The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-18
TROUBLES IN TIE SOUTH.


that q serious conspiracy had been detected
the plan being to murder the whites, and IT,.
to escape to Mexico; and it was added H.,
vagabond Mexicans were the instigators.
Next followed, in quick succession, insur,a.
tionary movements in Louisiana, Arka,s,,
Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and KentDokr'
and in two of our Southern exchanges VA n,
tice brief illusions to troubles in Charles con,
ty, Maryland, and in Williamsburgh Viruin.
In Tennessee, it would seem that the dam
onstrations have been most formidable. Fr,n
eight to ten thousand slaves, in what IS cal.s
the Iron district, on the Cumberland and Ten
nessee rivers, are employed in the iron work.
congresated in large masses, with only is.
whites to oversee them, SO tha: they have D.
culiar opportunities for concerted action.
We can find nothing very definite as to Il.
real extent or causes Of the trouble. Rsro-
has doubtless outrun the reality. Disalecio,l
and characterization have been observed deer.
laid conspiracy has been suspected. There a..
no authentic accounts OF organized bands i
conspirators. No acts of violence have bee.
committed by any slaves, but extensive prepa,s.
tons for violence are announced. In Tsxa.
white Mexicans, as we have mentioned. vs,.
charged with being the instigatcrs. In l,-i.
lana, two or three white men, citizens IF r.
State, mere desperadoes, are the alleged mi;
chief-makers. In Tennessee, it is said. q VIII.
man, disguised as negro, was the ringles5s.
One paper charges, that Northern Ab5l;,i,.
lists have stirred up the insurrectioD he tLs..
secret emissaries, but thus far we can find ~,
account OF the arrest or trial Of any person NJ
this character. One Of the editor, NJ H.,
Courier des Flats Unjs, now trayeVr, :,
Tennessee, in letters to that paper, dated D..
cember I'd and Sd, gives a startling pio,,rs ~
the alarm Of the whites, and the wild dream,
OF the slaves. Writing from Dover, he sav,.
"The mines along the shores of the Curl..
land, for distance Of about thirty miles I,r.
suspended work. Machine shap5. occucy;,,
from a hundred and fir to two bpndraI -
groes, have now only FIVE CT six vbites N 5-s.,
operations. This is tie case IN ro-ard 4, ,I,
Cumberland Iron Works, CT which ! sn4l,s -.
| terday. In these localities. also. the r.,-. :,
great. Three white freeso;lers have beor o..
rested in Dover, in the act Of excirfr, q -,
They were beaten, and allowed fifteen IoE-s :,
leave the county, and thirty to get out OF n.
State"
Speaking Of large iron establishment, 3,
says:
The energetic action Of the pronristor. AMI
the arrest of six whites WHO stirred no the p.
volt, have suihced &c suppress the conme7e.
ment OF an insurrection. The works 20 Oh. bu.
they are necessarily watched. The ga white,
have been condemned to the peaiter,.sr,
Thirty blacks have been arrezted, and await
judgment.
"The credulity Of these poor people Is saa
that, in the belief Of the whites who excite them
they imagine that Col. Fremont, with large
army, is waiting at the mouth Of the river Cum.
berlend until the night of the 23i or 9th OF
December has arrived. Then ell his army will
help TO deliver the slaves
They have been struck by the sudden sEsl,.
ing Of the river, and attribute this circumstenes
to the great assemblsge Of men and shi5s 3,
It's mouth. Certain slaves are go greatly imbued
with this fable, that have seen them smile
when they are being whipped, and have heard
them say, Fremont and Lis iaeu can he4T Inc
blows they receive
According 70 these statement, s5Tera! wit-
persons are implicated. SIX have been CON
demned to the penite1lary. Three whts
freesoilers were arrested IL Dover, IL the &c;
of exciting revolt; they were beaten, alI a..
lowed fifteen hours to leave the county, tl.,;y,
the State. These statements evidently ere
wanting in credi5ilily. Three lrssso!sg.,
caught in the &C, of exciting bloody c3asp.r.
acy, would not be let Of so easily the least
they could expect would DO the pen,entisg
The letter-writer, no doubt, picked up msr5 d.
ing reports. In the South, any white man va
steals slave, or endeavors TO excite any alu
Der Of them to acts Of violence, although h5
object is plumber, il called an abolitiou!5,
freesoiler.
In view of such date as we can obtain, We
do not believe that there has. been any ex,.l.
sively laid plan of revolt. There has been dis
affection over wide extent OF coun.r-, brsal
ing cut at times into ac.s Of insubordinaalu,
and in some places, where the slaves are COL
gregated in large masses. assuming the ssPcG
of instruction. To attribute all this ID ems.
saries from the North, or TO q decply-laid plot
matured by white ringleaders, IS Just as ess5
as to charge it upon the agitators OF the Sa
very Question in the free States bat where Is
the evidence to sustain such charges If there
be such emissaries, let their names, na:jydes,
antecedents, and acts, be given to ths world.
We repeat what we asserted last week =
the agitation of the question Of Savery 3,
conducted at the Sonth, which has boon The ;g.
mediate cause of these slave troubles. Tho
Missouri Democrat ia right. No class O. p-p.
ulstion in the South is permitted to know de
true state of sentiment in the free States.
Southern politicians have found it conyeu5r.
to charge upon the People Of the free States
generally the most incendiary designs, and %
pronounce their disclaimers hypocritical Z;
pecislly have they arrsigned the Republican
Party, as enemies of the Union, enemies u
the South, bent upon the forcible emeacipa.iol
Of slaves by fire aud sword. The success O.
Fremont was represented By every yI.ias.
stump speaker in the late campaign as eqU.5i
lent to decree of abolition and thereuPoa
the South was called upon to prepare FOR ci'
solution of the Union. Such, too, was the i1l'
in private circles. Are the slaves deaf?
moments of great political excitement ~
they not apt to be interested observers Of Wis
ia going on? VIVA. must have been the ,iet'
upon them Of such representations IS
any wonder that the ignorant and supe7s;iuoy
longing for freedom, imagined that the Non
was ready to strike OF their letters, and Ere
mont already waiting with Gan army at the
mouth of the Cumberland" to give them del''
erance?
Did thev gather such notions from Repub..