Strange men had been boarding in Chambersburg for months. Who they were, what their business was, nobody knew. They represented themselves as Mineralogists. Our citizens were as totally ignorant of their dark and damning plot as the citizens of Harper's Ferry themselves.
Original passage & context
"Several strange men, for some time past, were stopping in Chambersburg, boarding at different places; who they were or what their legitimate business was, nobody knew, and the strangers themselves did not see proper to tell. [...] They represented themselves as Mineralogists, but who they were, what they were and what they were after, nobody knew. Our citizens were as totally ignorant of their designs--of their dark and damning plot--as were the citizens of Harper's Ferry, into whose midst these Sharp's Rifles, Revolvers, Pikes, Picks, Shovels, Spades, &c. were transported and secreted."
The Republican paper in Brown's staging town — same day as the Democratic Valley Spirit across town, earlier in this feed — pleads local innocence while condemning the 'dark and damning plot.' Its Oct 19 issue went to press before the news — this is its first reaction. Fragments joined with [...].
Read it in the original — Franklin Repository, Oct 26, 1859 (Valley of the Shadow) ↗