Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1856-12-20
Negro InsaarrectlOns RumOred.

says the N. O. Crescent OF Tuesday last,
we published an account Of plot discover
ed in the vicinity of GAINESVILLE, Tenn,
and its suppression. Now We have alarm
ing reports from Kentucky.
We commence our account by quoting
from the correspondence Of the Louisville
Courier:
HoPK1Nsv1LLE, Dec. 8, 1856. - Our
little town is up in arms at the present
writing: "The negroes are marching
upon u.s. is heard from every mouth.
This morning several messengers arrived
from Lafayette, a small town eighteen
miles south of Hopkinsville, calling on the
citizens of this place to come TO their as
sistance. They were momentarily expect
ing an attack from about six hundred
negroes. About $50 persons left imme-
dialely tor the "seat of war; They were
in command of Capt. James Jackson and
Sheriff Gowan. Hopkinsville is strongly
guarded. 1t is rumored we will be attack
ed toni ht. l will write you again to-
morrow. Would telegraph, but all COM
munication has been cut of-the telegraph
poles being cut down. Appended is all
extra issued this morning.
Yours, in haste.
The Hopkinsville (Ky.,) Press Extra,
of the Sd inst, says:
Our whole community was thrown into
state of intense excitement upon the re-
ceipt of the following letter from Lafayette:
VIGILANCE CoAxrrTrE Rooxs.
Lafayette, Ky, Dec 2. 1856.
Gentlemen of Hopkinsrille: From re.
liable information we expect an attack
from the negroes of the Iron Works on our
town tomorrow morning, perhaps tonight.
Please come to our assistance. We are
in great danger. Yours,
JOHN H. RUSSELL, Sec'y.
The Secretary of the committee adds
the following, predicated upon which their
apprehension is based:
The negroes Of Eclipse, Clark and La
grange, have united and are marching TO-
wards Dover, and were within eight miles
of that place when last heard from. Their
int ntion is to relieve the negroes at Dover,
then march to the Rolling Mill, then TO
Bell Wood Furnace, then through La
ayette on to Hopkinsville and the Ohio
river.
The Evansville (Ind.) Journal, of the
9th inst, has the following statement in
regard to the matter: -.....
| NEGRO INsuRREcr1oN.-We had very
serious and alarming reports in our city
last evening from the Cumberland river, in
regard to the movements of the blacks,
and, from all we have heard, the excite
ment among the people through the middle
district Of Tennessee, is far greater and
more general than we supposed when we
wrote the article in another part Of this
mornings sheet. Through what is called
the Iron District, on the Cumberland and
Tennessee rivers, there are from 5000 to
10000 slaves employed at the iron works;
they are congregated in large numbers.
working in the various labors Of making
charcoal, digging ore, and tending the
furnaces, in gangs, mostly by themselves,
with few whites for general overseers.
There are many of these works situated
within q few miles Of each other, and in
sections that have few white inhabitants.
All these circumstances give the blacks
great facilities to plot and combine an in
surrection, if the hellish spirit be once
awakened among them. There is now
conclusive evidence that such spirit has
been at work in this iron region. and a
plan has been set on foot for general
rising this Christmas. when they shall
have gained the unlimited freedom of
roaming and frolicking that is always
granted them during the holidays. A
gentleman who arrived here last evening,
informs us that at Dover, on the Cumber-
land, they had obtained such evidence as
left no doubt of widespread conspiracy
existing in that neighborhood, and that a
number Of the ring leaders had been dis
covered and arrested; and that eleven Of
them had been hung by the excited inhabi.
!. tants and that among those arrested was
a person who had been in the neighbor-
hood many months, who had always passed
as a negro, but on his arrest was found to
be white man, painted and disguised as
a negro. Our informant says the people
being satisfied that he had been the prime
mover and instigator of the rebellious de-
signs Of the blacks, took him to the woods,
and by the unanimous condemnation of
those present, he was sentenced to receive