Newspaper clipping of letter from Hugh Forbes to The New York Times, explaining the origin of John Brown's plot to raid Harper's Ferry. Transcription: ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE PLOT. LETTER FROM COL. FORBES. SATURDAY, Oct. 29, 1859. To the Editor of the New-York Times: Having by several persons been requested to make a simple statement of fact, that the public might be enabled to comprehend what appears a chaos, I have determined to do so, as far as my own knowledge enables me to do it. In consequence of the accusation in the columns of the Tribune, I had resolved to adopt this course after t
Newspaper clipping of letter from Hugh Forbes to The New York Times, explaining the origin of John Brown's plot to raid Harper's Ferry. Transcription: ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE PLOT. LETTER FROM COL. FORBES. SATURDAY, Oct. 29, 1859. To the Editor of the New-York Times: Having by several persons been requested to make a simple statement of fact, that the public might be enabled to comprehend what appears a chaos, I have determined to do so, as far as my own knowledge enables me to do it. In consequence of the accusation in the columns of the Tribune, I had resolved to adopt this course after the trial of Capt. [John] BROWN was over, but the publication of my notice to this (dated Oct. 25,) having precipitated the production of documents which are already before the public, with names and circumstances which I could willingly have withheld, there is no motive for further delay. All my letters would doubtless have seen the light ere long, because a copy of each was transmitted by me to Capt. BROWN, as well as to his backers, and even some of them likewise have sent him other copies, so that in the carpet-bag, and among the papers scattered about his house, an abundant supply of my correspondence may have been procured. Allow me, therefore, to ask for a space in your journal. About the 20th of March, 1857, Capt. BROWN, bearing an ordinary letter of introduction, applied to me, in the name of some Kansas Committees and private citizens, to go west to organize and instruct a certain energetic portion of the Free State men. My reply was, that so far as the purpose went, that was good, but was not far enough to induce me to move; but finding that his intention was to act against Slavery itself, I acquiesced in his demand, provided he could so manage as to send, for at least one year, to my family in Europe, each month, the half of what I was at that time making, and would further send my daughter to her mother in Europe, for I could not leave her in New-York all alone, and
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