CHAPTER XIX. THE CONSPIRATORS.

Weoweourreadersnowsomewordsofexplanationrespectingthenewpersonagewhohasbeenintroducedintoourhistorythereforewemustgobacksomewhat,andalludetocertainhistoricaleventsofpainfulsignificance. Ithasbeenaproblemtomany,howthesystemofslaveryinAmericashouldunitethetwoapparentinconsistenciesofacodeofslave-lawsmoreseverethanthatofanyothercivilizednation,withanaveragepracticeatleastasindulgentasanyotherfor,badasslaveryisatthebest,itmayyetbeadmittedthatthepractice,asawhole,hasbeenlesscruelinthiscountrythaninmany.Anexaminationintohistorywillshowusthatthecrueltyofthelawsresultedfromtheeffectsofindulgentpractice.DuringthefirstyearsofimportationofslavesintoSouthCarolina,theyenjoyedmanyprivileges.Thosewholivedinintelligentfamilies,andhadanydesiretolearn,wereinstructedinreadingandwriting.Libertywasgiventhemtomeetinassembliesofworship,inclass-meetings,andotherwise,withoutthepresenceofwhitewitnessesandmanywereraisedtosituationsoftrustandconsequence.Theresultofthiswasthedevelopmentofagooddegreeofintelligenceandmanlinessamongtheslaves.Therearoseamongthemgrave,thoughtful,energeticmen,withtheirearsandeyesopen,andtheirmindsconstantlyawaketocompareandreason. Whenmindscomeintothisstate,inagovernmentprofessingtobefoundedonprinciplesofuniversalequality,itfollowsthatalmosteverypublicspeech,document,ornewspaper,becomesanincendiarypublication. Ofthisfactthesouthernslavestateshaveeverexhibitedthemostsingularunconsciousness.Documentscontainingsentimentsmostdangerousforslavestohearhavebeenpubliclyreadandapplaudedamongthem.Theslavehasheard,amidshouts,ontheFourthofJuly,thathismastersheldthetruthtobeself-evidentthatallmenwerebornequal,andhadaninalienablerighttolife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappinessandthatallgovernmentsderivetheirjustpowerfromtheconsentofthegoverned.Eventhemottoesofnewspapershaveembodiedsentimentsofthemostinsurrectionarycharacter. Suchinscriptionsas"ResistancetotyrantsisobediencetoGod"stand,tothisday,inlargeletters,attheheadofsouthernnewspaperswhilespeechesofsenatorsandpublicmen,inwhichtheprinciplesofuniversaldemocracyareasserted,areconstantmattersofdiscussion.Undersuchcircumstances,itisdifficulttoinducetheservant,whofeelsthatheisaman,todrawthoselineswhichseemsoobvioustomasters,bywhomthisfacthasbeenforgotten.AccordinglywefindthatwhenthediscussionsfortheadmissionofMissouriasaslavestateproducedawavewhosewatersundulatedineverypartoftheUnion,therewerefoundamongtheslavesmenofunusualthoughtandvigor,whowerenoinattentivewitnessesandlisteners.Thediscussionswereprintedinthenewspapersandwhatwasprintedinthenewspaperswasfurtherdiscussedatthepost-officedoor,inthetavern,inthebar-room,atthedinner-party,whereblackservantswerelisteningbehindthechairs.AfreecoloredmaninthecityofCharleston,namedDenmarkVesey,wastheonewhohadthehardihoodtoseektousetheelectricfluidinthecloudthusaccumulated.HeconceivedthehopelessprojectofimitatingtheexamplesetbytheAmericanrace,andachievingindependencefortheblacks. Ourknowledgeofthismanisderivedentirelyfromtheprintedreportsofthemagistrateswhogaveanaccountoftheinsurrection,ofwhichhewastheinstigator,andwhowillnot,ofcourse,besupposedtobeundulyprejudicedinhisfavor.TheystatethathewasfirstbroughttothecountrybyoneCaptainVesey,ayounglad,distinguishedforpersonalbeautyandgreatintelligence,andthatheproved,fortwentyyears,amostfaithfulslavebut,ondrawingaprizeoffifteenhundreddollarsinthelottery,hepurchasedhisfreedomofhismaster,andworkedasacarpenterinthecityofCharleston.Hewasdistinguishedforstrengthandactivity,and,astheaccountsstate,maintainedsuchanirreproachablecharacter,andenjoyedsomuchtheconfidenceofthewhites,thatwhenhewasaccused,thechargewasnotonlydiscredited,buthewasnotevenarrestedforseveraldaysafter,andnottilltheproofofhisguilthadbecometoostrongtobedoubted.Hishistoriansgoon,withconsiderablena?veté,toremark:— "Itisdifficulttoconceivewhatmotivehehadtoenterintosuchaplot,unlessitwastheonementionedbyoneofthewitnesses,whosaidthatVeseyhadseveralchildrenwhowereslaves,andthathesaid,ononeoccasion,hewishedhecouldseethemfree,ashehimselfartfullyremarkedinhisdefenceonhistrial."