The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-05
Invasion of Harper's Ferry.
SPEECH OF HON. BENJAMIN F. WADE,
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
DECEMBER IA, 1859.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
DECEMBER IA, 1859.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
following resolution, submitted by Mr.. MASON on
the 5th of December:
Resoloed, That committee be appointed to inquire into
the facts attending the late invasion and the
mory and arsenal OF the United States Harpers Ferry
IN Virginia, by band Of armed men, and report whether
the same was attended by armed resistance 10 the auhor
ties and public force Of the United States by
der OF any Of the citizens of Virginia. o any troops
there 70 protect the public property whether such
and seizure made under any organization
tended TO subvet the Government of any the States of
Union what character and extent of such organi
zaton and whether any citizens Of the United States
present. were implicated therein accessory thereto
contributions OF money arms munitions or otherwise
what the character and the military equip
men in the hands under the said band
and where and how and when the obtained and
transported TO the place invaded And that said commit
tee report whether any and what legislation may their
opinion be necessary on the part OF the United States for
the future preservation OF the peace Of the country or for
the safety OF the public property and that said committee
have power to send for persons and papers.
The pending question was on the following
amendment offered by Mr.. TRUMBULL:
After the word invaded" the end Of the resolution,
insert:
Ana that said committee also inquire into the facts attend
ing the invasion seizure and robbery, in December 1885,
the arsenal Of the United States Liberty the
Missouri, by mob body OF armed men, and report
whether such seizure and robbery attended by
ance to the authorities of the United States and followed by
invasion Of the Territory of Kansas the punder
murder Of any Of its inhabitants Of any citizen of the
United States by the persons who thus seized the
ammunition Of the Government, others combined with
them whether said seizure and robbery Of the
color of any organization intended 10 subyert
the Government of any of the States Territories of the
Union what the character organiza
ton and whether any citizens of the limited States NOT
ent implicated therein, accessory thereto
trbutons OF money, arms ammunition otherwise what
the character and extent OF the military equipments
the hands under the control of said mob and how
when and where the subsequently said
mob what was the value of the and ammunition Of
fal-an
mob whether the same or any part thereof have been
turned and the value Of such lost whether Captain
Luther Leonard the United States officer command of the
arsenal communicated the facts relation to its seizure and
robbery TO his superior officer and what measures
were taken IN reference thereto.
Mr.. WADE. 1t was not my intention, Mr..
President, to say anything upon the subject of
this resolution until late yesterday, when my
name was called in question by one or two of
the Senators on this floor. / made up my mind,
on the introduction of this resolution, that
would vote for it. not however, with the hope
that any beneficial result would flow from it. for
it seemed to me from the first that the only eff
feet it would have would be to increase that
state of excitement that seems already to be suf-
hciently strong, at least for all practical pur-
poses. But upon this resolution the whole sub
ject of controversy between the Northern and
Southern States has been discussed, and have
been alluded to in such terms as renders it essen
tial that should say something. have no de-
sire to speak frequently on this most hackneyed
subject.
1t was said by the mover of this resolution.
that one great object of it to elicit the state
of Northern feeling with regard to the recent in
vasion at Harpers Ferry
Mr. MASON. Will the Senator indulge me a
moment2
The VICE PRESIDENT. Does the Senator
| from Ohio yield TO the Senator from Virginia?
Mr.. WADE. Certainly.
NJ MASON Tbo. L., -
once or twice in the course of the debate, per-
haps upon both sides of the Chamber 1t was a
misapprehension. l did not say, or mean to say,
that any object of the resolution was to elicit the
state of Northern feeling in reference to the oc-
currence at Harper's Ferry. My colleague NAV
have said something of that sort. What did
say, and what design and hope to ascertain by
the investigation, is to find out from what source
the funds and the counsel were obtained that led
to or induced that incursion at Harper's Ferry.
had reason TO believe, and have reason to be-
lieve, that it came chiefly from the New England
States.
| Mr.. WADE. Mr.. President, 1 stand corrected
in that particular, although / got the impression
that 1t was part, and an essential part, of the
design OF the mover of the resolution, to inquire
into the state of Northern feeling on that subject
1t seems was mistaken. l believe the colleague
of the Senator from Virginia avowed that to be
the principal object of the resolution. had SUD-
posed that it could not be very essential to in
troduce resolution for the purpose of ascertain
/ ing what public sentiment at the North was on
the subject of this invasion of Harper's Ferry
from any source whatever. l know very we'll,
that for the basest political purposes, that great
and overshadowing party to which belong has
been charged with completely in this affair; but
we have treated the accusation with scorn and
contempt. We, who have not before been CHARGED
| with any crime whatever, we who have main
tanned peace and good order, are all at once
| charged, In general terms through some of the
papers of the North and the papers of the South
with being parties to treason, murder, and stir
ring up instruction The charge is so entirely
overstrained, that must say il fell upon nv ears
without creating one single emotion. | care
nothing about a charge of that kind made in
such general and sweeping terms.
But, Mr.. President, know what the effect of
1t may be in thatpart of the country where there
is an acute Jealousy existing to the motives OF
| Northern men. The charge is made through the
only papers that can reach the ears of the South-
ern people, and where no antidote will be suffer-
ed to go, In order to explain public opinion. 1t
seems to me that the Southern people are mis-
guided upon this subject; that they entertain the
idea that Northern men, in considerable num-
bers, respectable men, are concerned in some
deliberate conspiracy against their rights Now.
! sir, l must say, that if such a state of feeling
does really exist there, the Southern peopIe
themselves are principally responsible for il.
They will suffer no opinions to be circulated
among them, unless they are first cut and trim
med to their own prejudices If a Northern man
/ goes down there and honestly avows his opin-
ions, he is in peril of his life he is turned out
of any Southern State; his sentiments, however
honest and his motives, however noble, will not
exculpate him from the charge of being an Abo-
litionist, or something of that kind and he will
be hurled out of your States; and you, who
| speak OF the observance of constitutional rights
viii you stand by him there when he invokes the
constitution of the United States to shield him
against your unwarrantable prejudices2 Not at
all, sir. You will no more suffer Northern man
10 circulate among you, unless he leaves his man.
nooo ana his independence behind him, than the
oninese would suffer stranger to invade their
cities. lou Will not suffer the papers of great
ana ai-preValhng party in the North to circulate
among you, so that you may learn the DESIGNS
of the party through that source which carries
its intelligence to the party in the North.
Then, sir, can you but be deluded2 sbouId
suppose ifthere was any danger of Circulating in.
cendiary matter among the people of the Sonth
that would be the most dangerous of all which
| went to teach the people there that great party
controlling all the free States, sympathizine
with raids upon the South--were ready to lend
themselves to any uprising that might be got ~
there. If were to judge of dangerous incendi
4 has he tha 1ar