Newbern weekly progress., 1860-12-25
WEDNESDAY MORNING, DEC. 10, 1860.
BE VigiIant.

We notice that the editor of the Go1dsboro'
Rough Notes who says that he is in posses
sion of alarming facts alludes to plot which
has been detected in which 100 negroes and
90 white men are engaged, in New Hanover
County for an nsurrection on next Saturday,
the 22nd instant This is indeed a startling
rnnlor, and one that if it really have founda-
ton in fact, will call for increased vigilance
throughout the State.
We are glad to learn that our town authori-
ties have determined to tnrn out citizens
r1atch during next week of Sc instead of 10
anen This is right, and we would suggest
further that they befurnished with instruments
which would enable them to suppress an out
break should one occur. We have not heard
a word that is calculated to cause us to fear an
outbreak In this locality-we have good mas
ters and good servants-but then owing to the
alarming condition Of affairs and the rumors of
contemplated rebellion elsewhere it behoves us
to be vigiIant We owe this to ourselves
and we owe it to our slaves, for while they re-
quire watching and increased vigilance on the
part of their owners and by communities they
also require protection While we are clearly
for Furnishing, with death, every white man or
slave who may be detected la an attempt to
get up insurreetjon or cause rebellion We are
for protecting the slaves against public excite
1Aeat or undue violence when found to be in
nocent And we are confident, il their own
e1s will discharge properly their daty, and the
community can be purged of all improper and
dangerous white persons, there is No trouble
to be apprehended from our slaves
Then let us increase our vigilance let each
and every man who owns or has slaves about
him establish and maintain most rigid dis
cipline-let tbe creatures be treated mildly but
firmly Let al license that may by any posi-
bilty have an evil tendency be withdrawn du-
ring the coming holidays. All intercourse
between the slave and the free colored popular
ton should be suppressed as far as possible,
and a most rigid police should be applied to the
latter class Let those Of Ghr good citizens
who have been in the habit Of suffering their
slaves to hire their own time, to live off to
themselves and to so about contracting and
doing work On their own account the same as
freemen. ia violation Of all law, realize that
the practice is not only wrong but dangerous
TO all classes OF our people; and II such prac-
tice be not abandoned let the law be enforced
against every offender
The times are pregnant with troubles; the
rumors which we fear are but too we'll foun-
ded which reach us from the Cape Fear are in
deed alarming, and We know not what day
or an hour may bring forth. Hence we renew
our suggestion that Vigilance Committee be
at established by our citizens to act in con-
junction with the public authorities for the
grntection of llfe and property, should their ser
vices be required aad for the further purpose
of riddng the community Of all suspected and
dangerous persons We would suggest to our
friends throughout the county also to form
their Vigilance Committees in the different
precincts We may be standing on volcano
which may burst forth at any moment scatter
ing ruin and destruction in every direction
Nothing Is to be lost by vigilance. Let us be
on the watch then.