USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Marlborough > History of the town of Marlborough, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement in 1657 to 1861; with a brief sketch of the town of Northborough, a genealogy of the families in Marlborough to 1800 > Part 17
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weights to their windows, or any other articles of lead, were publicly called upon to deliver them to the authorities, that the army might be supplied with ammunition.
But the great cause of the embarrassment was the scarcity of the precious metals. There was, at the commencement of the Revolution, but little coin in the country, and this induced an issue of paper, which shared the fate of all paper issues when not founded upon a metallic basis. This paper and con- tinental money depreciated, till it became almost, if not quite valueless. In June, 1780, the town of Marlborough voted to give, as a bounty to every soldier who would enlist for six months, three thousand dollars. The same year the town appro- priated £50,000 for their ordinary town expenses; and this was only to eke out a modest little grant of £100,000 made earlier the same season.
Such grants will cast light upon the report of a committee to settle with the Town Treasurer for the year 1780. The com- mittee report,
.
s. d. qr.
We find the Treasurer charged with
£ 212,129
7 2
We find he has paid out
144.442 11
5 2
Outstanding money in Constable's hands,
67,591 18
6
2
Counterfeit money in the Treasury,
68
0
0
0
Money in the Treasury,
28 17
4
2
Which makes the sum with which he is charged
£ 212,129
4 2
Such a depreciation in the circulating medium would at any time produce a great derangement in business, destroy confi- dence, and bring about a state of confusion in the transactions of life. And when we consider that this took place in the midst of the exhausting war of the Revolution, we are surprised that our fathers sustained themselves as well as they did.
As this element of depreciation in the paper currency of that day, is interwoven with almost every business transaction, pub- lic or private, it becomes important that we should understand the origin of these paper issues, and the causes of their depre- ciation.
The unsuccessful expedition against Canada in 1690, involved the Province in a heavy debt. To meet this demand, bills of credit were issued for one year. These were punctually redeemed till 1704, when the expenses of calamitous wars
2.1
182
induced the General Court to defer the payment, first for two years, and afterwards for a longer term. About 1714, the sub- ject of currency attracted considerable attention. Some were for returning to a specie currency ; others, for a land bank ; and others, for the Province loaning its credit to the towns, and thence in small sums to the inhabitants on interest. This latter scheme prevailed, and £50,000 were issued and passed over to the towns, in proportion to their share of the public tax. The sums thus apportioned to the towns, were intrusted to trustees appointed by the towns, to be loaned out in small sums to indi- viduals, who were to repay it at stated times with interest, and this interest was to be appropriated to defray the public ex- penses.
But these bills were constantly undergoing a depreciation. In 1702, an ounce of silver would buy of these bills 6s. 10}d. ; in 1705, 7s .; in 1713, 8s .; in 1716, 9s. 3d .; in 1717, 12s .; in 1722, 14s .; in 1728, 18s .; in 1730, 20s .; in 1737, 26s .; in 1741, 28s .; in 1749, 60s.
Another scheme was projected, to support a paper currency by silver coin, viz .- a loan of £60,000 to be deposited with the towns, as in the other case, but to be repaid in specie. To extinguish this paper currency, which had become exceed- ingly oppressive, the home Government interposed, and Parlia- ment, knowing that this paper had been issued to carry on the wars of Great Britain against the French and Indians, passed an act for reimbursing the Colonies in specie. The General Court provided by law for the rate at which these bills of credit should be redeemed ; and fixed it at about one-fifth less than their lowest current value ; that is, at fifty shillings for an ounce of silver, which was valued at 6s. 8d., or an English crown. This was the origin of the "Old Tenor " reckoning-fifty shillings of paper equal to an ounce of silver, or 6s. 8d.
As the design of this law was the abolition of the paper cur- rency, and as the grant of Parliament was insufficient to redeem the whole mass of paper that the Province had issued, the remainder was liquidated by a tax of £75,000, payable in bills, at the above rate of fifty shillings in bills for 6s. 8d. in specie. All future debts, after March 31, 1750, it was enacted, should be understood to be contracted on the specie basis of 6s. 8d. per ounce of silver. This was the origin of what has been known
183
as "lawful money ;" three ounces of silver being equivalent to £1, or 20 shillings.
