| Show THE WHISKEY REBELLION tl 4 Y f 1 R RI RII I y Y- Y I a 7 e t v 1 lu f db z i r rA nr y r ctt t WHISKEY REBELS TAR AND FEATHER AN EC EXCISE E COLLECTOR By ELMO SCOTT WATSON v x Ii TUB TITS historic Episcopal church St. St Lukes Lukel of Chartiers Chartier In the little town of Woodville Wood Pa Is a stone that is rich In la historic association It was wat brought to the United States from Sulgrave Manor In England the ancestral home of the Washington family How this relic from across the Atlantic happens to tobe tobe tobe be In a church in to western Pennsyl Pennsyl- Tiola vania Is explained by bl a memorial tab tab- Is attached to It and which bears bearl this Ion on George Washington and John JohnIe Johne Ie e united united In their Ideals of ot an orderly gov eat D It workers co-workers In suppressing the whiskey Ion on the only armed conflict of ot which on a hill hili adjacent to this church OnIT on IT II 17 1794 i s It is recalled to visitors to the church of ot ofu u an all forgotten but chapter In American 1 j 1 the tie story of what has been called the civil U war which was wat running its se years ago ao The reason for tor placing memorial tablet In St SL Lukes Luke's of Chartiers ft t this church which Is the oldest west of ot Allegheny mountains was wan only a log cabin It was founded In 1705 liC by General Generall e Neville ni vu Its first senior warden and It was 4 ed to 10 the ground by the Insurrectionists j r the Whiskey rebellion t e Whiskey rebellion had Its genesis In the thee 13 go e of Dt a law by congress In 1701 1791 1 placing a atai atar tar tai on whiskey to help pay pay 1111 oft off debts In In- d during the Revolution ne and to provide for the costs of ot the federal government go law Iw was wu suggested by Alexander Hamilton Dammon secretary of ot the treasury and In In presenting lID Ian ia for an excise tax on liquor he argued loch inch a tax tar was not new but that It had levied by various arlous states before that time t b he be neglected to tell congress however howe was tile tie states had found it virtually Impossible let Ded such auch a tax tn and ond that this would be a al l test st Imposed upon the power of ot the new v. ne strong too federal fedral government They MOD lOOn to find fled out just how bow unpopular pular such tattoo Jon would be he generally and more parI par par- I I In hi the counties of ot Washington West Vest had lit Allegheny and Fayette In western crania where re the hardy bardy frontiersmen had teen been accustomed to making all the whiskey ranted and to using It It at stores and trad trad- posts josU ts ID in lieu of money yen hen i the tle bill levying le the tax tu which was Wall In III March 1701 1791 1 was up for tor consideration egress the state legislature of ot Pennsyl Pennsyl- then lien In 10 session went on record In In- very terms lerms opposing the tax tu and urging senators and representatives to J I against I. It The two congressmen from Pennsylvania voted against the bill and weed ced Hi It at every opportunity and such a ae au tale e u as Albert Gallatin then a resident of Otte lite county and later Inter secretary of ot the treas- treas UDder ander Jefferson and Madison advocated lion loo to the law by bl all constitutional meth meth- a s last of ot the public meetings In protest of ot I II Ia wu vas as held in August 1702 1792 the I Os did d not break out until 1704 1794 but In the rang time there were were Vere five live or six aix d not riots rIot or assaults on collectors In differ differ- Parts arts of the western country countr on account of ot j lone cases federal revenue officers were r and I feathered their commissions torn up records record seized and by threats compelled j w t I their resignations In the Pittsburgh Ga Ga- If a law-abiding law farmer gave gove Information r to the location of stills his barn liam would be beli beto a ed li In to the disturbances President Washing Washing- i Issued ed a proclamation condemning lawless wd warnIng all the malcontents to return allegiance glance and n assuring them that It ita J a intention to enforce the law low at all haz haz- was without effect In n fact It only to fan tan the flames and organized h on n began an to be e talked about I e lor ent leader David Duld Bradford i tIit trout sprang e and called upon the free tree whiskey J to organize and defend their cause couse with f 1 d arms anns It If necessary Although congress e ta Ite dry t reed Wa Washington's proclamation the thee I e th forces forcel began to arm themselves es here herebi bO I bi bere p Congress nere tried Med to allay ollay the bitter bitter- e reducing the tax tai and providing n for f payments but there thue seemed to be no 4 eDt II of ot the fur fury Deems e 1794 an armed detachment of ot the thee e I attacked th the home of ot General Neville t tai u as 1 r l dad ad l f called n inspector In Westmoreland county a tb the thed to his aid ald a small detachment r d d ot 01 garrison at F Fort rt Pitt which then conr conI con con- 11 I men under the command of ot Maj alai I v J I a the I Kirkpatrick The major refused to ata al al- PIpe DU to search the home of ot Neville Ne ft er ani d and the Insurgents then withdrew to ai a brisk fire pre uP upon n the house house- t Nw returned Jf ed by the tro of troops t god to pad Determined determined to aggravate the disturb disturb- I tt the mall mail at Greensburg on ther the r It f n Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and andt andr letters t r etters some of ot which ho Jo lull y e published r or w ho cIrcular signed by Bradford and 1 sl sen e i 1 ce lers thew w was as sent out summoning to for tor i the militia ot the county and rk i tl Held Celd v volunteers eight i to rendezvous at and Brad Brad- miles south of Pittsburgh B t Y r 5 w S I n f V GEN GEM DANIEL MORGAN August 1 I. It ended with these words Here 1 Is la Isan laan 1 I an on expedition proposed In which you will have ha an on opportunity for displaying your military talents tal tai and ond of ot rendering service to your country Nothing less was contemplated than an otta attack k kupon upon Fort Pitt and the sack of Pittsburgh On the appointed day there assembled at Braddock's Braddocks field a motley throng of or several thousand backwoodsmen There was much haranguing har har- but little positive e action The next da day the meeting broke up About third one-third