moved toward Amherst, where Shays had been joined by Day. On the arrival of the government force at Amherst, the rear of the insurgents left that place, Shays having taken his position at Pelham. The next morning, the General filed off to Hadley and Hatfield, and sent an address to Shays, calling on him to disband his followers, and warning him against the consequences of resisting. "To prevent bloodshed, you will communicate to your privates, that if they will instantly lay down their arms, surrender themselves to government, and take and subscribe the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth, they shall be recommended to the General Court for mercy." The answer from the insurgents was, a proposal to suspend hostilities, till they could learn the result of their application to the Legislature for a general pardon, on the condition of their laying down their arms.

On the next day, the General renewed his former summons and proffer. He told them their request was inadmissible, and that they must immediately disband themselves. The 2d of February, he reconnoitred Shays, who took the alarm, and on the evening of the same day pointed his route towards Petersham, where he purposed to make a stand, a number of towns in the vicinity having engaged to support him. The General put his troops in motion, in pursuit, about eight o'clock in the evening. The first part of the night was pleasant, and the weather moderate; but between two and three in the morning, the wind shifted to the westward, it be came very cold and squally, the dry and light snow, whirled before a violent wind, filled the roads and rendered them almost impassable. The severity of the cold prevented any halt for rest or refreshment; being

where the men could not be covered in the distance of eight miles, they were obliged to continue their march, and reached Petersham about nine o'clock in the morning, exceedingly fatigued with a march of thirty miles in deep snow and intense cold; great numbers were frozen, though none dangerously.

The troops arrived in the very centre of Petersham, to the great surprise of the insurgents, who, trusting to the violence of the storm, and the obstructions of the roads, rested in careless security.

The first warning of danger, was from the advance guard of the forces of government in the midst of their cantonment; they had not time to call in their out parties, nor even their guards.

About one hundred and fifty fell into the hands of General Lincoln's army, and the rest escaped by precipitate flight.

The main body of the insurgents, who were in arms against the government, was thus finally defeated with almost no bloodshed.

From this place, General Lincoln proceeded to Pittsfield, in Berkshire County, in which part of the State great numbers had been in arms.

From the middle of February, there was no forcible opposition to government, excepting a party of insurgents, who, on the 27th of the month, made an inroad into Stockbridge, carrying off some of the inhabitants with some plunder; they were met in Great Barrington and Sheffield, and routed and dispersed.

The rebellion being suppressed, it remained to ascertain how far the public good required the punishment of the offenders. A disqualifying act was passed by the

legislature, exempting certain descriptions of the insurgents from trial, on specific conditions.

General Lincoln, Samuel Phillips, and Samuel A. Otis, were appointed commissioners to determine who should have the benefit of this act; and in the month of March, previous to the sitting of the Supreme Court in the western counties, executed this delicate and important duty.

In 1794, under the apprehension of a rupture with Great Britain, Congress passed an act, requiring eighty thousand militia of the United States to be provisionally detached.

September 18. The town voted, That each noncommissioned officer and soldier belonging to this town, detached agreeably to the provisions of the late act of Congress, shall be entitled to receive from the town so much money as shall, with his Continental pay, make his wages up to ten dollars per month, while in actual service. And each of said non-commissioned officers and soldiers, who have or may enlist, or be detached, the sum of two dollars to be paid immediately by the treasurer of the town, and a further sum of eight dollars, when they shall be called to march for actual service; both which sums are to be considered as part of their additional monthly pay.

On the 4th of May, 1796. A town meeting was convened for the purpose of expressing their sentiments in relation to the commercial treaty with England. A memorial, reported by a committee, (viz. Humphrey Hobson, Joseph Chaplin, and Joseph Torrey,) and signed by three hundred voters, praying Congress to make pro

*Afterwards Lieutenant-Governor.

vision for carrying the treaty into full effect, was unanimously adopted, and ordered to be forwarded to the Hon. Theophilus Bradbury, representative of the district in Congress, for presentation.

In 1798, the hostile attitude of France was such, that Congress authorized the President to raise troops for the war establishment, to be called out in case of apprehended invasion, or on pressing emergency, but not to receive pay unless in actual service.

At a town meeting, held September 20, 1798, the following address to the President of the United States was adopted, and ordered to be forwarded, viz.

"TO JOHN ADAMS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

"Sir, The late period we have taken of thus publicly addressing you, doth not, we conceive, lessen its importance, and will not, we hope, render it less acceptable. In unison with our fellow-citizens, we feel, and would fain express, our utter abhorrence and detestation of the unwarrantable and piratical depredations committed on our commerce. We see and despise the insidious and vile attempts to alienate the American citizens from their rulers, and the insults of indignity insolently offered to the government of the United States by the French nation.

"We most cordially avow our unshaken attachment to the federal government, and fullest approbation of your administration as supreme executive. But especially at this period, we have the peculiar pleasure of observing the happy consequences resulting from the numerous addresses to you in connexion with your answers, containing such valuable truths and maxims in government,

which, in the present juncture of affairs, by their convictive force and extensive diffusion among the great body of the people, have produced those permanent impressions on their minds, which will form an important barrier against all future attempts on our excellent constitution, either by foreign intrigues or domestic disorganizers. And we further conceive, this must render more easy the arduous task devolved on you, Sir, at this most critical and alarming period of our national con

cerns.

Among the many evils that menace our country, we have this consolation, that the late outrageous conduct of France toward America, is highly calculated to prevent the introduction of French atheism and immorality, evils more to be dreaded than the most rancorous enmity of the terrible republic.

"Accept, Sir, our sincere wishes, that you may long continue your administration with your wonted wisdom, firmness, and integrity, and by your known attachment to the religion and God of our fathers, recommend that piety and morality which is essential to the preservation of a republican government.

"Signed by NATHANIEL KEEZER, Moderator. THOMAS MIGHILL, Town Clerk."

ANSWER.

"TO THE INHABITANTS OF ROWLEY, IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.

"Gentlemen,

I have received your address, adopted at a legal town meeting held on the 20th of September, which is not the less acceptable or important for the lateness of its date. The numerous addresses of my fellow-citizens, while they have been to me a de