Alexandria Gazette

The radicals having no other grounds upon which to base their appeals for a further lease of power, rely solely upon the 'outrage mill,' which they keep employed with an industry worthy of a better cause. For the last month their orators have spoken and written unceasing of the Hamburg 'outrage,' but they have studiously avoided noticing an affair that occurred but a short distance from Hamburg last Friday, and the particulars of which are as stated as follows by the same paper that gave the account of the Hamburg 'outrage,' upon which they rely for their version of that affair:

Five thousand negroes assembled at Abbeville on Friday to see the hanging of Coleman, the negro murderer. Many of them were armed. Great excitement prevailed in the town during the day and night, and it was with great difficulty that the negroes were restrained from attempting violence to the whites. Addresses were delivered by older and more prominent citizens in the interest of peace and order. The bar rooms were closed by the intendant, but were soon reopened, and whiskey flowed freely. The town marshals were powerless to control the crowd, and were ordered not to attempt any arrests for fear of precipitating a collision.

Coleman's reprieve was read at the court house by the sheriff, in the hope of dispersing the crowd, but had no such effect. The citizens were requested by the intendant to retire to their homes, and it was thought advisable at one time to call out the local military company. It was thought several times that the riot had actually commenced, but no deed of violence has been reported.

After nightfall matters grew worse. Armed negroes occupied the court house square and all the public streets, menacing the citizens and following them to their homes. Guns and bayonets were furnished to a large number of negroes who were quartered at the jail, and the officers of the negro militia took command, it is said, of the armed rioters. Fire arms were discharged in all parts of the town during the night.

To the forbearance of the whites, says the Abbeville Medium, is due the fact that the affair did not end in bloodshed. The reprieve of Coleman was the only pretext offered by the mob for their lawlessness. Many of them had walked twenty miles to see the execution, and were clamorous for it, and vented their final disappointment in the manner described. No other cause is assigned.