dispersed to their homes and ond the remainder marching to Pittsburgh paraded through the streets and finally crossing the river In their turn scattered They did no damage to the town beyond the burning of ot a farm belonging to Major KirkPatrick Kirkpatrick Kirk Kirk- Patrick of ot the garrison By Dy this time Washington had completely lost patience with the rebels and ond he resolved to smash their power once and for tor all and restore the authority and prestige of ot the federal government gov gov- First he Issued a proclamation on Au August August August gust 7 summoning all persons involved ln In the rebellion to lay down their arms and return to their homes by September 1 Ho III Issued on the governors of Pennsylvania Maryland Mary fary land lond Virginia and New v Jersey for tor men and Dud the troops thus raised were called out on September 23 25 While the troops were being organized Wash WashIngton Washington Washington ington made a final effort to bring the lawless element to their senses and to prevent blood bloodshed bloodshed shed Bhe if It possible lie appointed a committee composed com con posed of ot James Ross Jasper and William Bradford to go to the scene of rebellion In order to quiet and extinguish the Insurrection In the meantime many of the calm and decent element realized d It was high time tb tD take some action Accordingly a convention con was called which was attended by delegates from the rebellious counties Gallatin who was secretary of ot the meeting was the outstanding figure gure of the gathering He tie Impressively explained the folly tolly of ot past resistance resistance resist resist- ance and pointed out the ruinous consequences to the country of ot the continuance of ot the rebellion rebel rebel- lion lloa In n unmistakable language he told them that President Washington was bound to vindiCate vindicate vindi vindi- cate the laws of ot the land lond and would surely sendan send sendan an overwhelming force torce against them A committee committee com mittel was appointed to confer conter with th th state stale and federal committees This conferee however how ever er made but little headway The bull bul if t the population still remained stubborn and mean Washington now ordered the troops to move forward Gen Henry Lee governor go of Virginia was placed In chief command Gov Thomas Mifflin of Pennsylvania Gov Coy Richard Howell ell of oC New l' Jersey Gov Goy Thomas S S. S Lee Iee of Maryland and Gen Gell Daniel Morgan of Virginia commanded the volunteers from the respective 11 states President President Pres Pres- ident Washington accompanied by bl Gen Gell Henry Knox secretary of war Gen Gell Alexander Hamilton lIam Ham and Judge Rich Illch- iRon ilton secretary of ot the treasury ard and Peters of the United States District court mounted their horses and set out for Western Pennsylvania of ot main body the Joined At Carlisle Pa ra they called was Washington At this place the army and committee from the outlaw area by a upon of ot heart bad con come o over assured that a change d the majority w were remaining m the people that that organizations were at home borne and quietly enforce the law Washington formed to being now on Its way and was wag the army told them be countermanded would not orders marching violence would not be te He lie assured the committee that was desired and all necessary used unless Inhabitants come back bark to their the was to have hue Washington then returned to the allegiance said and General Lee Capitol at Philadelphia march 1 I IDy Forward rebels were convinced that the time By Dy this business and ond they began to meant the President called up upon n General Lee Iee committee A weaken the of ot peo- peo and ind assured him that the majority g w 9 a GEN HENRY LEE F g sip 1 r r AL ALBERT ERT GALLATIN pie In 10 the region w wanted anted peace to which he replied replied re re- re- re e- e plied that no peaceable Inhabitant or his properly property property prop prop- erty erly would be te harmed He lie then Issued a proclamation proclamation proc proc- to the Inhabitants of ot the four tour western counties recommending the subscribing of ot an oath to support the Constitution and obey the laws and ond to enter Into an on association to protect i and old aid ill all the officers of ot the government In tn the I duties execution of thor respective e The collapse of ot the rebellion was swift Bradford Bradford Brad Drad ford tord the principal leader fled ed to New Orleans then Spanish territory On the eighth of November November Novem Noem ber Hamilton who had remained with the army ormy wrote to President Washington that General Lee had concluded to take and hold all who were worth the trouble and then deliver them to the disposition of ot the judiciary The night of November No o November vember 13 18 1794 was appointed for tor the arrests At eight o'clock the cavalry sallied forth and before daylight arrested In their beds about men The seizures were ere made In the Mingo Creek settlement the hotbed of the insurrection and the scene of ot the early excesses The prisoners Boners were taken to Pittsburgh and thence mounted on horses and guarded by the Philadelphia Phila delphia Gentlemen corps to Philadelphia Against some 22 of these Indictments for tor treason were returned but In the trials only two were convicted convicted convicted con con- and condemned to death and these thele two were later pardoned by Washington Meanwhile out In Western Pennsylvania the troops with the exception of or a small detachment detachment detach detach- ment commanded by General Morgan were ordered ordered or or- dered h home me It was considered wise to keep a 0 afew afew few tew troops at Pittsburgh dur during ng the winter But Dut they were not ned needed d. d From that time on the excise collectors had bad no difficulty In collecting the taxes Thus at tile tiie cost of nearly a million dollars In money and ond a minimum of ot bloodshed the federal government demonstrated Its right to In Interfere Interfere within the state for tor the enforcement of Its laws So the Whiskey rebellion minor affair though it was as takes Its place among the significant cant events In our history significant history significant cant I cause It marked one of the first steps toward the establishment of ot a strong central government go O 0 ell br Nt j pr Union Vatoa |
