Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-09-15

from that to 40; possibly yet larger nu"h
Ter To the great honor OF Oehera IPP0S;
ko ,seJ every precaution in his power, ana
we hone and believe with success 10 put
ston TO the disgraceful procedure we met
with an individual oil intelligence, Who s'a,
80 ,h,, he himself had killed between 10
and 15 He justified himself on the ground
of the barbarities committed on the whites;
and that he thought himself right, IS certain
from the fact of his having narrowly escaped
losing hi. own iile IN an attempt to save
negro woman whom he thought innocent,
but who was shot by the multitude in despite
If his exertions We (the Richmond Troop
witnessed with surprIZe, the sangulnary tenn
per Of the population, who evlnced a strong
| disposition To inlli 4 immediate death, upon
every prisoner Not having witnessed the
( horrors committed hy the blacks, or seen the
unbured and dIsiigured remains Of their
wives and children, we were unprepared to
understand their feelings. and could not at
first admit Of that extenuation, which a clio
| ser observation OF the atrocities of the insur-
gents suggested Now. however, we indiyi
dualiy, feel compelled to oaeg an apology for
! the people of Southampton, bile we deeply
/ deplore that human nature urged them 10
such extremties. ct the fact not be doubt
ed by those whom it most concerns that an
! other such insuI rcction will be the signal for
the exiirpatien of the whole black population
in the quarter of the State where it occurs
The numbers engaged in the instruction
! are yariously reported yhcy probably did
not exceed 40 or so, and were luctHatine
; from assertions, and new recruits. About
fifty are in Southampton Jail, some Of them
upon suspicion only We trust and believe
that the intelligent maglstracy OF that coun-
", will have the frmness to oppose the pop
uar passion. should il be disposed to involve
the innocent with the guilty, and to take sus-
pcion for proof
The presence of the troops from Norfolk
and Richmond alone prevented retallation
from being carried much farther
AT the date of Capt, Harrlson's departure
from Jerusalem, Gen Nat had not been ta
ken On that morning however, bred, ano-
Their insuggent chief, was brought prisoner to
Jerusiem having surrendered himself 10 his
master, IN the apprehension 40 doubt OF star
Wig in the swauIps, or beng shot by The ma
merous partle oil local militia who were in
pursuit Nat had net been certainly heard
Of since the skiruisa in Parkcr's corniieid,
; which was in fact, the termination OF the in
| surrectiou, the negroes after that, disporsIng
themselves, and making no farther attempt.
lie is represented a shrcwd fellow, reads
writes, and breaches; aud by various arufites
, had acquired great influence over the nllnds
r of the wretched beinss whom he has led in
= TO destruction II is supposed that ho ndu
ces them 10 beheve there were only 50 .000
whites in he country, who being extcrnipa-
} ted, the blacks might take possession. Va
rIous of bis tricks TO acquire and preserve
: | influence have been mentioned but they are
not worth repeating. Ii there was any ute
rIor purpose, he probably alone knows it,
3. For our own part, We SOL bt hcye there was
noae; and 1t he be the intelligent man repre-.
: sentcd We are incapable OF concei'ing The
arguments BY which he persuaded his own
} mind Of tn" Feasibility Of his attempt, or how
; Il could possibly END but III certain destrdc
! ton. We thereioIe incline 10 the belief that
; he acted upon no higher principle than the
impulse of revenge against the whites, as ihe
> epslave2s OF himself and his race; that beng
, a fanatic. be possibly persuaded himself that
? Heaven would lntesfere; aud that he may
: have convinced himself, as he certainly did
/, his deaGed followers to some extent tbatthe
appearance Of the sun seme weeks ago, prog
ncsticated something favorable to their Cause.
We are inclined 10 thln< that the solar pie
} nOmenon exercised considerable influence in
promoting the lnsurrcctl0n, calculated as II
= was to impress the ina snatlous Of the iguo-
rant
! 4 more important enquiry remains-whe-
j ther the conspiracy was ci!cumsulibed to the
neighbOrh0Ou IN which IL broke cut. OF had
its ramliicatlons through other counties We,
at first, adopted the first opinion; but there
I are several circumstances which favor the
, latter We understand hat The confessions
D .! all the prisoners. 80 TO show that the IN
suTrection broke out too soon, as II is suppo-
; sed, IN consequence Of the last day OF July
beng Sunday, and not as the negroes IN
Southampton believed the Saturday before
The report is that the Using was fixed for
the fourth Sunday in August, and that suppo-
sang Sunday, the list July, to be the first
Sunday III August, they were betrayed into
the error OF considering the Sd Sunday as
the 4th This is the popular impression
founded upon confessions, upon the indica
semond and other places 10 unite, aud upon
! the allegation THAI Gen. Nat extended his
preaching excursions to Petersburg an1 inns
; city; allegations which we however, disbe-
lIeHe 1t is more than probable nevertht less,
that the mischief was concerted aud concoct-
ed under the CLOAK OF religion. The trials
winch are now proceeding or impending in
Southampton, Nansemond, Sussex and else
where, will develope all the truth Ne sus-
conspiracy was confined 10 Southampton,
and that the idea OF It's eXtenslvcness orIgi-
mated in the pane which seized upon tie
South East Of Virginia.
Such we believe TO be summary outline
OF the Southampton insurrectIon! That insur
rectIOu reads some salutaFN lessons. 10 the