History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 22

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 22

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more circumscribed. By the Confederacy they are not only to order the Quotas of men to be raised in each state for a Continental Army, To Direct the opper- ation of the army when raised, to appoint the General Officers, and Commission- ate officers of whatever rank, but also to have the absolute Command of the purse, without being accountable ; and, consequently, the Army will be entirely under their influence. They may borrow or emit what sums they please, and appropriate them at Discretion, only transmitting the several States an account of the sums borrowed or emitted ; but we find not that they are accountable for the expenditure or appropriations. We wish you to Deliberate whether the Army and the purse can safely lodged in the same hands; Whether it be not Dangerous that a single House chosen by the representatives should have so large and uncontrollable a power. A Constitution, Gentlemen, should be formed upon a supposition that it may in some future period be administered by design- ing men.

" What has happened in Europe may happen in America. How casy it is for those who have the forces and money of the people in their own hands to sub- vert a Constitution & establish themselves in Power ! We rather choose that the Congress should only ascertain and proportion the sum necessary for the Publick service, and lay the estimate before the several legislatures, and that the Legis- latures make the grants for the supply of the Continental Treasury ; we should also Desire that the Congress keep not only a Journal of their proceedings, with an entry of the yeas and nays npon every question, But also an exact amount of all the expenditures, and that this Journal and amonut be open to the Inspection of a Committee of uny Legislature, The Committee being sworn not to Divulge any matter which the Publick safety may require to be kept secret till the neces- sity of Secrecy shall cease. We should choose that the Congress should be re- strained from keeping up an army in time of peace without the Consent of the several Legislatures, and from marching any Troops into any State in time of peace without the express permission of the Legislature of that State. We take notice that, by the Confederation, no two or more states shall enter into any treaty with each other without the consent of Congress; we would this excep- tion were added : Unless it be for the purpose of obtaining redress of grievance ; it ought to be Declared Lawfull for any person or persons to petition Congress, and for any Legislature to desire the Concurrence of the other Legislature for obtaining redress in case of oppression ; under our oppression from Great Brit- tain we have found the advantage of Circular Letters and Joint Consultations ; it is at least possible there may be some future occasion for similar measures. Use your Influence that the House of Representatives be Less in number, as we imagine the present House to be too Large to transact busines, and that the whole State be justly and equally represented. In the next place we direct you that you use your influence [in case] the Militia should be called for upon any future emergency they may not be drafted as heretofore, believing such drafts have a tendency to establish Military government, and are dangerous to the Liberty for which we are contemling, But that the men may be encouraged by bounty to enter into the service. This Town, taking into their most serious consideration the present high price of merchandize, and even of the very necessary's of life, cannot believe it is principally owing to monopoly, but that the present circulating paper currency is not sufficiently valued ; are under great apprehension that it is a vast deal to plenty ; believe that the money is not a proper encouragement to Industry, and are under fearful apprehensions that the farmer will not be properly induced to raise grain and meat for the subsist- ence of the armies and Inhabitants; earnestly recommend that the quantity be reduced, and that every other possible method be taken to support its credit ; und as Civil government is necessary not only to the well-being, but to the very being of society, we recommend to you the Fumediate Establishment of it in all the Countys, that the Civil Magistrate be properly encouraged and protected in executing the good and wholesome laws of the Land, and that due care be taken that the Military be kept in due subordination to the Civil Authority, withont which our Liberties will Irretrievably be Annihilated.' "

NORTHAMPTON RECORDS.

"Jan'y 15, 1778 .- The Toun proceeded to consider the articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union proposed by the Hlouble Continental Congress, and voted that they approve of the same, and direct their Representation at the General Court to act accordingly."

II.

" May 18, 1778 .- At this meeting the Constitution and Form of Government recommended by the General Assembly of this State should be taken up and read. And it being read and considered The Question was put, Whether the Toun did approve of the said Constitution and Form of Government ; and upon a Division of the House, appeared that thirty-six were for it and seventeen against it."

III.

" Nov. 22, 1787 .- At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Toun of Northampton qualihed to vote in the choice of Representatives, being legally warned and as- sembled at the Comt-house in said Town, on Thursday, the 22d day of Novem- ber, 1787.

" The Question being put, whether the Town would send any Delegates to the State Convention proposed to be held at Boston, on the second Wednesday in January next, and it passed iu the affirmative.

