The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-06
THE IIARPER'S FERRY INVEIsTTc: ALTON.
LIZ. Howe OF Boston, and Joshua II. GidtIinnS
of Ohio, before the Committee.

Dr. Howe, of Boston, was before the Senate
Brown Raid Committee on Friday. He declined
taking the oath to testify unless he was permitted
70 enter ms protest against the whole proceedings
| by permission he made the following protest.
The undersigned, having been summoned to an
pear and testify before your committee and beinp
unable to resist the power of the Senate obes the
summons, but enters his protest against the nro
ceedings, upon the following grounds:
First-Because the tribunal created is secret and
| inquisitoral.
Second-Because it is created for purposes beyond
the legitimate scope of legislative inquiry
! Ihrd-Because it usurps powers nowhere clearly
! delegated by the Federal Constitution to Conrra:s
or either branch thereof N''
Fourth-Because it is dangerous as a precedent
and liable to abuse in the opportunity If oivas f,
perversion of the great power of the Union to tha
grathcation of vindictive party passion in varions
ways, to the peril of private right and personal Iib
erty, as by dragging citizens from their homes in
any part of the country, and rendering no man So
| cure in his own house.
f1fth-Because, waving all other objections it
Is unnecessary, inasmuch for all the purposes of
ihVeStgatlon, testimony by deposition, under the
anu wlthlh the hmlts OF the respective
States, is fully adequate 8 q Hov,p
The witness stated that he had known John
Brown during the troubles in Kansas; helped to
raise money and arms; they Were raised by contri-
buttons made from the aid OF inhabitants of
that he expected Brown would repel armed inv,
sion by armed resistance; that Brown had gained
his entire confidence; that he was a man of tried
had ceased in Kansas, Brown continued to devote
himself to advance the cause of practical antisls
very that in 1858 Forbes wrote to witness claim
ing money for past services, informing him that
Brown had arms, &C., belonging to the committee
and intended hostile demonstration in snme slave
State, and that he was incompetent to it, that nm
less the management of affairs was taken from |
Brown and given to him (Forbes) he would expose |
IT. witness had never known Forbes; that Senator |
Wilson about the same time wrote to witness stat |
ing be had been told Brown intended using arms |
and means belonging to the committee for unlawful |
purposes warning witness against Brown, and ad |
vislng that the arms be taken from him: that in |
consequence OF such information orders were |
sent to Brown to take the arms and pronertv |
OF the committee, then stored in Iowa into |
Kansas to be used only in defence of the freedom |
thereof; witness had no means of knowing whether |
the arms were the same taken at Harper's Ferry,
Dut supposed they were; witness could procure
copies OF the record, and of orders sent to Brown
ana woulo 90 SO; witness knew nothing of the CON
Ventlon IN Canada was not privy to the plan of at
tack on Harpers Ferry. There was much other
evidence, but none involving any leading Republi-
cans; he recognized several papers found in the
carpet bag to be in his handwriting; did not knoW
OF any organization or society in aid of Browns
plans; believed Brown be an honest and bipbIv
conscientious man, determined upon practical anti
slavery, but opposed to exciting insurrecton or
shedding OF blood, except in self-defence: had oiv
en- him aid and comfort as such. Witness heinz
pressed to know what he meant by spreading anti
slavery doctrines, for which purpose contributions
were maze, Illustrated by comparison with efforts
made to spread the Gospel among the heather. &c
&c.
JOSHUA R. GIDDINGs BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
Mr. Glddings also appeared before the Commit
tee. Senator Mason, the Chairman. received hiro
with some GOODNESS of manner
Mr. Olddlngs testified in substance as follows -
J ohm Brown had become known to the people of
his town-Ashtabula. Jefferson countv-throupb
the transactions in Kansas, and had Iectured in |
several villages in that part of the State The peo
pie OF Jefferson had become anxious to see and hear
him, and son of his, John Brown, Jr.. being
about hiteen miles from Jefferson, hearing of this
act, wrote letter to him (Giddings), saving that
Brown would be at Andover at a given time which
was in the latter part of May or June last. Mr.
Glddings then addressed a note to him Brown nj
W est Andover, requesting him to call up and see
nm, with the expectation that he would give
ecture Brown came one Saturday afternoon
while number OF men of the village, Giddngs
among them, were engaged in game of base ball.
Dr. bat and ball. Giddings was called aside and in
reduced to Brown who stated that he came there
20 make arrangements to lecture, and apbeared ,
ANXIOUS to nave some arrangement to the amount
u casn ne was to receive. Gddings disiked the
dea OF chatfering about the amount and told
orown TO come and give the lecture, and they
you'd see him paid. Brown accordingly came on !
Wednesday afternoon, and lectured in the church
n Wnlcn ne (Glddngs) was accustomed to wor- !
mp Alter the lecture Giddings invited him. with I
'ther gentlemen, to tea, and Brown accented the :
invitation, and took tea with him and remained in +
conversation some half three-quarters of an :
iour "heh ms carriage or conveyance drove up to
he door and he left. These were the only occa-
ions on which he ever saw John Brown Neither
n his lecture nor in his conversation did Brown
'llude in any manner to any arrangement combi
latlon, or preparation, to invade any State to in
lite insurrection among slaves or rebellion or any
hing of the kind. Mr.. g. was very positive and /
emphatic on this point. "'N :
Mr.. Mason inquired about letter which John =
'rown, JT, was said to have written to somebody
n which he stated that Giddinps had coptr;b,t5ii
hree dollars and had formed societies for the rsi
ng of funds. 'ne ais
To this Mr.. Giddings replied, that he could not.
! h course, undertake to explain any letter that Ii
hat Mr.. Brown had called on him as he (Giddingsl Y
,as about leaving Portage county to lecture at the
eclectic Institute in the the town of Hiram, and