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Staunton Spectator: November 8, 1859 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

For the Spectator; Agriculture of Augusta County
(Column 6)

Summary: Part of continuing series. Section V, Staple Crops.

Trailer: J. L. Campbell; Washington College, October, 1859

Result of the Trial
(Column 1)

Summary: Results of John Brown's trial.

Full Text of Article:

The trial of Capt. Brown at Charlestown has resulted as everybody anticipated it would, and the prisoner has been sentenced to be hung on the 2nd of December. It is probable, however, that the case will be taken up to the Court of Appeals on a point of law, and if the objection is sustained a new trial will be ordered. We, for one, shall not regret any delay in the execution of the sentence which the laws authorized, as we wish the country to see that the State of Virginia is acting calmly and deliberately, and not under the influence of passion or alarm. So far, the proceedings have been conducted in admirable style, and Judge Parker is commended on all hands for his dignity and impartiality. We are glad that even the whims of the prisoner have been treated with the utmost forebearance. The State guarantees a fair trial to every man accused of crime, and that Brown had one he is obliged himself to confess, notwithstanding his complaints at the outset. In his address to the Court, when called upon as usual to say why sentence should not be pronounced, he remarked: "I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received at my trial. Considering all the circumstances, it has been more generous than I expected."

The prisoner complained, however, of his sentences, because he was convicted of capital offenses--treason, murder and conspiracy with negroes--when he only intended peacefully to run off slaves; and if lives were sacrificed it was the fault of those who interfered with him! Such an apology is, of course, very absurd, but why did Brown provide so many rifles and pikes if he did not contemplate violence and bloodshed? He was, no doubt, deceived in reference to the assistance which he expected, both from the free and slave States. He calculated upon large accessions to his force from the North, as Cook admits, and the fact that, after all his preparations for months beforehand, he could muster only seventeen white men and five negroes, goes far to prove that the number of such fanatics,is very small. He also, according to his own statement, expected assistance from Maryland, Virginia, and other slave States. Upon what this expectation was founded does not appear.--It may be that he had read in the newspapers the charges of abolitionism, or unsoundness upon the slavery question, preferred against each other by the two political parties, and that these criminations and re- criminations, which are well understood here, really induced him to believe that hundreds of white men in the slave States were prepared to join his standard.--Whether this be so or not, it is high time that the sort of party warfare alluded to were discontinued. It is certainly calculated to do great injury, by giving aid and comfort to outside fanaticism.

Horse Thief Convicted
(Column 1)

Summary: Berry convicted of stealing Cline's horse in July.
(Names in announcement: John Berry, John Wetzel, Mr. Cline)

Opposition Convention in Virginia
(Column 3)

Summary: Harper's Ferry has increased political tensions, so Unionists, especially in the North, will be watching the opposition convention very closely.

Origin of Article: Baltimore American

Trial of the Conspirators
(Column 4)

Summary: More about the Harper's Ferry trial

Opposition Meeting
(Column 3)

Summary: The Opposition in Augusta plans to expand the number of delegates going to the December meeting.
(Names in announcement: J.D. Imboden, Alexander H.H. Stuart, Bolivar Christian, John Newton, M.W.D. Hogshead, James Cochran, Jno. Imboden, Nathaniel Massie, J. Marshall McCue, Adam McChesney, J.B. Baldwin, H.W. Sheffey, D.S. Young, Rudolph Turk, R.L. Doyle, P. Harrison, J.M. Hanger, G.W. Imboden, H.M. Bell, Dr. T.W. Shelton, John McCue, Jno. Hamilton, William King, William Withrow, R. Guy, James Walker, Benjamin Craig, S.B. Finley, Dr. E.G. Moorman, William Nelson, J.C. McCue, Jno. Parkins, Dr. W.C. Bruffy, J.H. Irvine, D. Farror, J.G. Fulton, Dr. Robert Gamble, U.D. Poe, D. Newton Van Lear, F.F. Sterrett, Robert Ruff, F.S. Hogshead, Robert Guy, F.M. Roberts, Henry Eidson, William Montgomery, Kennerly Craig, Dr. D. Bashaw, Robert Craig, D. Kunkle, William Tate, William Sproul, Dr. John McCheany, Capt. James Henry, Col. William Tate, Dr. V.T. Churchman, A.M. Hawpe, A.G. Christian, Jno. Churchman, J. Bumgardner, B.F. Lewis, William Bell, L. WaddellJr.)

Mrs. Child and the Insurgent Brown
(Column 5)

Summary: Exchange of letters between Lydia Maria Child and Gov. Wise. Child wants a letter given to John Brown and hopes to be allowed to come nurse him. Wise sees no problem with that, since "Virginia and Massachusetts are involved in no civil war...."

