Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-28
Correspondence + the " ]. Herald.
slave Excitement In EHmira.

EIMIRA Dec. lS. 1858.
Cur village to-day has been thrown into
great excitement on account Of q slave who
Is voluntarily going back 10 slavery. 1t APP
pears the negro ran away from his master, in
company with four othorS. last August, and
they made their way to Canada, settling down
a few miles from the Suspension Bridge. On
Thursday last Mr.. John 8. Mills the owner,
came on To Canada, at the request of one OF
the slavc-. who wrote tn him. desiring he
should come on AMI take him back TO HIS old
home alleging that he was absolutely starry
ing and wished voluntarily to GO back into
slavery Accordingly. Mr.. Mills provided for
his Immediate wants and lrft with his slave.
IN roui. for his plantation. in Calvert county,
Md On arriving here. this noon, il was
noiscd abroad that fugitive was being car
rird hack to slavery, when a large crowd col
lccted Mt the hotel where they stopp Il and
demanded the slave. The demand came from
the cOlorcd pOpulatiOn, who were principally
armed with knives and pistols. They mad" "A
rush for the room where the negro was. but
were driven back hv the sheriff and number
of his Deputies. In the meantime the presl-
dent and officers Of the village were on hand,
who gained admission 10 where the slave was
and interrogated him as 10 VII thcr he wished
10 return 10 slavery. To which he replied
that he was anxious Ia get back that he was
tired and sick of the North that he was get
ting Old had the rheumatism that nobody
took care of him. and that most OF the time
he could not get anything to eat.
The crowd outside Of the hotel kept con-
stantlv increasing. and the blacks were clam
orous that The slave should be released. say
ing that rather than he should he returned TO
slavery they would kill him. Our citizens
then made an appeal to the crowd. saying
that the slave was unwilling 10 remain in the
free States; but it had no effect. A lot OF
the most prominent blacks of the town were
then admitted to the room, and offered him
sums of money. also OFF ring to keep him
provided he would stay, To all OF which sam
shook his hcnd and remained firm inhis deter
mination to go back. Finding AL efforts or
inducements uselcss the COMMITTEE" left
him. and reported To the multitude outside.
But the negroes were not satisfied, and de-
mandnd that ne should be brought out upon
the balcony of the hotel and tell his own
story Upon his appearance, the colored
population shouted out. xiii hirn, Kill hun,
Shoot him" ''1hroS him over The railing,
&c, &c. One of the "colOrtd gentlemen
of the village then stated to the crowd that
the slave wished to 20 back; lie was old,
worn ont and not it to live in Elmlra. The
crowd then partly dispersed. but many stayed
around, conversing with the master and slave.
At one time the excitement ran so high that
il was deemed necessary to call upon the mill
tary. who held themselves in readiness in
case their services were wanting. In the
evening the slave was taken about mile
from thevillage, there 10 wait for the rain
going To Baltimore A large crowd OF ne
groes and whites went To the depot to see
him of. and also. if possible, force him 10
stay, but they were much chargin,d at not
finding him. The nbolitonists were very
loud in talking about rescuing him; but he
being so determined unon slavery, they con
ciuded h. was not worth keeping. An at
tempt was made upon the life OF Mr. Mills by
the negroes, but their plans were frustrated.