milar sources, a numerous and powerful party arranged themselves, in opposition to the system adopted by government. These considered themselves as the exclusive patriots of the day, and the only safeguards of the liberties of the people; while their opponents were pronounced aristocrats, friendly to a government so energetic, as to approximate to monarchy. At the very time the country was enjoying unexampled prosperity, from the wise administration of an efficient government, and particularly from an established system of public credit, the author, friends, and abettors thereof, were loaded with the execrations of a great proportion of their fellow citizens.

These murmurs had an unhappy effect, in encouraging a criminal resistance to the laws, imposing a duty on spirituous liquors, distilled within the United States. This duty was peculiarly obnoxious to the inhabitants of Pennsylvania, who live on the western side of the Alleghany mountains. Their inland situation made it much more convenient and profitable to distil, than export the products of the soil; to prepare at home, than to import from abroad, some poignant addition to the beverage of nature. They had opposed the adoption of the constitution; and many of their influential men were particularly hostile to the recently adopted system of finance. When they found that the excise was publicly censured, as unnecessary and tyrannical; that a powerful party considered the new system of finance, as hostile to liberty; and that its author and abettors were charged with designs, to pave the way for monarchy, by undermining the republican institutions of the country, they were gradually led to think less of the evil tendency of combinations, to resist the laws for imposing duties on domestic distilled spirituous liquors, and even to hope that such combinations might be influential in procuring their repeal. The opposition began by propagating opinions, that excise laws were universally hostile to liberty, and by directing the public resentment, against all who were willing to comply with them; and particularly against the officers, employed in collecting duties imposed by them. In September, 1791, a meeting of delegates, from the malcontents, took place in Pittsburg; in which all who should obey, or execute

the law, were proscribed as enemies to their country. The deputy marshal was intimidated from serving process, on those who had committed acts of violence, on the persons of revenue officers. The first care of government was, to do away all real grievances. The exise act was carefully revised in May, 1792; and such parts, as, on a review, or from experience, had been found exceptionable, were altered, so as to obviate objections which appeared reasonable. The opposition to the law, nevertheless, continued without abatement. The principle of excise, and not the detail of its execution, was the object of hostility. A second meeting was held at Pittsburg; in which resolutions were adopted, for resisting the execution of the law, by every legal measure; for withholding all intercourse with those who held offices, for collecting the excise; and for treating them, on all occasions, with contempt. The people at large were exhorted to follow the same line of conduct; committees of correspondence were appointed, to give unity of system to their measures; and pains were taken to increase the number of their associates.

The President was indignant at the outrage offered to the government; but respected the constitution and laws so much, that he confined himself within the narrow limits, which they prescribed. The attorney general inclined to the opinion, that the resolutions at Pittsburg did not constitute an indictable offence. The President did not think himself warranted in ordering out the militia, and, therefore, contented himself with issuing a proclamation, exhorting and admonishing all persons, to desist from any combinations or proceedings whatever, tending to obstruct the execution of the laws, and requiring the interference of the civil magistrates. Prosecutions were also directed to be commenced, in every case, in which they could be supported. This proclamation did not answer any valuable purpose. Many of the magistrates were accessary to the excesses, they were required to suppress.

To prevent a recurrence to a military force, a system was adopted, to operate on the interests of the malcontents. Spirituous liquors, distilled in the refractory settlements, were intercepted on their way to market, and seized by the officers

of the revenue. The agents for the army were directed to purchase only those spirituous liquors, on which the duty had been paid. This produced some good effect; but the moderate, who wished to return to their duty, had it not in their power; for so great was the force and violence of the opposition, that the well-disposed found it more dangerous to obey, than to resist the laws. From the steady policy and moderation of government, the malcontents saw, that they would eventually lose a market for their distilled spirituous liquors, and incur heavy penalties for non-compliance; and therefore began to fear, that their opposition would be abortive, unless, by a bolder line of systematic opposition, they could deprive government of the means it employed, for carrying the law into execution.

