Secession Era Editorials Project

Important Disclosures -- Seward and Chase -- Harper's Ferry.

Cincinnati, Ohio, Enquirer [Democratic]

(28 October 1859)

Important disclosures in reference to the Harper's Ferry insurrection will be found in our telegraph column. It appears from letters and memoranda found at BROWN's house that Governor CHASE, Senator SEWARD, Governor FLETCHER, of Vermont, the Massachusetts Kansas Emigrant Aid Society and others were aware of schemes on foot to run off slaves from the border slave states. A memorandum on a letter to HOWE, of Boston, from FORBES, gives the information that Governor CHASE contributed money, and Governor FLETCHER, of Vermont, arms. Senator Mason says that the munitions of war and other property found at BROWN's house, amounted to $10,000. This matter appears to have been in progress for some time, and that the leading Abolition Republicans of the free states were privy to it, some furnishing money, some arms, some other munitions, for a foray on the South. We hope for the credit of Ohio, whose Governor Mr. CHASE is, and for humanity's sake, that he may clear his skirts of the damnable imputation -- made by this letter from FORBES to Dr. HOWE. The idea surpasses belief, that the actual Governors of States should furnish money and arms for a crusade on the property of the people of the other States of the Union, and which crusades were calculated to create insurrections, and [illegible] horrors and desolation of a servile war. As to Senator SEWARD, when informed of what was going on and in contemplation, he did not denounce the scheme as a Senator should have done, but simply regretted that he had been informed of his position. He did not regret that it was going on; he simply regretted that, being a Senator, he had been informed of it. In this connection we append the following letter from one of OSSAWATOMIE BROWN's sons, who wrote his letters over the signature of John Smith." It will be seen that another Republican leader was privy to what was going on, and took stock to the amount of $300. This letter was found in BROWN's carpet-bag, near Harper's Ferry:

"West Andover, Ashtabula County, O.,

"Saturday, October 1, 1859.

"FRIEND HENRIE: Since I received Isaac's and yours of September 10, I have been making every effort to raise stock, and am succeeding well. Yesterday I sent a draft of $15 to J.M. Bi., of Chatham, with which to get on another hand. hall soon have enough to send again. Yesterday I returned from a trip to Jefferson and Ashtabula, where I met with some success. Our old friend J. R. G. took stock to the amount of $300. and as he was starting for Racanna, said he would form an association there. Monday Next I should start for Cleveland. Hope to find a letter from you at Mrs. Sturtevant's You may depend upon it I have been, and am yet, `straining every nerve' in furtherance of our cause. (Two photographic characters, which might be made to read `Parker Pillsbury') are here, and actually working in behalf of the mining operation.

"You will have me with you just as soon as I am satisfied I can do no more and be of [illegible] use there as where I am. Nothing new of special Interest. All We...In haste, yours, "John Smith."