Norwich bulletin., 1920-12-09
oDD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
THE NAT TURNER REBELLION.

II =
 In the history of our country there has been many rebellions, some or them l of more or less serious character, but the most unusual of all was that start ed by the colored slave, Nat Turner, with the intention of freeing his faceN from slavery. It might have resulted seriously had it been planned by some one less visionary than Turner, who was more radical than sincere in ms effort.
 Turner, at the time he stared his up- rising was thiFty.one years of age, ana was imbued with more than the usual amount of superstition of his race. lie imagined that he had revelation ot the will of God, and that he was deslg- mated as the instrument of the Divine anger to bring about revolution, out of just what character he was too illits crate to clearly explain.
 Turner thus described his experience: "On the 12th of May, 1928, l heard loud voice in the heavens, and the spirit instantly appeared to me and said; The serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke He had borne for the sins of men, and that I should take it on and fight against the serpent, fer the time was fast approaching when the first should be the last and the last should be the first, and by signs in the heavens that it would make known to me when I should commence the great work, and until the first sign should appeay I should conceal it from the knowledge of men,"
 The sign which was to be the signal for Turner to institute his uprising was
 an eclipse of the sun in February, 1881,
 On that date he communicated his plan sr.v, deferred from time to time until he de- clared the vision appeared again, when he felt that the undertaking could nc longer be delayed.
 On the night of August 21, 1881, the | negroes began the massacre with the staying of Turner's master, Joseph Travis, and his family. Turner and his
 associates determined to spare neither
 age nor sex and proceeding from house to house, carried out their work of | slaughter
 But the whole country became aroused and an armed force was sent in pursuit of Tuner and his deluded associates
 who now numbered more than fifty. Al.
 most to a man the conspirators deserted their leader when they were attacked | Turner managed to keep in eoneealment | for several weeks, but he was finally
 captureds brought to trial and executed l in November of the same year, l In this insurrecticn sixty-ene white 1 persons, mostly women and children | lost their lives. Excitentent in the south was intense, and many in thi:
 section were prepared to endorse tht sentiment of the Richmond Whig. whici i declared that the execution of the tota | slave population would be- the penalty l following another such uprising | Niles Register expressed that same view
 The idea prevails that because of ths | terrible event in Southampton tht
 white population in cases of like outrag g. | es in future, will retaliate by an indis. criminate slaughter e the blacks-and 1 such, we think, will probably taks ! place !"
 This insurrection naturally created 2 | great excitement in the south. In the | governors message in the December fol I lowing he charged that much of the un. rest among the colored men was due tc l their preachers, and he directed tha, | they be "silenced" and alse urged that
 the law should be revised so as to keer
 the slave population ''in due subordin. | ation."
 | This message awakened a deep dis.
 cussion in the Virginia assembly and the l feeling of insecurity was reflected in l the message of Governor Hayne to the l legislature in South Carelna and the | activity o. the abolitionists of the coun.
 try in diffusing anti-slavery literature
 among the colered people was held b,
 cause of the Nat Turner instruction
 and in some sections of the south tht postmasters refused to deliver anti