Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-11-24
Brown or Harper's Ferry. Yours re-
spectfully, A TRAVELLER
To Hon. Gov. II. A.. Wise.

Drown OF harper refIy. lOuIS z
specifully, A TRAVELLER.
To Hon. Gov. II. A.. Wise.
Upon receiving the absve lette
and examining the contents Of ii
others, Gov. Wise deemed .hem
Sufficient Importance to send to Go
Harris, which was done in the follow
ing letter:
LETTER FROM THE AID-DE-cAMP OF
Z GOV. WISE.
Executive DEPARTMENT,
Richmond, Oct. 25, 1859. !
To his EreeAsncy, the Gov. Of Tenn
SIR:-I am instructed by the Gov
ernor of this Commonwealth to en-
close to you copies OF letters ant
papers received by him irom an anon
ymous writer. who signs himself "A
Traveller. y Although they reached
him from an irresponsible source, b.
feels it to be bis duty to inform you
of their contents that you may Judge
for yourself of their importance in
in the present excited state Of the
public mind. Very Respectfully,
VIM. MUNFORD,
Abide Camp and Military Secretary.
Gov. Harris Carefully examined
the documents thus received, and
very properly considered that il the
grave charges which Thatcher's let
ter conveyed against Palmer were
true, or had a semblance Of truth,
the residence of such a black-heart.
ed miscreant in the midst Of an un.
suspecting community should be
known aud the conspirator brought
to justice. To that end, the Govern.
or dispatched to this city the Hon.
John c. Burcb, a gentleman Of strict
integrity and sagacity, but who was
not generally known in our city
here, in a quiet way, inqui-
Iies for DR.. w. Russell Palmer we're
and that individual dis.
covered at the Bedford House
Special officer w. P. Meacham, Of
Nashville, who accompanied Col.
3urch. waited upon the Doctor and
desired to see him on private busi- |
less.
DR.. P took him to bis room, when
Ieacham stated that be was from
indiana, and a member Of the new
Provisional Government, and had
one to confer with him as to the
curse to be pursued since the Har.
er's Feny mishap; that he Or. P)
ad been represented to him as a
riend of the cause, etc. The Dr.. re- /
lied that be was himself a Yankee,
nd thought the Harper's Ferry in
direction would prove unlavorable
D the cause Of abolitiouism, as it
ould induce shareholders at the
'outh to watch their negroes more
losely, aad be more on their guard;
bat he was no abolitionIst himself,
nd did not sympathize with the re.
ent outbreak, Meacham then told
i'm it was not their objret to she'd
lood, but simply to arm the slaves
nd march them out Of the country,
nd that he intended to do SO as long
s life lasted; be also stated to P.
hat if he vas not a friend of the
ause, he had placed himself in his
PSI power, and it would be death for
is character to be known in Mem
bis. Palmer replied that witness
eedn't fear; that be had made no
disclosures; that be had always been
friend to Northern men. and If he
Meacham got into difficulty on
ccoupt of being a Northern man, he
hould receive all the assistance in
is power. Next day Meacham met
Dr.. P. in the bar room of the same
ouse, and recommended converse.
ion on the same subject. The Doc
or informed .bim that be could have
o further communication in regard
0 the matter; that he had better
o back home and 60 at something
lse. =.
These interviews did not elicit
nything, to be sure, but it is more
han probable that Palmer, who is
aid to be, in Thatchers letter,
cen, shrewd man, was not to be
aught so easily, especially when
'rown was in limbo and very likely
0 swing for his pains. However, the
.ct that he did not, while protesting
0 be southern man, at once de-
ounce one who had confessed to
aving been a party 10 the late trea-
enable and murderous affair in Vir-
,inia, bore hard agaipst him; as did