Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-10-29
0Nortester Daily Spg.
From the Philadelphia Press,
THE FAMOUS NEGRO PLOT OF SIXTY YEARS
AGO

The article relative to the Southampton trag-
ely of 1881 awakens recollectionS OF similar
events OF a like character. The following
episode connected with one which occurred at
all earlier period may not be without interest
at this time -
About sixty years ago it was discovered that
in the neighb0rhood OF Richmond, Virginia, a
plan had been devised by the colored people to
spread slaughter and devastation among the
whites. Three negroes had been seen by
their master riding out of his stable yard.
This was sufficient to create alarm. On tAelr re-
turn, the then absconding blacks were tried by
the court of three planters. Though no direct
evidence was adduced, yet enough was ELECTED
to induce the belief that there had been an extern
sive combination formed for dreadful purpos-
es. The Governor OF Virginia offered the sum
of $4,000, and the gentlemen of the city of
Richmond $4,000 more, as a reward to any
one who would give information OF the head of
the project, but no one was tempted to betray
the secret
a few days after the $4,000 reward was
offered, little African boy came into a gro
Gerry store in Richmond, and asked for a quart
of rum. The grocer asked him for whom he
wanted it. He said, for his uncle Gabriel.
That African, when twenty-one years of
age, had asked his master how much he would
take for him. His master replied, Gabriel,
briel, SHOULD buy myself?" "In that CASE"
said the master, 81 would take five hundred
dollars for you" "Then l am ready to pay"
said Gabriel. clad l thought SO" said the
MASTER 81 would not have made the offer
but as have said it. L will not draw back"
Gabriel was manumtted. He then commenc-
ed the learning Of the English language, and
in short time learned reading, writing, and
arithmetic. He was intelligent, sober, and
amabe. All people who knew him esteemed
him highly He was twenty five years of age
when the reward was offered.
Such was the man who sent his nephew for a
jug of rum, which cost him his life. The gro
Ger asked the boy where his uncle Gabriel was
He replied in the Sally-Ann, a vessel at the
dock, just ready to sail for st. Domingo. The
grocer told the boy to wait little for his re-
turn. Notice was given to an officer, and
Gabriel was apprehended, and then put upon
his trial. He then thought some one had been
tempted by the great reward to betray him.
and he confessed the whole. He said their
plan was to fire the city at the end opposite
the arsenal. Men were appointed to ring the
fire-bes, and while the citizens were drawn
off to.extinguish the fire they intended to seize
the arsenal, rush into the city, and slaughter
all Unfortunately, except few young ladies
who were selected to be the wives of some of
the leaders. All these measures Gabriel avowed
as his own devise. He said that his earliest
thoughts were occupied by these plans-tha he
had traded and increased his stock to $500at the
age of twenty one-that he had made him
self acquainted with learning, with this sole
object; that he had travelled expressly through
the southern states by night, riding down
many horses, in preparing the Africans for his
measures; and that he had formed, in caves
and remote places depots of arms He also
told the Court that had not God interfered by
a great rain, that so swelIed stream in the
neighborhood of Richmond, that his assembled
band could not pass, they would not at that
day, be sitting as his judges.
"But," said the court, Gabriel, we all es-
TEEN you. You have not been thought cruel.
How could you devise a scheme Of such almost
indiscrimate bloodshed? 2"
Gabriel coollyreplied, at is not that de-
light in the shedding of the blood of men.
But there is no other way of procuring our
freedom. | love my nation. We have as
good right to be free from oppression as you
had to be free from the tyranny of the King of
England. l know my fate. You will take
my life. offer it willingly, as martyr to
liberty. My example will raise up Gabriel,
who will, Washington-like, lead on the Atri-
cans to freedom"
Gabriel was executed-dying without a
murmur, COOL collected, in the faith that his
death would not be in vain. These incidents
are embodied in a song called "Gabriel's De-
feat" and set to a tune of the same name,
made also by a colored man. The writer of
this has heard the tune in Virginia where it
was a tavorite air in the dances of the white
people, and it need not be added that the song
was, and perhaps still is, popular among the
colored population of the South.