Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-12-07

How THE NORTH BEHAVED IN AN lNSuRRECTION-
INTERESTING RENlNIsCENcEs-The Abolition eulo-
gists, and Republican apologists and sympathizers
of John Brown and his murderous scheme for the
Instruction of negroes and the murder of innocent
women and children, have been exceedingly sarcas-
tic and, as they suppose, very witty over the un
secmly fright exhibited by the Virgnans on the
discovery Of the dabolcal plot Following the lead
of Messrs. Philips, Beecher Co., the Republican
journals, almost without exception. have joined in
dcnouncing the people of Virginia race of cow
ards, because quiet country village seized with
panic on awakening one morning and finding the
stronghold of the town in possession of an armed
band of Abolitonists. number of prominent citi
under arrest, and an openly avowed project on
foot for exciting insurrection among the slaves
The New York Express takes the occasion to revive
from the history of New York incidents attending
the supposed negro plot there of l741. The city
of New York then contained about 1000 inhabitants
of whom only 1900 were slaves. 1t says:
On the 18th of March. fire occurred in the fort,
which consumed the Secretary's Office and the
Dutch Church. About week later, another, though
inconsiderabe, fire occurred and, within two or
three weeks later, some half dozen more, most of
them however, only the burning of chimneys.-
These frequent fires together with prevalent be
lief that great deal of petty robbery carried
by the negroes, with the aid of certain white
men, gave rise to a general uneasiness, which soon
increased to panic. This was greatly heightened
by public proclamation offering reward of a
hundred pounds for the discovery of the incendares
The reward was too tempting to be long resisted
An indentured servant woman soon after obtained
her freedom and the hundred pounds by pretend
ing to divulge plot formed by her master, low
tavern-keeper, named Hughson, and three negroes
to burn the city and murder the entire white popu-
latiou This information was like spark among
timber The whole population pas throaon into a
parorysm of rage and Jear. The militia paraded
the streets almost continually. The accused parties
were arrested and hurried to the JAIL and the utmost
rage against the negroes infamed every breast So
intense was the panic, that the most unreasonable
and contradictory statements were greedily caught
up, and the least suspicious circumstances were
construed as plain evidence against the accused"
In short time 154 negroes and 20 suspicious
whites were lodged in prison. The following is the
way the lawyers behaved on the OCCASION:
"Therc were, at that time, only eight lawyers in
New York, all of whom volunteered their services
to the Government and assisted by turns in the
prosecution, leaving the miserable prisoners without
the aid of counsel To obtain the required evidence
upon which to base sentence, pardon and freedom
offered to any who would turn Kings evidence,
and by this means any amount of testimony, to al
most any fact, could be obtained While there oas
one to say a single aoord for the accused the
lawyers oied oih each other in securility, in heap
ing abuse upon them, in which they acre outdone
by the Judge, aohen he came to pass sentence. Many
purchased their own lives by coniessing their parti
cpation in crimes of which 1t was aterward proved
they knew nothing, and accusing others; and,
strangest of ALL confessed at the stake their
guilt who knew nothing Of the things with which
they were charged"
This is the result:
Gas the result of this bloody delusion, thirteen
oere burned, eighteen hanged, and serenity aoere
transported The public thirst for blood seemed
now to be somewhat satisfied and the phrensy be.
gan to abate; reaction at length ensued, and the
persons remaining in prison were set at liberty"