Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-08-04
rbr Constitutional yglbsg.
MOND.tY MORNING., AUGUST 9. 1926

'fyT'e'teHded 4tsurFec5tJ1.-i " nave become Con
'nced, that the cautious silence observed bythe pub
c prints. on of servile usurrecton when
ever such event is apprehcnded, whether upon
good grounds, or grounds at all, is absurd and
i:npoliic. Ii there indeed he jus, cause for expect
ing I'VE will not say fearng) u catastrophe OF this
nature, the public prints present the best medium OF
putting all parts of the community on its guard-ir(as
lathe present CASEY there be rational ground for
any such apprehension. tile public prints afford the
ieadiest neans of circulating information which may
seTve to tranqailize the imagination of the distant
public, and perhaps TO abate the fears of those
or the supposed danger. In short, tall; about the
thing in whispersto in little Squads and evince
anxiety, ridiculous if there cuuse of alarm and
smpoitic If there s-to treat rulors of this nature
with SO much seriousness, as if they were sometime
too horrible to be menoned-all these things we say
are calculated to enhance the confidence of the
IN themselves. and to make them really magine il
possible tor them to engage in conspiracy with dis
nt hope OF success-of all notions certainly the most
crazy and mpractcable. The courage fone side is
ever elevated IN proportion TO the depression OF the
otheri and if shame cannot prevent men with boards
on their chins, from showing fright which the very
women and children laugh at the reflection that
Their pusalaninty is provoking the danger they
temoie at, ought at least to induce them to restrain
any external symptoms of alarm.
Some weeks ago, rumours Of an expected insur-
recton reached this place from the counties of Gou
ceser and Matthews. AS is the with oil rumors
but especially those which menace danger the ru-
NOR in question flew through the country in all Girec
lions, exaggerated by every individual who circulated
it, until at last assumed an Importance most rdicu
lousy in contrast with the truth. We understand
from good authority, that investigation by the civil
authority In the counties mentioned, discovered no
single fact to justify belief i'll the supposed conspiracy
but on the contrary that it left ell men good
with reasonable share of pluck in the firm per-
snasion that the plot was wholly imaginary, getting
wind no body could tell exactly how, though its
spreading was easily enough accounted for, from the
love of human nature for the horrible and marvellous
II SO happened, that the rumor of the imaginary in
surrcction in Matthews and Gloucester, reached this
part Of the country about the time that Bowycrs
murdered i'll the neghboring county of Hanover by his
own slaves. The coincidence quite sufficient for
the weak and credulous. Although it satsfacto-
rly established las we hear) that Bowyers muir
dered because he proposed to carry his slaves to an
other part of the Common wealth, yet upon this CO.
incidence was built the whole structure OF the alarms
which have agitatedth part of the country for
ten or twelve days We are sorry to have occasion
10 saw that these alarms seized even upon some men,
whose station in society, if could not protect them
against fright, ought to have prevented them from
making public exhibition of it. .uen thus getting
scared wonder that the panic should seize up
on the women and children and yet understand
that the ladies of Hanover evinced great magnanm-
ity and courage.
The conduct Of the Executive has been such as to
increase the apprehension of individuals. Ills EX-
celency has had the idgets for the last ten days
His ABIDE camp, the celebrated Mr.. Danforth, has
exhibited great industry, and his looks Of big import
seemed TO declare, that if lie and Gov. Giles could
save the Commonwealth it would be as much We
certainly have wish to throw undcserved ridiculc
upon the highest authority of our State; yet in truth,
what could be more ridiculous, than (when some of
the people Of Hanover pettioned for arms) for the
Governor send them through the midst of the sup
posed insurgent district, wthou any guard, in wa
,ermelon cart, driven by boys negroes? Did he
think the pistols could take of themselves, 81 that
spht of them sufficient to cool the courage ofthe
disaffected? We mean only to express our opinion
that the public apprehension has been much increased
by the mystery observed by the Executive on the &C.
casion; which apprehension is well calculated to
produce the very mischief sought to be guarded
against. We humbly think that the EXecu-
tive should have laid their information, if they had
any, before the public, that the extent or the entire
fancifulness of the danger might be seen.
As to evidence to justify apprehension, we can
after much enquiry, not learn single fact, or even
a suspicious circumstance; except that on Saturday
evening, information laid before the Executive
by an individual in this place, against two negro mcn
whom he overheard that day, exhorting each
other or one the other TO puDctuality and hrmness
in executing the purpose of their rising on that night
This is the shnpe that rumor has given to the IN
formation, whether truly Dot, we arc not prepar-
ed to say. Ifit be have stated, and the in
formant did not misaPprehend the purport of what
passed hich is at least poSsble) the evidence Ii