" The Town then voted to send two Delegates to the said Convention, and ac- cordingly chose the Honble Caleb Strong and Mr. Benj. Sheldon for that purpose.

" The Toun then voted to Choose a Committee to prepare an address to the Delegates expressive of the sentiments of the Town touching the important business for which they were appointed, and accordingly chose Samuel Hen- shaw, Esq., Robert Brech, Esq., Dea. Elijah Clark, Elijah Wright, Doet. Shep-

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

herd, and Mr. Jonathan Clap for that purpose, and the said Committee soon after reported the following, which, being repeatedly read and considered, was unanimously approved by the Town (excepting one dissenting vote).

"' To the Hon. Caleb Strong & Mr. Benj. Sheldon :

"'GENTLEMEN,-In conformity to a resolution of the Gen'l Court of the 25th of October last, We have Delegated you to meet in State Convention on the sec- ond Wednesday of January next, for the purpose of adopting or rejecting the Reported Constitution for the United States of America. The object of your Mission, Gentlemen, is of the highest magnitude in human affairs; much time and unwearied application are requisite in order thoroughly to investigate it.

" The Civil Dignity of this State, of the United States, and, perhaps, of liu- manity, are suspended upon this momentous Question. We wish you, Gentle- men, patiently to hear and attentively to examine every argument that shall be offered for or against its adoption. Be not unduly influenced by Local Consid- erations. Let your mind be impressed with the necessity of having an Equal, Energetic, Federal Government. 'Tis the welfare of the Union as well as of Massachusetts that you are to consult. And while you are tenacious of the rights and privileges of the People, be not afraid to delegate to the federal Gov- erument such powers as are absolutely necessary for advancing and maintaining our National Honor and happiness.

"' But, Gentlemen, we mean not to give you positive instructions relative to your voting for or against the reported Constitution. When in convention you will have the collected wisdom of the State before you, Will hear all that can be said on the subject, and will consequently be able to form a judicious opinion ; and having the fullest confidence in your political wisdom, Integrity, and Pa- triotism, We cheerfully (on our part) submit the all-important question to your devision. And we bescech the all-wise Governor of the world to take the Con- vention under his holy influence, that so the result may be the best good of the United States of America.

"' NORTHAMPTON, Nov. 22, 1787.

"' By order of the Committee. "'SAM'L HENSHAW, Chairman.'"

IV.

COL. ELIHU PORTER'S REGIMENT.

To the ill-fated expedition against Canada of the winter of 1775-76, in which the lamented Montgomery lost his life, the county of Hampshire contributed a regiment, the command of which was intrusted to Col. Elihu Porter, of Hadley. To follow the fortunes of this regiment in its wearisome marches would hardly be within the scope of this work, did our limited space allow. We make room, however, for the following in- teresting documents relating to the subject, which we have been permitted to copy from the originals now in the posses- sion of Col. Porter's descendants :

1. WASHINGTON'S LETTER.

"CAMBRIDGE, 10th February, 1776.

" The Continental Congress haveing confirmed my application to this Govern- ment to raise a Regiment for the service of the United Colonies, which is now complied with, and you are apointed to the command thereof. I have to desire, that you will use the utmost diligence and dispatch possible to complete the said Regiment, and march it into Canada by the shortest atul best way that, from your own knowledge of the Country and the best information you can get, you think will be the most expeditions.

"I have to acquaint you that if you take your rout by number four and Onion River there will be a supply of Provisions ready for you, laid in by order of General Schuyler.

" As this Regiment is to be upoo the Continental Establishment, agreeable to the terms and Reynisitions of Congress transmitted to the Legislative power of this Province, and the necessity of Reinforceing our troops posted and forming the Blockade of Quebec is too apparent to need dwelling on, I would order each Company to march as fast as they are raised,-the whole putting themselves under the Command of the General or Commanding Officer in Canada as fast as they arrive there.

" Such necessarys as yu will think realy proper, and that you cannot do with- out, will be provided for you by the Commissary-General & Quarter-Master Gen- eral, and I shall depend upon you that the strictest economy is used consistent with the dispatch necessary upon this occasion.

" These, Sir, are my instructions to you, and, from the character you hear, I doubt not you will pay due attention to them. I must again reccommend your making all possible dispatch ; and that yu may share in the glory of expelling the Instruments of Ministerial Tyranny from that fair Province is the sincere wish of

" Sir, your most II. St., " Go WASHINOTON.

"COLONEL ELISHA PORTER."

II.

GEN. SCHUYLER'S LETTER .*

" ALBANY, February 5, 1776.

" SIR,-Colo. Fellows has represented to me the Improbability of compleating the Regiment ordered to be raised by the Hooorable Assembly of the Massa-

* Addressed, " To Colo. Williams, at Stockbridge, To be by him forwarded to Colonel Porter, at Hadley," and endorsed, " Recd Feb. 13, 1776, Seald & for- warded by Colo, Porter's Humbl Serv't, T. Williams."

chusetts Bay to go into Canada, unless part of the Troops already marched from Berkshire, minler the command of Major Cady, be considered as part of the Regi- ment. These nader Major Cally are only engaged to the 15th April ; hence, con- sidlering them as part of your Regiment would not, I suppose, fulfil the views of the Assembly. It would, however, be (« Con)tinental saving of two or three companies if those gone under Major Cady could be induced to engage for an equal Term with those you are now enlisting. If there was a prospect that they would do this, I think it would be a prudent step not to engage the full Regi- ment in the Colony ; but this is a matter the Assembly must determine, as I can- not presume to interfere with or counteract their Regulations. I am, sir,

" Your humble servant,

" To COLO. PORTER."

" PH. SCHUYLER.

GEN. ARNOLD'S ORNERS.

" To Coso. PoaTER, at Chamblee.

"SIR,-I am this minute Informed of your arrival at St. John's, with part of your Regt. You will please on receipt (?) of this to Draw Ten Days' Provisions at Chamble, & proceed In your Battoes Down the Sorell to the Army before Quehec and join Gen' Wooster. You will please to take as many men in the Batt ves as they will Carry, with Two Chests of Medicine (at Chatublre). I wish you success. " I am, Sir, Your Hbl. Servt.,

"B. ARNOLD, B. Geul.

" MONTREAL, Apl. 20, 1776." .

IV.

BARON DE WOELDTRE'S LETTER.+

" SORRELL, May 23, 1776. "SIR,-I have sent with my Servants, my Baggage, &c., to St. John's, and as their baggage must Ix forwarded from your place by land some distance, on ac- count of the Rupits, would be extremely oblige to you if you would have some carriages procured to forward them, directly if possible. Your compliance will much oblige your huml. Servt.,

" BARON DE WOELDTRE.

" If my men shall want any provisions you will please to order them some."

V. GEN. WOOSTER'S LETTER AND ORDER.#

" MONTREAL, May 26, 1776. "SIR,-You will send a Comps of Men to La Chine to Garrison that place; and the remainder of Col. Reed's Regt., if there is any, you will order to this place- Genl. Arnold is gone with the Troops for La Chine, in pursuit of the Enemy. I am, Sir, your h'b! Serv't,

"DAV'D WOOSTER, Brig'r-General."

VI. COL. THOS. WILLIAMS TO COL, ELISHA PORTER.

" STOCKBRIDGE, Jan. 27, 1776, "Our men are some of those already marched; others are going to March to- morrow. We are directed by Geul. Schuyler to march by the way of Albany."

VII. MIR. GERRY'S LETTER .¿

" PHILADELPHIA, June 18, 1776. "DEAR SIR,-I reed your favour of ye 31st May, pr Mr. Chase, but I have heard nothing of ye other letter which yo mentioned therein. I am sorry to find ye Affairs of Canada in such a situation, but they will be soon assisted if in ye power of Congress to effect it. General Gates is ordered to ye Command in Canada; 6000 Militia for Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire are soon to join. Coin, 21,000 Dollars in Specie, and part of 500,000 iu bills, were sent from this city ye 16th for Albany, and ye Commissary-General is to undertake supplying ye Army ; a Committee is appointed to provide Medicine & Clothing, & a strict Scrutiny will be made ioto ye causes of Miscarriages in that Depart- ment. I am grieveil at ye loss of General Thomas, and think he was a brave officer, and could wish to have recd a better account of another officer of which you mention.

"The persons which you mention at our old lodgings were well a short time since, and your desire of being remembered to them shall be complied with.

