Niles Register (Baltimore, Maryland),

December 10, 1831

MISCELLANEOUS

Slaves and Slavery.—A writer in the Petersburg (Virginia) Intelligencer says: —

        The sentiment is gaining ground in Virginia, that the whole African race ought to be removed from among us. Many people feel unwilling to die and leave their posterity exposed to all the ills which, from the existence of slavery in our state, they have themselves long felt.

[p. 152]

        Others are unwilling themselves longer to suffer these inconveniences—some of our best citizens are already removing—others will doubtless, follow, unless they can see a probability that, at some period, the evil will be taken away.

        (The fact stated in the last paragraph has an alarming character. The unhappy truth is, that as slaves increase and matter for apprehension is collected, the white population retires, and the means of defense are reduced—especially in the removal of laboring freemen—who, in almost all circumstances, have to bear the burthen and “the heat of the day.”)

        The Wilmington N.C. Recorder of the 16th ultimo. contains the following: —On Saturday last about 12 o’clock, the six slaves condemned at the last superior court, were hung, in pursuance of their sentence. We learn that two slaves charged with conspiracy—to make insurrection, were tried at the last session of the superior court for the county of Sampson, and found guilty.

Henry Irving Tragle, The Southampton Slave Revolt of 1831: A Compilation of Source Material (Amherst, MA: The University of Massachusetts Press, 1971), 151-152.