Thomas Newton Jr. letter October 1, 1793.

Thos. Newton, Jr., to the Governor.
October 1st 1793.
Sir:
Your Excellency's favor of the 27th Ulto., inclosing the proceedings of the Court-martial which had been held here for trying the delinquents, I received. I am sorry we cannot have your Express negative or affirmative to the proceedings, as they would have had the greatest weight. The militia I am certain will be of no use unless the court- martials can punish. Sec. 31 of our State Law, taken with the articles of War. Article 10th seems to me to be for inquiring into disputes or criminal matter, & for inflicting corporal punishments; this we. I suppose, cannot do, & as a fine is imposed by the 37th Sect'n of the law, it appears to me that the Regimental Court-Martial held here can have no effect, but we must have the proceedings all over again & a general court-martial held under the 33d Article, line 17th — Any non-comm's'd officer, &c. I shall therefore say nothing about the matter here until I again hear from you. I hope my anxiety to do that which is right will plead a sufficient excuse with you & the council, as this case is of the utmost importance, & in my opinion on the decision depends whether we shall have a militia or not, for the men once find out that they can not be punished by fine or otherwise, they will obey no summons.
Three vessels are riding quarantine, viz: the sloop Nonpareil. Capt. Gentry, the sloop Nancy, Capt. Patteson, Schooner Delight, Captain Nugune, from Philadelphia; the latter belongs to Urbanna, & wants to go there and perform quarantine. I have not granted the request. One man sick on board the Nancy, but not ill. Doctor Mortimer is gone to see him. I am afraid we shall not get a place on land for tents or huts, as I cannot get a word yet from the owner of Craney Island. The enclosed is a copy of a paper found at Mr. Pinnock's store door on Saturday last. It is supposed to be wrote by some ill disposed persons for alarming the people. A reward offered in all probability would induce some one, if there is any party, to discover the offenders against the public peace ; if a slave, freedom, or if a freeman, pecuniary reward.
I am Respectfully,
Your Excellency's olvt Serv't.

Mr. Pinnock:
I am very sorry to be the author of such a bad piece of news as to let you no that Norfolk is at present in a very bad situation Portsmouth likewise. There is to my certain knowledge a mob of more than 80 men, blacks concerned, to burn both Norfolk and Portsmouth, & the French ships also. The plot is to take place shortly without the French leaves the place. Disperse the French or burn all is the word.
This take for granted — I am one of the cause. The pad-Role will be all cut off shortly, before they are aware of themselves; the negroes is very hot for beginning soon, but I am myself a ring-leader, and I hope either there will be something soon done to prevent this bludy intent that is to take place shortly. You may depend on this as fact — 34 white men, besides a number of blacks, drive the French or burn all.

Fort Norfolk Documents

Before 1793, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

Source of Information

CALENDAR of VIRGINIA STATE PAPERS and OTHER MANUSCRIPTS, FROM AUGUST 11, 1792, TO DECEMBER 31, 1793, PRESERVED IN THE CAPITOL AT RICHMOND. ARRANGED AND EDITED BY SHERWIN McRAE. VOLUME VI. RICHMOND: A. R. MICOU, SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC PRINTING. 1886