Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

ACCOUNT

OF THE

WESTERN INSURRECTION.

AMONGST all the itinerant philofophers,who have

embarked for the United States in fearch of that order, peace, and univerfal love,. which they have declared to be the natural fruit of republican government, no one ever arrived at a more unlucky period than Doctor Priestley. A rebellion, and a rebellion on account of taxes too, had juft broken out as he fet his foot on the fhore. As this rebellion is the principal event which took place in America during the latter months of 1794, I fhall make it, principally, the fubject of the chasm between the publication of PRIESTLEY'S EMIGRATION and the BONE TO GNAW FOR THE DEMOCRATS.

In the Summary View the rife of rebellion has been traced back to the principles imbibed from the American revolution, brought into action by the recent example of the rebels in France, and by the immediate influence of the Democratic or Jacobin Societies eftablished in the United States. Its progrefs to the time that it was found neceffary to levy an army for its fuppreffion, cannot be more clearly or accurately defcribed than it was done in the statement of Mr. Alexander Hamilton, then Secretary of the Treafury, whofe Report on the subject I here infert at length. Treafury

66

"SIR,

Treafury Department, August 16, 1794.

"It appears probable, that advantages will refult from giving to the citizens at large full information on the fubject of the disturbances which exift in the western parts of Pennfylvania. With this view, if no objection to the measure should occur to you, I would caufe a publication to be made of the Report which I had the honour to addrefs to you, dated the 5th inft. "With the most perfect refpe&,

"I have the honour to be, Sir, "Your moft obedient and humble fervant, "ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

"The Prefident of the United States."

"SIR,

United States, 19th Auguft, 1794."I am directed by the Prefident to inform you, in reply to your letter of the 16th inftant, that, relying that the facts contained in the Report have been stated with due care, and from authentic fources, he perceives no objection to the publication of it, as propofed. I am, &c.

"Your most obedient fervant,
"B. DAINDRIDGE.

"The Secretary of the Treafury."

"SIR, Treasury Department, August 5th, 1799. "The difagreeable crifis at which matters have lately arrived in fome of the western counties of Pennsylvania, with regard to the laws laying duties on fpirits diftilled within the United States, and on fills, feems to render proper a review of the circumftances which have attended thofe laws in that scene, from their commencement to the present time, and of the conduct which has hitherto been obferved on the part of the Government, its motive and effect-in

order

order to a better judgment of the measures neceffary to be purfued in the exifting emergency.

"The oppofition to thofe laws in the four most western counties of Pennsylvania (Alleghany, Washington, Fayette, and Weftmoreland) commenced as early as they were known to have been paffed. It has continued, with different degrees of violence, in the different counties, and at different periods. But Washington has uniformly diftinguifhed its refiftance, by a more exceffive spirit than has appeared in the other counties, and feems to have been chiefly inftrumental in kindling and keeping alive the flame.

"The oppofition firft manifefted itself in the milder fhape of the circulation of opinions unfavourable to the law, and calculated, by the influence of public difesteem, to discourage the accepting or hold-* ing of offices under it, or the complying with it by those who might be fo difpofed; to which was added the show of a difcontinuance of the bufiness of diftilling.

"Thefe expedients were fhortly after fucceeded by private affociations to forbear compliance with the law. But it was not long before thefe more negative modes of oppofition were perceived to be likely to prove ineffectual. And in proportion as this was the cafe, and as the means of introducing the laws into operation were put into execution, the difpofition to refiftance became more turbulent and more inclined to adopt and practife violent expedients. The officers now began to experience marks of contempt and infult. Threats against them became frequent and loud; and after fome time, thefe threats were ripened into acts of ill treatment and outrage.

"Thefe acts of violence were preceded by certain meetings of malcontent perfons, who entered into refolutions calculated at once to confirm, inflame, and fyftematize the fpirit of oppofition.

"The first of these meetings was holden at a place

VOL. I.

called

called Red Stone Old Fort, on the 27th of July, 1791, where it was concerted that county committees fhould be convened in the four counties, at the respective feats of juftice therein. On the 23d of Auguft following, one of these committees affembled in the county of Washington.

"This meeting paffed fome intemperate refolutions, which were afterwards printed in the Pittsburg Gazette, containing a ftrong cenfure on the law, declaring that any perfon who had accepted or might accept an office under Congrefs, in order to carry it into effect, fhould be confidered as inimical to the interests of the country; and recommending to the Citizens of Washington county to treat every perfon who had accepted or might hereafter accept any fuch office, with contempt, and abfolutely to refufe all kinds of communication or intercourfe with the officers, and to withhold from them all aid, fupport, or comfort.

"Not content with this vindictive profcription of those who might efteem it their duty, in the capacity of officers, to aid in the execution of the conftitutional laws of the land, the meeting proceeded to accumulate topics of crimination of the Government, though foreign to each other; authorizing, by this zeal for cenfure, a fufpicion that they were actuated, not merely by the dislike of a particular law, but by a difpofition to render the Government itself unpopular and odious.

"This meeting, in further profecution of their plan, deputed three of their members to meet delegates from the counties of Weftmoreland, Fayette, and Alleghany, on the 1ft Tuesday of September following, for the purpose of expreffing the fenfe of the people of those counties in an addrefs to the Legiflature of the United States, upon the fubject of the Excife Law and other grievances.

"Another meeting accordingly took place on the 7th of September, 1791, at Pittsburg, in the county

of

of Alleghany, at which there appeared perfons in character of delegates from the four western counties.

"This meeting entered into refolutions more comprehensive in their objects, and not lefs inflammatory in their tendency, than those which had before paffed the meeting in Washington. Their refolutions contained fevere cenfures not only on the law which was the immediate fubject of objection, but upon what they termed the exorbitant falaries of officers; the unreasonable intereft of the public debt; the want of difcrimination between original holders and tranfferrees, and the institution of a national bank.

"The fame unfriendly temper towards the Government of the United States, which feemed to have led out of their way the meeting at Washington, appears to have produced a fimilar wandering in that at Pittsburg.

"A representation to Congrefs, and a remonftrance to the Legislature of Pennfylvania against the law more particularly complained of, were prepared by this meeting, publifhed together with their other proceedings in the Pittsburg Gazette, and afterwards presented to the respective bodies to whom they were addreffed.

"These meetings, compofed of very influential individuals, and conducted without moderation or prudence, are justly chargeable with the exceffes which have been from time to time committed; ferving to give confiftency to an oppofition which has at length matured to a point that threatens the foundations of the Government and of the Union, unless speedily and effectually fubdued.

"On the 6th of the fame month of September, the oppofition broke out in an act of violence upon the perfon and property of Robert Johnson, collector of the revenue for the counties of Alleghany and Washington.

"A party of men, armed and disguised, waylaid

him

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »