[Footnote 28:—­The following is an extract from the letter referred to: 

“I agree with you cordially in your views in regard to negro slavery.  I have long considered it a most serious evil, both socially and politically, and I should rejoice in any feasible scheme to rid our States of such a burden.  The Congress of 1787 adopted an ordinance which prohibits the existence of involuntary servitude in our Northwestern Territory forever.  I consider it a wise measure.  It meets with the approval and assent of nearly every member from the States more immediately interested in slave labor.  The prevailing opinion in Virginia is against the spread of slavery in our new Territories, and I trust we shall have a confederation of free States.”

The following extract from a letter of Washington to Robert Morris, April, 12th, 1786, shows how strong were his views, and how clearly he deemed emancipation a subject for legislative enactment:  “I can only say that there is no man living who wishes more sincerely than I do to see a plan adopted for the abolition of it; but there is but one proper and effective mode by which it can be accomplished, and that is, BY LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY, and that, as far as my suffrage will go, shall never be wanting.”]

[Footnote 29:—­A Committee of five, consisting of Messrs. Mason, Davis, and Fitch (Democrats), and Collamer and Doolittle (Republicans), was appointed Dec. 14, 1859, by the U.S.  Senate, to investigate the Harper’s Ferry affair.  That Committee was directed, among other things, to inquire:  (1) “Whether such invasion and seizure was made under color of any organization intended to subvert the government of any of the States of the Union.” (2) “What was the character and extent of such organisation.” (3) “And whether any citizens of the United States, not present, were implicated therein, or accessory thereto, by contributions of money, arms, munitions, or otherwise.”

The majority of the Committee, Messrs. Mason, Davis, and Fitch, reply to the inquiries as follows: 

1.  “There will be found in the Appendix a copy of the proceedings of a Convention held at Chatham, Canada, of the Provisional Form of Government there pretended to have been instituted, the object of which clearly was to subvert the government of one or more States, and of course, to that extent, the government of the United States.”  By reference to the copy of Proceedings it appears that nineteen persons were present at that Convention, eight of whom were either killed or executed at Charlestown, and one examined before the Committee.

2.  “The character of the military organization appears, by the commissions issued to certain of the armed party as captains, lieutenants, etc., a specimen of which will be found in the Appendix.”

(These Commissions are signed by John Brown as Commander-in-Chief, under the Provisional Government, and by J.H.  Kagi as Secretary.)