New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-26

his impre sefon, a scheme was formed TO seize anu
bind, Or TO put into the stocks-with which each
r,sntntion WAS furnished as all instrument of pun
isbment--all the white people on the estates, and
then to go to Georgetown in body, a-,d to claim
the freedom which they imagined taat the king had
sent ont to them. Almost all the slaves On the
East Coast were either privy to the plot or were
pursuadcd to Join in il. The plan of operations
would seem to have been maturcd on Sunday, the
18th of August, at London missionary chapel
which lad been balt on the plantation lie ReSou'e-
mir; and which many Of the slaves from the adlorl
ing plantations were in Che habit Of attending
The rising, which took place on Monday afternoon,
was so far successful that on most of the estates
on the East Coast the managers, overseers and
other white people were seized and put into the
stocks and detained there I'LL they were relieved
ty tie troops sent from Georgetown.
Where no resistance was made, as was generally
the ease, the surprise being complete, the slaves
shed no blood, On one or two plantations where
they were opposed with firearms, they used fire
aims in return and in this way one or two whihs
were killed and three or four wounded.
Information of what was intended was comml-
nicated on Monday morning to the manager OF oIe
of the estates BY his colored servant, and this
Manager before the strike began, fastened to town
to give the alarm The colony had militia force
in which all the free male inhabitants were Obliged
to serve, and tie Governor as so0n as possible mus
tered body of colonial cavalry, and proceeded up
the coast But this force was not strong enough
to prevent the rising, and was obliged TO fall back.
| The commander OF the garrison was then called
upon; fresh troops were sent off at midnight. The
next day martial law was proclaimed, all the free
| population were put under arms, and strong de-
tachments of militia and regulars were marched
up the coast. These troops marched all night, and
the several attachments having united very early
on Wednesday morning. they reached plantation
"BatchelOrs Adventure" some twenty miles from
Georgetown, where they found large body of ne
poes collected, amounting it was supposed, to two
thousand or upward. A few had firearms, others
were armed with the cutlasses used for cutting
canes, and for other plantation labor. The officer
in command inquired what they wanted. Some
said "two days in the week. Others said
"three days" He told them in reply that if they
would give up their arms and return home, he
would convey their desires to Che Governor Upon
a new paIley they said "they wanted their free
| 'dom-tbat the king had sent it out, and that
"they would be Free AS they still held their
ground, the troops were ordered TO fire and the
negroes were dispersed, good many having been
killed and wounded. The next ten days were en-
ployed in searching the plantations for arms, and
in apprehending the ringleaders suspected ring.
leaders. Some were sent prisoners to town, 9TH
ers were shot on the spot by the sole authority of
the military commander. Byant's account of
"the Insunection" gives The names of twenty
three disposed of in this summary manner.
A c0urt-martial was assembled at GEORGETOWN
martial law being still kept up-for the trial of the
remapng prisoners, about two hundred in num-
Der. TIE Chief Justice of the colony sat as a
member of this Court, in his character of leu
terart colonel Of militia. A great number of per-
sons were found guilty by this Court, many of
whom were sentenced TO death, and others to be
fOgged from two hundred TO thousand lashes
AT different periods during the five months that
martial law was kept up, twenty-eight were exc
cued. Several were hung in chains along the East
Coast road and others were decapitated, and their
heads stuck on poles. In addition to these capt.
tai executions, seventeen We're subjected TO most
severe loggings, and sentenced to be worked in
chains. There still remained fifty prisoners under
sentence Of death when these bloody proceedings
which had excited the horror of the British public
were arrested by orders from England.
The Trial which excited the most interest was
that of John Smith, one ofthe London Societys mis-
sionares at whose chapel or It's vicinity the plan of
the rising seemed to have been matured. He was
accused of having instigated the insurrection by
his preaching; of having known that it was Ill
tended, without giving information of it; and Of
having held communication after the rising with
QuamiaG, one Of the supposed leaders. The court
martial found him guilty of having promoted dis
content in the minds of the negroes of having
received an ntimaton the day before the rising
that some movement was intended, and OF having
held communication with QuamiHa They sen
fenced him TO dcath-a sentence which the Home
Government committed into Punishment from
the West Indies. But be died prison before the
orders for his release arrived. BY the British
public generally bis conviction was regarded not
so much as founded on any evidence that be had
anything TO 10 with the movement, which indeed !
was every way improbable, as on prejudice and
hostility against the missionaries, and repugnance
TO having the slaves instructed at all in religion. |
These whole proceedings had great effect in
the strong sentiment against Slavery,
which resulted at length in the emancipation OF
the negroes.
Tic legislative hndv for the cnlnnr runs Cnnrt