Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-12-13

Z. Nj. On the 18th, i departed in person, with
Company F. Capt. Cary, for the scene. At Wash
ington was joined by Capt. Marye of the Alexan-
dria rifles, and proceeded with ninety-one men
and officers. At the Relay House in Maryland
received intelligence the 18th that no more force
was necessary, and ordered back the force under
Col. August. And from that place telegraphed
Col. Lee to make no terms with the insurgents
BY o'clock on the 18th | arrived with the force
under my command. Col. Lee made no terms, and
had subdued the insurgents before my arrival.
Immediately examined the leader, Brown, his lieu
tenant, Stevens, white man named Coppec. and
negro from Canada. They made full confessions.
Brown repelled the idea that his design was to run
nogro slaves off from their masters. He defanty
avowed that bis purpose waste arm them and make
them fight by his side in defence of their freedom,
if assailed by their owners or any one else; and he
said his purpose especially vas war upon the slave
holders and tolevy upon their own property to pay
the expense of emancipating their slaves. He avow.
ed that he expected to be joined by the slaves and
by numerous white persons from many of the slave
as we'll as free States. There was nothing for me
to do but to arrest those who had escaped to search
for their arms and punder, 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, l would have proclaimed
martial law, have stormed them in the quickest
time possible, shown them no quarter, have tried
the survivors, if any, by court martial, and have
delay .of the cars at Washington and the Relay
House, and to the slow travel from the latter place
to the Ferry, / was too late. When 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 were given them they were proceeded
against regularly by the civil authority under civil
process from both State and Federal governments,
| in pxuifh ham nIera n
guard to Cbarestown, and saw them safely lodged
in Jail in custody of the sheriff. under civil and mill
tary guard. remained night to see that no vlo-
lence attempted from any quarter, and the next
morning, after giving necessary orders TO Col. GlD-
son and furnishing him with arms, returned to Har-
pers Ferry. The services Of counsel to assist the
Commonwealth's Attorney were engaged by me
for the STATE. Seeing, on the morning OF the 18th
that the United States marines were ordered away
from Harper's Ferry, ordered police military
guard for the confines around the Arsenal. dia
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 l notified the President Of the United States
that the reason so few men had captured the Arse
nal of the United States was that there Was no mill.
tarY guard there, and that had organized guard
to protect frontier and Incidentally, to protect
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 10
defend US; we had been obliged to call out troops
to defend the Federal property, and at last nao 10
guard it.
Thus the affair passed for the time being from the
military to the civil authority And here cannot ex-
nress too strongly what is due to the militia for the
ppromotitude with which they volunteered for duty
and obeyed my orders The Jefferson, Berkeley ane
Shepherdsown militia were first at the scene, anu
manifested good courage and did some service; ou'
thew were restrained by natural tenderness for nelI
neighbors and friends who were held prisoners ano
hostages, and supposed to be In immuent Danger
from any attempt to storm their captors; the nHs ~
Regiment of Volunteers, and Company Fespecially OF
that regiment which was ready in an hour from tne
call and mart of the 179th. and the Alexandra HI
aes, and the companies of fredericksburg. Orange
and Albemare, all gallantly took arms and moVeo
promptly. More than [ called came, and were ready
and anxious to do duty and to be the first to encoun
ter danger A finer spirit and better temper Oh Sol
diers 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 tnose
who did not waive it and they were formally inuc.ee M
in a court of competent jurisdiction. They had the
full benefit of the compulsory process for witnesses it
their defence; had counsel assigned them and counse
of their own selection; were confronted py witnesses
and accusers; and were given according 10 our Dili
an impartial jury of the vicnage; upon their own con
fession and upon other evidence leaving no doubt o
guilt were legally convicted OF several capai ouen
ces were heard in person and by counsel, why SEN
tence should not be pronounced on tnem were g.Jen
every opportunity of applying for writs OF supersede-
as did apply and the court OF highest resort the Court
of Appeals, sustained the judgment and sentence o
the court which tried them. Never were prisoners
treated with more lenity of trial And never In any
case in the history of trials, justice administered
forh mi CalmueSs.
and more majesty of law-never were such prisoners
treated with as much benignan kindness as they have
been by the people whom they outraged sufficiently
to have melted summary punishment. :,
To prevent any such punishment on the one hano
and rescue on the other; to guard justice in word
called into service military guards to aid the cvl
authority and keep the peace Receiving information
that organization of guards was necessary, sent an
aid to the scene there to see what was wantng 10 as
sist the Adiutant General, and to pass my orders
Col j. Luclus Davis competent soldier, volunteered
his services, and accepted them, to organize the
corps to distribute arms, to post guards ana 10 pro-
vide subsistence and quarters. and to call Tor wnateV
or was wanting These services he continued to per-
form with my full appreciation, until very recent Q.
vents made 1t necessary call for more troops and
Mai General VIM B. Taliaferro, Of the fourth divis-
lon repaired to the place and volunteered IN person
to take the command Many of the troops were from
his division and could not decline the tender OF MS
services During the trial of the prisoners and snce
appeais and threats of every Sort the most extraor
dinary, from every quarter, have been MADE 70 the
Executive Law before you the mass OF these, 1t be
ing impossible to enter into their details. Though
the laws do not permit me to pardon In cases OF
son. yet pardon and reprieves have been demanded
on the grounds of 1s insanity; I'd, magnanimty Sd,
the policy of not making martyrs.
AS to the first the parties themselves or counsel put
in no plea of insanity No insanity was fegned even
the prisoner Brown spurned it. S"'ce h,s sentence
and since the decision on the appeal one of his coun
sci, Samuel Chiffon, Esq, has filed with me num-
ber Of aidavits protesting to soW grounds for dey
ing execution, in order to g0e time TO make an issue
of fact as to the sanity of the prisoner How such an
issue can now after sentence, confirmed Dy tne Oour
of Appeals, be made am Ignorant but is sufficient
to say that had repeatedly seen and conyersed with
the prisoner and had just returned from visit to
him, when this appeal to me was put into MS hands
As well as can know the state OF mind OF any one,
know that he was sane aud remarkably sane, fquick
and clear perception if assumed rational premises
and consecutiV reasoning from them If cautious tact
in avoiding disclosures, and in covering conclusions
and inferences il memory and conception and prac-
tical common sense, and II composure ana ebosses
sion are evidences of sound state of mind He was
more sane than his prompters and promoters con
cealed we'll the secret which made him seem to do
act of mad impulse, BY leaving him without his
hackers at Harpers Ferry but he did his
contempt for the cowardice which did not back him
better than with plea of insanty, which he spurned
to put on his trial at Charlestown.
AS to the second ground of appeal: i know of no
which Is inhumane, and no inhumanl
ty could well exceed that to society, our 8aUes as
well as their masters, which would turn felons like
these, proud and defiant in their guilt loose again
on border already torn by fanatical and sectional
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-
ection of our laws fairly and Justly administered up
on these confessed robbers nurderers aud traitors
will make them martyrs in the public sentiment OF 9th
ar States If So then it is time indeed that execu.
tion shall be done upon them, and that we should
prepare for the rrepressible conflict with that sym
pathy which in demanding for these criminals par
dons and reprieves, aud in wreaking vengeance for
their refusal would make criminals ofus. Indeed, a
bIasnbemous moral treason an expressed ellowfeel-
ing with feons, professed conserv atsm of crime,
defiant and boastful guilty demoniac spirit combined
arraign US, the outraged immunity, as the wrong
doers who must do penance and prevent our penalty
by pardon and reprleye Of these martyrs Thls sym