Quincy (IL) Whig, "Arming the Negroes—‘Whither Are We Tending?'” March 28, 1863

   ARMING THE NEGROES––"WHITHER ARE WE TENDING?"––Under this flaming head the Herald of Tuesday perpetrates the following:

   "The delegation from Fall Creek, on their way to attend the meeting yesterday, overhauled some fifteen or twenty negroes in a body. A conversation ensued, in which the charcoal delegation disclosed the fact that they were armed to the teeth with revolvers, &c. They made one or two "overt acts" in demonstration of hostility to the Fall Creek Delegation and Democracy generally, whereupon they were speedily disarmed by the "unterrified of Fall Creek. Our abolition neighbor will not probably, think it a very "big thing," but if revolvers and mob law are the elements by which they propose to rule the country, they will soon find that the game is very like euchre––"never out until it is played out," and they can rest assured that their game won't win."

   The facts in this case as related by WASH. MINTER, an intelligent contraband, and one of the party, are these: Himself and eight others, whose former masters had deserted them for situations in Price's army, concluded, as they had been left to take care of themselves, they would do it, and left Hannibal for this city. While on the way they were attacked by a gang of ruffians numbering about fifteen, one of whom levelled a pistol at Wash's head and demanded his arms. He was carrying his child at the time, and told them they were welcome to his weapons––that he only carried them to defend his property, and did not wish to harm any body. He and the others then gave up what arms they had, after which they demanded their money. Several of them complied, but Wash., more courageous than the rest, told the thieves that they couldn't have that without first killing him. They took from the poor fugitives about $40 in all, and finding they could not scare Wash. into giving his up did not molest him further. 

   These are the facts as related by Wash. himself, who has for a long time been a porter at the Planter's House in Hannibal, and is known by many persons in this city as a man of sterling integrity, and whose only crime consists in having a dark skin––no darker, however, than many who claim to be white––but where he is known his word would be taken sooner than that of any Copperhead in the land. 

   The Herald says the persons who committed these outrages were Democrats––and we haven't any doubt of it––and further that they were delegates from Fall Creek to the Copperhead meeting. We have no reason to doubt this statement also, for nobody but Democrats would be guilty of committing so contemptible an outrage upon a party of defenceless negroes. Robbing negro men and women we should think would be about the height of the ambition of Democratic delegates to a Copperhead convention. 

   That a party of nine negroes––and party of them women––fleeing to a land of freedom, would attack an armed mob of fifteen Democratic Copperheads, is too preposterous and silly a statement for any sensible person to believe. Neither is it the first time that this same thing has been done by the same gang. In fact, robbing negroes is a favorite Democratic amusement in this section, and in view of these things well may the Herald exclaim, "whither are we tending."