Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-11-25

4
The other great fact to which Sllude is this Our
citizens have sense of security at home Despite the
cruel and long continued efforts OF bad the security
OF our hresides Is not invaded Our household peace
and confidence are not destroyed Hence men who the
other day ei their homes for the neighboring village
There heard the and landed in Charestown Hence
from city and from country, from Tide water from Pied
mont and from the Valley, there rush, without
/ nquring whether uniform a gun was LEFT behind
/ Is there cowardce, is there = panic in fhis'
For ourselves feel proudcr than OF the dear
/ old Commonwealth. What IL she has been agtated by
exaggerated Narmsthcy have revealed the spirit and
the affection of her sons and exhibited thereby moral
lesson which will teach foes 10 fear and to forbcar and
friends to their former trust The blaze OF
mere tarbarrc may rouse whole city from its slum-
bers-but proves also that the whole city is prepared
| 20 battle with condagHtion."
a John brown Plot I'm New york-How the
New Workers Behaved during thc Panic.
The New York Express reviews the following remi-
nscences in the history Of New York. prciacng with
the remark that the Abolition eulogists and Republican
apoogists and sympathsers OF John Brown, and his
murderous scheme for the instruction of negroes and
the murder Of innocent and children have been
exceedingly sarcastic, and, they suppose very witty
the unseemly fright exhibited by the Vrgnians
the discovery of the diabolca plot Following the
lead of Messrs. Phillips Beecher Co. the Republican
journals, almost without exception, have joined in de-
nouncng the people of Virginia race of towards
because quiet country village seized with panic
town in possession OF armed hand OF Abolitioniss
number of prominent citizens under arrest and openly
avoWed project foot for exciting insurrecton among
the slaves. 1t might, perhaps be profitable for these
people, who are 50 brave in their esteem and
swift to denOunee their neghbors towards to look at
the conduct of their under circumstances
what similar though not tenth part provocative
of rage fear those presented the people of Har
pers Ferry. 1t will hardly be pretended that the Re
pubcans of to-day courageous than their fore
fathers who took part in the Revolution and yet there
people living this city, whose parents, acting
under the influence of Groundess panic took part in
scenes compared with which the conduct of the people
of Virginia, far vet displayed has been the very
height of camness and moderation. SO long the fol-
lowing page from the history OF the dongs of our an
remains extant does behoove TO sheer
AZ the antics of the people any other locality
We quote from history of the city Of New York
published by Carlton and Phillips, in 1858:
THE NEGRO PLOT or l74l
The year l74l is noted in the annals of our city as
the time of the celebrated negro plot and the terrible
effects OF that dcusion 1t should be observed that near
thirty years before this there had been similar pan.
in the city relative TO negro Instruction, which
time nineteen unhappy wretches sacrificed the
popular phrensy But the deusiou of the latter period
vas vet more fatal in its consequences Whether in
deed there any plot at all among any portion of
the blacks is exceedingly doubtful there Is no ground
at all for the suspicion that there any of formidable
character
row IRE PANIC BEGAN.
The city of New York the time OF this remarkable
excitement contained population of about eight thous
and; OF which from twelve fifteen hundred were ne
groes and most of these slaves. On the Sth of March
IRE occurred in the fort, which consumed the Secrea
rvs Office and the Dutch Church. About a week later
another though inconsderable fire occurred and with
in three weeks later half dozen more most
of them however only the burning of chimneys These
frequent fires, together with prevalent belief that
great deal of petty robbery carried on the ne
groes, with the aid OF certain white men, gave rise TO
general uneasness, which increased a panic
This greatly heightened by public proclamation Of.
feng reward Of hundred pounds for the discovery of
thu incendiaries The reward tempting TO be
long resisted. An ndented woman soon after
obtained her freedom and the hundred pounds by pre-
,nding divulCe plot formed by her master low
ttvern keeper, named Hughson and three negroes to
burn the city and murder the entire white population
This information Ike a spark among timber The
tots population iods nTOn into pdroTysyH Of rage
and fear The militia pdrdded the streets almost coRti-
UaHy. The accused parties arrested and burned
away the JAIL and the rage against the negroes
named every breast So intense the panic that the
most unreasonable and contradictory statements were
greediy caught up and the least suspicious crcumsan
ces we're construed as plain evidence against the
PROGRESS OF TIE PANIC
When the panic was once fairly begun treadiy sup
Piled itself with the necessary stimuants
The prize obtained By the servant woman became an
object OF envy and soon further pretended revelations
made. An Irish of Infamous haracter who
had been convicted Of robbery tempted to turn in
dormant by promise OF pardon. In this manner the
matter grew and extended Informants increased on
every hand and though their tales were quite inconss
tent all were greedy received by the magistrates and
people. In very short time hundred and fty-four ]
negroes and twenty whites committed 10 prison A.
aceomphces in the pretended conspiracy
NATURE AND AGENTS OF THE PRETENDED PLOT.
The pretended design Of this fabulous plot Was never
very definitely made out As darky Swallowed forth In
the Of the hired niormants there seemed TO
he design to destroy the city and murder the white
population, afford free living TO the blacks and
the white consprators- The Infamous Irish woman i'm
icated Hughson and his wife and daughter and confess
ed that she herself had entered into the conspiracy Al
length several other white persons were accused by her
especially one Try, English Episcopal cergymen but |
acting schoolmaster-whO had fed from his own /
country TO escape persecution because he would not ac
knowledge the right of the regning family. The case Of
~ was peculiarly hard one. He entirely uncOn-
nected with the infamous gang which most Of the |
white victims OF this deuson belonged and he had at
hand the means could he have been heard prove hi,
entire innocence. In the pretended revelations of this
Irish courtezhn, Try declared be disguised Jesuit
priest, yet he able TO prove the contrary beyond
question, and to trace his history continuously from the
beginning 10 the time OF his But the object OF
trial at that time come at the truth but sim
ply as Formally preparatory TO the infection Of death
HOW THE LAWYERS BEHAVED
There were, that time only eight LAWYERS ia New
ok, all Of whom volunteered their services to the gov
eminent and assisted by in the prosecution leay
ing the miserable prisoners without the aid Of counsel
10 obtain the required evidence upon which base
sentence pardon and freedom offered 10 anv one who
would turn Kings evidence and by this means any /
amount Of testimony, TO almost any fact could be Oh
famed While herS 10 say q sinyi, ,rorf f.r
ne accused, The idwysrs red nth each other IN sc,f
'V ~ hsapinq abuse upon he1 ~ vhich thsv trcys
otfDHs ny the JUfgs i-hsi he came Ia pass ssnfsBrs
Many purchased their lives 10y couic--ng their par
cptHon in crimes Of which 10 was aiternard proved
iney knew nothing and accusing Others and stfanges
o all, some confessed the stake their guilt who knew
nothing OF the things with which they were charged
A the result OF this bloody deusiOn thirfssH tss
burned Siyhtss1 hIHgcf and serenity mere traarDorfsT
The public thirst for blood seemed now 20 DO somewhat
sied, and the pbrensv began TO sbate a reaction al
length ensued and the persons remaining in prison were
yet at liberty
" il soon 70 be doubted whether II there had
really been any conspiracy all ia extent had not
been greatly overraed-a matter as to which there can
row be no question
Abolition Remorse,
The Albany Statesman says: