Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-12-09


holders and to levy upon their own prope rty pay
the expense OF emancpating their slaves. He ayow-
ed that he expected to be joined by the slaves and
by numerous white persons from many of the slave
as well free States. There was nothing for me
to do but to arrest those who had escaped to search
for their and plumber to try to recapture the
slaves then had taken, to get all their papers which
could be found, and to have them proceeded a.
gainst according to law. Had reached the place
before they surrendered, would have proclaimed
martial law, have stormed them in the quickest
time possible, shown them no quarter, have tried
the survivors, il any, by court martial, and have
shot the condemned on the spot But owing to the
delay .of the cars at Washington and the Relay
House, and to the slow travel from the latter place
to the Ferry, was too lates When l arrived they
were subdued; they were prisoners and some of
them wounded, and was bound to protect them.
took them under the jurisdiction of Virginia; they
were guarded from all violence; food and refresh
ment and surgical aid and every comfort at my
command We're given themi they were proceeded
against regularly by the civil authority, under civil
process from both State and Federal governments,
and went in person with them under military
in jail in custody of the sheriff. under civil and mill
tary guard. remained night to see that no vio-
eAce was attempted from any quarter, and the next
morning, after giving necessary orders to Col Glib
son and furnishing him with arms, returned to Har
pers Ferry. The services Of counsel to assist the
COMMONWEALTH Attorney were engaged by me
for the State. Seeing, on the morning of the 18th
that the United 6tates marines were ordered away
guard for the confines around the Arsenal. did
not remove the prisoners further into the interior,
because was determined to show no apprehension
of rescue; and if the Jail of Jefferson had been on
the line of the State, they should have been kept
there, to show that they could be kept anywhere
chosen in our limits. Soon after returned to Rich
mond, notified the President of the United States
that the reason so few men had captured the Arse
nal of the United States that there mill
tarY guard there, and that l had organized guard
to protect frontier and incidentally, to protect
the property of the United States. A neglected
Arsenal had been made positive danger to us; we
had been invaded by lawless bands from other Sta
tes against which the United States were bound to
defend US; we had been obliged to call out troops
to defend the Federal property, and at last had to
guard it:
Thus the affair passed for the time being from the
military to the civil authority. And here cannot ex
press too strongly what is due to the militia for the
promptitude with which they volunteered for duty
and obeyed my orders. The Jefferson, Berkeley and
Shepherdstown militia were first at the scene and
manifested good courage and did some service; bu
they restrained by natural tenderness for Their
neghbors and friends who were held prisoners and
hostages, and supposed to be in imminent danger
from any attempt to storm their captors. The Firs
Regiment of Volunteers, and Company respectfully o.
that regiment which was ready in an hour from the
CALL and part of the 10th. and the Alexandria Ri
des and the companies OF fredericksburg, Orange
and Albemarle, all calamity took arms and moved
promptly. More than called came, and were ready
and anxious to do duty and to be the first to encoun
ter danger. finer spirit and better temper of sol
ders could not have been displayed.
The State judiciary took the culprits in charge
Legal warrants were issued and served upon them &
court of examination was regularly held over those
who did not waive it; and they were formally indicted
in court of competent jurisdiction. They had the
full benefit of the compulsory process for witnesses
their defenQe had counsel assigned them and counse
of their selections were confronted by witnesses
and accusers and were given, according to our b o.
rights as in all other cases. speedy and fair trial oy
an impartial jury of the vcinage; upon their own con
fesson and upon other evidence, leaving no DOUBT OF
guilt were legally convicted of several caPtal omen
ces were heard in person and by COUNSEL, why ?en-
tence should not be pronounced on tnem were gwen
every opportunity Of applying for VIRUS OF I %
as did apply and the court me Court
of Appeals, sustained the Juag,4 anu sen.ence "
treated With more lenity of trial And never in any
case in the history of trials was justice administered
with more forbearance, more calmness, more dignity
and more majesty Of law-never were such prisoners
trnated with as much bengnant kindness they have
been by the people whGm they outraged sufficiently
to hsve melted summary punishment :,
To prevent any such punishment on the one hand
and rescue on the other; to guard justce in word
called into service military guards, to aid the civil
authority and keep the peace. Receiving information
that organization of guards was necessary sent an
aid to the seere there to see what was wanting to as
sist the Adiutant General, and to pass Hy orders
Col j. Luclus Davis, competent soldier volunteered
his services, and accepted them, to organize the
corps to distribute arms to post guards and to pro-
vide subsistence and quarters and to call Tor WhateV
er was wanting. These services he continued to per-
FORM with nay full appreciation, until very recent e.
