Capítulo 105: The Slave Rebellion's End and Exile
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
May 14th, 1790
Major General Nathanael Greene watched the delegation of slave rebels with an impassive expression. The president ordered him and the five thousand troops with him to put down the rebellion peacefully. He had a list of concessions that the federal government was willing to make, many of which he personally thought were reasonable. However, he was given the authority to violently put down the slave revolt should the rebels reject the government's offer. Next to him was Brigadier General Leonard Washington, an African American Marine that was a hardened veteran of the Revolutionary War. He was personally appointed by the president due to his experience and race, as he believed speaking to an African American with authority would help negotiations. General Greene was unsure how much the man's race would affect the rebels, but he hoped it was enough. After all, despite his allegiance to the Constitution, he didn't believe the slaves were committing any wrongs. He had worked tirelessly to help freed slaves in Florida for the past several years, and seeing the slaves "back at home" demanding to be freed struck a chord with him. From what he was told, the slaves avoided unnecessary killings (there were a few murders here and there, but he was briefed that they were mainly against especially cruel slave owners) and property damage (only a few plantations were directly burned or destroyed, the slaves focused mainly on buildings made for slaves). Truthfully, when he read the reports on the North Carolina Slave Uprising, he suspected that more than a few veterans of the Revolutionary War were backing the slaves. The slaves moved in a cohesive and disciplined manner. They were incredibly cautious about the limits of damage they committed, as if they were working to turn the public opinion for the rebelling slaves. It was certainly effective, as many Americans were sympathetic to their plight and exemplified the restraints they showed in their rebellion.
Nevertheless, he had his orders. Despite his personal opinion, the slaves did carry out murders and destruction of property. And no matter how much he sympathized with their goals, he had to ensure that this action was not repeated across the nation. If rebellions became commonplace in the United States, the nation would never survive past the current century. The terms to the rebelling slaves were incredibly lenient, yet harsh. Harsh enough to make any current slaves reconsider rebelling against the state and federal government. Yet lenient enough to help persuade the slaves that their conditions would be improved swiftly.
There were five members of the delegation. They represented the slaves that were up in arms in North Carolina. The former slaves controlled a large swathe of North Carolina and was far too close to North Carolina's capital city of Raleigh for comfort. All in all, it was estimated that nearly 15,000 slaves were part of the rebellion, approximately half capable of fighting. State militias were ordered to contain them after the initial outbreak and managed to contain them without bloodshed. It looked like the rebels were waiting for the government to make the first moves.
"Thank you for meeting with us, general," A tall, African American male that spoke in a disciplined manner stated.
At that moment, General Washington's eyes widened. "Timothy?"
"Leo?" The man named "Timothy" asked in shock, "My god, it is you!"
"Are you leading the rebels here, Timothy?" General Washington asked, with strain evident in his voice.
The rebel leader nodded, "I had to, Leo. Those slaves were suffering, and they were so passionate about fighting for freedom. It took me back to the good ol' days of the Revolution. I organized them and ensured they didn't do anything out of line. They were scattered when they first started, but I managed to help unify the movement."
"And I'm guessing the raid on the state armory in New Bern was also planned by you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Timothy replied with a dangerous smile.
Pleasantries were exchanged with the rest of the delegation members (two of them were former slaves from North Carolina, and the other two were also Revolutionary War veterans). Afterward, the meeting officially began.
"Mr. Timothy... I'm sure you are aware of why were are here?" General Greene said as he pulled out the list of terms the president wrote himself.
Timothy nodded, "To end this rebellion peacefully?"
"Correct. Some in the government wanted to put down your rebellion harshly to make you and your... followers an example of the federal government's reaction to armed rebellions. Many are not too keen on rebellions, especially with the affair in Quebec just over a year ago. However, President Jefferson wanted to end this conflict without further bloodshed, and he has offered you rather generous terms, sacrificing his own political power and image in the process."
"President Jefferson is a good man, I have nothing against him."
"That is good to hear. Now the terms are as followed:
1) All slaves rebelling against the North Carolina government and the federal government will put down their arms immediately and effectively return all territories and properties that were seized during the rebellion.
2) Any slaves that committed murders or partook in the destruction of property during the rebellion will be placed in fair and just trials. Additionally, the leaders of the slave rebellion will face trial as well.
3) All slaves that rebelled against the government will be exiled to the Unorganized Territories along the Mississippi River (AN: Around OTL's state of Mississippi). They will not receive any aid from the federal government, but they will be allowed to live as freedmen in this territory.
4) All slaves that partook in this rebellion will be forever barred from entering the state of North Carolina or any other state that also banned the offenders.
5) Slavery in North Carolina will officially end in 4 years instead of 8, as authorized by North Carolina governor Richard Dobbs Spaight. All citizens affected by the rebellion will be formally compensated by the federal and state governments."
Timothy looked conflicted and looked at General Washington for a few moments before turning his attention back to General Greene, "Will the government really abide by these terms?"
"They will."
"That means I will face trial, correct?"
"Yes, you must face trial."
"There are thousands of young women and children, along with thousands of men, that can live as freedmen if we accept the offer," Timothy declared to the other delegation members, "Even if we are hung, we can save thousands. Let us not forget why we fought; we fought for freedom and liberty. By accepting, we will ensure a brighter future for our brothers and sisters."
The two Revolutionary War veterans acceded first, followed by the two other members of the delegation (who accepted after some hesitation). General Washington watched sadly as the delegation left to deliver the demands back to their compatriots. General Greene firmly placed his hand on the man's shoulder and frowned, "He's a brave man, that Timothy."
"A great man," General Washington answered.
"President Jefferson will most likely ensure they are locked up for life or executed. After all, he can not go easy on the leaders. Even the governor of Quebec was jailed for life. And he will clarify that any future rebellions, especially violent ones, will not be met with a gentle hand."
"He is a martyr, and he knows. Yet, he keeps his chin up and walks with confidence. It's hard to believe that he was a former slave that was barely literate before the Revolutionary War started. America is about to lose a hero."
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