The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-06-07
EARLY US.

Years Ago.
In the year 1712 New Yerk had a pop
ulation of little more than 5, 1000, about
Loco OF whom were black slaves. The
slave trade was regarded as legitimate
traffic, and was regular branch of
foreign trade. Slaves were sold at pub
lie auction. They We're not allowed to
cross the ferries without permission of
their owners. In many cases they were
neglected and ill-treated, and hence were
ignorant, and became vicious and at
| times revengeful. Whites do the same
under similar circumstances Then comes
homeopathic treatment, sinailia sin,ili-
bus curaaatatr. So it was in 1712. The
daily life Of the city went on in apparent
peace, while beneath sullen fires were
beginning to glow. A conspiracy of
bondmen was formed It broke forth at
midnight of the 9th of April, when Peter
Van Tilburgh's house was set on fire. It
was the signal for general negro revolt
The alarmed populace rushed to the
scene, and gathered round the burning
building. Lines were formed from De
Kays well in Broad street. The slaves
stood aloof in the gloom Suddenly,
from the darkness, came a scattering vol
ley of shot, killing and wounding many
of the amazed whites. The slaves rushed
on them with knives and hatchets. The
alarm was carried to the fort, and the
Governor was reused. A cannon from the
ramparts gave warning to the city, and
throngs fastened to the rescue. All the
blacks in the town also gathered to the
spot. Then the bayonets of approaching
soldiers cleaned in the light of the blaze.
They fired volley, and the undisci-
plined negroes broke and fled northward
to the woods and swamps, which then
extended above the region of the present
City Hall.
The story of that terrible night, SO
long remembered at the fresides of the
city, is quantity told in letter of Gov
Hunter to the Chords of Trade, :" in En-
gland. 1t is dated June II, 1712, and
proceeds as follows:
account of bloody conspiracy of some
of the slaves of this place to destroy as
many inhabitants as they could. 1t was
put in execution in this manner: When
they had resolved to revenge themselves
for some hard usage they had received
from their masters Qor I can find no
other cause), they agreed to meet in the
orchard of Mr.. Crook, the middle of the
town; some provided with firearms,
some with swords, and others with knives
and hatchets this was the 9th day of
April the time of meeting was about 12
or 1 o'clock in the night when about
three and twenty of them were got to-
gether, one Cuffee, negro slave of one
Van Tilburgh, set fire to an clubhouse of
his masters, and then, repairing to the
place where the rest were, they all sailed
outtogether with their arms, and marched
to the fire by this time, the noise of the
fire spreading through the town, the
people began to flock to it upon the ap-
proach of several, the slaves fired and
killed them the noise of the guns gave
the alarm, and, some escaping their shot,
soon published the cause of the fire,
which was the reason that not above nine
Christians were killed and about five OF
| six wounded upon the first notice,
| which was very soon after the mischief
was begun, I ordered detachment from
the fort, under proper officer, to march
| against them, but the slaves made their
retreat into the woods by the favor of the
night. Having ordered sentries the next
day in the most proper places on the
island to prevent their escape, I caused
the day following the militia of the
town, and of the county of Westchester,
to drive the island, and by this means,
and strict searches in the town, we
found all that put the design into excu-
tion-six of these first having laid violent
hands on themselves herest were forth
with brought to their trial before the
Justices of this place, who are author
lied by act Of Assembly to Lold court
in such cases. In that court were 81
condemned, whereof 21 were executed.
Some were burnt, others were hanged,
one broke ON the wheel, and one hung
alive in chains in the town.
So, for a time, the terror was beat
down with stake and gibbet Yet New
York then was not rearward of the world
Human society natures slowly, and can
not flower till the millennium.
LIDIES OF THE WHITE HOUSE.