Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-06-16
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BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.
Report of the Harper's Ferry Investigating
Committee.

WASHINGTON, June l5.-The Senate Sc
lect Committee on the liarper's Ferry Affair,
made report to-day. It's signed by Messrs.
Mason, Davis, and Fitch. They review at
length all the circumstances connected with
that raid, and quote largely from the volum-
NOUS testimony. 1t speaks of the insecure
ty of the peace and safety of the Southern
States in the present condition of the public
mind at the North. 1t may not, they say,
become them to suggest duty IN those
States to provide by proper legislation
against the Vaccinations within their Dor
ders, destructive of the peace OF any OF the
Confederate republics, but 1t did become them
fully to expose the consequences resulting
from the present license there existing, to
the peace and integrity OF the Union which
is necessarily involved in its continuance
The report. also, traces the history of the
large armament collected by John Brown
at IIarper's Ferry, and says the raid might
have been prevented by the Massachusetts
Kansas Committee The Committee say
there can be no doubt that Browns plan was
t. c. mmencea servilc war upon the BORDERS ct
Virginia. which he expected to extend, and
which he believed his means were sufficient
to extend throughout that State, and through
out the South 1t does not seem he en-
trusted his intimate friends with his plans,
even after they were ready for execution;
nor have the Committee been able clearly to
trace knowledge of them to any. The Com
mittee after mature consideration are not
prepared to suggest any Legislation which in
their opinion would be adequate to prevent
like occurrence in the future.
The report speaks Of the constitutional
duty OF Congress to protect states from lnva-
sion, domestic instruction, &c, NC, but
SAYS that the states alone can render such
provisions clfcctual. Browns raid WAS SIM
ply an act OF lawleSs ruflianism, under the
sanction Of no public or political authority.
So far as the safety Of the public property Is
involved the committee most earnestly re-
commend that such provision should be
made by the Executive, or il necessary by
law, 10 protect with adequate military guard,
public buildings and the arscnals in the
states in the same manner that Nayy-yards
are now protected.
The minority Of the committee, (SenG-
tors Coliamer and Doolittle.) make q MI
nority report. They say there is no evil
ience that any other citizens except those
who were with Brown. were accessory to
any outbreak or invasion by contributions
thereto or otherwise nor any proof that any
others had knowlcageot the conspiracy, orls
purposes in 1880. They say too that there
was no evidence that there was 81 conspiracy
to rescue Brown from the prison i'll Virginia.
Tine aud reflection have happily dlsslpa-
ted much Of the alarm and suspicion, and
shown that this was but an uitShoUt OF the
outragcs, and lawlrssness IN Kansas, com
mencrd there by an armed yason to con
troll its own people in their elections, and
government ior the introduction and perpet-
ua,ion Of slavery in that territory on the
one hand, and resistance and defiance OH the
other
The committee say there is no fact calling
for legislative action. No such matter Is
presented either ia fact or testimony, as is III
timated in the ma iority report, that the aboll-
toniSt5 Of the free states took n course co
verify intended to produce Il trcaaoni5Ic
violation of the laws and the peace OF the
slayetoIding states, much less that any such
! course is countcnanccd by the body Of the
people in the free states.
The committee pray to be discharged from
the further consideration Of the subject --
The report, exclusive OF the rolumnOus tca-
;imnny trr,l,linS % tumlscan na.eS