Year: 1860

combinations of the reported state Of
public excitement on the subject of the
negroes, and new proofs that this excite
mcnt has not been without adcuuate
cause. EXaogerations and false rumors
there have been, of course In the midst
of so much that was really alarming, and
with all the uncertainty as to what tmight
be done anywhere, when so much that
was atrOcious in it's wickedness had been
done already, it was to be expected that
u great deal would be imagined and
great deal of what is true amplticd and
exaggerated. 1t was not possible to
examine every case, or reported case,
according to the rules of d judicial in
vestigatlon, or to measure words with
the exactness of an actual and cool wit
ness. Hence, Il great deal more has
been reported than what actually trans
pired, and heat and hurry distorted some
Of the facts. But there is enough dis
closed to give reason for believing that
a widespread discomfort has spread
through large tract in Texas, including
q tier of counties, reaching from near
the Gulf to the border of the Indian Ter
rItory on the extreme north. The fires
which have destroyed so vast an amount
OF property are in many cases distinctly
traced to the incendiarism of the blacks.
The testimony is very clear, too, if not
altogether legal relying, as it does, on
the concurrent confessions of blacks,
widely separated from each other, and
without means for concocting lie, that
there was an understanding among
large number of them, at least, to poison
or otherwise kill the whites, and that
this insubordinate and malicious temper
has been stimulated and fostered by
white villains-some Of whom have been
detected and summarily executed. Much
of the pprehensionm may be unreal and
some Of the facts imperfectly proved;
but there is no ground for resisting the
conclusion that the people of those per-
tions of Texas have had real cause for
uneasiness and sufficient justification for
acts Of extraordinary rigor.


But in looking through the great mass
of details, with which the Texas papers
have been loaded, we see no evidence
of any concerted plot among the negroes
for permanent insurrection against the
authority of the whites There are no
specifications given, even surmised, that
those who were in the plot against life
or property had any serious plan for
setting themselves at liberty, or projects
arranged for escaping from the punish
ment of these crimes So far as we can
understand it, as developed, the purposes
Of the conspiracy were mere wanton
mischief-murder and arsOn-without
any definite idea of what the actors were
to gain for themselves. Doubtless, the
uppermost idea was that of unrestrained
riot, the luxury of unbounded license, in
the immediate qualification of every ami
NAL appetite, the orgies of idleness,
gluttony and lust But there does not
seem to have been directing mind or
definite purpose, beyond the saturnalia
of the hour, where they should go, and
what they should do after the success
of their murderous purposes, in order to
escape the iron grasp Of punishment.


These projects, whatever they were,
failed, and the vigilance of the people
of Texas being fully aroused, their
trouble ought to be considered as over,
when the offenders are detected and
their prompters brought to swift and
sure punishment. To be we'll warned
is to be forearmed, and armed with the
knowledge of the means by which this
population has been reached and COT
rupted into such insanity of aimless
wickedncss, it will be the fault of the
people of Texas themselves if they do
not cut off the avenues by which this
poisonous influence has reached the SER
vile population.


The malignant white men, who, in
blind subserviency to the teachers of an
"irrcpressible conflict" or from the
meaner promptings of bad and revenge
fnl temper, tamper with the loyalty of
the slave, and stimulating him to be an
assassin and incendiary, make him only
dupe and victim, are entitled to
quick shrift and a short rope, and they
who may be disposed to succeed in the
work of wickedness should be taught
that they will surely find watchfulness
that cannot be evaded, and rgor which
will not be appeased. The philanthropy
which hthey have on their tongues teach
es the humane guardian of the slave to
protect him, at all hazards, from being
seduced into crimes, and left to bear
the punishment, which rightfully be.
longs to the white emissaryof evil.


[Picayuue.