He might have joined this army of malcontents and insurrection breeders, but that a very remarkable and novel idea occurred to him.

He decided to endeavor to find out just what view the white people were taking of the Negro and of the existing conditions.

He saw that the nation was drifting toward a terrible cataract and he wished to find out what precautionary steps the white people were going to take.
So he left Richmond, giving the people to understand that he was gone to get a place to labor to support his wife.

The people thought it strange that he did not tell where he was going and what he was to do.
Speculation was rife.

Many thought that it was an attempt at deserting his wife, whom he seemed unable to support.