Historical Documents - 1840s

   A dispatch from Quincy, Ill., received at St. Louis on the 5th, says:––Fifty negroes, of all ages and both sexes, with teams, started, from the Missouri side the night before. A 2d dispatch says that the slaves who stampeded from Iowa Co., had been overpowered, after a desperate resistance, with the loss of their leader, were captured. 

     Stampede near St. Louis. 

   Fifty slaves were stampeded on Monday, last (5th) from the environs of St. Louis. They were pursued when a severe fight took place, resulting in the recapture and the death of the ringleaders. 

STAMPEDE--The St. Louis papers complain very much about the "stampede" of their negroes, and complain that some of their Illinois neighbors aid them.

NEGRO STAMPEDE IN LEWIS COUNTY. 

   THE LEWIS COUNTY AFFAIR.––The last N.E. Rep'r, after giving an account of the daring attempt made by negroes in that county to escape, says that it has "been ascertained that it was to be a general insurrection; and, to that end, it is believed that nearly all the slaves in the county had notice, and were to have met and rendezvoused at Canton on Friday. The plan was to kill all the negroes who would not join them––and with force of arms move off in a body to Illinois, and thence to Canada. However preposterous the plan may seem, it certainly has a great deal of truth for its foundation. The younger negroes not only disclosed it, but others, who did not join them, acknowledged they were notified and knew of it. Besides, others have made a break.

   Quincy, Ill., Nov. 6.

SLAVE STAMPEDE.--Last night about 50 negroes of all ages and sexes, with teams, stampeded from the Missouri side of the river. They were overhauled on Saturday morning, and after a desperate resistance, and the loss of their leader, they were captured. 

   NEGRO STAMPEDE.––Quincy, Nov. 2.––About fifty negroes, men, women and children, with teams, owned by Messrs. Miller, McKim and McCutchin, of Sugar Creek, and William Ellis, of Monticello, Lewis county, Mo., started for parts unknown about 1 o'clock last night. 

   A Stampede.––Saturday night six negroes, owned in this city, came up missing at their homes, having taken sudden leave for parts unknown. Recently several gangs have mysteriously ran off, inclining many to believe that they have been stampeded.––St. Louis Republican, Oct. 29. 

   SLAVES ESCAPING FROM KENTUCKY

   Nine slaves have within a short time attempted to escape from their masters in Hardin county, Ky. The Elizabethtown Register states that all of them were recaptured but two states that all of them were recaptured but two, of whom it had heard nothing since they ran away. One of those retaken was armed with a gun, and making opposition when the pursuers came up, was shot down, and horribly wounded.

   THE GREAT SLAVE STAMPEDE IN MISSOURI.––The Canton, Lewis Co., Mo. Reporter, gives the following account of the recent great slave stampede there:

   A great excitement prevails in Lewis county, in regard to the recent attempt of the negroes to run away and rise in insurrection; and as many reports are in circulation in relation thereto, we deem it our duty to publish a true statement of the matter as it occurred. 

   The Slaveholders along the eastern coast of Maryland are greatly excited on account of the frequent stampedes among the negroes. Almost every night, says an exchange, slaves flee from bondage to a land of freedom, where they re-recognized as men and women, not as chattels. 

   SLAVERY IN MARYLAND. Speaking the Legislature of Maryland, a correspondent of the Tribune says, that a majority of Reformers have been elected, and a great effort will be made to enact a bill providing for the call of a Convention to remodel the Constitution of the State. The slaveholders in the Eastern and Southern counties have already taken the alarm at the prospect of an effort to provide for emancipation. A movement once made will lead to beneficial results in a few years. There are those in Maryland who will never cease until this curse is eradicated from the soil; and although the final attainment of the object is distant in appearance, there are hearts that never despair, and yet hope to live to witness its accomplishment. 

   SLAVE STAMPEDE.––The Martinsburg Gazette says that on Saturday night last six slaves made their escape from that county––two belonged to C.J. Faulkner, Esq., one to D.H. Conrad, Esq., one to John Jamison, Esq., one to J.L. Cunningham, Esq, and one to the estate of Collin Peters, deceased. Eight left Jefferson county on Friday night previous. 

   SLAVE STAMPEDE IN VIRGINIA.––Eight slaves ran away from Jefferson county, Va., on Friday night last, and six more fled from bondage in the vicinity of Martinsburg on Saturday night. 

"HAPPY AND CONTENTED."––SLAVE STAMPEDE. 

A Telegraphic despatch from Quincy, Ill, Nov. 5th, says: "Last night about fifty negroes of all ages and both sexes escaped together from the Missouri side of the river. The slaves were owned by Miss Miller, Mr. McKim and Mr. McCutcheon, of Sugar Creek, and Mr. Ellis, of Monticello, Lewis county. The slaves were overhauled on Saturday morning, and after a desperate resistance and the loss of their leader, they were captured.––The slave who was killed belonged to Miss Miller.

THE GREAT SLAVE STAMPEDE IN MISSOURI.––

The Canton, Lewis Co., Mo. Reporter, gives the following account of the recent great slave stampede there:

A great excitement prevails in Lewis county, in regard to the recent attempt of the negroes to run away and rise in insurrection; and as many reports are in circulation in relation thereto, we deem it our duty to publish a true statement of the matter as it occurred.

A little before day on Friday morning last, a negro man, belonging to James Miller, came into the house, ostensibly to make a fire. Before going out, Mr. Miller heard him step towards the gun rack, take something, and leave with caution. The circumstance exciting some suspicion in relation thereto, we deem it our duty to publish a true statement of the matter as it occurred.

    "Col. Benton, in one of his letters to the Inquirer, speaking of Lewis county, says that the "county is with him," (Benton) Such are his own words, and he italicises them, in order to make the declaration more emphatic. We need only say that the assertion is about as far from the truth as if he had declared that an angelic host had appeared in the heavens, and shouted approbation in his sacrilegious ear. The "Reporter," published in that county, avers that there are but four democrats in the county who sustain Benton, and one of them is Jimmy Ellision, the recreant legislator, who repudiated his own vote. If Benton should ever visit that region again, he will be in great danger of indictment for a libel upon the people, and also as an incendiary in producing insurrection among their negroes.

      Correspondence of the N.Y. Journal of Commerce.

                 WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 1849.

   Among the causes of irritation to the Southern men, is the growingly frequent escape of slaves, who are believed to be enticed away. Thus, last Saturday night, some half dozen disappeared from near Martinsburg, Va., and the same night about as many from Talbot county, Maryland. From Jefferson county, also, there was a stampede. Agents are at work to get them off. It is a pity they could not take 100,000 at a haul. They would soon cry enough, and beg they might be taken back. 

   Among the pre-congressional improvements, the Presidential House has not been neglected. New paint and furniture has given it quite an improved aspect. We hope no one will find fault with it.              H.H.H. 

ANOTHER SLAVE STAMPEDE.––The Easton Star states that five slaves made their escape from Talbot county, Md., a few days since. Four belonged to the estate of Edward Martin, Esq., deceased, and one to M.A. Goldsborough, Esq.

           Virginia––Governor's Message.

   We take the following extract from Governor Floyd's message recently transmitted to the legislature of Virginia. The Governor takes high Southern ground, and is very decided, though more temperate than some others, and consequently more efficient in his views. There is none of that gaseous chivalry which made the message of the Governor of South Carolina supremely ridiculous––none of that Bombastes Furioso Quattlebum nonsense which some mothers take to be true bravery, and which probably is, measured by their standard. This is an excellent feature, and one deserving of imitation. Governor Floyd says: