Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-12-22
ExECrTrvk DEPAKTMEsT. 1
December d, 1881.
felto,s- Cui-ens Of the Senate,
.nAlI .f AZ EI...an n. ia.-.a4ns

f0u arc again assembled under circum
stances calculated 10 inspire The community
with Just expectation that your deliberations
will be followed by measures equal ia energy
and decision to the crisis in which your COM
try is placed: an expectation which am sure
viii moi be disappointed The deep interest
which the citizens in every part OF this Con-,
monwealth have felt and manifested in reia
ton TO occurrences Of grave and distressing
character, which have taken place since your
adjournment, new, unexpected, and hereto
fore unknown 10 the State together with
the anxiety felt in the future fate OF some Of
the great subjects which were agitated at
your last session, and the UNPLEASANT aspect
OF our Federal relatIons--all conspre to cause
The people to turn their eyes upon you at this
time With profound and fixed attention. You
alone possess the power Of accomplishing all
the great objects which the public desire, and
much Of the future welfare Of this Republic
depends upon your present deliberations
deliberations which doubtless viii be FIRST
turned TO the melancholy subject whirh has
filled the couhtry with affection, and one Of
the first counties in the Commonwealth with
mourning.
Whilst we were enjoying the abundance
Of The last season---reposing IN the peace and
quiet of domestic comfort and saiety--we
were suddenly aroused from that security, by
receiving information that a portion al eur
fellow citizens had fallen victims 10 the re
lentless fury Of assassins and ,nurderers even
when wrapped in profound sleep, aud that
those bloody deeds had been perpetrated in
spirit of wantonness and cruelty unknown
10 savage warfare, even in their most revolt
ing form
In August last, banditti Of slaves, con-
sisting Of but few at fast and not al any
time exceeding greater number than seven
ty, rose upon some Of the unsuspeciing and
delencf less inha hItants of Southampton and
under circumstances Of the most shoe king
and horvid barbarity, put TO death sixty osFe
persons. Of whom, the greater number were
women and helpless children. Much oil this
bloody work was done on Monday morning,
and Oh the day following, about 10 o'clock,
the last mnrtertvas committed The citizens
Of that and the adjacent counties promptly
assembled, aad anIeal danger was speedily
Terminated.
The conspiracy was at first believed to be
general: wherefore was induced 10 cailinto
service force sufficient to crush at single
biow all opposing power, whatever might be
its strength To this end, attachments of
Light Infantry from tire 7ih and 5th Reg;-
nv and 9th Light Artillery, under Captains
Harrison and Richardson, were ordered TO
repair to the scene Of action with all possible
speed. and report to BIigadier General Epps,
who had been desire to assume the command
and call out his Brigade Arms and ainpu
nitioa were aGply furnished, aud ....Iso;sn ii
to all the counties which were suspected Of
disaiiection. Two Regiments in Brunswick
and Greenvile were called into service by
their commanding officers, nrdeI the law
vesting them with power 10 do so, for such
I purposes These troops being within the
Brigade commanded by bn.adier General
Nn. II Broadnax, that officer assumed the
command of and renamed In The field until
the danger had passed
II gives me great pleasure TO communicate
to the General Assembly The hi. s..iiaiactop
feel ia bearing testimony to the zeal, prompt
ltude, and despatch, with which every officer
discharged his duty. and the cheerful alactIty
with which every citizen obeyed the cali OF
the law.
Though the call upon the light troops was
so promptly obeyed, Yet before their arrival,
the revolt was subdeed, and many of these
dcluded fanatics were either captused, or
were placed beyond he possibility Of escape:
some had already been annotated 10y an ex
cited people.
All Of those who participated in the b!oo
DIV tragedy have expiated their crimes by uH
dergoing public execution, whilst some who
had been condemned have been Eepriesed fef
reasons which were deemed satisfactory -
There is much reason TO believe the spirit 0!
insurrection was net confined 10 Southampton
I many convictions have taken place elsewEere.
aud some few in distant counties. From the
documents which herewith lay before you
| there is too much reason to believe those
| plans Of treason. instruction and murder
/ have been designed. planned and maiared by
( ugrestrained fanatics in some OF the neigh
bouring States, who find facilities IN distri
buting their views and plans amongst oui
population, either through the Post Office OF
by Agents sent for that purpose through on
territory Upon inspecting these documents
aud contemplating that state Of thin1s ahict
they are iatended TO produce, II eti ii my du
ty TO open a correspondence with the Gover
nors of some of the neighboring powers o
tnis conlederacy, to preserve as lar as posi-
BILE, the good understanding which exists
and which ought to be cherished, between
the different members of this Union The
result of this correspondence will be made
known to you, so soon as ii is aseeftained
The most active among ourselves IN STIR
ring up the spirit OF revolt, have been the ne
gro Preachers. they had acquired great as
cendancy over the minds OF their fellows, ant
! infused all their opinions, which had prepa
red them for the devei0Pement OF The hnai oe
! sign. There is also some reason TO believe
fr