vents made it necessary to call for more troops and
Mai General VIM B. Taliaferro, Of the fourth divis
lon, repaired to the place and volunteered person
to take the command Many of the troops were from
his DIVISION and could not decline the tender OF his
services. During the trial Of the prisoners and snce
appeals and threats of every sort the most exraor
binary, from every quarter have been made to the
Executive Law before you the mass of these it be
ing impossible enter into their details. Though
the laws do not permit me to pardon in cases OF trea
son, yet pardon and reprieves have been demanded
on the grounds Of LIST, insanity Cd, magnanlmity; 3D.
| the policy of not making martyrs.
AS to the first the parties themselves counsel put
in no plea of insanity No insanity was felgned even
the prisoner Brown spurned it, Since ms sentence
and since the decision the appeal, one OF his coun
| sci, Samuel Chiffon, Esq., has filed with me a mum
Der of afdavits protesting to soao grounds for delay
ag execution, order to give time to MAKE an sssU
of fact as to the sanity of the prisoner. How such ar
issue can now after sentence confirmed by the Cour
Of Appeals, be made, am Ignorant; buttls suiclen
to say that had repeatedly seen and ccnversed witt
the prisoner, and had just returned from visit t6
him, when this appeal to me was put into his hands
AS well as can know the state of mind of any one,
know that he was sane, and remarkably sane, fqulck
and clear perception if assumed rational premises
and consecutive reasoning from them II cautious tao
avoiding disclosures, and In covering conclusions
and inferenees if memory and conception and prac
tical common sense, and It compAsure AND self posses
sion evidences OF a sound state OF mind lie was
more sane than his pr0mpterS anu prOm0ters anu con
cealed well the secret which made him to do
act of mad impulse, by leaving him without his
hackers at Hapers Ferry but he did notconceal his
contempt for the cowardice which did not back him
better than with plea of nsanity which he spurneo
to put % his trial at CharlestoWn
AS to the second ground Of appeal: | know of nc
magnanimity which IS inhumane, and no lnhumanl
y could well exceed that to society, oar sapes as
well as their masters, which would turn telons like
these, proud and defiant in their guilt loose again
on border already torn by fanatlcal and sectiona
strife which threatens the liberties OF the white even
more than it does the bondage Of the black race.
AS to the third ground Is it true that the due ex-
ecution Of our laws fairly and justly administered up
on these confessed robbers. murderers aud traitors
will make them martyrs in the public sentiment of 9th
or States If So then it is time indeed that execu
ton shall be done upon them, and that we should
prepare for the '.irrepressbe conflict with that sym
pa thy which, in demanding for these criminals par
dons and reprieves, aud in wreaking vengeance for
their refusal, would make criminals OF us. Indeed,
blasphemous moral treason expressed teloW-feel-
ing with felons professed conservatism OF crime,
defiant and boastful guilty demonac spirit combined
arraign us, the outraged community, as the wrong
doors no must do penance and prevent our penalty
by pardon and repreve Of these martyrs. This sym
pathy sent these men, its tools, to 40 the DEEDS
which sentenced them 1t may have sent them to De
martyrs for mischles sake but the execution OF our
laws necessary to future victims not again to
be his tools. To heed this outside clamor at ALL was
to grant at unconditional grace. 10 hang would
The sympathy would have asked and on for liber-
ation and to nurse and soohe him. whilst life lasted
in prison. His state of health would have been her
aided weekly AS from palace: visitors would have