Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/878

 where Cooke had taught school, was also examined, and a large quantity of arms and military stores were found. About fifteen hundred pikes, with handles five feet long, were also found under the floor of the school-house, and in the vicinity. These were designed to arm the slaves, who were not familiar with the use of fire-arms. A large number of letters from various portions of the Union were found in Brown's house. It was apparent that the plan for a rising of the slaves had been devised some time before, and that the steps had been taken to make it effective. The arms, pikes, &c., under the names of agricultural implements, had been brought in boxes by railroad to Chambersburgh, Pennsylvania, and from that point had been taken by wagons to the farm. All correspondence had been carried on in the assumed name of Smith. The letters were taken by Governor Wise to Richmond, and many of them were published in the papers soon afterward.

Among the documents found, was what purported to be a regular plan of organization for a provisional government. Subsequent developments showed that this plan was matured at Chatham, in Canada, some time before the outbreak. John Brown was selected as commander-in-chief. A secretary of war and other officers were also chosen. The document was a long one, going somewhat into detail, and providing for the various emergencies that were supposed might arise. The purpose seemed to be to take such steps as the case required to liberate the slaves. To accomplish this, these deluded men supposed it was only necessary to offer the slaves their freedom, and they would at once flock around their standard, and be ready to fight to the last in defense of their natural rights. The plan long contemplated and well devised, and thoroughly consummated, so far as the capture of Harper's Ferry, &c., was concerned, was fatally defective in its theory that the negroes were ready for insurrection. The actual facts demonstrated that not one of them deserted their masters, and joined the forces of those who came to liberate them. Several of the slaves of Colonel Washington were forced into the service of Brown's men, but all the testimony showed that every act of theirs against their masters was done by compulsion. And therein was the fatal error of Brown and his men. They discovered it when too late. The negroes were too shrewd, even if they desired freedom, to imagine that such a mere handful of men as the invaders had, could for any length of time resist the combined forces of the State and the General Government. It is also probable that they did not desire freedom. Situated near the borders of Pennsylvania, all of their numbers who actually longed to escape had accomplished their desire, leaving-only the willing to serve their masters. There did not appear to be any design on the part of Brown and his company to destroy life, unless it became necessary to protect themselves, or to carry out their plans. The property of the slaveholders was to be used only for the purpose of accomplishing the great end of the movement, Everything was to be made subservient to this great end. Commissions had been issued to various persons of his