CANADA CONVENTION.--HARPER’S FERRY.
It seems remarkable that the man whom Providence had chosen to warn
a guilty nation of its danger, and through whom the African race in
America received the boon of freedom, which is but a prelude to the
entire abolition of slavery on the western continent, should be sent
first to Major Delany in Canada, through whom alone he considered
himself able to perfect the plans necessary to begin the great work!
Certainly the ways of Providence are beyond mortal comprehension. The
extraordinary kindness of the jailer to the old hero prophet in the
midst of hostile men in Virginia elicited surprise in the North, and
was the subject of remark by many. To a playfellow of Martin Delany in
childhood it was no matter of wonderment that he should sympathize with
his helpless, way-worn prisoner, if the heart of the man were at all
akin to the heart of the child. The open admiration demonstrated by the
Virginia jailer for the character of his captive was a picture striking
and pleasing in the midst of all the dark surroundings of that time.
The man who, in the midst of hostile faces lowering with hate and fear
towards him who sat beside him on his way to death, could say, “Captain
Brown, you are a game man,” proved himself, after his prisoner, the
bravest man in Virginia that day.
In regard to the relation sustained by the brave Avis to Major Delany
in childhood, it may be of interest to know that the acquaintance
was renewed in after years, during the Mexican war, by the major’s
frequently sending him copies of the paper of which he was then
editor in Pittsburg. These were duly acknowledged by Captain Avis,
who recognized his name, and adverted to some of the scenes of their
childhood, but cautioned him against sending them regularly, lest it
should attract attention at the post-office, the paper being thoroughly
anti-slavery, and taking grounds against the war, as being waged for
the propagation of slavery. Hence anti-slavery sentiments were not
unfamiliar to Avis. And we know not but that at some time, in that
lonely prison cell, the name of Martin Delany, whom the testimony of
Mr. Richard Realf before the Senate committee had made to play such a
conspicuous part in the singularly significant councils at Chatham, was
mentioned; and who can say it may not have been a link that had first
knit the captor to the captive?
The testimony of Mr. Realf before the Senate committee appointed to
investigate the Harper’s Ferry affair resulted in placing Major Delany
in a most cowardly light. The charges were to the effect that he, “Dr.
Delany, had repeatedly urged the black men in the convention, and that
all his acts and advices tended to encourage them to go with Captain
Brown, to aid in an overthrow of the government, as a measure that
would succeed.” This is without foundation. Major Delany is remembered,
by those who attended the councils at Chatham, as having objected to
many propositions favored by Captain Brown, as not having the least
chance of giving trouble to the slaveholders, except the fortification
at Kansas. At one time, having objected repeatedly to certain proposed
measures, the old captain sprang suddenly to his feet, and exclaimed
severely, “Gentlemen, if Dr. Delany is afraid, don’t let him make you
all cowards!”
Dr. Delany replied immediately to this, courteously, yet decidedly.
Said he, “Captain Brown does not know the man of whom he speaks: there
exists no one in whose veins the blood of cowardice courses less
freely; and it must not be said, even by John Brown, of Ossawatomie.”
As he concluded, the old man bowed approvingly to him, then arose, and
made explanations.
He accounted for Mr. Realf’s discrepancies from the fact that the
young man was a stranger to the country, and understood but little
of its policy, and his former position in life never brought him in
contact with men of such character as Mason, of Trent notoriety, and
the rest of the pro-slavery committee, upon whose torturing rack he was
stretched, _upon the charge of attempting to overthrow the government_!
But a few years after beheld the chairman of that committee a fugitive,
a prisoner, and an exile, and Virginia the battle-ground of contending
armies, one inspired by an anthem commemorating the name of him whom
Virginia in her madness sacrificed to her destruction, the other
endeavoring to destroy the Union in accordance with the teachings of
the judges of Captain Brown and his followers.
While this stern judge of the Senate Chamber was hiding his blighted
name in exile, the name of Richard Realf shone among the brightest at
Lookout Mountain, as he rushed forward, amid a shower of bullets, to
replace the national standard after its bearer had fallen.
These misrepresentations of Major Delany’s connection with the Harper’s
Ferry insurrection embarrassed him greatly, at one time, while abroad,
which we give, and will also show the importance attached to the
Harper’s Ferry invasion abroad.
While reporting on his explorations during his visit to Scotland, a
letter (anonymous) was sent to Sir Culling Eardley Eardley, implicating
the Major (Dr. Delany) with the “insurgents under John Brown.”
Such was the effect of this insidious missive, that a whole day
(Sabbath) was spent by gentlemen of the highest social and public
position in discussing the matter, and considering the propriety of
dropping and denouncing him.
But wisdom prevailed, and they determined to disregard the anonymous
informant’s advice. With this a learned ex-official of her majesty’s
government called upon him at his residence in Glasgow, and reported
the proceedings to him. He was met with an argument from Major Delany,
to which he assented, and replied that it was the same in substance
as used by himself and the great-hearted Sir Culling Eardley Eardley.
After passing through the scrutiny of these British statesmen, he
received no further annoyance concerning this while in Europe.
Of the movement at Harper’s Ferry, followed by the almost immediate
execution of Captain Brown and his devoted followers, he was ignorant,
until in Abeokuta he received a copy of the New York Tribune sent from
England for him.
It was after the Canada Convention, in accordance with designs as
before stated, he embarked for Africa, accompanied by Robert Douglass,
Esq., of Philadelphia, the genius whom prejudice denied the right to
study peacefully his glorious art in the academy of his native city,
but whom the Royal Academy of England received within its portals, and
Professor Robert Campbell, of the Philadelphia Institute for colored
youth.