surprise, the negroes would have achieved a complete and easy victory.
Nor does it seem at all impossible that such might have been, or yet may
be, the case, if any well-arranged and resolute rising should take
place."

Indeed, this universal admission, that all the slaves were ready to take
part in any desperate enterprise, was one of the most startling aspects
of the affair. The authorities say that the two principal State's
evidence declared that "they never spoke to any person of color on the
subject, or knew of any one who had been spoken to by the other leaders,
who had withheld his assent." And the conspirators seem to have been
perfectly satisfied that all the remaining slaves would enter their ranks
upon the slightest success. "Let us assemble a sufficient number to
commence the work with spirit, and we'll not want men; they'll fall in
behind us fast enough." And as an illustration of this readiness, the
official report mentions a slave who had belonged to one master for
sixteen years, sustaining a high character for fidelity and affection,
who had twice travelled with him through the Northern States, resisting
every solicitation to escape, and who yet was very deeply concerned in
the insurrection, though knowing it to involve the probable destruction
of the whole family with whom he lived.

One singular circumstance followed the first rumors of the plot. Several
white men, said to be of low and unprincipled character, at once began to
make interest with the supposed leaders among the slaves, either from
genuine sympathy, or with the intention of betraying them for money, or
by profiting by the insurrection, should it succeed. Four of these were
brought to trial; but the official report expresses the opinion that many
more might have been discovered but for the inadmissibility of slave
testimony against whites. Indeed, the evidence against even these four