was not an active church-member. "Most of the ringleaders," says a
Charleston letter-writer of that day, "were the rulers or class-leaders
in what is called the African Society, and were considered faithful,
honest fellows. Indeed, many of the owners could not be convinced, till
the fellows confessed themselves, that they were concerned, and that the
first object of all was to kill their masters." And the first official
report declares that it would not be difficult to assign a motive for the
insurrectionists, "if it had not been distinctly proved, that, with
scarcely an exception, they had no individual hardship to complain of,
and were among the most humanely treated negroes in the city. The
facilities for combining and confederating in such a scheme were amply
afforded by the extreme indulgence and kindness which characterize the
domestic treatment of our slaves. Many slave-owners among us, not
satisfied with ministering to the wants of their domestics by all the
comforts of abundant food and excellent clothing, with a misguided
benevolence have not only permitted their instruction, but lent to such
efforts their approbation and applause."

"I sympathize most sincerely," says the anonymous author of a pamphlet of
the period, "with the very respectable and pious clergyman whose heart
must still bleed at the recollection that his confidential class-leader,
but a week or two before his just conviction, had received the communion
of the Lord's Supper from his hand. This wretch had been brought up in
his pastor's family, and was treated with the same Christian attention as
was shown to their own children." "To us who are accustomed to the base
and proverbial ingratitude of these people, this ill return of kindness
and confidence is not surprising; but they who are ignorant of their real
character will read and wonder."

One demonstration of this "Christian attention" had lately been the