Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-11-03

pei liieIi W give ueeus III emanclpation
and ccnveyances of their property to their
slaves.
s. To treat. and teach the negroes to
treat. all active abettors Of the slavehold-
ers "a you and they treat the shareholders
themselves, both in person and property.
Perhaps some may say that this taking
of property by the slaves would be stealing
aud should not be encouraged The an
swer is. that il would not be stealing; it
would be simply taking justice into their
own hands and redressing their own
wrongs. The state of slavery is state of
war. In this case it is just war on the
part Of the negroes-a war for liberty. aud
the recompense of injuries--and necessity
justifes them in carrying it on by the only
means their oppressors have left to them.
In war, the plumber of enemies is as legit
innate as the killing of them, and stratagem
is as legitimate as open force. The right
of the slaves. therefore in this war to take
property is as clear as their right to take
life, either right to do it secretly is as
clear as their right to do it openly; and, as
this will probab..v be their most effective
mode of operation icr the present, they
ought to be taught, encouraged and assist
ed to do it to the utmost. SO log as tney
are unable to meet their enemies m IRE
open field. And to call this taking OF
property stealing is as false and unjust as
it would be to call the taking OF life in just
war murder.
1t is only those who have false and su.
persti,ious reverence for the authority of
governments, and have contracted the hab
it of thinking that the most tyranical and
iniquitous laws have the power to make
that right which is naturally wrong. or
thai the wrong which is naturally right,
who will have any doubt as TO The right of
the slaves land those who would assist
them) to make war. to all possible extent,
upon the property of the shareholders and
their abettors.
We are unwilling to taSe the RESPONSE
bility of advising any general Instruction,
or any taking of life, until we of the North
go down to take part IN it IN such numbers
|. as to insure certain and easy victory
We therefore advise that, for the present,
operations be confined TO the seizure of
} property, and the chastisement of individ
ual Shareholders and their accomplices; and
; that these things be done only SO far as
! they can be done without too great danger
10 the actors.
l We specially advise the fiogging of in
r divdual shareholders. This is case
where the medical principle, that like cures
5 like, will certainly succeed. Give the slave
holders. then. a taste of their own whips.
r Spare their lives. but not their backs
! The arrogance they have acquired by the
S use of the lash upon others will be soon
0 taken out of them when the same scourge
f shall be applied to themselves. A band Of
ten or twenty determined negroes: well
e armed. having their rendezvous in the for
K ests, coming out upon the plantations by
: day or night. Selling individual slavehold-
: ers, stripping them. and fogging them
soundly in the presence Of their own slaves,
e would soon abolish slavery over large
g district.
). These bands could also do a good work
s by kidnapping individual shareholders,
o taking tirvrn iu,v tire forest, nrd holding
: them as hostages for the good behavior Of
! the whites remaining on the plantations
$ compelling them also to execute deeds Of
e emancipation and conveyance of their prop
e erty to their slaves. These contracts could
+ probably never afterward be successfully
It disavowed on the ground Of du'ess, les
e pecially after new governments favorable &c
,. liberty should be established. } inasmuch
e as such contracts would be nothing more
G than Justice; and men may rightfully be
). coerced to do justice. Such contracts
|. would be intripsically as valid as the trea
n ties by which conquered nations make sat.
t isfaction for the injustice which caused the
war.
{ The more bold and resolute slave should
u be encouraged TO form themselves into
bands, build forts in the forests, and there
t collect arms, stores, horses, everything
s that will enable them to sustain them selves,
and carry OH their warfare upon the slave
holders.
0 Another important measure on the part
of the slaves will be to disarm their masters,
0 SO far as that is practicable. by Selling and
e concealing their weapons whenever oppor-
lunity offers. They should also kill all
e slave hunting dogs, and the owners too. if
that should prove necessary.
Whenever the slaves on plantation are
q not powerful or courageous enough to re-
0 sist. they should be encouraged to desert.
il body. temporarily. especially at har-
D vest-time, so as to cause the crops to per-
ish for want of hands to gather them.
f Many other ways will suggest them
: selves to you, ard the slaves. by which
the shareholders can be annoyed and in
jured, without causing any general out
break or shedding of blood.
Our plan then is
l.. To make war (openly or secretly as
E circumstances may dictate) upon the prop
erty of the shareholders and their ahettors
NOT for its destruction. if that can easily
be avoided, but to convert it to the use of
the slaves. fit cannot be thus converted.
! then we advise its destruction. Teach the
f slaves to burn their masters buildings. to
kill their cattle and horses, TO conceal or
destroy farming utensils. to abandon labor
in seed time and harvest and let crops per-
ish. Make slavery Improbable in this way
if it can be done in no other.
: g. To make shareholders objects of
: derision and contempt, by Aogging them