This restored the currency to a metallic basis, and a uniform permanent value. Having passed this crisis of depreciation, the people enjoyed a sound and uniform circulating medium, for more than twenty years.
But the breaking out of hostilities with the mother country, imposed a new obligation upon the Province. War had com- menced, and means must be supplied to carry it on. Conse- quently the Provincial Congress, in May, 1775, empowered the Treasurer to borrow one hundred thousand pounds, lawful money, secured by notes of the Province, at six per cent, and made payable June 1, 1777. They also desired the other Colonies to give currency to such securities. At the same time they commended this subject to the consideration of the Conti- mental Congress.
The Treasurer was required to issue no notes of a less denomination than £4; but it was found necessary, to meet the wants of the army, to have notes of a less denomination ; and the Provincial Congress empowered the Treasurer to issue notes of six, nine, ten, twelve, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, eighteen and twenty shillings-this emission not to exceed £26,000. Almost simultaneously with these issues by the State, Continental bills were issued by the General Govern- ment. For the first year these bills circulated freely, and were readily exchanged for cash.
But the continued issue of such bills by the state and the nation, and the fact that they had no specie to redeem them ; the dubious prospect of the result of the war, and the general exhaustion of the community ; tended to depreciate their value. Add to this, the British officers and the adherents of the royal cause in the midst of us, took every opportunity, and had recourse to every means, to impair the value of this paper. They represented, and with too much truth, that the Conti- nental Congress had no means by which to redeem their bills; and with great injustice asserted that they never intended to provide for their redemption. Under the influence of these causes, this paper money gradually sunk in value, till it required about seventy-five pounds in paper to procure one in specie. Such a reduction in the value of the circulating medium
184
wrought great injustice, especially towards those who subsisted on a salary, or labored for stated pay, fixed beforehand. Many clergymen found, by sad experience, that the salary which, at their settlement, was deemed sufficient, would hardly save them from starvation ; and the poor soldiers who enlisted at govern- ment wages, for three years, found their wages hardly worth receiving, as will be seen by the following scale of deprecia- tion.
A Table showing the Depreciation of Paper Money, from January 1, 1777, to January 1, 1781, inclusive ; in which the value of £1, or 20 shillings in paper, will be seen for each month during the whole period.
Year. Month. s. d. qr.
Year.
Month.
8. d. qr.
1777 January . 19 0 2
1779 January 2 8 1
February 18 8 3
February 2
3 2
March 18 4 0
March
2 00
April
17 10 1
April
1 9 3
May 17 5 3
May 1
73
June 16 8 0
June 1 5 3
July
16 0 0
July
1 4 3
August 13 4 0
August
1 23
September 11
5 0
66
September
1 1 1
October 7 3 0
October
11 3
November
6 8 0
November
10 3
December
6
5 1
December
9 1
1778 January
6
1 1
1780 January 8 0
February
5
8 2
February
7 1
March
5 4 0
March
6 1
April
5
0 0
April
6 0
May
5 00
May
5 3
June
5 00
June
5 :
July
4 8 1
July
3 1
August 4 4 3
66
August
3 1
September
4 2 2
66
September
3 1
October
4
00
66
October .
3 1
November
3 8 0
November
3 1
December
3 1 3
December . .
3 1
1781 January
3 1
The above scale of depreciation will enable us, at any period during these years, to estimate the worth in specie, or lawful money, of the paper currency then in circulation.
It may not be amiss to state, that what was so embarrassing in
185
Massachusetts, was still more so in all the States south of the Potomac, where little or nothing was done to sustain the credit of the country ; and where, during the whole period of the Revolution, Massachusetts did more for the nation, in men and money, than any other State. By an official report from the Treasury Department at Washington, made in 1790, it appears that the amount of money, including paper reduced to its specie value, which had been received by and paid to the several States by Congress, from the commencement of the Revolution, was as follows :
States.
