Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-08-11
From the Texas State Gazette. Extra.
 The Late Conflarrations

| D~~@>e&s6 0sAVABs
 Terrible Development-An Abolition Con-
 sp'roey-7Ae sirth doy ef August set for
 Gentrot Slaughter ofthe Whites-7He
 People of Dollas Sleeping uith aeir Arms
 in Hand-Moy Call on Me Lower Coun-
 ties for Assistance.
 l DALLAS, TEXAS, July 18th, 1860. MAJOR JOHN MARsHALL-
 Deor Sir: I will give you some of the facts connected with the burning of Dallas, ana the deep laid scheme of villainy to de- vastate the whole of northern Texas The town of Dallas was fired on Sunday the Sth inst, between one and two o'clock, P. M The day was very hot, the therm ometer standing at 106 F., in the shade and high southwest wind blowing. The fire was first discovered in front of Peaks new drug store, on the west side of the square, and continued to spread rapidly until the whole north side was consumed, and one half of the east side; together with all the building on Main street east of the square. and west of the Crutchfield house. Sever al other buildings were consumed, with the loss of dry goods, groceries, etc., in all of them.
 On Monday, the next day, the house of John J. Eakens. one mile from town was fired. On Wednesday. the handsome es- tablishment of E. P. Nicholson was fired. but discovered in time to arrest the flames. On Thursday, the stables, out houses. grain and oats belonging to Grill Miller. esq. 8 miles from Dallas were destroyed by fire. All of these were so painl the work of an lncendiary. that suspicious were excited, and several white men and negroes were ar rested and underwent an examination- This led to the detection of most dabol- cal plot to destroy the country. The scheme was laid by master mind, and conceived with internal ingenuity. It was determin- ed by certain abolition preachers who were expelled from the country last year, to de- vastate with fire and assassination, the whole of northern Texas, and when the country was reduced to helpless condition, gen eral revolt of the slaves aided by white men from the north, and many in our midst, was to come off on Me day of election in August. The object ofsfring the town of Dallas, was to destroy the arms of the ar tllery company, ammunition and provision known to be collected here; to destroy the stores throughout the country containing powder and lead-burn the grain and thus reduce this portion of the country to state of utter helplessness.
 When this was accomplished, assistance was expected from Indians and abolition ists. Many other places have already been fired, Denton, Pilot Point Belknap, Gaines vile, Black jack Grove; some stores in Kaufman and Navarro, Waxahachie and other places, that l do not remelh ber- Each county has special superintendent, a white man, and each county is laid off into districts under the supervision of a white man, who controls the action of the negroes in that district. The negroes are not permitted to know what is doing out side of their immediate sphere of action.- Many of our most prominent citizens were to be assassinated, when they make their escape from the burning houses Arms have been discovered in possession of the negroes, and the whole plot revealed, for a general insurrection anl civil wa at the
 
 sleep upon our arms, and the whole "onn- try is most deeply excited. Many V ties are implicated, whose names are not yet made public. Blunt and Mckinney. the abolition preachers, were expected here at the heal of a large force at that time.- You had better issue extras containing these facts, and warn the country of the dangers that threaten it. We are expecting the worst, and do not know what an hour may bring forth. Do the best you can for us. We have no printing press and can lo noth- ing in that line. We may have to call on the lower counties for assistance--no one can tell. All IS confusion excitement and distrust. l will write again. There never were such times before.
 Yours in haste.
 CHAS. R. PRYOR.