Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-02-25
Secret History of the John Brown
Raid on EIarper,s Ferry.

From the Detroit Post, Feb. I.
Brown and five of his men arrived in De-
troit, with fourteen slaves from Missouri, in
the summer of 1853. One of the slaves
gave birth to male child on the way. The
boy was named John Brown, and now lives
in Windsor. By a strange coincidence,
Fred Douglass happened to be lectnring in
this city the same evening that Brown arri-
we'd. After the lecture the leaders of the in
surrectionarv movement got together in the
house Of William Webb, on Congress street,
near Antoine street, and arranged the plan
for the raid on the South, which broke out
prematurely at Harper's Ferry. Mr.. Webb
was for years manager Of the plug tobacco
factory on jefferson avenue, and was high
ly respected man. He is now dead. The
leading co.ored people Of Detroit and Chat
ham were also present at the meeting
Douglass objected to Browns plan, which
originally was to make raids on single plan
tations until he had collected a force OF about
1000 slaves, and then swoop down on the
large towns and cities, collecting force and
material rs he progressed. Brown grew
wrathy, and asked Douglass if he was q
coward, and referred to his successes in
Kansas as an augury of the Virginia cam.
paign. Douglass replied that be was not a
doward, and would give material aid to the
plan if he did BOT approve Of it, or did not
90 himself George De Baptste also dis
approved Of the plan, but proposed q gun
powder plot, by which some fifteen Of the
largest churches in the South would be
blown up on fixed Sunday. Brown OBJ
iected TO that plan on the score OF humani-
~, asserting that by his plan not a hundred
lives would be lost, his intention being not
to shed blood unless it became absolutely
necessary. De Baptiste still urged radical
measures, declaring that Browns plan woald
fall and perhaps cause the loss Of mi lion
Of lives before the troubles likely TO ensue
would be ended. He cited in support of his
position the fact that the Nat Turner insur-
rec;ion, in 1881, by which fify-three white
lives were lost, had had the effect Of causing
the next Virginia Legislature to consider a
bill for the gradual emancipation Of the
slaves, which bill was lost by only two
votes.
Ossawatomie's counsel prevailed, and the
only favor, besides money and advice, that
he asked of his Detroit friends, was to fur
nish him one map, which they did-a Chat
hamite. The news of the disturbance at
Harper's Ferry, which took the nation with
50 much surprise, was perfectly well under
stood by the colored people of this city.
They were anticipating the event, since one
Foster had divulged in Washington the
plans of Brown, who, in consequence, was
obliged either to abandon his enterprise or
precipitate matters, even if at fearful odds.
He chose the latter alternative.
The sequel is sufficiently well known
These facts, however, have been kept with
sworn secrecy, until lately, by the colored
men of Detroit. The particulars have nev-
er been published. 1t may be only necessa-
ry to add that subsequent to the meeting at
Webb's house, on Congress street, a meet
ing was held in Chatham, at which the leap
sheaf' was put on the plan. Now that the
negroes are equal, politically, before the
law, they have no fear i'll letting their con-
nection with this affair be known. They
glory i'm it,