The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-18
NEW SERIES-NO. 2O4.
Old John Brown.

CONTINUED ALARM IN VIRGINIA-RUMORED
NsURRECTIoN-ARMING THE MILITIA
MEMBERS OF THE STATE GUARD SUs-
PEC1ED.
RICHMOND, Va, Nov. 3, .-Rumors
of a negro insurrection in Wise County, in
this State, were very prevalent in this city
to day. 1t was predicated, as am informed
upon what purports to be telegraphic
dispatch posted at the corner of one of our
newspaper establishments. The report had
it that two thousand slaves had rebeled in
Wise county; but this threw some doubt
upon the whole story, inasmuch as there are
no more than dozen slaves in that whole
county. But then it derived some feasibility
from the proximity Of the reported scene of
the insurrection to the Kentucky line
embraced in the plan of operations of the
conspirators. The presumption against any
such occurrence in county having so few
slaves was readily Offset by this reflection,
and the matter for time created no little
excitement in the city. Some alleged that
the scene of insurrection was Wise's county
(Accomac) and not Wise county-a mistake
having occurred, as it was said, in the desig-
nation by confounding the name. This gave
fresh stimulus to the excitement, strength.
ened the probability of the truth of the
rumor in the minds of many. There has
been however, no confirmation of the report,
and l imagine it will prove utterly un-
founded.
Rumor is current here to-day that pri-
vate in the State Guard has been detected
in completely with some Abolitionists on
the subject of negro insurrection in this
region of the Commonwealth. To what ex.
tent he is implicated is not yet known, but
an investigation will probably soon be had,
and all the facts fully ascertained. The
idea is that this discovery will furnish clue
to important developments involving other
parties in and out of the State. appre.
hend that terrible examples will be made in
the case of parties within the State detected
in completely with the villainous abolition
movement.
The armiDg and equipping of the militia
and volunteers of the State is rapidly pro-
crossing. Before three months from this
time Virginia will have an armed force of
not less than thirty thousand. Nor will
this defensive movement stop here. The
a plan suggested at the last session by Gov.
Wise. Every man under the age Of forty
five and above the age of eighteen will be
compelled to do active and military duty.
They will have to parade three or four times
year with arms, and by way of Offset for
this service, they are to be exempt from
jury duty.
Two gentlemen from the North, who
were sojourning few days ago at tavern
in Orange Court House in this State, were
waited on by number of gentlemen of the
town and politely questioned as to what
their business was. 1t was charged that
one of them was seen talking with niger
on street and walking some distance with
him. The strangers accounted for their
presence by saying that they had come to
negotiate with gentlemen of the town for
the establishment of tannery, and stated,
moreover, that the conversation with the
negro was in reference to the whereabouts
of Mr.. Ward, the gentleman they had
come to see in reference to this enterprise.
This satisfied the parties who waited upon
them, and the strangers were permitted to
60 about at discretion.
1t is probable that the contemplated &C.
tion in the case of Brown before the Court
of Appeals will prolong the final decision of
the matter until Governor Wise's successor
shall assume the gubernatorial chair, which
will be on the first day of January next.
The question of pardon or commutation of
sentence will then come before Mr.. Letcher.
1 have no idea that either will take the re-
sponsibility of pardon or conmutation in
view of the existing state of public feeling
an this subject.