The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-30
THE HARPER's FERRY OUTRAGRs.
The Militia to be Put ON q War
Footing.
A NON-NTERCOURSE BILL REPORTED.
measures lor the Detection and Pmiahment Of
Abeh6Senlst Insendiaries to be Passed,

James Barbour Of Culpeper Of the abes. not the
abest member OF the House presented the following re-
port from the called Harpers Ferry Joint Commit,ee
Mr.. Barbour is chairman Of the House branch Of this
committee. The first part Of the report IL mere recital
Of the events connected with the attack upon Harpers
Ferry and some subsequent incidents with which our
readers familiar.
the existence, In number Of Northern States of wide
spread conspiracy, not merely against Virginia. but
against the peace and security Of all the southern states
But the careful erasure OF from mauy OF
the papers found In Browns possession render II difficult
to procure legal evidence Of the guilt of the parties imp
Gated The conviction OF the OF such couspira
cy deepened by the sympathy with the cuprits which
has been manifested by large numbers Of in the
Northern States, and by the disposition, which your COM
mttee satisfied did exist to them from the Gus
tody Of the law.
Nearly 500 letters addressed to Governor Wise aer the
arrest OF Brown and his conederates have inspect
ed by your committee Many Of these anonymous,
and evidently written in bad faith, but the greater
number were genuine letters, apparently from
spectacle In the proessed
TO state, from their owledge and others from
information which they credited that there organi
zafons On foot in various States and neghborhoods, TO e
feet the Of Brown his associates; and they
therefore urged the Governor to concentrate sufficient
military force about Char s,owE hc county seat OF JEFF
ferson) to all such purposes Several ministers
of the Gospel ana other citizens who valued The peace
and mar mony OF the country appealed Governor Wise
as measure Of humanity ana 70 save the efnson Of
blood TO assemble such body Of troops around the pri
would ntinic the attempting
They justly iovesaw an abor,ive at
tempt attended with loss Of lie would in all probability
be followed with disastrous consequence 70 The peace Of
the country.
Pending the trials and after tie convo,on Of the p,
soners great many letters were received by the Govern
or from citizens OF Northern States urging him par
don the offenders, ~ commute their punishment
Some Of them were written in sptoi menace, threaten
ing his life, and that o. members o; bis family IL he shoad
fail to comply with their denands Others gave notice Of
the purpose Of Tesoute bancs OF desperadoes IRE the
principal towns and cities Of Virginia. thus obtain re-
veDgc by destroying the property and lives OF c
zeDs. Others appealed 10 his ccmency to his
nimhy and to bis hopes Of In'nre political promotion,
presenting motives for his inercesson behalf the
convicted felobs Another class (snd among hsse were
letters from Of national repu,aton) besoagat him to
pardon them on The ground o: public policy Tue writer's
pro!essed 10 be thoroughly informed ~ the condition
OF public seDsni in the Hor,h and represented as 30
favorable to the pardon punishment Of
the prisoners. 70 render highly cxpeden Il not me-
cessary TO nteftose The executive prerogatve cy
TO concate this morbid popular opinion in the North.
The testimony before the committee amply vindcates
the conduc, Of the EXECUTIVE IN assembling strong mill
ary force at The of excitement; and the prompt
ard energy with which he discharged his duty merit
and doubtless will receive the communication OF the L.
g,sla,ure and the people OF the State
Your committee do not deem necessary TO prosecute
their investigate Of this Ubiquitous out
rage the and sovereignty Of further at
this time They have full confidence in the zeal and
ability OF tie Committee of the Senate Of the United
States, and doubt not that they will employ their more
ample powers for the elimination Of every fact connected
with the transaction. Should their investigation lead TO
new dsciosures will be competent for the Legislature
hereafter TO adopt such measures may be deemed ad
vsable. In the Judgment Of the committee enough s
exhibited by the testimony before them justify the
legislative action which they propose.
This invasion OF State by citizens OF other
States, confederaed with subjects Of foreign govern
ment, presents matter for grave consideration II is an
event without parallel in the history Of country. And
when we remember that the incurson was marked by
distinct geographical features that II made by cit
Of Northern States Southern State; that all the
counteuaDce and encouragement whcAt received, and all
the material aid which extended 10 IT, by citizens
Of Northern States; and that it's ayowed object 10
make war upon and overthrow institution Intimately
interviewer with all the interests Of the Southern States,
and constituting essential element Of ther social and
political systemsan institution which has existed in vir
g.na for than two centuries and which Fecog
nized and guaranteed by the mutual between
the North and the South, embodied in the constitution of
the United States-every thoughtful mind must be filled
with deep anxiery for the future peace and
security Of the country.
The subject Of s,aveay has from time to time cons-
tuted disturbing element in our political system from
the foundation Of confederated republic At the
OF the declaration Of our national indeoendence slavery
existed every colony Of the bad been
introduced by the mother country against wishes and
remonstrances Of the colonies il is true that in the moro
northern members Of the confederation the number OF
slaves small, but the institution recognized and
protected by the laws OF all the colonies. IT. then, there
laws Of God or the rights Of humanity, which deny,
the sin attaches TO Great Britain founder, and ali
the original thirteen States Of the confederacy having
given 10 it their sanction and support.
Shortly after the declaration OF independence the North
ern states adopted prospective measures TO relieve them
to suppose that their policy in this particular prompt
ed by any spirit Of philanthropy tender regard for the
welfare of the negro On the contrary die.
ated by enlightened self interest, yielding obedience
to overrulipg laws Of social economy. Experience had
shown that the African race were not adapted TO high
northern ATTITUDES and that ssye labor could not compete
successfully with free white labor in those pursuits TO
which the industry OF The North was directed This dis
covery having been made the people of the North at an
early day began TO dispose OF their slaves by Sale 10 c
zens of the Southern States, whose SOIL climate and pro-
ducons we're better adapted 10 their habits and capaci
ties the legislation of the Northern States following
the OF public opinion directed not TO emanci
beyond their limits To effect this object, they
adopted q system Of laws which provided, pros
pectivcly, that all children born Of female slaves,
within their jurisdiction, after certain specified
dates should be held free when they attained given
age. No law can he found on ihe statute book OF any
Northern State which conferrea The boon of freedom
single slave in being. All who we're slaves remained
slaves Freedom was secured only TO the children OF
slaves born after the days designated in the awe and t
was secured TO them only in The contingency that the
owner OF the female slave should retain her within the
secure freedom to the after born child therefore, was