UNITED STATES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 180, 1 March 1860, Page 4

UNITED STATES.

THE HARPER’S FERRY INSURRECTION. —CAPT BROWN SENTENCED TO BE HUNG. By way of Liverpool, we ( Melbourne Heraid] learn that- 'Captain Brown and other prisoners, who participated in the Harper’s Ferry outbreak,'had been sent to Charleston for trial. Brown had made a confession to Governor Wise. Papers that have been found in hi? possession implicated Gerrit Smith, Joshua Giddings, and other abolitionists who furnished money. Brown, whose, wounds were not serious, says he had contemplated this movement since 1856. All his party were either hilled or captured except one. It is said that the papers do not show that the negroes at Harper’s Ferry were partakers before the fact in the conspiracy. It had been thought proper not to publish yet the names of the conspirators, but it appears the whole affair was organised with considerable care. A constitution and code of rules were drawn up, to which •the conspirators were bound to accede. A manifesto by Gefritt Smith, directed in Au gust last to the chairman of the Jerry rescuers, curiously foreshadows the outbreak and its attendant circumstances. Brown had provided arms sufficient for 1500 men, and on search being made at bis house a number of letters and other documents were found, among which was one from Frederick Douglass, and another from a lady containing the “ dollars for the cause.”. The result of che engagement at the ■ Ferry, Appears-to have been six citizens and fifteen insurgents wounded and live prisoners. The news of the outbreak caused great excite-, ment and alarm in Washington, and precautions were taken in case of an outbreak in that city. In the meantime apprehensions of further skirmishes were current in the neighbourhood of Harper’s Ferry, and the citizens were arm-, ing, Colonel Lee went with a company of Marines to Harper’s Ferry, but found all quiet. On withdrawing the consternation of the people increased, and they were endeavouring to or*, ganise companies for general defence when the last accounts left.. The trial of Brown began on the 25th of October, and terminated on the 2nd November. When the court inquired if the prisouer had counsel, he said : “ Yirgians—l did not ask for any quarter at the time I was taken. I do not ask to have my life spared. The Go- . vernor of the state of -Virginia tendered me his assurance that I should have a fair trial: hut under no circumstances whatever will I be able to have a fair trial. If : you seek my blood, you can have it at any moment without this mockery of a trial. I have had no counsel: I have not been able to advise with any one. I knew nothing about the feelings of my fellow prisoners, and am utterly unable to attend in any way to my own defence. My memory don’t serve me ; my health is unsufficient although improving. There are mitigating circumstances that I would urge in our favour, if a fair trial is to be allowed us; but if we are to be forced with a mere form—a trial for execution-*—you might spare yourselves that trouble. lam ready for my fate. Ido not ask a trial. I beg for no mockery of a trial, no insult —nothing but that which conscience gives or cowardice would drive you to practice. I ask again to he excused from the mockery of a trial. Ido not even know what the special design of this examination is. Ido not know what is to be the benefit of it to the commonwealth. I have now little further to ask, other than that I may. not be foolishly insulted only as cowardly barbarians insult those who fall into their power.” After the jury had returned their verdict of guilty against Brown, the prisouer rose, and in a clear, distinct voice said: “I have, may it please the court, a few words to say. In the first place I deny everything but what I have all along admitted—of a design on my part to free slaves. I intended certainly to have' made a clean thing of that matter, as I did last winter when I went into Missouri, and there took , slaves without the snapping of a gun on either side, moving them through the country, and finally leaving them in Canada. I desired to have done the same thing again on a larger scale. That \yas all I intended to do. I never did intend murder or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, oy to make insurrecI have, another objection, and that is, that It i 3 unjust that I should suffer such at

penalty. Had I interfered in the manner which I admit, and which I admit has been fairly proved—-for I admire the truthfulness and candour of the greater portion of the witnesses who have testified in this case—had 1 so interfered on behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or in behalf of any of their friends, either father, mother, brother, sister, wife, or children, or any of that class, and suffered and sacrificed what I have in this interference, it would have been all right, and every man in this court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment. This court, acknowledges too, I suppose, the validity of the law of God. I see a book kissed, which I suppose to bo the Bible, or at least the New Testament, which teaches me that all things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them. I teaches me

further, to remember them "that are in bonds us bound with me. I endeavoured to act up to that instruction. I say lam yet too young to understand that God is any respector of

persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done, as I have always freely admitted I have done, on behalf of liis despised poor, is no wrong, but right. Now, if it is to be deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I say let it be done. Let me say one word more. I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received on my trial. Considering all the circumstances, it is more generous than I had expected. But I feel no consciousness of guilt. I have stated from the first what was my intention, and what was not, I never had any design against the liberty of any person, nor any disposition to commit treason, or excite slaves to rebel, or make any general insurrection. I never encouraged any man to do so, but always discouraged any idea of that kind. Let me say something, also, in regard to the statements made by some of those who were connected with me. I fear it

has been stated by some of theca that I have induced them to join me ; but the contrary is true. Xdo not say this to injure them, hut as regretting their weakness. No one but joined me of his own accord, and the greater part at their own expense. A number of them I never saw and never had a word of conversation with till the day they came to me, and that was for the purpose / have stated. Now I have done. While Mr. Brown was speaking perfect quiet prevailed, and when be had finished, the Judge proceeded to pronounce sentence upon him. After a few primary remarks, he said tnat no reasonable doubt could exist of the guilt of the prisoner, and sentenced him to be hanged in public on Friday 2nd of December next. Mr. Brown received his senteuce with composure. Xlis counsel gave notice of appeal to the highest tribunal of Virginia, Edward Croppie was tried, and pronounced guilty of conspiracy, treason, and murder. The case of Cook, Brown’s second in command, is to be removed to the United States District Court.

Washington, October 25, 1859. A letter received this morning from Richmond, states that Governor Wise, of Virginia, will make a demand upon Governor Morgan, of New York, for the rendition of Gerrit Smith, he being implicated in the affair at Harper’s Ferry. It is also highly probable that a similar demand will be made upon, the Governor of Ohio for Joshua R. Giddings and others, who are clearly implicated.

CAPTAIN BROWN’S ANTECEDENTS. The late rising of slaves at Harper’s Ferry , under the generalship of Captain Brown, has produced the following particulars of his previous history, which are given in the Times by “ X,” who writes from the Hotel de Lille et d.’Albion, Paris' “ There is a history antecedent to the deplorable occurrence at Harper’s Ferry, to which no allusion is made either by your correspondent or youiself, which throws, some light upon what otherwise must appear an act of the most wicked folly.

“ Brown, commonly known in the United States as ‘ Old Captain Brown,’ is a man who < suffered cruelly in the commencement of the Kansas troubles, about five years ago. To the best of my recollection, before he had taken any part in the contest then commencing between the partisans of * free soil’ and slavery in Kansas, bis home was entered at night by a party of the border ruffians from Missouri, who plundered and carried off what was most valuable of the snug property he had acquired by a long course of humble industry, set fire to the buildings and crops, and deliberately murdered one or two of his children. His wife soon after died broken-hearted. Brown himself became, as has been represented to me by his friends and neighbours, a cool, careful, unnaturally sagacious, patient, and desperately outrageous monomaniac. He gathered about him a small band, seldopi numbering more than a score, composed/mainly of New Englanders, whom events .had changed from the most peace-loving, if hot pusillanimous, quiet ploddingfarmers and mechanics, to desperadoes. Among them were two of his own sons. Times and, again, this band had penetrated far to the interior of Missouri, and liberated men from gaol who had been apprehended on a charge of assisting slaves to escape, or some other trumpery allegation, which was likely to have cost them their lives at the hands of Judge Lynch, at the same time bringing back with them and setting free whole families of slaves, and otherwise despoiling the property, and sometimes lakiiig the'lives of men who had been promi-

nent in the attempt to force slavery upon the people of Kansas by the terror of civil war. When this attempt was relinquished and peaceable arrangements had been effected, Brown again became a farmer, and apparently a quiet citizen. Soon, however, a party of Missourians in pursuit of a runaway negro, under the pretence of searching for their property, entered the house of citizens of Kansas without legal authority, and when resisted committed outrages. The Missourians were not long returned to their homes, when old Brown was among them with his sons, burning houses, destroying crops, and carrying off negroes and horses. A reward was offered for his head; Jie was pursued by a large compauy, and the last I recollect hearing of him he had, after having been surrounded ,by his pursuers, charged through them,' and, escaping unhurt with all his party, turned upon them at night to their sore discomfiture.” •