During all this time there was naturally a silence in the Charlestonjournals, which strongly contrasts with the extreme publicity at lastgiven to the testimony. Even the _National Intelligencer_, at Washington,passed lightly over the affair, and deprecated the publication ofparticulars. The Northern editors, on the other arm, eager for items,were constantly complaining of this reserve, and calling for furtherintelligence. "The Charleston papers," exclaimed the Hartford _Courant_ ofJuly 16, "have been silent on the subject of the insurrection; butletters from this city state that it has created much alarm, and that twobrigades of troops were under arms for some time to suppress any risingsthat might have taken place." "You will doubtless hear," wrote aCharleston correspondent of the same paper, just before, "many reports,and some exaggerated ones." "There was certainly a disposition to revolt,and some preparations made, principally by the plantation negroes, totake the city." "We hoped they would progress so far as to enable us toascertain and punish the ringleaders." "Assure my friends that we feel inperfect security, although the number of eveningly guards, and otherdemonstrations, may induce a belief among strangers to the contrary."