" Things are going on well in ye Colonies with respect to Independency, Con- federation, &c., &c., RIud ye question relative to ye former is to be agitated in Con- gress ye Ist July next.

"General Washington is to be reinforced with 15,000 men at New York, which will augment his army to 25,000, & a flying camp is to be posted in ye Jerseys consisting of 10,000 men more. You have undoubtedly heard of the prize lately taken and carried into Boston, out of which were landed seventy-five tons of powder, 1000 arms, &c., &c., &c. Saltpetre is manufactured in abundance in ye Massachusetts, and by Mr. Diven's account they have already delivered into ye magazines fifty tons, and have thirty tons of sulphur imported and left in Boston. Three mills are built there, two of which tura out upward of 1000 each pr week.

" I hope the disposition that has appeared in some officers t, censure others will erase, & that in Lieu thereof a laudable Emulation will take place to excell in Discipline & Valor, without which an army must be disgraced. I sincerely wish yo success and happiness, and remain your friend &

" luin, ser., " ELBRIDGE GERRY. " P.S .- Pray continue to give me ye state of things in Canada. " COLO. PORTER."

+ Addressed " To The Commanding Officer at Fort Chambly."

# " To The Coonnanding Officer on Public Service at St. John's."

¿ Addressed, " Col. Elisha Porter, in Canada."

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

VIFI.

GEN. SCHUYLER'S LETTER TO COL. FELLOWS.

" ALBANY, January 20, 1776. " Half after ten A.M.

"SIR,-Your favor of yesterd'ys date was this moment delivered to me.

" I thank you for the information it contains, and am happy to learn that you have already enlisted so considerabh- a number of men. As the Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay have ordered a Regiment to be raised, and the men to be en- listed for a year, it will supersede the necessity of raising any more in conse- quence of my directions to you ; but I do not wish that those already enlisted (who I suppose will serve beyond the 15th of April next) should be considered as part of the regiment to be raised by vittne of the act or order of your Assen- bly, unless they would also engage for a year. I therefore hope they will march without delay, and the whole to be under the command of Major Cady, as Maj. Conunandant of the Corps, unless you should think proper to take command of them. It is with infinite satisfaction that I learn the alacrity with which my countrymen step forth on this occasion ; it will at once redound manch to the honor of the persons who engage in this service, & of those who have been active in pro- moting it, and also evince to our enemies that no olistacle can deter Americans from prosecuting their righteous canse.

" Your zeal, sir, on this occasion merits the Thanks of your Country; if mine are worth the accepting you have them most sincerely, & I shall not fail of doing myself the pleasure to mention you and the respectable Committee of Berkshire to Congress in Honorable terms.

" I am, sir, with much respect, " Your most humble servant,

" COLL. JOHN FELLOWS."

" PH. SCHUYLER.

CHAPTER XVIII. THE SHAYS REBELLION.

CAUSES OF THE MOVEMENT.

THE great uprising among the discontented people of New England, commonly called the Shays rebellion, which oc- curred at the close of the war of the Revolution, has scarcely yet been given its proper place in history.

In the great contest for independence, New England, in common with the other parts of the country, strained every nerve to its utmost tension, and in behalf of the cause ex- hausted her resources to the point of depletion. At its close she was free, but was utterly prostrate and bleeding at every pore. While the excitement lasted the fever in her blood sus- tained her activities, but the occasion over the excitement waned and the reaction came. This reaction was the first great trial, and by all odds the severest strain, save, perhaps, the great Rebellion, to which our republican form of govern- ment has yet been subjected. The history of this insurrec- tionary movement, written at all in detail, would of itself fill a large volume. Our limited space will allow us, therefore, to attempt nothing more than a brief summary of its most im- portant incidents.

That this sedition did not more seriously obstruct, if not quite overturn, the new government was owing mostly to the incapacity of its leaders. The spirit of rebellion was rife among the people, but from among the ruling classes no com- petent man stepped forth to lead it, and it spent its force in boisterous, disorganized, and therefore fruitless, revolt against the authority of law and order. Hlad some bold, ambitious man, competent to lead; had some brave Stark or unscrupu- lous Arnold or sagacious Schuyler; had some Davis, Lee, or Stonewall Jackson at the critical moment headed the insur- gents in Western Massachusetts, or commanded at the attack on the United States arsenal at Springfield,-there is strong reason to believe that England would soon have regained her lost power and our republic would have never been. But Daniel Shays and Luke Day were not the men for the hour or place.

