Viewing page 23 of 289

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

but this I know, that on the shallowest, flimsiest, most ridiculous of grounds, a sort of panic was repeatedly got up in some of those Counties, and even Judges of the Inferior Court and Sheriffs of Counties professed to share in the general terror. Never have I seen such a capacity for being humbugged, such astounding gullibility, as men otherwise intelligent and sensible exhibited in reference to negro insurrections. For illustration, I relate the following:

On the Fourth of December ult. the Sheriff of Clarke County and one of the Judges of the Inferior Court whose name I have forgotten, and one of their leading citizens of Watkinsville, the County seat, came to me, evidently in great earnest, and told me a dangerous conspiracy of the negroes to rise in insurrection and murder all the whites inhabitants, had just been discovered in or near Watkinsville. They said a military company was completely organized, armed and officered among the blacks. That the time had been appointed for the rising, and the place of commencement. That they had seized and disarmed some fifteen of the ringleaders, whom they still held in custody. That they wished to have a military company stationed in that neighborhood to preserve the peace. That they had the witnesses in custody &c.

I directed them to bring the accused and the witnesses before me. This was done on Wednesday Dec. 6, when the accused persons, thirteen in number were arraigned on the following charge & specification drawn up, I believe, by the Clerk of the County Court

Charge. Attempting to excite an insurrection

Transcription Notes:
Watkinsville is now in Oconee County