The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-03-03
Secret History OF J ohm Browns Raid.

Brown and five of his men arrived in
Detroit with fourteen slaves from Mis-
souri,, in the summer Of 1858. One Of the
slaves gave birth to a male child on the
way. Tho boy was named John Brown
and now lives in Windsor. BY strange
coincidence Fred Douglass happened "a
be lecturing in this city the same evening
that Brown arrived. After the lecture
tho leaders of tho insurrectiOnary move
ment rot together in the house of William
Webb Y6n Congress street, near Antoine y
stree, ard arranged the plan tor the raid
on the South, which broke out premature
ly at Harper's Ferry.
Mr.. Webb was for many years manager
Of the plug tobacco factory on Jefferson
avenue. he Is now dead. Tho leading
colored people Of Detroit and Chatham
were also present at the meeting. Doug.
lass objected to Browns plan which orig.
inally was o make raids Oh Jingle lplsn,
tatt6ns until bs Ind scollectelsa i6rces9 q
about one thousand slaves, and then sw0of
down on the larger towns and cities, col
lecting force and material rs he progress.
ed. Brown grow wrathy, and asked Doug.
lass If he was coward, and referred 10
his successes in Kansas US m augury Of
the Virginia campaign. Douglass replied
that no was not o coward, andwOuldt give
material aid to the plan II he did not ap-
prove OF it, or did not go himself.
George Dc Baptistc also.approvcd Of the
plan, but proposed q gunpOwdcr plot by
which some fifteen Of the largest churches
in the south would bel blown up on fixed
Sunday. Brown objected to the plan OIL
the score Of humanity, asserting TINT by
his plan not q hundred lives would be
lost, his intention being not to shed blood
unless Il became absolutely necessary.
De Baptiste still urged radical measures,
declaring that Browns plan would fail,
and perhaps cause the loss ola million OF
lives before the troubles likely to CnsuC
would be ended. He cited in support pi
his position, the fact that tic Nat Turner
instruction in 1881, by which fily.threC
white lives were lost, had Ind the effect
of causing the next Virginia Legislature to
consider Il bill Tor the gradual cmanCipa'
ton Of the slaves, which billgwas lost by
only two votes. :, i,
0sawatamies counsel finally prevailed,
and the only favor, beside money and al'
vice, that lie asked Of his DGtrSit friends,
was to furnish ono man, which they did
n Chathamitc. The news Of the disturb.
ancc at Harpcr's Ferry, which took the
nation with 80 much surprise, was perfect.
" well understood BY thecOlorcd men Of
this city, They were anticipating the
event, since one Foster had divllged In
Washington the plans of Brown, who, in
consequence, was Obliged TO abandon his
enterprise or prccipitNtc matters, even at
fearful Odds lie chose the hitter altCrna-
tive. II 1l'iif llTlI ~
The sequel is sufficiently well known.
These facts, however, have been kept
with sworn secrecy, until lately, by the
COlorcd men of Detroit. Tho particulars
have never been published. It may he
only necessary TO add TINT subsequent to
tho meeting at We1b's house, op Con.
gross street, n meeting was held hi CHIT.
liam, at which the "cap shcat7' was put on
the plan.-DetrOtt tEisst sl'I giIIg.i