Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-13
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. nfarc,, Q
Communicable Us Bo.rley a,,d Others.

Commonwealth Us Boriey and Others.
L. our last, we promised to give particulars of
this novel and alarming case Aware Of. he any
e'y which the public must feel TO be correctly
informed upon subject so deeply ,ntere,tipr
and the avidty with which every idle rupoar is
81 zed upon, and rnagnifed, and distorted. until
al resemblance Cf the truth is lost We have
been soicitous 70 present plan statement OF
the prmcipal facts, az they were disclosed on the
trial They present history of the most stu.
pd viiiainy on the one part, and of pitiable de-
fusion on the other
George Boxley, of Spottsylvania, was arra;rn.
ed before the tees of SAID County ON Mon.
day last the 4h INST. upon charge of advising
and exciting an insurrection ams1g certain negro
slaves contrary to law, and against the peace aud
safety OF the commonwealth And tipon the
two succeeding days, several negroes were ar
re ened upon the charge of being parties in the
same
II appeared that the prisoner Roxley kent
little country store, where the negroes Of ,,e
nelghborh0od frequeptlv came TO deal On these
occasions, he would hold conversations with them
on the suolect OF emancipation, and endeavor
20 secure their confidence by presents. and nv
cling them they ought to be fee. Where he
found they lent wiling ear to his DISCOURSE he
came out more fully-told them hat he had
long Thought upon the subject, and that he had
formed plan, BY winch, if they would bind
themselves to HIM and submit 10 his directions
they should all obtain their freedom. Some he
Iendeavored TO influence by religious feelings and
isuperstnio1s cling them that he had been nan;
red by Heaven with the holy purpose of dsGuer.
ing his fellow creatures from bondape--ihat
1.-the 7vilte-6ard had perched upon his shoulder
| and revealed It to hlm-'fhat he had agetrs in
Fredericksburg, Richmond, and IN di fIerert com.
es who were eniistipg men IN the cause. and Tim,
as soon as they were sufficiently numerous, they
would move. ~
When by these means be had secured soms 20
lembark with him in the cause he Sent them CT
to proseyts others One that he EMPLOYED e,r
TINS purpose was preacher. The rel;,,iou
meetings were the places chosen as the most
hitting for propagstng- the cause. At ihese
meetings great numbers assembled, and the NO.
groes there held discourses with each Other
without exciting suspicion. Boxley frequently
met them OF nights, and would remain with tbs6
all night. Among other deceptive devices used
to influence his victims he read to them leTters
Purportng TO DC from gentlemen of known res.
Peetabhry promising AID III arms and MONEYS
What The ultimate object of the prisoner was
or by what means it was to be accompI;sleJ
did not appear from the evidence. The negroes
were mostly actuated by an indefinite dea If
ireedom' How long the plot has been in aeita;i
on, did not appear. The woman who was the
principal witness, was first informed of Il bv
lytA tie Preacher, at a meeting in October Ias;
About the first Of March was the period fixed
on for them to move. Poor deluded yretcbes
Tie FIRST Monday in March saw them arraioneJ
before court of Justice, and before another
month elaPses, many of them will have ended
Their lives upon a gallows.
On Saturday the 9th Feb. a negro woman the
property ofMr. Cole, communicated the blot 10
her mistress. Steps were Immediately taken bv
me magistrates Tor the apprehension of the corr
sP"3tors, some OF whom were secured that dss.
on we ioiow'ng day Boxiey collected little
band of Tor ~ negroes, with The avowed in
tention Of rsssuing the prisoners. lie afterwards