New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-01
JOHN BROWN'S BETRA YER.
HE WAS DAVID ]. CUE, AND WROTE
THE HISTORIC LETTER TO FLOYD
IN ORDER TO SAVE THE
EMANCIPATOR
}, F. Cue in The February Midland Monthly

B. +. Cue in The February Midland Monthly.
In August. 1853, there were living with me in OUT
log cabin on the banks of Rock Creek IN the north
6avd j. Gu %I now Of New S s CITY On the 18Th
ney, who old friend of Smith During their
stay the exciting topic of conversation among the
his men. They had made wa-m friends among the
peaceful people of the settlement, and several
young men had gone from Their homes to join John
told 10 his most trusted friends TO arouse thei,
not succeed. and must end in the violent death Of
all engaged in 1t. on Sunday evening Moses Var
ney took Smith to one side and revealed 10 nm IN
He felt that something must be done TO save
Brown, his followers and the young men from
Sprngdale who had gone TO join him from the GER
tain and terrible fate 10 which they were hasten.
ing. When varney had finished the narrative; 50
smith. he exclaimed what can we do! What
must we do 10 save their lives? For two nog,s
to no decision When they were about 70 sepa,a,e
Varney exclaimed: Something must be done 10
in me-consult your friend--but do something
On their long ride home Mr. Smith ana my my
tsTbs 10 eond be- Without
the stern old emancipation who was wllIins 70 .arN
ns they aP sa es to me- tVr the ns
been conhded TO them by our Springdale frena
p psn 10 .sys ts. s Sssa S Ss
death We consulted together long ana sbnse bs
roS young men and their fearless anG neHaSs de-
feat end Destruction III IL il %as in our power
Moses Varney had informed Smith that he and and
several other trusted friends OF the old pat ar"
had used ali their powers OF persuasion and en-.
treaty to induce John Brown 70 abandon nsr dea
hopeless and so sure 10 end In the IloIel -.
of scores Of people. But no impression c0d'1 ihss
made upon him Brown had prSpn srean na slavery
and that the time he had so long wae Ss Srepars
tons p Of lifetime seemed to him to eliminated
in this plan He was sure that IN soy Ms he
ysc band TO m it that would
liberation OF the slaves Against such ls,.n nrs
vail His youth hH followers had implicit c0nfdsIs:
in their leader. and were imoued w WIN per
scnal danger made no impression upon tnese I
voted men We realized that whatever wa he in
done prevent the impending tragedy must 81 a. Sone
another direction; that II anything was 10 ps
must do IT, We could not betray the eon Warney
of that noble and humane Quaker Moses tateoi
his friends and neigh6ors looked TO US inexperi.
enced in public affairs but dared not consS .way
and wiser persons The night was wearing iiseiy
aS better H plan might have been devised wiser
heads. but this is what we finally determnsr, Of
War from different localities nofyng nm OF lust
contemplated raid. They should give Nun ym mi
stsps to t bs sks to to guard the
Iiarper,s Ferry This would become eresrs' who
was understood to place quietly taxing WsS Sp
servations preliminary TO the attack ne I'm 70
notify his leader who could easily lead MS NV
ga fety I'm that mountain region. -. ,.,,ers
Ii not easy matter TO so WORD tnese ,nad 70
that they should alarm the Secretary anu "a 70
prompt action. They must be anonymous, az"
spur the Department 10 move al once We We leader
cred IL necessary to give the name OF lhv rr"wn
whose late assaults upon slavery were wen zeal
/ throughout the country We must caretuuy ~ the
from the possibility Of finding out the ma mt whch
writer's OF these letters and the place rom siisd
they were written, SO that We could MOI uo 80 our
upon 10 give evidence as to the sources Sn,,ns-
or In any way implicate our Sp ,,ns
dale friends with a knowledge OF the raid Ne's uho
would We give any names or clew TO persons or
could be used as witnesses against John DIVE In
his men II any OF them should be arrested Sv n
our little log cabin the letters were W smith
John B. FLOYD Secretary OF WAR. A. L" SI n
wrote one, dated Philadelphia, August 10 ,srssssd
TO the Secretary at Washington. d. Z, s IN
stamp put on H. The letter was then inciossepp ba-
larger envelope directed 10 the postmaster vii.
delphia Penn Ii was mailed al Nheathro the
iage 1--WE miles north Of US. David J. Cue w'o'' Wv
other letter. .aarAssed 70
John r. Floyd, Secretary Of War. Wasn,asS".sd IN
C.. and marked Private 1t was then inso y, en-.
a larger envelope directed TO the postmasv sought
cinnati Ohio and mailed at Big Rock VIZ ,nn that
10 convey to the Secretary the impres, psrfs
the writer's OF these letters lived In dine,e" rned
OF the country that they had accidentaiy ~ avn
something OF Browns raid that they nag ~ XII II
4 duty to warn the Government OF the sscrs-
tack We hoped In this way to induce .nx .yners
Iary TO send strong military guara 70 n "a the
Ferry which would at once become Ano"m sSedy
bid emancipator. ard avert the dreadeo "ss
But It was not 10 be.