Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1861-01-10

Geniiencn I'm sAe ioSsl column u your
seni-woekiy issue q The 18th instast. obsery
The following paragraph:
Harpers Ferry.
A SPURIOUS state of things exists ai present >;
harpsrs Ferry. Inmcdsaiely afisr tho yohn
Brown raid. the operatives there lmo<t Of whom.
u We aro rightly inform-d. are ffom Northern
statcsl organised themselves into two uniformed
military COMPANIES, but have sever ssked Sor
ronmrs<iors fron tn State. cod seem 10 think
that ihey are in no way bound BY the Militia
law OF the Stnte. The-r men OF NJ least some
OF them. vote az local elections. and in fact. in
some measure control them OF ooar-c. IL 10 I'M
necessary 10 say that they ars not for they
moi be. commissioned BY the FEDERAL Govern
ment- They ars. then. an independent corps,
with uniiorm different from that Of tho State.
and with United States arms in their hands
In the event Of disturbances on what side will
they be- iound'
deem Il due 10 the late secretary Of War.
tNr Floyd,l to the Armour and 10 ysyself 10
make simple suiement Of fac,s. which must
ask the favor of yon to pabiish.
Previous to tho "llFown raid there had not
for many years been any military organization
a, this place. The operatives in the Aru'ory
80 W naA&r afuss MOI 10 tltt tnl m.
NO man could have conceived the idea of pro-
r'd'ng proteetioa IRON such raid a. Browns.
any usore than he wcsld have thosght of put.
ting props under the Blue Ridge. to pscyent !,
from fAfiisg on the Anory. Hencr. no arms
or ammunition were in tho po.-es.isa Of the pso-
pie Of the place. After the Brown raid howcv-
or, the srnorvrs voluntarily reqae,icd To be per-
mtlfeA 10 a. -.
for 'hs protection OF the pabHe. as well NJ the
private property Of the plaoe. There were no
Federal forces regularly stationed here Reli-
ancc upon the Armorers aud other citizens had
TO ba rcsorted 70. They chccrfully volunteered
10 do service. aud the Secretary Of War agreed
to furnish them with arms. They not only serv-
cd to protest the property Of the Federal Gov
ernment but also. to prevent the Armory and
ITS contents, tsorne 10000 first rate arns) from
being turned upon the State Of Virginia. n was
20 near tho with Brown. Ihave taken the
pains since reading your paper to have some in
vcstigation made into the natiyiiics Of the r,cr-
sons employed in the Armory. We have about
$50 meu employed Nearly 300 are native born
Virginians sesea only were born North Of Ma.
son and DiNun's line. The remainder arc Of
iorcign birth and have been here for a number
ofyears. Ipcrrly state these facts as the qucs-
ton has frequently bern discussed in the pres.
OF the State. l. of course. take no exception 20
ysnr notice, but merely make " the occasion u
correct n misapprcheasion which axms IN be
quite general. Mary OF the foreigners in the
Arrnory have been here quarter Of century
or more.
doubt IL 80 tow Northern men can h. found
IN Any machilo shop South, in which there arr
10 many workmen. Look around Richmond tor
instance. Thon this il Government Arn,orv
IN which all good mechanics % the country have
equal claims to b. employed. Hence whether
accidental or Intentional, consider the small.
Dess Of ;he number Of Northern men engaged
a. remarkable fact; AMI rcaoct upon this
state of things with rial prize. For we hAvr
some Of The finest mechanics in the world herr
YirginiAns, all
am sure any failure To enroll ,hemseIyc. in
the State Military organization. has BEEN the
rSsnli OF no want OF fealiy TO tho Common wealth.
iou must at once sce how inconyenieh, it would
be for mechanics, at high prices. to 20 distance
OF ten Toiles % musteru when nothing was Ia -
gained BY the State. Thcn, too n soon a en-
rolled in the STATE organization. toe arBas would
be taken frotn thcm. There certainly could he
no detriment 10 Virginia to have these first-rnte
companies armed with the most improved arms
OF the agc with M cost to the State. have
some knowledge Of ihese people. and feel the
meet perfect eon6dence in vouehing for their e.
deity TO the -old Dominiou." whenever she has
rial need for their services. II affords me great
pleasure 20 be able N bear testimony 70 the char
actor Of thO-o Armnrers. in this unqualified
manner. Ny official connection with them is
near IFS Close, and feel no reserve in making
the statement.