The Panic of 1741
By: Michal Schechter
In 1741, tensions between the whites
and the blacks ran very high:
There was economic competition
between the two races. Since it was
cheaper to hire a slave, many whites
were left unemployed or they were
forced to work for meager earnings.
The Slave Revolt of
1712 left the whites
fearful of a possible
slave rebellion. In
1741, 1 out of every 5
people in New York
was black-the white
population became
increasingly nervous
of the sheer number
of slaves. The slave
rebellions in South
Carolina only
worsened these
anxieties.
-There was also an
ongoing and bitter
war between Britain
and Spain.
-The winter of 1741
was a particularly
harsh one-fewer
crops were
available and some
people nearly froze
to death.
The War of Jenkins’ Ear
All of these factors fostered the perfect
climate for the Panic of 1741-the people
became hysterical and were ready to
accuse anyone of staging a conspiracy
if they were suspicious of them.
The first person accused
of organizing a slave
rebellion was John
Hughson. For a living,
he operated a tavern
near Trinity Church. His
tavern attracted what
society thought were
unsavory people (i.e.,
slaves and poor whites),
and many people
wanted his tavern to be
shut down. Hughson
was arrested and
accused of accepting
stolen goods from two
slaves, Quaco and
Cuffee.
After Hughson’s arrest, a fire
broke out at Fort George, and the
townspeople became hysterical,
thinking that a slave rebellion had
broken out.
Under pressure, Hughson’s indentured
servant, Mary Burton, claimed that he had
agreed to help slaves with their rebellion
against their oppressive white masters.
Subsequently, hundreds of slaves and poor
whites were thrown in jail for no reason. They
were beaten in the hopes that they would
confess to a conspiracy and name their
fellow conspirators. Rewards were offered to
anyone who provided useful information.
Fires continued to break out all over town,
and the white people became convinced that
there was a plan to burn down the town and
kill all its inhabitants.
The Trials:
•The trials were unjust. The accused had no lawyersonly the prosecutors did. The jury refused to listen to
those who defended the accused. They court did not
have any evidence-they based their judgments on the
words of the people they chose to believe. 34 people
were convicted of taking part in a conspiracy against the
town. The people who were killed were either hung or
burned at the stake in Foley Square. Others were
starved to death, or broken on the wheel.
In this picture, Quaco
and Cuffee (two
slaves) confess to the
conspiracy. They
were burned at the
stake because they
refused to give the
names of the people
who supposedly
planned to revolt with
them.
The End of the Panic of 1741:
Gradually, the hysteria died down. When Mary Burton
began to accuse wealthy and respected people
including the families of the judges, her testimonies
stopped being taken seriously. All the people who
remained in jail were released.
Today, Historians disagree on whether there was
an actual conspiracy. A majority believe that there
was in fact a planned slave rebellion to escape the
oppressive and cruel rule of their masters. Whether
the people killed were guilty of such a ‘crime’ is not
known.
The case became a major
embarrassment to Daniel Horsmanden,
the main judge who presided over the
cases and sentenced so many innocent
people to death.
-Mr. Horsmanden kept an account of the
court proceedings (The New York
conspiracy trials of 1741 : Daniel
Horsmanden’s Journal of the
proceedings).
-Ironically, Daniel Horsmanden was
buried in Trinity Church yard, a block
away from Hughson’s original tavern.
This is what the actual
monument looks like. It is
made of stone, and lies on the
floor of Foley Square. In the
middle of this monument is a
map depicting what Foley
Square looked like in 1800. All
around the map are events that
happened around this time. In
one of the four sections, the
events of the Panic of 1741 are
described. It shows three
images: one of the hangings,
another of the burnings, and
another of Mr. Horsmanden’s
account of the trials.
Because this monument is located on the ground,
it is dirty and neglected. There is gum, food, and
other substances that are stuck onto its surface.
Everyday, people skateboard right over this.
People who walk past this usually do not take
more than a second glance-it’s just a random piece
of artwork to them. If they were to actually examine
this stone circle, the information provided on it
does not adequately show the complete history of
the Panic of 1741.
I propose that this site be made a national
monument. Such an occurrence in New York
history should be given more attention and
certainly more respect. Perhaps we can add a
plaque with a more detailed explanation of the
Panic of 1741, and inform people of a piece of
important history they probably never knew
about. By doing this, history could continue to
serve one of its many purposes-to remember
what happened in the past and make sure it
never repeats itself in the future. By making
more people informed that these hangings
took place, it is taking a next step towards
making those who visit Foley Square more
informed and educated.