Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-12-17

foundrieS for casting cannon and small arms
the South recommending an organization
promote Southern emigration to Kansas enqui
ing whether due proportion of arms and mul
tions of war belonging to the U. S. Governme
is in Southern Arsenals; asking Congress to p
Southern harbors in state of defence sympat
Iizing with the Democratic movement in Ce
trail America; and the introduction of SLAYER
there.
These were all adopted.
A committee was appointed ~ call the he,
Convention and to issue an address to the Soutl
ern people, and the Convention adjourned.
Reported Negro Instruction.
The vauge ruInors OF minor attempts at negT
insurrection which have from time to time reacl
ed us since September last, and which have il
cluded several points extending from Missouri
Texas, have all been eclipsed by the more r.
cent reports from Tennessee and Kentucky
The latter, however, probably came not alto
gether free from exaggeration, for though til
Geographic dispatches were sufficiently tnll
show that there was really considerable excite
ment and some alarm at the points indicated we
the mail advices have tended to dispel the fear
of ultimate danger The most that can be sal
upon present data is that there had been prep
aration by a.considerable number of blacks 70
some unusual movement. That in some instan
ces most probably influenced by incendiar,
white men. they contemplated an attack upol
their masters that their plans extended over {
considerable district of the country, and thai
they had been discovered before maturing, and
frustrated by very decisive measures.
The Louisville Courier of Wednesday has an
other letter from its Hopkinsville correspondent
dated the 9th inst, in regard to the alleged in
surrectionary movement in Kentucky The cor
respondent says;
As far as have been able to learn. between
thirty and fifty negroes have been arrested and
lodged in the different jails. Many have been
chastised and questioned They all tell the same
tale-that is, "hey aoere making preparations II
rise against the uAites and could make the trial
ON Christmas day." A report reached this city
last night that six negroes were hung at Dover,
who were supposed to be ringleaders in the con-
spiracy. Credence is given to the same, and
give it YOU as told Inc. Nine negroes were
lodged in Jail at this place on Saturday.
When our citizens arrived at Lafayette, Tues
day, they found the inhabitants of that burg
''more frightened than hurt" They remained
all night at Lafayette and returned to Hopkins
vile the next day, fully satisfied that all reports
were premature. Every farmer in Christian
county has resolved himself into Vigilance
Committee, and the city of Hopkinsvllei is guard
ed every night by a strong patrol guard. We
are not in the least "skeered;" but as the fox
said when lie was walking in the ice, there
must certainly be some fire where there is 50
much smoke"
The New York Courier des Etats Unis, con-
tains letter from one of its editors. who is in
the heart of the disturbed district of Tennessee,
from which we take the following;
"DovER, Tenn Dec. 9.-The White Bluff,
which ia taking us to Nashville, has just stopped
at the chief town Of Stewart county, from which
date my letter, The whole village is in state
of excitement, The white population is armed
from head to foot, and see even little children,
who can hardly carry the rifle and cartridge box,
with which they are supplied, in order to in
crease the force. The alarm is about a negro
conspiracy of which you will have heard before
receiving my letter. send you as exact inior-
nation as possible. What have not seen my
self have obtained from eye-witnesses.
HBeforo the only hotel in Dover are standing
excited groups of people, from whom are des-
patched frequently mounted messengers, with
revolver in hand and rifle slung around them
There are also arriving, from the neighboring
farms mounted men, whose horses, covered with
foam. show the speed with which they were
ridden. In the hotel and in the two or three adj
Joining houses, the greater part of the women
and children are placed Here and there black
servants are obeying with submission and prompt
ness the orders given 10 them.
"a house, guarded by men with bayonets fix
ed, contains nine black prisoners who are threat
ened with hanging in a few hours. For five of
them the threats will not DO carried out. AS to
the other tour who are the chiefs of the plot they
are likely to make acquaintance with the rope.
The Judge of the county and his family have
come aboard our boat. He is going to take
them to another residence.
sat four o'clock to-day we stopped some
miles higher up, at place called Cumberland /
ron Works. The establishment of this name and
dozen houses surrounding it, comprise, togeth-
CIR with some negro huts, all the buildings of the
place. In large house near the bank about
sixty negroes are confined for having been con-
cerned in the conspiracy Other negroes, on the
contrary, do their ordinary work with submis-
sion. This is the case also in other neighboring
places.
This is the general aspect of things, The
origin of it goes back to the Presidential cam
paign Although weakened by distance, the
echo Of the noise made about the name of Ere
mond in the North has reached the banks of the
Cumberland Whether or not emissaries from
the North came hither, as is alleged, it is still
certain that there were signs of coming revolt.
According to some it was to be general accord
ing to others it was confined to Kentucky and
Tennessee. The latter version seems to me the
true one, and enough was known to require very
active vigilance.
Nevertheless, nothing positive had yet been
discovered, until about ten days ago, when
negro escaped from Cumberland Iron Works
He was promptly captured, and it was ascer-
tanned from him that he was flying from the per-
seoution of his fellow slaves, who threatened to
kill him if he refused to take part in the con-
spiracy The numerous questions put to HIM
led to the arrest OF about eighty negroes, who
almost all confessed their completely and gave
the most minute details in regard to the execu-
ton of their project The design was nothing
less than q general massacre. The blacks OF
each house were, from the 23rd to the 18th OF
December, to cut the Threats of oil the whites
who surrounded them and then, this business
being done, they were to march to the country
seat where the negroes of the place would a,
wait them to commence their operations.
'sCLARKsvILLE, Tenn, Dec. 3d.-We arrived
here at day break, with some damage to the
boat, which compels us to remain great part
of the day. :uh.
San iron establishment. in which were eight
hundred negroes belongingito one man, was on the
point of suspending work. The energetic attl-
tude of the proprietor, and the arrest OF SIX
blacks who fomented the revolt, sutficed to put
down the attempted instruction. The works nI
are going on, but constant watch is kept The
six negroes have been condemned to the penl-
Tertiary. Thirty others are under arrest aud a.
waiting their trial.
THE credulity of these poor creatures is such
that. ON the faith of the whites who have excl
ted them, they fancy that Col Fremont, with
- - = latin, of tho month of the