Cleveland (OH) Herald, "Brown's Correspondence," October 27, 1859

          Brown's Correspondence.

                         New York. Oct. 27.

   The Herald publishes a series of letters from Colonel Forbes, the author of the Instruction Books for Guerrilla warfare found at Brown's house, to various Republicans principally to F. B. Sanborn, Secretary of Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society and Dr. S. G. Hone of Boston. One letter, addressed to the latter, dated May 1858, is prefaced by the following memorandum: "Please show to Messrs Sanborn Lawrence Co."

   Copies will be sent to Governor Chase, who found the money, and Gov. Fletcher, who contributed arms, and to others interested, as quickly as possible. The letter gives the plans of Forbes and Brown for an insurrection. Forbes' plan, with carefully selected colored and white persons, was to organize along the northern slave frontier, Virginia and Maryland especially, a series of stampedes of slaves, each one of which operations would carry off in one night, and from the same place, some twenty to fifty slaves.

   This to be effected once or twice a month, and eventually once or twice a week along non-contiguous parts of the line, if possible without conflict, only resorting to force if attacked. Slave woman accustomed to field labor would be nearly as useful as men. Everything being in readiness to pass on the fugitives, they could be sent with such speed to Canada that pursuit would be hopeless.

   In Canada preparations were to be made for their instruction and employment. Any disaster which might befall a stampede would at the utmost compromise those only who might be engaged in that single one, therefore we were not bound in good faith to the abolitionists, as we did not jeopardize that interest, to consult more than those engaged in this very project. Against the chance of loss by occasional accidents should be weighed by the advantages of a series of successful runs. Slave property would thus become untenable near the frontier; that frontier would be pushed more and more Southward, and it might reasonably be expected that the excitement and irritation would impel the pro-slaveryites to commit some stupid blunder.

   The Missouri frontier being so far from the habitable part of Canada, and the political parties, anti and pro slavery, being in the State. Missouri so nearly balanced, suggested a peculiar action in that quarter which would depend in a great measure on affairs in Kansas. Brown had a different scheme.