But it should be said, in justice to those engaged in it as well as to the authorities they sought to subvert, that this rebellious spirit was after all rather of the nature of the quer- ulous discontent of children smarting under imaginary wrongs

than of any deliberately treasonable intentions against the new government.

Of a truth, the new order of things had hardly begun. The natural chaos and disorder attendant on a period of revo- lution had hardly subsided. The people had not forgotten the old order, nor yet learned to love and respect the new. That they suffered from some cause or other they were sure of, and it was natural enough that they should attribute their troubles to the new order of things, and rise in rebellion against it.

When we look at the condition of things in Massachusetts at the close of the war of the Revolution it is easy to discover, in the light of our country's subsequent experience, the causes of this discontent and sedition.

Among the several causes which brought about the " hard times" that resulted in the Shays Rebellion may be enumer- ated the following :

1st. The State was heavily in debt. The private State debt was £1,300,000. The State's proportion of the Federal debt was not less than £1,500,000. This, contrasted with the whole State indebtedness before the war,-which did not exceed £100,000,-was, for the times, an enormous sum.

2d. The financial embarrassments of the several towns. Every town was heavily embarrassed by advances which they had made to the often-repeated requisitions for men and sup- plies to support the army, and which had been done upon their own particular credit .*

3d. The inexperience, if not the incapacity, of public men in the management of financial affairs.

4th. The lingering distinctions of caste, which the Revolu- tion had not quite done away with.

5th. The depreciation of paper-money.

6th. The vast amount of private debts which had accumu- lated during the war, and the hard, if not unjust, laws in force in favor of creditors.

" The insurrection," says William L. Smith, in a paper read by him before the Connecticut Valley Historical Society, at Springfield, Oct. 1, 1877, " was the result of a condition of things now popularly described as 'hard times.' It did not originate so much in disaffection toward the State govern- ment as in an uncontrollable impulse of a distressed people to seek relief in some way, or any way. The long and burden- some war of the Revolution had just been brought to a close. The country was impoverished. The Continental paper-money had become worthless, and no substitute for it had been pro- vided. There was no trade, no demand for labor, no way in which the value of property of any kind could be measured. Under the barbarous laws then in force the jails were becom- ing filled with prisoners, whose only offense was their ina- bility to pay their debts. Men who had nothing to do but to talk about their grievances and distresses were easily excited to turbulence, and local disturbances were frequent and serious. The authorities were too often in sympathy with the offenders against the law, and guilty parties went unpunished. The State constitution, adopted in 1780, was viewed with disfavor by a large minority of the people, and was not regarded as securely established. The Constitution of the United States had not then been framed, and all existing government was merely experimental.

" There was at that time no law for the equitable distribu- tion of a debtor's property among his creditors. The execu- tions of the creditors were levied in the order in which their attachments were made, and each creditor was satisfied in his turn until all were paid or the debtor's estate was exhausted. A man whose credit was suspected found his property covered by attachments at once, and in the condition of things then existing a very slight circumstance excited suspicion. Litiga- tion became general. The State was showered with execu-

* Minot'e Hist, of Insurrection in Mass., p. 6.

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

tions, and large amounts of property were sold for almost nothing to satisfy them. In the unreasoning excitement of the time the courts, lawyers, and sheriff's were denounced in the wildest terms as the promoters of the suffering that men were inflicting upon each other. A cry arose that the courts ought to be abolished. Threats were made that the courts should not be allowed to sit, that no more suits should be entered and no more executions issued. It was such wild clamor as this that led to the first overt act in resistance to the lawful authority."

II.

CONVENTIONS.

Agitations began in Western Massachusetts as early as in the year 1781. The prime-mover in these first efforts to sub- vert the authority of the government was Samuel Ely. HIe had been for some years an irregular minister of the gospel at Somers, Conn. He was now suspended from his ministry and a resident of Hampshire Co., Mass. In the year 1781 conven- tions began to be held, principally upon the instigation of Ely, in Western Massachusetts, to consult upon the subject of grievances. These conventions were made up of delegates from several towns, and their action tended greatly to excite the spirit of rebellion.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 22

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700