, 1859-11-14

k1UAA1 A4DGTt$e
4 gentleman formerly holding high Judicial
position in neighboring State. writes as fol-
lows in The Wabash Erprt** relative to the late
tragic afair Mt Harper's Ferry. His conclusions
and reflections are deserving Of SERIOUS thought:
Nothing has trauspircd within the resiod OF
nv memory, which las gone 80 fur to exhibi,
tue inherent weakness caused bv slavery in 4
community. as this Iarper's Ferry tTugedy.
That Brown, if sane, las committed one ii the
highest o. crimes, no candid maa will .leny-
But the question isis he morally and legally
accountable: Without expressing an opinion
enough 10 SAT, that all men accuAed Of crime,
whether gully or innnceut. nre entitled to fair
and impartial trinl. With Brown the forms cl
trial hare been gone through With; but there is
not m intelligent man in the Ualtcl States, WIN
has paid attention to tue matter, scAo does 40:
iuo.c fhat As has had no tr;4l IL jaet. No one
ppywhere las been heard 10 intimate doubt as
to.tle result
This has not resulted from, my blood thirsty
disposition On the part Of the court or jury try.
Ing him, presume: Doubtlesa they arc just
Ike other men. Eat il A1s rtsult<d from tie
Jaet tlas tA<rs i No such M.ug a. <on:titmionaI
Thirty tie rsry tSssntr Of uAicA is fair ana i'm
tdrtial trial on a criminal rlF1t, n9r can tAre
1e uni<r such circumstances. The conduct Of
the people Of Virginia, and OF their courts can-
/ no. be accouuted for on any other hypothesis
| than the apprehension Of an insurrtctiou anlon.
their slarcs, and the necessity Of blow whicl,
should strike terror To their heasts; and yet
| more the need Of an example which should
deter others from future attempts to ipcile in.
surrcctions among then, BY au inherent aud in.
viaci!,ie NECESSITY placed brown beyond the
pale Of the Constitution. Nothing can be more
apparent than this.
thousands Of men in there United States
/ have been acquitted on much less evidence o
iusan,tv than really ex .s,cd in this man case
Now, whe her he was sane or insane is not III,
question. The question is, did lie LAre an op
portunity to produce the evidence, snch rs i
was. much or little, and lay it before the jusy
1t is no answer to say that he rerud.atcd tia
| plea. No iusanc person evcr admitted himsef
10 be SO. The mere setting up Of .uca pre-
tense By The supposed 1unatic, is the best evi
dence that it il 1eiGued-
Let M no. der1de :" the chivalrr,' ncr tail
shout Virginia cowardcc, or poltroonery. L.
| III turn cur attention 10 mote deeply sclte
. uaatudy, instead Of this upproGtablc jtbin1
| Here Is ,he State Of Virgin,a, in her sosereir
majesty, -"at4e, that is the word, p1ahle 10 cu Al
anace 10 man constitutional right. And VII
il thist 1t sE bccause she has saves, and b.
cause the worlds history shows tha, slares wi
D cut the 1hroats Of their masters hen ci,cuu
: stances favor such enterprises, and because
! Virelol1 court or any othcr court. exposed l
! such an exiGency, is as powcrless Us babY
= its cradle. 10 guarantee to one charged wi
:, sharpening the knives nnd putting them III
: hands that may use them, the constitution
:. right Of nn impartial trial, almost tic oply b,
wa.k Of American liberty. 4 man thus co
yicted, perhaps Basrabs*, will be regarded
u Stephen, and ths impotency OF the State y
copyert the felou into martyr.