Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-21
The DOings at uarDer's Ferry.

~. 90 si'cy n"se ieacneu: uS lSaySs tue nicn-
rnond Dispatch } Of tn, events at Harper's
Ferry and refer the reader to our tele..s
graphic column. where be win End them.
The sudden appearance Of . body Of men in
that town-their taking possession Of the
United States Armory. and their subss-
qnent proceedings, arsmost strange events.
The first rumor tat their acts were in pur-
suance Of plan for freeing slaves, YVES
generally discrcdited. 1t was thought with
more apparent reason to have been move
ment among discontinued operatives, who
wanted an increase Of wages, combined with
some workmen on the new dam in course
Of construction across the Potomac to in
crease the supply Of water for the Armory,
who had been left unpaid by an Ascending
contractor. and who hoped by selling the
public property to indemnify themselves.
[. was not until the most conclusive infor-
nation was received, that the public gen.
orally gave into the idea that the whole af-
fair was the conception and work Of party
Of Abolitionists from distant States. So
mad and hopeless an enterprise could hard
~ be credited. But it is true, and 10 less
strange than true They were certainly
the most deluded Of men to imagine the poss-
ible success Of such an adventure They
must have been not only the widest and
silliest of fanatics, but wholly unacquainted
with our State and our people. They may
have been stimulated by Invitations and
promises by some unknown persons about
the locality. But however instigated, a
madden scheme was never concocted. It
has been crushed with the utmost prompt
ness, and i. is to be hoped all concerned
will meet the severe punishment so richly
meritcd by their wicked intentions.
If the scheme was not one of the maddest
ever conceived, then the miserable demon
stration at Harper's Ferry must have been
ushered in prematurely, or been deserted
to its fate BY others who were to have aided
in its execution. 1t is to be hoped that an
investigation will be made into the affair
that will. as far as possible, solve the mys-
terry which now hangs over it.
The accounts have varied widely AS to the
numbers of the incendiaries and slaves, and
they have been greatly exaggerated, espe-
cially the number Of slaves. According to
Col. Lee, the ineendiaries must have been
only handful Of men.
It is to be deeply regretted that severaI
persons other than these vile incepdiaries
have been killed, among them Mr.. George
Turner, worthy citizen Of Jefferson coun-
ty, who was murdered by them, while una
ware of danger, riding into Harper's Ferry.
There seemed to be no system or order in
their proceedings. The trains on the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad were assailed ,ana
in their helter-skelter mode Of war they
killed very good servant or two. The ac-
counts yesterday evening represented that
some of the incendiaries, with number of
slaves, were in the mountain opposite Har.
per's Ferry, and General Steuart, Of Balti-
more, had ordered body Of cavalry 70 &C
in pursuit Of them.
Governor Wise acted with his usua
promptness upon the receipt Of the intelli
gencs Of the troubles at Harper's Ferry. .
He .telegraphcd orders to Col Gibson, o.
Jefferson county, to act at once, if necessa-
ry, and the Regiment Of that county was
promptly marched to the Ferry and TOOK
part in the affair with the incendiaries.-
The Governor also ordered the Regiment
and the Young Guard of this city, leaving
among the first with Company F, Capt
Cary, as already announced. The remain
der Of the Regiment left yesterday morn
ing. We are glad the Governor has gone
to the scene Of action; for, although the in
cendiaries were overpowered before he ar
arrived. it is we'll that he is upon the ground
to have word to say in the matter of what
steps are proper with regard to the prison
ere, and the invasion of our soil by such
incendiaries
It will help, perhaps, some to elucidate
this strange affair, by stating, that owing
to the Strengthened condition Of the u. S.
Treasury, the larger part Of the operatives
at the Armory had been discharged, and
had they anticipated an attack of this ma.
ture. they were too few and unprepared te
| resist it.
The Insusrection at Harper's Ferry.
Seizure of the u s.. Arsenal = United
States Troops sent to the Spot Capture
ofhe Torn BY the Troops PLAN Of tht
| Instruction Leaders iron, Maine Con.
mecticm and Ohio.-lnsurgents offer tc
Surrender. Their terms Refusel. ~ The,
threaten the liues of their Prisoners =
The armory Stornaed and Taken. Dealt
ofsome Of the leading Insurgents. Con.
fession Of the dying. The surciving In
surgents all taken Prisoners. --Issur.
gents in the Northumberland troop1
10 be sent after them!
BALTIMORE, rOct 1.-THE mail agen
on the Westward down train has returned
to Monocacy. and reports the train was una
bic to get through. He states that the
town of Harper's Ferry is in possession o
the negroes, who arrest every one they can
| no fob ond IN, nrioon them