Origin of Article: Richmond Enquirer

Cook and Fred Douglass
(Column 1)

Summary: Cook blames Frederick Douglass for the failure of Brown's mission at Harper's Ferry. Douglass replies that he never promised to take part in the Harper's Ferry insurrection.

Full Text of Article:

A letter from Charlestown reports Cook as saying that the Harper's Ferry enterprise only failed through the cowardice of the negro abolitionists Fred Douglass. That individual was to have arrived at the schoolhouse with a large band early on Monday, but Cook says, "I conveyed the arms there for him, and waited till nearly night, but the coward didn't come."

Fred replies to the charge of cowardice, in a letter dated Canada West, Oct. 31. He says:-- "I have always been more distinguished for running than fighting--and tried by the Harper's Ferry insurrection test, I am most miserably deficient in courage--even more so than Cook when he deserted his brave old Captain and fled to the mountains. To this extent, Mr. Cook is entirely right, and will meet no contradiction from me or from anybody else. But wholly, grievously and unaccountably wrong is Mr. Cook when he asserts that I promised to be present in person at the Harper's Ferry insurrection.--I may have been guilty, I have never made a promise so rash and wild as this. The taking of Harper's Ferry was a measure never encouraged by my word or by my votes, at any time or place; my wisdom or my cowardice, has not only kept me from Harper's Ferry's, but has equally kept me from making any promise to go there." The time has not come, he says, for him to make a full statement of what he knows about the affair. He has no apology for keeping out of the way of United States Marshals at this time. If he has committed any offence it was done in New York, and he is willing to be tried there; but he has "insuperable objections to be caught by the hands of Mr. Buchanan, and "bagged by Gov. Wise."

A Friend in Need to Old Brown
(Column 1)

Summary: Mrs. Lydia Child, the philanthropic and popular writer, asked Gov. Wise to allow her to care for John Brown. She is a staunch abolitionist, but she promised that she would not take advantage of the situation to help Brown escape.

Full Text of Article:

Mrs. Lydia Child, the philanthropic and popular writer, is presumed to be the lady referred to by the Herald's Richmond correspondent in the following passage, dated October 28th:

"A letter was received from a Boston lady asking the Governor's permission to go to Charlestown to nurse old Brown, and pledging her honor, while she was a strong abolitionist, that she would take no improper advantage of the privilege. The letter contained a note addressed to Brown himself, which she requested the Governor to forward to him after he had read it. Both were unquestionably the best production I have ever seen from the pen of a woman and woman-like, they breathed all the sentiments of sympathy, kindness and affection that martyrdom in a holier cause might be supposed to elicit.--She avowed herself frankly a thorough abolitionist, while disapproving the means resorted to by Brown to accomplish the ends sought for. One thing was apparent from these productions, and that was she truly sincere in her opinions; and the Governor could not help expressing regret that so accomplished a person should suffer under such an illusion as seemed to have possessed her. He will grant her permission, and guaranty her perfect immunity from any violence or indignity in the State. But as to the privilege of acting nurse to Brown, that is a matter in the discretion of his physician at Charlestown, and he may admit or exclude her at will. The presumption is, however, that she will have entire liberty to exercise her humane office in behalf of that `brave veteran,' as she designated old Brown."

Threatening and Appealing Letters to Gov. Wise
(Column 1)

Summary: Gov. Wise of Virginia has received a number of threatening letters from abolitionists who threaten to kill him if he does not pardon John Brown.

Origin of Article: The Richmond Dispatch

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: Married on October 26.
(Names in announcement: Rev. S.H. Cummings, Elisha Weeks, Lucy Taylor)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: Double wedding, on November 2.
(Names in announcement: Rev. John Pinkerton, Joseph Craum, Maria Neff, Samuel Whitmore, Sarah Neff)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: Married on November 3.
(Names in announcement: Rev. W.C. McCarty, W.S. Arby, Elizabeth Hunter)

Excitement at Charlestown, VA
(Column 1)

Summary: Charlestown is still in an uproar after the Harper's Ferry raid because many of its inhabitants believe that some of Brown's men are still in the vicinity.

Married
(Column 1)

Summary: Married on November 3.
(Names in announcement: Rev. X.J. Richardson, David Dull, Ann Stockdale)

Married
(Column 1)

Summary: Johnson of King William County, married on November 16.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Mr. Turpin, William Baylor, Mary Hawes Johnson)

Married
(Column 1)

Summary: Married on November 1.
(Names in announcement: Rev. F. McFarlandD.D., James Hudson, Ann E.D. Brown)

Died
(Column 1)

Summary: Mrs. Fox, age 65, died on November 4.
(Names in announcement: Mrs. Barbary Fox)

Trailer: Balt. Sun and Abingdon papers please copy

Died
(Column 1)

Summary: Rebecca, age 7, died on November 4.
(Names in announcement: Rebecca Mary Ann Andrews, William Andrews, Sally Andrews)