Confession of John E. Cook (Excerpt)

There were some six or seven in Brown's party who did not know anything of our Constitution, and were also ignorant of the plan of operations until Sunday morning, October 16. Among this number were Edwin and Barclay Coppoc, Merriam, Shields Green, Copeland, and Leary. The Constitution was read to them by Stephens, and the oath afterward administered by Captain Brown. On Sunday evening Captain Brown made his final arrangements for the capture of Harper's Ferry, and gave to his men their orders. In closing, he said: “And now, gentlemen, let me press this one thing on your minds. You all know how dear life is to you, and how dear your lives are to your friends; and in remembering that, consider that the lives of others are as dear to them as yours are to you. Do not, therefore, take the life of any one if you can possibly avoid it; but if it is necessary to take life in order to save your own, then make sure work of it.”

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 552

Governor John Letcher to Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood, January 10, 1860

The Commonwealth Of Virginia, To The Executive Authority Of The State Of Iowa:

Whereas it appears by the annexed document, which is hereby certified as authentic, that Barclay Coppoc is a fugitive from justice from this State, charged with the crime of treason, conspiring with and advising slaves to rebel and make insurrection, and with murder perpetrated at the town of Harper's Ferry, in this Commonwealth, on the sixteenth and seventeenth days of October, in the year 1859: Now therefore I. John Letcher, Governor of the State of Virginia, have thought proper, by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of the United States, in such cases made and provided, and of the laws of Congress in pursuance thereof, to demand of the Executive authority of Iowa, the arrest and surrender of Barclay Coppoc, and that he be delivered to C. Camp, who is hereby appointed the agent to receive him on the part of this Commonwealth.

Given under my hand as Governor, and under the Great Seal of the State, at Richmond, this 10th day of January, 1860, and in the eighty-fourth year of the Commonwealth.

{L. S.}

JOHN LETCHER.

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 96-7

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to Governor John Letcher, January 23, 1860

Executive Chamber, Iowa,

Des Moines, January 23, 1860.

To His Excellency, the Governor of Virginia:

Sir: — Your requisition for Barclay Coppoc, alleged to be a fugitive from justice from the State of Virginia, was this day placed in my hands by Mr. Camp. Having carefully considered the same, I am of opinion that I cannot, in the proper discharge of my duty as Executive of this State, grant the requisition, because it does not, in my opinion, come within the provisions of the Constitution of the United States, and of the laws of Congress, passed in pursuance thereof. The certificate of the Notary Public, that the paper purporting to be the affidavit of Andrew Hunter, was sworn to, is not authenticated by his Notarial Seal, and for that reason, is no higher evidence of that fact, than would be the statement of any other citizen. Were this the only difficulty, I would, as it is in its nature technical, feel disposed to waive it in this case; but there is a further defect, which in my judgment is fatal, and which my duty will not allow me to overlook.

The law provides that the Executive authority of a State demanding any person as a fugitive from justice, shall produce to the Executive authority of the State on which the demand is made “the copy of an indictment found, or an affidavit made before a magistrate” of the State by which the demand is made. In this case, there is not a copy of any indictment produced, and the affidavit produced, is made before a Notary Public, who is not, in my judgment, a magistrate, within the meaning of the law of Congress.

This is a matter in which, as I understand, I have no discretionary power. Had the application been made to me in proper form, charging the offense charged in this case, the requisition must have been granted; and as it is, I have not any more authority to surrender the person demanded, than if requested to do so by a private letter.

Very respectfully,

SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 97

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to Governor John Letcher, January 24, 1860

Executive Office, Iowa

Des Moines, January 24. 1860.

To His Excellency, the Governor of Virginia:

On yesterday, Mr. Camp, of your State, presented to me a requisition for Barclay Coppoc, which I declined to grant, for reasons stated in a letter to you, which I handed to him, (Mr. Camp).

I have since examined more carefully the body of the affidavit of Andrew Hunter, and beg leave to call your attention to it. Mr. Hunter states that from information received by him from certain persons condemned and executed in your State and from other facts which have come to his knowledge, he believes that Coppoc was aiding and abetting John Brown and others, who on certain days, in Virginia, committed certain crimes, and that from information recently received, he verily believes Coppoc is a fugitive from justice, escaping in this State. It is not stated, unless it be inferentially, that Coppoc committed the acts charged, in the State of Virginia, nor are any of the facts upon which affiant bases his belief of Coppoc's guilt stated.

It seems to me very desirable that in case you shall deem it your duty again to demand Coppoc from the Executive authority of this State, that no question may arise upon the sufficiency of the papers upon which the demand shall be made, and I have therefore deemed it proper to make to you the above suggestions.

Very respectfully,

SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 98

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to the Senate of Iowa, February 28, 1860

To the Senate

February 28, 1860

From the Journal of the Senate, p. 340

__________

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, February 28, 1860.

Gentlemen of the Senate:

I have received the resolution, passed by your body on yesterday, asking certain information in regard to a demand made upon me by the Governor of Virginia, for the arrest and surrender of one Barclay Coppoc, as a fugitive from justice.

I have examined that resolution with much care, and have very reluctantly arrived at the conclusion, that I ought not to answer it. I readily admit the propriety of giving to the public full information on this subject, and shall promptly communicate all facts within my knowledge, in any way connected therewith, whenever I can do so consistently with my self-respect, and with the respect and consideration which, in my judgment, are due to the department of our government which, for the time being, I have the honor to represent. I cannot, however, do so in response to a resolution which assumes that, in this matter, I have done acts which the common judgment of your body would pronounce to be improper in any person holding my official position.

This assumption, utterly unfounded as it is, I cannot either respond to or deny, without admitting, by implication, that the suggestion thereof was authorized by the facts of the case.

I cannot believe it was the well considered intention of your body, to embrace such assumption in your resolution, but am satisfied that your action in this matter, took its present objectionable form through oversight and inadvertence.

For these reasons, I very respectfully return said resolution, that you may have the opportunity of giving it further consideration.

SAMUEL J. KIRK WOOD.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Shambaugh, editor, The Messages and Proclamations of the Governors of Iowa, Volume 2, p. 378-9

John Brown's Cannon

In 1857, John Brown left Kansas, and his men stayed at the Quaker settlement in Springdale, Iowa, where they planned their next move.  Brown probably used this small cannon to prepare his followers at the William Maxson farm for a raid on the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia).  Maxson was an Underground Railroad conductor and abolitionist.  Accompanying Brown from Iowa were Jeremiah Anderson of Yellow Spring, Stewart Taylor of West Liberty, and Edwin and Barclay Coppock of Sprindale.  Brown and his men wanted to seize the federal arsenal, supply weapons to rebellion slaves, and begin overthrowing the entire system of slavery.  Brown’s raid failed, and he was hanged on December 2, 1859.

SOURCE:  Interpretive sign (seen at right) next to the flag in the Iowa and the Civil War: Nothing But Victory exhibit at the State Historical Museum of Iowa, Des Moines Iowa, July 18, 2012.