Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-12-27

and panic. In history Of New York,
pub lshed in 1853, by Carleton & Phil
lips, is full account of asupposed inten-
ded slave insurrection in that city in l74l +.
and the proceedings had thereon, from
which we copy the following:
THE NEGRO PLOT OF 174l.
"Tbe year l74l is noted in the annals
of our city as the time of the celebrated
negro plot, and the terrible effects of that
delusion. 1t should be observed that
nearly thirty years before this, there had
been similar panic in the city relative to
negro insurrection at which nineteen un-
happy wretches we're sacrificed TO the pop
ular phrenzy. But the delusion OF the
latter period was yet more fatal in its con-
sequences. Whether, indeed, there was
any plot at all among any portion Of the
blacks, is exceedingly doubtful; there is no
ground at all for the supposition that there
was any of formidable character"
HOW THE PANIC BEGAN.
The city of New York. at the time of
this remarkable excitement, contained a
population of about 5000, of which from
! 300 to 1900 were negroes, and most of
these slaves. On the 18th of March fire
occurred iI the fort, which consumed the
Secretary's office and the Dutch Church
About week later, another, though in
considerable, fire occurred, and, within
two or three weeks later, some half dozen
more, most OF them, however, only the
burning of chimneys. These frequent
fires, together with prevalent belief that
q great deal of petty robbery was carried
on by the negroes, with the aid of certain
white men, gave rise to general uneasi-
ness, which soon increased to panic.---
This was greatly heightened by a public
proclamation offering a reward OF flUO
for the discovery of the incendiaries.
The reward was too tempting to be long
resisted An indented servant woman
soon after obtained her freedom and the
hundred pounds, by pretending to dIvulge
plot formed by her master, a low tavern
keeper, named Hughson, and three ne
groeS, to burn the city and murder the en-.
tire white population. This information
was like a spark among tinder. The
whole population was thrown into parox
ysm of lage and fear. The militia para
ded the streets almost continually. The
accused parties were arrested and hurried
away to the Jail. and the utmost rage
against the negroes inhamed every breast.
So intense was the panic. that the most un-
reasonable and contradictory statements
were greedly caught up, and the least sus-
picious circumstances were constructed a.
plain evidence against the accused.
PROGRESS OF THE PANIC
When the panic was once fairly begun
it readily supplied itself with the necessary
stim ulants. ...t .n.
The prize obtained by the servant wo,
man became an object of envy, and scon
further pretended revelations were made.
An Irish woman of Infamous character.
who had been convicted of robbery, was
tempted to turn informant by promise of
pardon. In this manner the matter grew
and extended. Informants increased on
every hand, and though their tales were
quite inconsistent, all were greedily re-
ceived by the magistrates and people. In
a very short time hundred and ffty-four
negroes, and twenty whites were commit
ted to prison as accomplices in the pre-
tended conspiracy. DID,.
NATURE AND AGENTS OF THE PRETENDED
PLOT. "
I'll, ,,otonJoJ Jo,;,., &c H. c,l,
plot was never very definitely made out.
AS darkIy shadowed forth in the state.
ments ofthe hired informants, there seemed
to be design to destroy the city and mur:
der the white population, 50 as to afford
tree living to the blacks and the white con-
spirasors. The infamous Irish woman
implicated Hughson and his wife and
daughter, and confessed that she herself
had entered into the conspiracy. AT
length several other white persons were
accused by her, especially one Ury, an
English Episcopal clergyman, but acting
as schoolmasler-who had fled from his
own country to escape persecution, because
he would not acknowledge The right of the
reigning family. ...
The case Of Ury was peculiarly hard
one. He was entirely unconpected with
the Infamous gang to which most of the
white victims of this delusion belonged,
and he had at hand the means, could he
have been heard. to prove his entire in
nocence. In the pretended revelations of
this Irish courtezan, Ury was declared to
be disguised Jesuit priest, yet he was
able to prove the contrary beyond qaes-
lion, and 10 trace his history continuously
from the beginning to the time of his ar
rest. But the object of trial at that time
was not to come at the truth, but simply
as formalty preparatory to the infliction
1f DEATH" aH, Ga
HOW THE LAWYERS BEHAVED.
"There were, at that time, only eight
lawyers in New York, all of whom volun-
.eered their services to the Government,
md assisted by turns in the prosecution,
eavng the miserable prisoners without The
aid of counsel TO obtain the required
evidence upon which to base a sentence,
pardon and freeIom we're offered to any
who would turn Kings evidence, and by
his means any amount of testimony. to al
most any fact could be obtained. While