Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-03

Saunterin2s i'm Virginia.

Virginia is great State-a remark you have
probably heard betore-great 10 It's broad Inn
its, its various wealth; but, above all. great,
richly, humorously great, 10 its strange and
varied types of humanity. The Eastern low
lander is as different from the West Virginia
mountaiueer as the Holander is from the Ger
man of the Rhine. OF course speak of the
laboring classes, who have no resemblance, In
manners, customs aud ways, to their compatri-
OTIS, separated only by bill and vale, and not
much of that Indeed, the Pickwick Club
would have found iuioite variety in d jauut
through our State, aud its burly president
himself would have encountered half dozen
JiugIes and score IF job 'lrotters, not to hrt
even OF the number Of fair Miss Rache!s.
The BIackwater and \ Jttow1y sec lnu is
that part Of Virginia lying contiguous to North
Carolina, aod the lnhabitauts OF these border
counties naturally resemble their neighbors
across the way, and are more Carolnl-
ans than Virginians. Close to This place,
from which | am writing, lies Southampton
couaty, the scene of Nat Turner's oSurrectcn.
Near the county seat, in the little village OF
Jerusalem. lived 10 1882 Mr.. Turner, a we'll
10 do fal mer aud owoer OF tins arch splIlt OF
the conspiracy.
Nat Turner, Damed after his master, was
common field hand, out u mau OF great viii
and some natural ability. He had taught him
self the alphabet, and had I"arIcd to spell out
the easy verses of the Bible He soon became
a preacher, and then religious fanatic, whose
Influence among the ignorant, Supa.StltIous
negroes became potent and all p wtrius. Be.
leviog himself the chosen instrument OF God
to liberate his brethren from bondage and fully
ftt,i h w a in halt.
crazed, erratic brain the N st darn; and dev-
iish plot on record.
Ii was this On TIE last OF the uonth tt e
slaves were 10 rise at midnight aud kali every
white person 10 their reach .sparing Dell her age,
SEX rank nor coudition. Every detail was ar
ragged accurately, aud such Was he usccndency
of Nat Turner over his followers that not one
betrayed him out of the large uumber drawn
into his plan. How many this amounted to
has never been known, bu. the ram; ;hcaton OF
the plot extended nto several counties. The
fateful time drew near The uesroeS he'd their
Digtt meeting under gulse OF religious rev-
vals, aud completed the arrangements tor the
massacre The fearful arm was raised, and
the blow about to fall on the unsuspecing vic
TINS The time, as was mentioned above,
was the last Sunday 10 the mouth. 1t so hap
pened that that particular month had five Sun
days, Instead Of four, which Nat, IN his dense
ignorance providentially took 10 be the case,
but which was known 70 be otherwise by house
servants, and others better Informed than he.
Aud 80, uosuSpcctad by themselves, there Was
misunderstanding wi regard to time which
10 God 8 mercy served to weaken the force OF
the blow about to fall. % the fourth Sunday,
therefore, at midnight. Nat Turner, with
small gang, commenced his bloody work. His
masters family all fell first victims to the huI-
L., rIy.rpr
caeded TO adjoiOiog plantations, Staying as they
weot, ln every case the fearful suddeness of
the crime aided its success; it was In the hour
when slumber and quiet were deepest when
"sleep that knts up the raveed 81 eve of
care was pressed on weary eyelldS, wnru
none save the sick and wretched waked-thcn
it was the 6ends piled their hcndish task
Steathily making their way to bedsides with
the axe and hatchet-tor the gaug feared to
use trearms-they fell as unswervugy where
the rushing flood would dye the golden locks Ut
childhood as where the whitened locks OF ago
laced the resting head. None were spared
neither the old nor the babe on the breast
neither the maiden In the flush OF youth, nor
strong manhood with athletic frames and cor
ded muscles, ali relaxed aud detenSeess 10 deep
unconscious sleep.
AT last came blessed day, and while the dawn
showed the terrible work done in darkness, it
yet brought heaven sept relief. The people had
become aroused, alarmed, and the news borne
as it we're on the pioious of the wind, startled
tham to sense of fearful peril. Each, uu-
knowing the extent of threatened dauger, pre-
pared 10 defend his home
A little after sunrise Nat Turrer and his
party went to the house OF Mr. Blount, aud
entering the gate were fired upon by the 10
mates. Two were killed, aud this, the first
check they had received, slight as it was, eod-
ed the insurrecton. Nat found himselF de-
serted by his friends, and like them sought the
swamp aud woods for coucealment.
He was tracked to cave, where for some
time ho made lair, aud arrested, hanging TO-
lowing 10 due form and as a matter Of course,
certainly 10 most righteous retrlbution unless
we are driven to the conclusion that such mlld
fate was too good for him. Had he lived 10
these latter days-Oh! let us see! how differ
cot! Side by side with noble, misguided John
Brown,who went into the mou deripg business,
his soul would have be q kept on an eternal
tramp, somewhat fatiguing to the spirit Que
might imagine and loyal armies would have
shouted the refrain that still kept the soul
marching 90, never suggesting one word OF
heaven, but adoring the name forever.
Had he lived in these our newly constructed
times, what then? Ofhow much bull doing"
could not Turner have been the victim? Over the
bodies Of the two shot men Mrs. Eliza Piukstous
would have swooned and gentle hearted Chaud-
lers would have lifted bands of holy horror aod
amaz,. Troops of Presidential handbag would
have been sent to auell the riot, especially 10
voting times. and administration republicans
would have loved this Turoer as brother.
Had the ends OF Justice to be subserved, fear
nvt-oh gentle rcaders-a ,sympathizng, and
appreciative President would stand ready to
pardon-aud make him-we Envoy Ex'raol-
uluary, Minister Pleuipoteutiary, Collector OF
Internal Revenue, or Judge Of the Supreme
Court
Iu ibis section, where stayed day
or two, old women talk long hours 10 the
hight, of Mats rising, and tell 10 blood curo-
ling tones, how they watched the long nights
IL rE,lu for foot