On April 27th, 1827 a verdict was reached in the William Henson case. The court convicted this free black for forcibly breaking into a house and stealing items of a small value.' His punishment was death, to be carried out on May 3rd. This punishment was certainly extreme for such a petty offense, but the court was using what was called the Bloody Act of 1806. This act as the Raleigh Register...
The Southern economy thrived on its ability to sell cotton to England and other European nations. In 1827, the economy fell and fell hard. Throughout the South, farmers had to deal with as an Alabama farmer put it the most disastrous season for the agriculturist'. The cotton states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia would all fall far short of their usual quantity'....