The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-23
THE NEGRO INsURREcTIoN NEAR
s=s.--f MEMPHIS sass

/ From the Memphis Avalanche, October 8.
For some time past the planters living on and
about the Burgett plantation have been watch
ful OF the conduct and maneuvres of the me-
! groes about them, who, our informant states,
number somewhere in the vicinity of five hun
dred. AS many as three or four times have
they Qhe planters) been warned by their friends
here to watch their every act, as it was known
| that they had purchased arms and ammunition
in this city, and had unwittiugly hinted at their
murderous designs. On Tuesday last a number
of the negroes arrived here, and, obtaining
keg of powder and couple of bags of shot, left
that same evening on the Natoma for the plan
tatlon. A mile or two this side of the planta-
tlon the negroes went ashore and instantly
started fora little trading boat lying about three
hundred yards below. Here they found six
! rifles offered for sale, They purchased these
articles also, and, with the ammunition, buried
them 10, the woods
On Friday evening, while the negroes were
weighing cotton, the suspicious of the overseer
were aroused by hearing them interlope the text
"Dlxle' with the words "Ons will be wine to-
morrow and "to-morrow ;" "We'll have fun"
&c. He said nothing, but when the time ar
rived dismissed the negroes from their labor
and repaired as quickly as possible to his own
quarters, where he found the owners of the
to them what had occurred, and suggested the
propriety of Immediately taking such measures
Of defence as in their Judgment was necessary
to preserve the lives of all the white people
about the place. In the meantime they had
learned that on the following day the negroes
intended to attack them in the field. They then
determined on devising plans which they
thought would entirely crcumvent those of the
negroes and obviate the necessity of shedding
blood. With this end in view, they started next
morning for the field, two of the party riding off
toward the road, two riding in the rear of the
plantation. The brothers Isaac and Henry took
the road, each being armed with shot gun and
a revolver. They had not advanced far before
they were met by body of about fifty negroes,
who ordered them off their mules, accompany
ing the order with rapid and indiserimiuate
firing. ~ ..--.. .., f.. w,
Fortunately none of the shots had any effect
Mr. Isaac Burgett quickly alighted from his an-
imal, and raising his gun to his shoulder, fired,
killing the leader of the crowd and wounding
two others. Ills brother, Mr. Henry Burgett,
had by this time got in the rear of the scoun
drels, and, together with the other two gentle
men, who, it will be remembered, had started in
another direction, poured a voey into their
ranks, which had the effect of scattering them
in all directions. 1t was here that the other
negro was killed and two more wounded. By
this time some ten or twelve white men gathered
around the place and quickly succeeded in ar
resting and placing under guard the entire
gang. Forty new rifles, thirty five revolyers,
keg of powder aud two large bags of shot were
captured. In about an hour after the capture,
two more squads of negroes were discovered
about half mile off: but Immediately dispersed
in confusion upon hearing of the disastrous
defeat of their Infamous brother-plotters and as
sassins.
An examipation afterwards of about twenty Of
the negroes showed plainly that it was concocted
by heads far more capable of doing mischief
than those of the ignorant, deluded negroes
but the planners lacked the courage of executing
their damnable plans This part of the work
they left to a negro named Bill Dickinson, who
assumed the leadership, and who, as is stated
above, was killed. This outbreak which was to
result in the murder of all the whites in the
neig hborhood, to be follow ed by an indiscrimin
ate plundering, was planned and originated here
in Memphis. There can be no question about
it, The ammunition aud arms for them were
purchased by white meo in Memphis This is
the testimony of the negroes. They say, too,
that they we're forced into the insurrection by
the negro leaders, who told them that if they
would but once take possession Of the planta-
tions, their friends in Memphis and at the North
would stand by them.
The result of such teaching is plain. It is to
incite the negro, with his low brutal nature, to
murder, rapne and bloodshed. What can be
palmer? We answer, nothing and in this oc-
currence the world is furnished with another
illustration of it. True it is that in comparison
with the Jamaica outbreak it is but insignif-
cant But the same principle is involved
though on smaller scale. A desire to possess
the lands undisturbed a desire to rid them
selves Of white rulers, or have such rulers as
they themselves would choose Who could tell
where il would end, had it been successful in
the beginning, aud with the numerous bands of
negroes coming up reinforccments The
matter should be thoroughly investigated. and
the investigation should beg gin in Memphis.
FOREIGN 1TEMs.--Tbe London Times com
pliments Lord Stanley's speech at the Cable
banquet, which was, it says, designed to satisfy
the U. s. that our relations with that country is
safe in its hands 1t suggests that his Lordship
should take in hand the differences relating to
the Alabama claims which it is persuaded can
be set at rest if the necessary temper and judg-
ment can be brought to bear. sI
1t is stated that the recent wet weather in
England has destroyed very large wheat crop.
The Windsor Arsenal has been leyeled TO the
ground " an explosion of gun cotton. No
lives lost.
A most terrible fire occurred 10 Quebec last
week, in ST. Rocks aud St. Stephens suburbs.
Fifteen hundred houses were destroyed, four
men killed, one soldier blown up, and one officer
wounded.
About 5000 sheep have Just been started