Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-08-15
How Slave InsurrectiOns are
Suppressed.

=
Suppressed.
The New Inquisition-C Chivalry Fright
ened and Chattels A6used-Incidents
in alabama. ~
About two weeks before Christmas,
1850, the inhabitants of Pine Level, a lit
tie town in Montgomery county, Alabama,
were startled BY the announcement that
the negroes on the settlement had planned
an insurrection to take place on Christmas
eve. The discovery of the plot was made
by planter, who. being one of those who
believe that the negroes must be whipped
sometimes with or without cause, had con-
cluded to whip one of his slaves at the
above time by way of pastime. 1t must
here be remembered, that for some time
previous, and especially, after President
Lincoln's election, the Southern press had
been doing its best to create an excitement
and ill-feeling against the Northerners-
warning the people against Abolitionists,
insurrectionists, and incendaries- assuring
them constantly that the Northerners in
tended to put an end to Slavery by sending
emissaries to tamper with slaves, and in
duce them to repeat so-called "John
Brown Raids" Thus, the most stirring
accounts of Abolitionists and their doings
were set in circulation, and were eagerly
believed by the frightened slavocracy.-
The planter, in thus whipping his negro
without cause, except to keep him in due
respect of his masters supremacy, was act
ing according to the custom Of the great
er number of shareholders. While the
punishment was in progress, the poor slave
asked:
"Massa, why DO you whip me' have
tried to do right, massa."
"Do you want me to stop?" asked the
master.
40 yes massa, please nasal
The master, continuing the unjust chas-
tisement, said, "Don't you know that I
have an excellent reason to punish you?-
You have done something very bad late
ly, and will stop only if you will tell
what you have DONE" The poor slave in
his desire to satisfy the tyrant and stop
the lashes recalled all his old sins; but the
confession of these failed to satisfy his
master, and stroke after stroke of the lash
was administered. With increasing agony
the slave prayed, 30 stop, massa, will
tell all you want me to, but I don't know
what you want" He was then asked:
"Havn't you lately been speaking about
Mr.. Lincoln to the negroes?"
ssVos ,ooceo - xyac tho raol,
"Don't you conspire to make yourselves
freeg" continuing whipping.)
eyes, massa. O massa! do stop; l
can't stand it; you kill me.'
'How are you going to make yourselves
free?'
II don't know, massa. o massa, stop,
massa! They say Mr.. Lincoln is a power
full black man, and he will make us all free
if we rise p l
"Don't you intend to kill all the whites n
"Ye es, massa, O step, massa !" (
By this time the planter had worked
himself into such state of excitement
that he continued striking his slave in the
most cruel manner-asking all sorts of
questions which his irritated state of mind
suggested-all of which his victim would
invariably confirm by uttering, Yes, massa
o massa! don't kill mel"
Not daring thus to deny any question
whatever, the Slave confessed that he, to-
gether with several other negroes that he
mentioned, had conspired to Use on Christ
mas eve, and that he intended to kill his
master with an axe. This confession infu-
rated the planter; and, after having care
fully secured the negro by tying up his
hands and feet, he proceeded to impart the
disclosures to his neighbors, who, of course,
believing every word, became equally ex-
cited, and ran for their guns and pistols
arrested those who were implicated or sus-
pected-and kept the strictest watch over
tho rest, threatening to shoot down any
negro, man or woman, who would dare to
disobey any order from white man.
The so-called conspirators were whipped
and examined in the same manner, and Of
course found no otter means of satisfying
their torturers than by cobtessing every
thing they were asked.
The whipping was continued for four
days in Pine Level and on the surrounding
plantations; great number ofslaves were
implicated as conspirators, and the most
contradictory revelations were brought to
light, which were made to correspond by
skillful questioning and energetic whip
ping. Several hundred negroes were thus
tortured in a most barbarous manner
Two committees-one on whipping, the
other on recording confessions-were at
work almost day and night during these
four days of the horrible scenes which l
witnessed. I will relate only few incl
dents.
A slave, during the process, was asked
by bystander, "Don't you niggers intend
to get married to the white women ?"-
The question, after being repeated several
times, was at last answered in the affirma-
tive. Being asked to give the name of the
white woman whom he was to get, he men
toned the wife of Martin Noll, who hap
pened to be present. Noll thereupon dis
charged two barrels of his revolver at the
slave, and, strangely enough, failed to hurt
him or any one Of the dense crowd gath.
cred around; he then drew his knife and
jumped at him, to "cut the throat of the
d-d black son of a -" Thecrowd,
or rather the owner of the slave, held him
back, and Noll then went to seek satisfac-
tion by torturing other negroes. This Mar
lin Noll is at Dresent canfosn of tho Dina