CHAPTER XIX. THE CONSPIRATORS.

ItappearsthattheprojectofrousingandanimatingtheblackstothisenterpriseoccupiedthemindofVeseyformorethanfouryears,duringwhichtimehewascontinuallytakingopportunitiestoanimateandinspirethespiritsofhiscountrymen.TheaccountstatesthatthespeechesinCongressofthoseopposedtotheadmissionofMissouriintotheUnion,perhapsgarbledandmisrepresented,furnishedhimwithamplemeansforinflamingthemindsofthecoloredpopulation. "Evenwhilewalkinginthestreet,"theaccountgoesontosay,"hewasnotidlefor,ifhiscompanionbowedtoawhiteperson,asslavesuniversallydo,hewouldrebukehim,andobserve,'thatallmenwerebornequal,andthathewassurprisedthatanyonewoulddegradehimselfbysuchconductthathewouldnevercringetothewhitesnoroughtanyoneto,whohadthefeelingsofaman.'Whenanswered,'Weareslaves,'hewouldsay,sarcasticallyandindignantly,'Youdeservetoremainslaves!'And,ifhewerefurtherasked,'Whatcanwedo?'hewouldremark,'Goandbuyaspelling-book,andreadthefableof"HerculesandtheWagoner."'Healsosoughteveryopportunityofenteringintoconversationwithwhitepersons,duringwhichconversationhewouldartfullyintroducesomeboldremarkonslaveryandsometimes,when,fromthecharacterhewasconversingwith,hefoundhemightbestillbolder,hewouldgosofarthat,hadnothisdeclarationsbeenclearlyproved,theywouldscarcelyhavebeencredited." Buthisgreatinstrumentofinfluencewasabookthathasalwaysbeenprolificofinsurrectionarymovements,underallsystemsofdespotism. "HerenderedhimselfperfectlyfamiliarwithallthosepartsofScripturewhichhethoughthecouldperverttohispurpose,andwouldreadilyquotethemtoprovethatslaverywascontrarytothelawsofGod,andthatslaveswereboundtoattempttheiremancipation,howevershockingandbloodymightbetheconsequencesthatsucheffortswouldnotonlybepleasingtotheAlmighty,butwereabsolutelyenjoined." Vesey,inthecourseoftime,associatedwithhimselffiveslavemenofmarkedcharacter—Rolla,Ned,Peter,Monday,andGullahJack.Ofthese,theaccountgoesontosay:— "Intheselectionofhisleaders,Veseyshowedgreatpenetrationandsoundjudgment.Rollawasplausible,andpossesseduncommonself-possessionboldandardent,hewasnottobedeterredfromhispurposebydanger.Ned'sappearanceindicatedthathewasamanoffirmnervesanddesperatecourage.Peterwasintrepidandresolute,truetohisengagements,andcautiousinobservingsecrecywhereitwasnecessaryhewasnottobedauntednorimpededbydifficulties,and,thoughconfidentofsuccess,wascarefulinprovidingagainstanyobstaclesorcasualtieswhichmightarise,andintentupondiscoveringeverymeanswhichmightbeintheirpower,ifthoughtofbeforehand.GullahJackwasregardedasasorcerer,and,assuch,fearedbythenativesofAfrica,whobelievedinwitchcraft.Hewasnotonlyconsideredinvulnerable,butthathecouldmakeotherssobyhischarms,andthathecould,andcertainlywould,provideallhisfollowerswitharms.Hewasartful,cruel,bloodyhisdisposition,inshort,wasdiabolical.HisinfluenceamongtheAfricanswasinconceivable.Mondaywasfirm,resolute,discreet,andintelligent." "Itisamelancholytruththatthegeneralgoodconductofalltheleaders,exceptGullahJack,wassuchasrenderedthemobjectsleastliabletosuspicion.Theirconducthadsecuredthem,notonlytheunlimitedconfidenceoftheirowners,buttheyhadbeenindulgedineverycomfort,andallowedeveryprivilegecompatiblewiththeirsituationinthecommunityand,thoughGullahJackwasnotremarkableforthecorrectnessofhisdeportment,hebynomeanssustainedabadcharacter.But,"addsthereport,"notonlyweretheleadersofgoodcharacter,andverymuchindulgedbytheirowners,butthiswasverygenerallythecasewithallwhowereconvicted,manyofthempossessingthehighestconfidenceoftheirowners,andnotoneabadcharacter." "TheconductandbehaviorofVeseyandhisfiveleadersduringtheirtrialandimprisonmentmaybeinterestingtomany.WhenVeseywastried,hefoldedhisarms,andseemedtopaygreatattentiontothetestimonygivenagainsthim,butwithhiseyesfixedonthefloor.Inthissituationheremainedimmovableuntilthewitnesseshadbeenexaminedbythecourt,andcross-examinedbyhiscounsel,whenherequestedtobeallowedtoexaminethewitnesseshimself,whichhedid.Theevidencebeingclosed,headdressedthecourtatconsiderablelength.Whenhereceivedhissentence,tearstrickleddownhischeeks. "Rolla,whenarraigned,affectednottounderstandthechargeagainsthimandwhen,athisre