
children, and nothing but death shall prevent
my defending them against the barbarity of
the New England spectators. X
When demonstrate, the humanitarians reply,
ments with you;" while Brown says, "Be quiet;
don't weaken my hand;" and when refuse to
be quiet since my children are being killed by
slow torture through the culpability of the
humanitarians, ther B. denies his obligations to
me rather than dlsplease the men of money.
L TIC uuudultdlIduo anu SullCy vi
perfidy and brutality, to which may be added
stupidity.
THE NEW ENGLAND AB0LITIONISTs TO sPECU-
LATE IN THE RESURRECTION.
Speculation is perhaps hardly the proper
term by which to designate the proposal of
John Brown to raise sum by coming to an un
derstanding with some mercantile house (Which
has to make its own profits alsO) by speculat-
ng on the principal English and American ex-
changes for the rise in cotton which would as.
suredly result from the diminuton of the usual
supply through our projected movement. l
peremptoriy refused to acquiesce, and the SUBJ
ject was again mooted to me. But the discOv-
cry of the Boston $S7, 600 affair in wool reminds
me of John Browns cotton scheme, and induces
me TO guess that he is not the only New Eng
land humanitarian who entertains peculiar no.
tions Of speculation.
Indeed, greediness to turn instruction to
pecuniary profit may not unreasonably be re-
garded as the grand motive for that projected
movement south of Mason and DiXon's line,
which movement looked upon till lately as
purely philanthropic. Judging of the probable
march of future events by these past, say to
the colored people, as | and others have been
duped, so will be the slaves, and if they rise at
the call of New Enpland humanitarians they
will undoubtedly shed their blood Tor the sole
profit of New England spectators.
Letter to DIR. Hone, dated Washington, May
6, 1858.
INTERVIEW WITH SEWARD.