Paid to State.
Received from State.
New Hampshire
$ 440,974
$ 466,554
Massachusetts .
1,245.737
3.167,020
Rhode Island
1,028,511
310,395
Connecticut
1,016,273
1,607.259
New York
822.803
1,545,889
New Jersey
336,729
512.946
Pennsylvania
2,087.276
2,629,410
Delaware
63,817
208,878
Maryland
609.617
945,537
Virginia .
482,881
1,965,811
North Carolina
788,031
219,835
South Carolina
1,014.808
499,325
Georgia
679,412
122,744
Thus it will be seen, that while Massachusetts paid into the Continental treasury, during the Revolution, $1,921,283 more than she received back, the five States of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, paid only $178,503 more than they received ; so that Massachusetts, in fact, con- tributed a balance toward the support of the war more than ten times as great as the five States mentioned! In this burden upon Massachusetts, Marlborough, and all other towns in the State bore their share.
No wonder the soldiers were unwilling to enlist at govern- ment prices, when, before the term for which they were engaged should expire, their wages would become valueless. No wonder, with such a circulating medium, that all confidence was impaired, and the whole community was thrown into an embarrassed state. With hostile fleets upon our coast, and
186
hostile armies upon our soil ; with a feeble army, whose term of enlistment was about to expire ; and with crippled resources and a worthless currency, which could not command the services of new recruits, their condition was truly gloomy. The war had called so many able-bodied men from the cultiva- tion of the soil, that the annual product was greatly reduced ; and what was raised was, to a considerable extent, produced by the labor of the women and children. But under all these embarrassments, the people sustained the country, and their resolution to be free carried them through victorious.
The surrender of Cornwallis sent a thrill of joy through the great heart of the nation, and the treaty of 1783 gave rest to the people.
We have seen that during the whole of the war, Marl- borough furnished a large number of men. How many were lost in the service we have no means of ascertaining.
Other events, of local interest, occurred during the period covered by the Revolution, which require a passing notice.
In 1775, the dysentery prevailed in town to an alarming degree, especially among children, and proved signally fatal. In three instances, four persons were buried in one day, and nine- teen in one week. Almost every family was called to mourning. Ivory Bigelow lost three children ; Samuel Hunting, three ; Paul Brigham, three ; and many others, two each. This was the most destructive epidemic which ever visited the town. Some idea of the mortality may be formed from the fact, that the number of deaths in 1775 was 78; while the average for the four preceding years was only 22, and the average for the four following years was but 28.
The winter of 1780 was remarkable for its severity and the depth of snow. The streams and springs, upon which many families depended for water, were so completely closed by ice and buried in snow, that they were obliged to melt snow for household purposes, and in some cases to water their cattle. The depth of snow prevented their getting into the woods with their teams, and many families were supplied with fuel by drawing it to their houses on hand-sleds, in paths upon the snow made by rackets or snow-shoes. Hay in some places was so scarce that some farmers were compelled to feed their stock
187
upon brouse ; and where the woods were remote from their barns, the boughs were frequently drawn like the wood, upon a hand-sled, and fed out to the cattle. Instances occurred in Marlborough, where, in cases of death, the corpse was drawn several miles to the place of burial on snow-shoes, the roads being otherwise impassable by reason of snow.
This year is also memorable for a day of unusual darkness, which extended throughout New England. On the 19th of May, between the hours of ten and eleven, with the wind at the south-west, the clouds appeared to be charged with a thick, yellowish vapor, which spread over the whole heavens, shut- ting out, to a remarkable degree, the light of day. The dark- ness was so great that persons were unable to read common print, or to manage their domestic affairs, without artificial light. "Candles were lighted up in the houses ; the birds, having sung their evening songs, disappeared and became silent ; the fowls retired to roost ; the cocks were crowing all around, as at break of day ; objects could not be distinguished but at a very little distance ; and everything bore the appear- ance and gloom of night."
