The question became general-what should they do with the persons implicated? Should they hand them over to the civil authority? This would seem, under ordinary circumstances, to be the proper course. But, should that be the course, it was well known that much of the testimony which established their guilt beyond all doubt, would, under the forms of the law, be excluded; and, if admissible, that the witnesses were then no more. If, from our peculiar situation, the laws were incompetent to reach their case-should such acts go unpunished? Besides, from what had been seen and witnessed the day before, it was universally believed, and, doubtless, such would have been the fact, that these persons would be forcibly taken, even from the custody of the law, and made to suffer the penalty due to their crimes. Should they even be committed for trial, there was much reason to apprehend that they would be rescued by their confederates in guilt-if not by perjury, at least by breaking jail. They had an example of the dreadful excitement on the evening of the 2d July, at Livingston. Immediately after the execution of the negroes at Beatie's Bluff was made known at Livingston, it created a most alarming excitement. The two old negro men who were in custody of the committee of examination at Livingston were demanded by the citizens; and, previous to a vote of condemnation, and a full examination, they were forcibly taken by an infuriated people from the custody of those who intended to award them a fair trial, and immediately hung.

The time was near at hand when the intentions of the conspirators would inevitably be carried into effect, if some prompt and efficient means should not be adopted by the citizens to strike terror among their accomplices, and to bring the guilty to a summary and exemplary punishment. It was not believed that the execution of a few negroes, unknown and obscure, would have the effect of frightening their white associates from an attempt to perpetrate their horrid designs; which association was fully established by the confessions of the accused and other circumstances.

There was no time to be lost; and, for the purpose of effecting their object, to arrest the progress of the impending danger, to extend to the parties implicated

something like a trial, if not formal, at least substantial, and to save them from the inevitable fate of a speedy and condign punishment, the citizens circulated a call for a general assemblage of the community on the day following, at Livingston, which call was obeyed; and, at an early hour the next day, July 3d, there collected a vast concourse of people from the adjoining neighbourhoods.

This meeting, thus speedily assembled (for it was full by 9 A. M.), was composed of at least one hundred and sixty respectable citizens of Madison and Hinds counties, whose names are appended to the resolutions, who, then and there, acting under the influence of the law of self-preservation, which is paramount to all law, chose from among the assemblage thirteen of their fellow-citizens, who were immediately organized, and styled a "Committee of Safety;" - to whom they determined to commit what is emphatically and properly called the supreme law, the safety of the people, or salus populi est suprema lex, and then pledged themselves to carry into effect any order which the committee might make; which committee were invested by the citizens with the authority of punishing all persons found guilty by them of aiding and exciting the negroes to insurrection, as they might deem necessary for the safety of the community; all of which will more fully appear by the subjoined resolutions, adopted at the meeting which organized the committee.

Dr. M. D. Mitchell being called to the chair, on motion of Dr. Joseph J. Pugh, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :

Resolved, That a standing committee be by this meeting organized; that the said standing committee shall consist of thirteen freeholders; that the committee shall have a regular secretary and chairman; that they do meet every day at 9 o'clock, A. M., and sit until 4 o'clock, P. M.; that the committee shall have power to appoint the captain of any patrol company; to bring before them any person or persons, either white or black, and try in a summary manner any person brought before them, with the power to hang or whip, being always governed by the laws of the land so far only as they shall be applicable to the case in question, otherwise to

act as in their discretion shall seem best for the benefit of the country, and for the protection of its citizens.

Resolved, That Hardin D. Runnels, Thomas Hudnold, sen., Israel Spencer, Sack P. Gee, M. D. Mitchell, Nelson L. Taylor, Robert Hodge, sen., John Simmons, James Grafton, Charles Smith, D. W. Haley, Jesse Mabry, and William Wade, be chosen and appointed by this meeting as a committee of safety.

Resolved, That the said committee have power to appoint any person to fill any vacancy that may occur in their body by death, resignation, or otherwise; and further, the said committee shall have power to call a meeting of all the citizens of this county, when in their discretion they may deem it necessary; and that the said committee be clothed with all the power heretofore assumed by this meeting.

Resolved, That nine members of said committee con'stitute a quorum, with power to discharge all the duties assigned said committee.

Resolved, That said committee have power to appoint their own chairman and secretary; that it be the duty of the secretary of said committee to keep a record of all the proceedings of said committee, and also to procure from the secretary of this meeting all its proceedings, and to preserve the same.

Resolved, That we whose names are hereto affixed, do hereby pledge ourselves to sustain said committee against all personal and pecuniary liability which may result from the discharge of the duties hereby assigned them. And further, that we will in like manner sustain all persons in the discharge of the duties which may be from time to time assigned them by said committee; and that we are not responsible for any acts done by persons acting without the orders of said committee.

