New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-10
Nsu Orlsans 4ailu Crescent,
Latest Intelligence BY Express.
IN ADVANoE or THE MA11a

tjafperss Ferry Investigating COMMITTEE
DIR. HowE BEFORE TEE COMMITTEES. DIR. How,
| OF Boston, appeared before the Senate Brown Raj
Committee on the Sd inst. He declined taking til
oath to testify unless be was permitted to enter hi
protest against the whole proceedings. BY PEI
mission he made the following protest:
! The undersigned, having been summoned to ap
pear and testify before your committee, and bein,
unable to resist the power Of the Senate obeys ths
summons, but enters his protest against the pro
ceedings, upon the following grounds
FIRST Becaus the tribunal created il secret and
inquisit0riaI
Second Because ii ii created for rnrposes he.
yond the Legitimate scope OF Legislative inquiry.
Third. Because it usurps powers nowhere clearly
delegated by the Federal Constitution to Congress
or either branch thereof.
Fourth. Because it il dangerous al a nrecedent
and liab to abuse in the opportunity gives for
peryerson Of the great power of the Union to the
gratlcation Of vindictive party passion in various
liberty, as by dragging citizens from their homes
in any part Of the country and rendering no mar,
secure in his own house. -
Firth Because, waving all other objections, it is
unnecessary, inasmuch as for all the purposes Of
investigation, testimony by deposition under The
jurisdiction and within the limits Of the respective
States, Is fully adequate.
s. g. HOWE.
The witness stated that he had Lpown JoIn
Brown during the troubles in Kansas. helped raise
money and arms; they were raised by contribu
tons made from the aid of inhabitants Of Kansas .
that ne expected Brown would repel armed inva-
SION by armed resistance; that Brown had gained
his entire confidence; that he was man Of tried
honesty as well as courage that after the troubles
had ceased in Kansas, Brown continued to devote
nimsen 70 ADVANCE the cause of practical Anti
slavery; that IN 1858 Forbes wrote to witness
claiming money for past services, informing him
that Brown had arms, etc., belonging to the com
mittee, and intended hostile demonstration in
some Save state, and that he was incompetent to
mar ~
taken from Brown and given to him (Forbesl he
wonld expose it: witness had never known Forbes. .
that Senator Wilson about the same time wrote to
witness, stating he had been told Brown intended
using arms and means belonging to the committee
for unlawful purposes, warning witness against
Brown, and advising that the arms be taken
from HIM; that in consequence of such infor-
nation, orders We're sent to Brown to take fhe
arms and property 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
Harpers Ferry. but supposed they were: witness
could procure copies Of the record. and of orders
sent to Brown, and would do SO; witness knew
nothing OF the convention in Canada: was not
privy TO the plan of attack on Harper's Ferry.
There was much other evidence, hut none inyoly
ing any leading Republicans; he recognized sew
eral papers found in the carpet bag to be in his
handwriting did not know of any organization or
society IN and OF Browns plans; believed Brown to
be an honest and highly conscientious man detar
mined upon practical anti-slavery, but opposed to
exciting Instruction shedding of blood. except
in sef-defence; had given him aid and comfort rs
such. witness, being pressed to know what he
meant by spreading anti-slavery doctrines for
which purpose contributions were made illustrated
by comparison with efforts made to spread the
Gospel among the heather, etc.
JosHUA R. GIDDINas BEFORE THE INVESTIGATING;
COMMITTEE. Mr.. Giddngs appeared before the
Senate Brown Raid Committee on the 3d. He was
treated very politely by the committee Senator
Mason, the chairman, received him with some cold
ness Of manner.
Mr. Giddings testified in substance as follows:
John Brown had become known to the people Of
ms town-Ashtabula, Jefferson county-through
the transactions in Kansas, and had fectured 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 fifteen miles from Jefferson hearing OF this
fact, wrote letter to him (Giddings) saving that
Brown would be at Andoyer at given time which
was in the latter part Of May or June last MI.
Giddings then addressed note to him Brown at
West Andoyer, requesting him to call up and see
MN, with the expectation that he would give q
lecture. Brown came one Saturday afteruoon
while number of men of the village Giddings
among them, were engaged in game of base bali.
or bat and ball.
Giddngs was called aside and introduced tt
Brown, who stated that he came there to make ar
engagements to lecture, and appeared anxious to
have some arrangement as to the amount Of cash
he was to receive. Giddngs dsliked the idea of
ehatferlng about the amount, and told Brown to
come and give the lecture and they would see him
paid. Brown accordingly came, on Wednesday
afternoon, and lectured in the church in which he
lGiddings) was accustL med to worship. After the
lecture Giddings invited him, with other gentlemen
to tea, and Brown accepted the invitation and took
tea with him and remained in conversation some
half or three quarters of an hour when his carriage
or conveyance drove up to the door and he left
These were the only occasions On which he ever
In MnIth hSa jnat,
conversation did Brown alude in any manner to
any arrangement combination or preparation, to
invade any State to incte irsurrection among
slaves or rebellion, or anything of the kind Mr.
e. was very positive and emphatic on this point
Mr. Mason inquired about letter which John
Brown, Jr., was said to have written to somebody
in which he stated that Giddings had contributed
three dollars and had formed societies for the rails
ing of funds?
To this Mr.. Giddngs replied, that he could not,
OF course, undertake to explain any letter that
Brown, Jr., had written. He could only say that
Mr.. Brown had called on him as he (Giddings) was
about leaving Portage county to lecture at the
Eclectic Institute in the town of Hiram, and he told
him that as he was advertised to lecture at Raven-
ma the following day. and lawyer lived there who
had been Senator in that State, (Oho) man of
repute, by the name of o. II. Brown--no relation
to John Brown-and who was said to have been at |
the head of an association to raise funds for char
table purposes" which he understood distinctly to
mean the aiding of escaped slaves. He (Giddings)
would call on said o. L. Brown, and see il he |
would not give something from the funds Of that
society or association. This, Mr.. Giddings said,
must have been the only remark upon which Brown
could have based the statement in his letter about
associations as connected with him.
Mr.. Mason inquired what was the subject of his |
(GiddngsD lectnres2
Mr.. Giddings-I lecture upon the trial of John
Quincy Adams, upon the I. higher law,n upon |
scenes in Congressional life, and upon the powers
and duties of human governments.
Mr.. Mason.--ln regard to your lecture upon the |
powers and duties of human government, does that |
not have direct reference to slaves and the rights
Of slaves in slave States
Mr.. Giddings.-It has direct reference to the
rights of human nature, the Divine will as mani
Tested in the laws Of nature, the legitimate powers
Of human governments, the duties OF human gov
of the powers possessed by governments
Mr.. Mason.-But has not all that direct reference
to slaves in theslave States |
Mr.. Giddngs.-W Wherever a human soul exists
there the rights to which have referred exist, in
Guiding the whole human family.
Mr.. Mason-Do You consider that this higher
aw is superior to human laws and the Constitution
Of our country2
Mr.. Giddings-No enactment or mandate of a
lespot invading those human rights is law nor has
Il any Of fhe elements of law H. coufnrs mn nop,