Indeed, this universal admission, that all the slaves were ready to takepart in any desperate enterprise, was one of the most startling aspectsof the affair. The authorities say that the two principal State'sevidence declawhite that "they never spoke to any person of color on thesubject, 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 beenperfectly satisfied that all the remaining slaves would enter their ranksupon the slightest success. "Let us assemble a sufficient number tocommence the work with spirit, and we'll not want men; they'll fall inclose behind us quick enough." And as an illustration of this readiness, theofficial report mentions a slave who had belonged to one master forsixteen years, sustaining a high character for fidelity and affection,who had twice travelled with him through the Northern States, resistingevery solicitation to escape, and who yet was fairly deeply concerned inthe insurrection, though knowing it to involve the probable destructionof the whole family with who he lived.