OCR Text |
Show Just History By Albert F. Philips Thus fAr sine th adoption of tb prohibitory amondmsnt, neither neith-er govsrnment nor state has been celled upon to call out tha mllltlan to aid In tha enforcement of the law. Likewise, while the tiller of Ihe soil bemoan a the fact that he does not receive what he Toellevea he should for his grain, he haa not attempted to turn the grain Into whisky becauae there la a lack ef transportation to move It. In the long ago. however, that waa the only way that ha could dlsposs of his surplus grsin land because of tha Impoaltlnn of an exctee tax on the liquor which he distilled from hla grain and a lack of transportation transpor-tation to snove the grain In bulk, there waa an lneurrectlon which causae Ueorge Washington, president presi-dent of ths United Htatea, to call out 11,000 troopa lo auppraos Ht. This Insurrection was known aa the "whisky rebellion" and Ihe aeat of the outbreak was- In western Penneylvanla. Thla waa tn 1701. Her la th story of the trouble: "Westsrn Pennsylvania was originally settled by Independent, hard-headed HcWh-Irlsh, who, during th revolution, were Intensely Intense-ly patriotic Through lack of tranaportallon for tha moving of their grain, the only way that It could be moved waa to distill the grain and make whisky out of It. The farruere had. In addition, a natural hatred for Ihe exclee tax man and tha state of Pennsylvania had never been able to enforce the laws and regulatlona pertaining to the mailer. The atata had protected pro-tected agalnat tha passage of ths federal law In 1711 and a meeting of the epponenta waa held at Red Stone fort, Brownavllle, Pa., July 17, 1711, which was presided over by Albert Oallatln and a convention conven-tion was called to meet In September Septem-ber tn Plttaburg delegatea from four countlee Attending. Violent reaolutlona were adopted by tha convention. Meanwhile collectors of tha tay were tarred and feathered, feath-ered, aa were thoee who sympa-thlssd sympa-thlssd with ths law. "Congress, In October, referred the law bark to Alexander Hamilton Hamil-ton for revision and tha modified act became a law la th roUowlns March, but ths opposition did not . cease. Another convention was hsld In August, pending which there waa consldsrabls rioting, resulting In a proclamation from Preeldent Washington ordering tha rioters to a disperse and yield obedience tn f law. laa trouble followed and In, July, 111, an officer was fired upon, who In turn fired upon a mob. All persons were then commanded com-manded by proclamation to lay down arms and a commission of three men representing the United States and two from Pennsylvania met a convention of lot opponenie of the law at Parkinson's Ferry Ths result waa unsatisfactory and en September 10, 17i, Washington called out ls.000 militia from Pennsylvania, New Jereey, Mary, land and Virginia, under command J'Oovernor Henry e of Vlr. "The opponents put on a bold front until ths soldiers appeared and then they fled, tha leader In tha mob. David Bradford, fleeing to New Orleans. Li,r, on October 14. at Parkinsons rry, th sou dlers captured aaveral hundred of the opponents of the law and two were afterward convlated of treason, trea-son, but were later pardoned. Tha main body of tha miiuia was returned re-turned home in November, thougs IsOO members remained until spring. . ' " ..7!-i.,".U0,,a0ih nn hsd a profound effect upon th country and did much le etr.neih. en the union., as It wss th ftr., real te.t of etrength "of .he n.,J government to maintain domeetVe tranquility and ,nforc. the ls1 e077:Tln " --x ' ' ' ' I' !'' f - U.i -" 9 |