The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-11-11
slave Insure ctions in tho u. s,

One of the earliest plots discovered for
IN Instruction among the slaves in the
southern States, was that of 1922, which
Vas organized at Charleston, South Caro-
VIVA. bv a mulatto named Denmark Vezey.
He was man of shrewdness and tact,
possessing great influence over his agents
and remarkable degree of energy. His
plan was to murder the masters, seize the
women, Sc: fire to the city, and then take
possession of the shipping in the harbor,
and then escape TO st. Domingo. The
plot was discussed and arranged in the re-
ligious and other meetings Of the negroes,
but one of the conspirators became con-
IGcience-stliken and disclosed it. A panic
followed; the negroes were everywhere ar
rested, and some 80 or 40 were tried and
executed.
The next well organized and extensive
slave instruction, was that known as the
Southampton Massacre which, under
the lead of the notorious Nat Turner,
spread through some of the southern coun-
ties Of Virginia in 1881, and in which be-
tween IS and 100 white folks were muir
dered. Turner was a slave about so years
of age, and ignorant, but bold and resolute
fanatic who believed that he had been rails
ed up by God to liberate his companions
from slavery.
Companies of armed men were hastily
gathered and sent to the seat of war. The
rebellion was soon checked, and 1t was
found that the Insurgents did not not
number ouer one or taCo hundred, though
|, nj
horrid slaughter. All the slaves concerned
in the massacre were shot or executed after
trial, though Nat Turner, the head land
front Of the conspiracy, managed to elude
pursuit for months, living in holes excavat-
ed in the earth. He was at last discovered
in his den by the barking Of a dog, and
surrendered without resistance. He made
no defence, but confessed his agency in
the whole matter, and avowed he had re-
ceived a divine commission to liberate
slaves, and told the story of his preparation
for it, through several years, with GOODNESS
and minuteness. He Of course suffered
death
That few ignorant slaves could massa-
ere nearly one hundred whites, and hold
possession of the country for weeks, was
terrible evidence of the danger which stalk
ed before the hearth of every planter.
Since that rebellion, no other occurred
to excite alarm or attract general sttention
till 1856, when the people along the valley
of the Cumberland N Tennessee, became
greatly alarmed about an anticipated up
rising. Many slaves were arrested and
whipped to extort confessions, and, rum
ors Of uprisings being circulated, prepara-
tons were made by the citizens of Tenes-
see and kentucky, for defence and attack.
AS they recovered from the panic, it was
generally conceded that there was no
ground to fear slave instruction, and the
subject was soon forgotten.
The recent capture of Harper's Ferry by
John Brown, is peculiar, because it was
the work of whites-the first time that
professed abolitionists had dared to resort
to arms-and also, because of the wonder
full success which met the first efforts of
score of fanaticai men, who, without sup
port, had made a demonstration IN the
heart Of slavehoIding country, and seized
the arsenal of the United States.