John N. Legrand, Irvin C. Wadlington, A. W. Robinson, T. C. Griffing, John G. Andrews, John C. Smith, Thomas Coleman, Thos. Hudnold, jr., Garret Goodloe, John Lowe, Ira Harris, H. H. Schrock, Jos. T. Pugh, Wm. M. Royce, Sol. S. Mitchell, T. P. Jones, Charles B. Green, Thos. Shackelford, Hiram Perkins, John G. Ott, John A. Gilbreath, Jno. R. Grigsby, Albert G. Bennett, Jona. Coleman, Jose W. Camp, C. S. Brown, Samuel Barrow, Alfred Perry, Wm. Pack, Abner Sholan, John Steady, S. W. Ewing, L. Estill, R. S. Hodge, Will

iam S. Rayner, Geo. D. M'Lean, Wm. G. Doyle, Henry G. Pipkin, Halcut Alford, Charles L. Starr, Jeff. E. Gagdon, S. B. Thompson, W. M. Bole, A. S. Leppingwell, James P. Wyatt, Thos. Collins, Robert Clark, N. S. White, Littleton W. House, W. D. F. Harrison, M. Dulaney, Wm. Wells, George W. Coffee, Daniel Mann, Robert M. M'Gregor, John T. Long, Elijah Boddie, L. W. Wesley, Wm. Simmons, Albert Hendrick, W. B. Hendrick, Benj. Pulliam, Wm. H. Atkinson, Willis B. Wade, Robert T. Cecill, W. E. Harrold, Guilford Griffin, James T. Wilson, Edwd. Cheatham, Joseph A. Fort, John A. Cotten, Ramsey M. Cox, R. S. Hunter, Reuben I. Gee, Duncan York, H. M. Merreth, D. P. Austin, Stephen M. Old, James G. Goodhue, James S. Wood, John Fletcher, Harry Latham, Gane. Logan, Thos. Saunders, G. P. Wadlington, Jas. M. Smith, A. M. Goodloe, Pierson Reading, sen., Geo. Dixon, Jona. Van Cleare, Edwin R. Isler, S. C. M'Gilvary, Nathan B. Pequin, Jno. S. Cock, Eleazer Kilpatrick, Geo. Trotter, Benj. W. Trotter, Jas. F. Beazley, Jas. D. Hester, Edward Wills, Saml. B. Simmons, L. B. Trotter, Jas. Patterson, Dempsey Taylor, Wm. Barrow, William Frith, Andrew C. Steger, Edwin Perry, Thos. Atwood, Robert G. Anderson, William Bennett, Saml. Moseley, Harrison Gill, Jos. L. Holland, Thornton Sandridge, Hugh M'Elroy, Geo. W. Amos, N. Webb, Edwin Bass, James R. Jones, Wade H. Mills, D. W. Saxon, John W. Lindsey, G. Flint, N. W. Bush, B. Wells, T. J. Catching, G. W. Walsting, B. Strother, H. Hayneau, Wm. H. Steger, Isaac Rhodes, John Bisco, Henry Hines, Joseph Clark, Gadi Gibson, M. N. Gasy, Wm. Gartley, John H. Rollins, S. D. Shackelford, Samuel D. Livingston, James Avery, William B. Ross, William Wildy, T. B. Daugherty, Osmun Claiborne, Alexander Allen.

M. D. MITCHELL, Chairman.

WILLIAM ROYCE, Secretary.

With the organization of the committee, all disposition to continue the scene of the previous evening ceased. The community then seemed to be relieved from the intensity of their concern about the state of things, and hailed and regarded the organization of the committee (really a committee of safety) as a relief from their fearful and unsettled condition.

All were determined to support the committee; some

formed themselves into guards, and dispersed in search of offenders; others waited on the committee to receive their orders.

Previous to taking up any case, the committee organized themselves, and elected Dr. M. D. Mitchell chairman, and William M. Royce secretary. After being organized, they adopted rules to govern them in their examination of offenders; which rules they adhered to during the continuance of their authority. They determined to take no cognizance of any crime which was not directly connected with the contemplated insurrection; to examine all witnesses under oath; to punish no man without strong circumstantial evidence, in addition to the dying confessions of those previously executed, or such other evidence as should seem convincing to all of the guilt of the accused; to give the accused every opportunity that the nature of the case would admit of, to prove their good character, or any thing that would go to establish their innocence; and, in fact, to give them all the privileges allowed to criminals in courts of justice in similar cases, partly to permit them to explain doubtful points by their own voluntary statements.

At 10 o'clock, A. M., on the 3d, the committee commenced their labours with the examination of the case of Joshua Cotton.

Trial of Joshua Cotton.

This man had been in the State of Mississippi about twelve months; was a native of some one of the NewEngland states, but last from the western district of Tennessee. On his arrival in this state, he settled at the Old Indian Agency, in Hinds county, where he married soon after. From the agency he moved to Livingston, in Madison county, where he set up shop, and hoisted a sign as Steam Doctor."

66

William Saunders, at the meeting of the citizens held at Livingston, on the 30th June, stated that Cotton was in the habit of trading with negroes; would buy any thing they would steal and bring to him; that he believed Cotton had stolen John Slater's negroes, in connexion with Boyd-(afterward ascertained Boyd had stolen them).

This disclosure, and other evidence of his bad char