CINCINNATI, August 20.
SIR, — I have lately received information of a movement of so great importance, that I feel it my duty to impart it to you without delay. I have discovered the existence of a secret association, having for its object the liberation of the slaves at the South by a general insurrection. The leader of the movement is "old John Brown," late of Kansas. He has been in Canada during the winter, drilling the negroes there, and they are only waiting his word to start for the South to assist the slaves. They have one of their leading men (a white man) in an armory in Maryland, — where it is situated I have not been able to learn. As soon as everything is ready, those of their number who are in the Northern States and Canada are to come in small companies to their rendezvous, which is in the mountains in Virginia. They will pass down through Pennsylvania and Maryland, and enter Virginia at Harper's Ferry. Brown left the North about three or four weeks ago, and will arm the negroes and strike the blow in a few weeks; so that whatever is done must be done at once. They have a large quantity of arms at their rendezvous, and are probably distributing them already. As I am not fully in their confidence, this is all the information I can give you. I dare not sign my name to this, but trust that you will not disregard the warning on that account.1
1 The envelope is directed, “Hon. Mr. Floyd, Secretary of War, Washington,” marked “private,” and postmarked Cincinnati, August 23, 1859. Although the information sent to Floyd was very exact, and one would have supposed a Virginian specially sensitive to such intelligence, it does not appear that he gave the matter more than a passing thought. He received the letter at a Virginian watering-place, but did not read it twice, although he laid it away at first as a paper of some moment. It has never been ascertained who wrote it, but perhaps a young man then connected with a Cincinnati newspaper. This person had become acquainted with a Hungarian refugee, formerly in the suite of Kossuth, then living in Kansas, and who, had fought on the side of the North, possibly under Brown, and had learned in some detail the plan of the Virginia campaign. This it is believed he communicated in an unguarded moment to the Cincinnati reporter, who could not contain the secret, but sat down at once and wrote to the Secretary of War. It is possible that the information came indirectly from Cook, who talked too freely. See p. 471.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 543-4
LANCASTER, O., Aug. 20,1859.
DEAR SIR: I wrote you a few days ago, in part answer to your very kind note addressed me at Lancaster. I am now in possession of your more full letter sent by way of Leavenworth, and shall receive to-day the printed reports to which you referred.
These will in great measure answer the manifold questions propounded by me. When in full possession of these I will again write you, and when I know you are at Washington, I may come there to meet you, and to make those preliminary arrangements as to furnishing the building, selecting text books, etc., all of which will no doubt have to be approved by the Board of Education in Louisiana.
I can easily secure from West Point the most complete information on all the details of the management and economy of that institution. Then, being in possession of similar data from the Virginia Institution, we can easily lay a simple foundation, on which to erect, as time progresses, a practical system of physical and mental education, adapted to the circumstances of Louisiana. I shall not take my family south this winter, and shall hold myself prepared to meet you at Alexandria, or elsewhere, at the earliest date you think best. I feel deeply moved by your friendly interest in me, and both socially and in the new field hereby opened to me I will endeavor to reciprocate your personal interest and justify your choice of a superintendent.
I have seen a good deal of the practical world, and have acquired considerable knowledge, but it may be desultory, and may require some time to reduce it to system, and therefore I feel inclined to see the Board of Education1 select a good series of practical books as textbooks.
If this has already been done, I will be the better pleased; if this devolve on the professors it will require some judgment to adjust them, lest each professor should attempt too much, and give preference to textbooks not intimately connected with the other classes. The adjustment of the course of studies, the selection of the kind and distribution of physical, muscular education, and how far instruction in infantry, sword and even artillery practice shall be introduced are all important points, but fortunately we have a wide field of choice, and the benefit of the experience of others. As soon as I learn you are in Washington, and as soon as I know all that has been done, I will give my thoughts and action to provide in advance the knowledge out of which the Board of Education may choose the remainder.
1 Board of Supervisors of the Seminary. — ED.
SOURCE: Walter L. Flemming, Editor, General W.T. Sherman as College President, p. 33-4