The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-04
H
Some Important Effects Which Have
Lasted Beyond the Civil War to
the Present Time.

the most important event thai Oc-
CURED in our quarter of the Union
between the Revolution and the Civil
War. At a period of profound peace.
when one class of the people was at
tending religious meetings and an
other was at the fashionable summer
resorts, the citizens Of Southeastern
Virginia n of Northeastern Carolina
were terrified by the news that the
slaves in Southampton county, Viz
.inia, had arisen and a murdered
about fifty white persons.
II was on Sunday night and Mon
day morning. the 21st Of August, 1881.
Many OF the white men were from
home attending "A cdmp-meetlng Ten
miles distant in an adjoining county OF
North Carolina. Six men, under the
leadership of a slave, h property OF
Mr.. Joseph Travis, rose in the night
and commenced the work Of slaughter.
The leader and protector of the
scheme was Nat. called Nat Turner,
from the name of a former master.
He was u~ncoInmoniy shrewd; could
read and write: used good English;
was very religious: was addicted to
preaching; claimed to be inspired: II
vas a close observer OF the signs of
the heavens. TO a fanatic Of this cult
the times seemed OUT of joint. In his
frenzy, he probably dreamed not only
of the joys of freedom, but of that
higher life--the reigning in his mas
ter's stead.
Political conditions. as he ignorant
- read them, infianed his natural
desires. For nearly twenty years the
question Of slavery had stirred the
nation. Ten years had passed since
the great fight over the admission
of Missouri. The fever e~ngendered
then had not died out. The balance
OF power was SO kcenly watched that
the mention Of the admission Of a
slave state at one brought the clamor
for the creation of n free State and
vice versa.
THE peculiar doctrine of South
Carolina" that of notification, was in
Ievicw before the world. Men were
eagerly watching the President, ready
70 turn one way or another as Jackson
led. Had he upheld Sout Carolina's
contention, the strength of States
Rights would have been tested then
rather than thirty years later.
1t is just in reviewing the acts Of q
criminal to study his environment. In
Turner's life. we can understand how
he, in his cxcitahle nature and in his
ignorance. was infia med by the politi-
cal disquist which SO greatly disturbed
the minds Of such men as Haync anC
Webster. Then, in addition, he saw
darkness envelop the earth. The warn
red rays of the sunshine seemed with
drawn and all nature was blue. The
shadows were blue. the earth wa.
blue. The hlue SUM- is yet renem,
hercd by the very aged. and they ma,
recall the fact that the superstition
were filed with terror, looking for
ward To some wonderful event. 1t i
not to be doubted that men were cor
rect who asserted. at the time. tina
NM INttrpa moe n,l .rn.,-y - -;
terrible deeds by the blue sun" TAX
ing 1t to be a sign from heaven t
arise and free his people.
I'm their barley 1t was decided tina
Nat. who had i~nstigated and planne
the rising. should shed the first bloc
and that he should begin his wor
In his masters family.
Although. at first, there were but 81
conspirators OH Sunday night. the
were joined by men at every hous,
Very soon they numbered sixty. Mos
of h murders were committed Sun
day night and Monday morning.
As soon as the news Of the mur
ucrous foray was noised abroad in thu
thiniy populated country, the whit
men prepared 10 overcome the ne
groes. Very speedily they were d.
feated and dispersed. The conqu
was complete on Tuesday. 1t W.
done by the citizens of the commul
ity and a detachment from the regl
lar army which was sent up fro
Norfolk. Many Of the negroes wei
killed. Some were caught and unde
went trial for their lives. The new
Of the suppression OF the insurrecti,
came to many with that of its exis
cnte. so there WAS no great eNcit
mcnt in the adjacent country. Pr
caltiors were taken, however, in II
f~"rlnatio IF military companies WI
drilled 10y day and patrolled by nigt
il is remembered that the tie
ritory waS a black belt" that son
nf the Counties-Warren for one
contained more than two blacks
one white. W. realize thai our peop
bad AN abiding faith in the digni
of the law. They also knew the gen,
nttures and the harmlesSneSs of {
negroes. There were MANY cases
loyalty To masters and of faithf
guardianship over the lives and pro
'lty of their owners. The writer I
calls one hero, Perry Browne, W
within the past ten years has gone