The Sun.
London, England, 1835-08-29 00:00:00

AMERICA.

( From the Charleston Courier.)

Tyger Bayou, Madison County, Mississippi.
Before this reaches you, no doubt you will have heard,
through the newspapers, that the citizens of this and the adjoin-
ing counties have been, since the 29th of June, under the most
serious apprehension and excitement up to the present time;
and, as I have been an eye-witness to most of the pro-
ceedings and transactions that took place in the village of
Livingston, I will detail them for your information. On
June 29, a conversation was overheard by two gentlemen be-
tween some negroes, of an intended insurrection. Informa-
tion was immediately extended to the citizens, and expresses
sent to the adjoining counties. The citizens of Madison, on
the 30th ult., held a meeting at Livingston, to concert toge-
ther. Upon examination of the report it was deemed alarm-
ing, and two negroes were examined on the Ist of July—one
fellow belonging to Ruel Blake, and the other to William
Johnson ; but the evidence being insufficient to satisfy the
people of their guilt, they were remanded to prison for further
examination. On the 2d, many of the citizens becoming sen-
sible of the great danger and guilt of the two who were first
examined, seized and hung them without further ceremony,
they confessing that white men were the leaders and instigators
of the plot. Forthwith a committee of 13 of the most respec-
table and wealthy farmers was organized, and invested with
full authority (extending to life, over black and white) to try,
condemn, and execute, all suspicious persons brought before
them—the citizens unanimously pledging themselves to sup-
port the committee in all their acts. The first two white men
brought before the committee were Drs. Joshua Cotton and
Sanders (steam-doctors) who were on the fourth instant tried,
convicted, and executed. Cotton confessed (not under the
gallows, for there was none, and they were hanged at the side
of an old gaol, suspended from the grating of the window) his
guilt, and implicated many white men and negroes, and said
that there were some negroes attached to his cause on nearly
every plantation in the State, and warned the people to "be
ware of to-night, to-morrow, and next night." Parties of
horsemen were detached to arrest many white men and ne-
groes, and until the present time were at all hours of the
day and night arriving at Livingston with prisoners. On
the 6th, Gregory, aged 72 years, was sentenced to receive
50 lashes, and to leave the state in 48 hours. Terrel,
about 50, received 150 lashes, and to leave the state in 48
hours. This is called slicking, and is performed in the fol-
lowing manner. The prisoner is stripped naked, laid on his
belly, his hands and feet fastened to four pegs, when with a
coleman he receives the stripes from different hands. The
younger was slicked with a vengeance,. his back was literally
flayed. Lee Smith was ordered out of the state in 48 hours,
but was afterwards arrested by his neighbours of Hindes county,
and slicked; and it was observed by one of the Committee,
had he not been discharged so soon, he would have been hung,
as sufficient testimony was afterwards adduced against him.
Two more white men, Dean of Connecticut, and Donovan of
Kentucky, were convicted, and on the Bth expiated their crimes
under a rude gallows, erected in the centre of the village.
Mitchell, a blacksmith, was entirely acquitted, and his services
as a smith held in requisition. He seemed the happiest man
on the hill, rendering every service required, with the utmost
promptness and cheerfulness. Holden was also acquitted.
Hiram Hall, William Benson, Lansford Barnes, and
Nickolas were ordered out of the state in 48 hours, or to re-
ceive 500 lashes, and not to return under penalty of death (of
course they tramped, rod thank ye too.) On the 6th, a party
of horsemen, headed by Hiram Perkins, had arrested three
Rawsons and another man, who have been deeply implicated,
and are said to be in possession of a roster of the names of all
the whites in the State who were engaged in the conspiracy.
These men were rescued by a Mr. Mat. Shurkie, a man who
has stood high in the estimation of his fellow-citizeni, and is a
wealthy man, working 60 hands. Report being made to the
committee, they ordered the detachment to be strengthened,
and to recapture the Rawsons. Purkins came in contact
with Shurkie, when a fire commenced. This party was mor-
tally wounded, Hodge severely in the thigh, and Shurkie had
his right-hand torn to pieces.
An express arrived from Vicksburg, that Ruel Blake, one
of the conspirators, and for whom a reward of 500 dollars had
been got up among the citizens of Madison and offered, was
arrested, and on his way under escort of a guard, and appre-
hensions being entertained that he would be likewise rescued,
a party was detached after him. On the 9th at 3 o'clock
p.m., he was brought in by a party of 40 horsemen, headed
by Mr. Albert G. Bennett, and delivered over to the com-
mittee, and in one hour after he was remanded to prison, under
sentence of death, to be inflicted between the hours of 3 and
4 p. m. on the 10th inst., ; and he was at that hour accord-
ingly executed under the same gallows that Dean and Dono-
van, his accomplices, had suffered, denying his guilt to the last
moment. Blake was arrested at Vicksburg, whilst witnessing
the execution of five gamblers. It was reported at Livingston,
by a gentleman, who saw the prisoner at Benton, Yazoo
county, that one Hunter had been arrested, and in considera-
tion of a promise of pardon, had acknowledged his guilt of
being an accomplice in the plot of urging the negroes to in-
surrection, and had implicated a great many more. Andrew
Boyd, a conspirator, was required by the Committee of
Safety, and Mr. James Dickson, Hiram Reynolds and
Hiram Perkins (since killed) were ordered to arrest
him. They discovered he was flying, and immediately
commenced the pursuit, with a pack of trained hounds.
He miraculously effected his deliverance from his pur-
suers, after swimming Big Black River, and running
through cane brakes and swamps until night-fall, when the
party called off the dogs. Early the next morning they re-
newed the chase, and started Boyd one mile from whence
they had called off the dogs. But he effected his escape on
horse (fortune throwing one in his way), the hounds not
being accustomed to tha't training after he quitted the bushes.
There arc many whites still utdergoing their trial before
this committee, who are cautious, but rigid, fully under the
impression, that although the testimony by which these
fellows are convicted would not be sufficient in a regal
court, that they are not the less guilty, and they arc deter-
mined that they shall not be screened by the glorious uncer-
tainty of the law.

It appears that this conspiracy was first generated by a
monster in human shape, named John A. Morel, " the great
western land pirate," but who was last year sentenced to two
years' imprisonment in the Penitentiary of Tennessee. Cot-
ton, who was executed, acknowledged that he was an accom-
plice of Morel's, and that he had been engaged for two years.
Last December was the time appointed to " cry havoc, and
let slip the dogs of war ;" but in consequence of Morel's
arrest and detention, it was deferred until the 4th of July,
1835. Every day the number of arrests increases, and every
day the testimony strengthens, and the plot becomes fully
more developed.

A large number of blacks have been executed in the dif-
ferent colonies. If my paper had held out, I could have filled
it with news, for I have not told you all, but only given a
running account.