Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
“Resolved, that the Intendant be requested to preparefor publication, an account of the late intendedInsurrection in this City, with a Statement of theTrials and such other facts in connexion with thesame as may be deemed of public interest.”
In complying with the objects of the above Resolution, I have notbeen insensible to the difficulties and embarrassments necessarily incidentto the subject, as to what it might be politic either to publishor suppress. With the advice, however, of the Corporation, I havedeemed a full publication of the prominent circumstances of the latecommotion the most judicious course, as suppression might assumethe appearance of timidity or injustice. Whilst such a Statement isdue to the character of our community, and justification of our laws,there can be no harm in the salutary inculcation of one lesson,among a certain portion of our population, that there is nothingthey are bad enough to do, that we are not powerful enough topunish.
J. HAMILTON, jun. Intendant,Charleston, August 16th, 1822.
On Thursday, the 30th of May last, about 3 o’clockin the afternoon, the Intendant of Charleston was informedby a gentleman of great respectability, (who,that morning, had returned from the country) that afavourite and confidential slave of his had communicatedto him, on his arrival in town, a conversationwhich had taken place at the market on the Saturdaypreceding, between himself and a black man; whichafforded strong reasons for believing that a revolt andinsurrection were in contemplation among a proportionat least of our black population. The Corporationwas forthwith summoned to meet at 5 o’clock, for thepurpose of hearing the narrative of the slave who hadgiven this information to his master, to which meetingthe attendance of His Excellency the Governor was solicited;with which invitation he promptly complied.Between, however, the hours of 3 and 5 o’clock, thegentleman who had conveyed the information to theIntendant, having