Year: 1859

The Harper,s Ferry Affair.


There is one matter connected with this


affair which is worthy Of special notice


and that il that not single colored person


Of the invaded territory. slave or free, either


Joined with or could be forced into an active


participation with the invading miscreants.


Il was in act no insurrection at all, but


crazy invasion Of peaceable and contented


neighborhood by an armed band OF senseless


fanatics. The two or three negroes among


them we're from the North, and even they


alledge that they were deceived by Brown


with regard to the real character OF the ex-


pedition.


There is the fullest evidence that the


miscreanis who thus. assailed peaceful and
unarmed citizens, counted largely on assis-
tancc from the negroes-an expectation
in which they were woefully disappointed.
Several slaves were forced into their service,
and murderous weapons placed In their
hands; but at the first assault from the troops
they threw down their arms, and escaped as
fast as their legs could carry them to the
homes of their masters! This fact gives
The lie, most emphatically, to the impress
sions so industriously circulated through
abolition tracts and newspapers, that it only
requires that arms should be placed in the
hands OF the slaves. to bring about a gen.
eral uprising among them. Nothing could
be further from the truth, as the madcap,
Brown, and his associates have, ere this.
learned BY an experience, which has cost
them their lives.


The bloody intent Of these miscreants is
clearly forshadowed by the murderous wea-
pons which they had carefully prepared to
put into the hands Of the negroes, whom
they foolishly supposed would rush to their
standard. Amongst these weapons were
one thousand pixies or lances, composed of
steel blade sharpened at the point and at
both edges. The blades were six or
eight inches long. and tapering from an
inch or inch and a half to the point, strongly
and securely fixed on uniform wooden ban
dies five or six feet in length-a most efIec-
tive weapon for hands unskilled in military
weapons-leaving no doubt for whom they
were intended.


During all the tumult and confusion not
a slave, so far as is known. escaped or at
tempted to DO so. Even those who we're
forcibly taken by the invaders embraced the
first opportunity to escape from them, and
took the shortest way back to the terrible
bondage" from which these misguided, if
not maliciously wicked enthusiasts, would
fain have freed them.


1t is to be hoped that lesson has been
taught the abclitionists Of every degree,
which will induce them to put away their
misdirected and false philanthropy, and
cease their fiendish endeavors to scatter fire.
brands and death amoog the peaceable villa
ges Of the border states, disturbing not only
the immediate localities of their reasonable
operations, but endangering, also, the very
existence of the Union ITSELF May the sud
den aud terrible fate which has, ere this, un.
overtaken every one Of the par
Elephants in the late outrage, warn others
TO beware Of similar fate.


1t appears almost a special interposition
that not one Of the guilty parties have es-
eaped the penalty Of their crimes We trust
no efforts will be spared to ferret out and
bring to punishment any person OIL persons,
who, at a safe distance from immediate harm,
may have been indirectly implicated in fur.
nishing money or assistance, or advice even
in any degree looking to such fearful issue.
No punishment known to the laws. is too se-
we're to be meeted out to such men. be they
high or low, far or near. A refusal on the
part OF any State authority to deliver up
any such, on proper evidence OF completely
being produced should be considered as an
act of hostility 10 the peace and comfy Of
the Union.