On the 15th of July, 1794, the marshal, while in the execution of his duty, was beset on the road, by a body of armed men, who shot at him. On the next day, the insurgents, to the number of 500, attacked the house of the inspector. He had obtained, from the garrison at fort Pitt, a detachment of eleven men, for his security. They were all called upon, by the insurgents, to march out, and ground their arms. This being refused, an assault commenced. The assailants set fire to several adjacent buildings. The fire being likely to be communicated to the dwelling house, the party came out of it, and surrendered. The insurgents violently stopped the public mail, from Pittsburg to Philadelphia, and took out the letters. This was done to ascertain, who were opposed to their views. The end was answered; for, in several of the letters, thus intercepted, the writers of them had reflected with severity on the violent measures, lately adopted. To get rid of secret enemies, as the writers of these letters were called, they were ordered to quit the country; and were compelled to obey. The insurgents openly avowed their intention, to resist, with force of arms, the authority of the United States; and, thereby, to extort a repeal of the excise law. The crisis was now come, when the government had no choice, but to subdue, or submit to the insurgents. Before the President could call out the militia, to enforce obedience to the laws, it

was necessary for an associate judge, or the judge of the district, to certify, "that the laws of the United States were opposed, or their execution obstructed, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed, by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshals." The requisite certificate was readily granted. The governor of the state was consulted, who concurred with the President, and his cabinet, in the policy of appointing commissioners, both from the Union and the state of Pennsylvania, who should warn the insurgents of their danger, and offer them a full pardon for past offences, on their submission to the laws. But as to the mode and degree of coercion, to be exercised on the insurgents, there were different opinions. The governor of Pennsylvania doubted the competency of the militia of the state, to quell the insurrection. Others feared, that the introduction of militia, from other states, would increase the discontents, prevailing in Pennsylvania, or that they would not act with vigour, against their fellow citizens. Some seriously apprehended, that coercive means would fail, in restoring tranquillity, and that the consequences of failure would be ruinous; or that a civil war would pervade the Union, and involve the destruction of many lives. The President conceived himself bound, by the most solemn obligations of duty, to see, that the laws be faithfully executed." In this, he was supported by a majority of his cabinet, and also in the opinion, that policy and humanity equally required the employment of an army, sufficient to render resistance desperate. The utmost force, the insurgents could bring into the field, was calculated at 7000 men. In conformity to the wise and judicious determination, to employ an adequate force, a requisition was made on the governors of Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, for their respective quotas of militia, to compose an army of 15,000 men.

On the 7th of August, the President issued the proclamation, required by law, antecedent to the employment of force. In this, he recapitulated the measures adopted by the government, as well as those pursued by the insurgents; and, after VOL. III.

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declaring that the existence of the government, and the fundamental principles of social order, were involved in the issue, and that all good citizens were called upon to suppress so fatal a spirit, he commanded all persons, being insurgents, on or before the first day of the next eusuing September, to disperse, and retire peaceably to their respective abodes." A proclamation to the same effect was issued by the governor of Pennsylvania. Commissioners were sent by both, to offer a general amnesty, for past offences, on the sole condition, of future obedience to the laws. Thomas Mifflin, governor of Pennsylvania, who possessed great powers of elocution, publicly addressed the militia, with great animation and equal success. The virtuous, orderly citizens were roused. The officers displayed unexampled activity: and the militia turned out, with uncommon alacrity. The troops of New Jersey and Pennsylvania rendezvoused at Bedford; and those of Maryland and Virginia, at Cumberland, on the Potomac. The President visited each division of the army; and left the whole under the command of governor Lee, of Virginia. The army, in two divisions, marched into the country of the insurgents; but found no armed bodies of men. The greatness of the force, sent against the insurgents, by rendering resistance desperate, prevented the effusion of blood. A few of their leaders, who refused to give assurances of future submission to the laws, were seized, and detained for legal prosecution. One of them fled to the territories of Spain: but the great body of the people accepted the offered amnesty, and made their submission. A small force was left, for some time, in the country, under the command of general Morgan, to preserve the public peace.

An insurrection, that threatened the most serious consequences, was thus quelled without bloodshed. The people were taught," that the majority must govern, and that the laws must be obeyed." The result might have been very different, if feeble, temporizing, half-way measures had been adopted; or if government had acted with rashness and precipitation. From the revision of the excise acts, so as to do away reasonable grounds of objection, and the prudence of the execu