Quincy (IL) Whig, "Stampede of Slaves from South Carolina," March 30, 1861

                                                            Southern Conciliation

                                           Stampede of Slave from Southern Carolina.

                                               [New York Tribune Correspondence]

              I have just left a Georgian, hailing from a small town midway between Macon and Augusta, who tells me that although in his immediate neighborhood the Secessionist have the majority, yet that even there many of his relatives are true to their country and loyal to its flag; he has just communicated to me a tale of horror, which I have no right to keep back from the readers of the Tribune.

              It occurred in the town, or rather village of which I already spoken, only four weeks ago; at home be dared not speak of it, and he has no correspondent in the North. The victim of lawless and barbaric cruelty in this instance was a printer who had been for some time employed by an Atlanta newspaper; … he was notice by the ruffians to speak to a negro man, probably only requesting to be directed to some house; he was seized, a rope was placed around his neck, and he was several times drawn from the ground, and dangled between earth and heaven; after tormenting him for half an hour, and threatening him further punishment unless he confessed that he was an Abolitionist, the villains gave them another jerk, and he came down this time, however, he was beyond the reach of their malice— his neck had been broken. His poor murdered body lay before them, a glaring but powerless witness; his spirit had down to the region of eternal peace, where he was beyond the wretch of man. His remains were immediately buried without shroud or coffin. The man who gave me this account is a respectable honest, truthful man, who witnessed it, and who, it in a free and civilized State, would be willing at any moment to substantiate it by oath. He is very near me while I write, and says that the death struggle, which be witnessed will never be obliterated from his memory. This is no romance; the man who attempts to get out of this by contradiction will speak falsely. But this is no signaler instance; these things, which cannot often take place in large cities, because of the number of Northern men residing in them, are every day occurrence in the rural district.

              Great stress has been laid by the South on the assertion that the slaves it not tampered with by white men, are loyal to their masters, and satisfied with their (illegible) I have reason to think and believe that they are mistaken. A lady who is a slave owner told me only to-day they nearly all believe they ought to be their own masters; and that she had caught her “niggers” on several occasions, when her absence was counted on, discussing the prospect of their freedom. She tells me that members of her acquaintance are in agonies of fear at the prospect of being left on their plantation without there is husbands for a single night, and they always expected in the morning to find that the “niggers” had gone. These statements appear to be sustained by the fact that a stampede of nearly a hundred occurred within sixty miles from the city, only last week; and I firmly believe that these are taking place without any aide or advice from white men; if otherwise, however, I make no defense of the abettors, but merely chronicle the fact.