The winter of " the year '80," and " Dark Day," were sub- jects of frequent remark by the generation that has passed off the stage.
CHAPTER IX.
THE STATE OF THINGS AFTER THE REVOLUTION.
Pecuniary Embarrassment-Shays' Rebellion - Resolutions and Instructions to Representatives - Wise Statesmanship- Return of Tories agitated - Further Instructions to Representatives - Difficulties in settling a Minister - Mr. Packard settled - His Labors and Sentiments - New Meeting- Houses - West Parish incorporated - Succession of Clergymen - Methodist Society - Universalist Society - Baptist Society - Catholic Society.
THE close of the war left the people in peace, but at the same time in a state of exhaustion. The great struggle for freedom was over. Great Britain had discovered her folly too late, and was compelled to acknowledge our Independence. We were a free people. But with our freedom came new responsibilities and new embarrassments. The financial diffi- culties which were among the greatest obstacles to the prosecu- tion of the war, during the last years of its continuance, did not cease with the return of peace. The National Treasury, if such a thing ever existed, was empty. The State had nearly exhausted its resources. The towns were groaning under a weight of debt. Individuals were involved in pecuniary em- barrassments. And while these evils were pressing like an incubus upon the community, the pressure of an outward enemy and the stimulus of anticipated success-causes which had made the people bear and forbear-were removed, and they were left to realize their destitute condition.
The soldiers who had so gallantly served their country, returned penniless to their homes, in some cases with impaired health, and in cases more numerous with the habits of the camp, which poorly qualified them for the duties of industrious citizens. Many were discharged without pay, or with depre- ciated paper, a month's earnings of which would scarcely pur- chase a meal of victuals or a night's lodging ; and were justly
189
clamorous in their demands for remuneration for their services. Many of the farmers, comparatively rich in broad acres, were destitute of money, or any thing which could command it. Many sharpers in the community, who had demands upon others, were disposed to exact the uttermost farthing, or were exorbitant in their demands, in case delay of payment was granted. These canses pressed so heavily upon the people, that the effects of the war seemed more distressing than the war itself. These evils embarrassed the action of every town, and threatened, for a time, to overwhelm the community in ruin.
Feeling the weight of these burdens, but not realizing their true causes, many people felt jealous of their neighbors, and charged upon them the burdens which grew out of causes over which no one had any control. This only aggravated the evils under which all classes were groaning. Constables, who in those days were collectors of taxes, were urged to make immediate collections, especially of those who were already in arrears for previous taxes. But these officers, though clothed with the authority of law, were in a manner powerless. Prop- erty was taken, and offered for sale in payment of taxes, and was bid off at a mere nominal sum, if indeed a bidder could be found ; and in some cases warrants were issued, and constables were arrested for not collecting and paying over to the State Treasurer the sum thus assessed upon the towns. These diffi- culties and embarrassments were felt by Marlborough, in com- mon with other towns; and they are stated here as a part of the history of the times, that the present generation may realize the price our fathers paid for freedom.
I cannot better describe this general embarrassment and dis- tress, than by giving a case which occurred in Marlborough, in the very language of one of her distinguished citizens, who filled the office of constable .*
" About one thousand pounds, in hard money, I had to collect from one- fourth of the town, and a circumstance which rendered it difficult for me was, that most of the people in my part of the town were behind in settling with the last preceding collector ; and it appeared to me, there was not then money in possession or at command among the people in my quarter of the town, to discharge the taxes I then had to collect. And what would
* Peter Wood, Esq.
25
190
have been the result, if I at first had made distress, I cannot say. But it was well known how I succeeded when I did make the attempt.
" Previous to my making distress, I followed the people, by night and by day, with solicitations and threats ; but in vain. At length I took by dis- tress, agreeably to law, to the value of about one hundred pounds, the prop- erty of those whose taxes were due, and exposed it to sale at vendue ; but could not sell it. And it appeared that there was a previous determination among the people to prevent property being taken and sold in that way, for the payment of taxes; consequently I had, as I then found, for the want of a higher bidder, to strike off a yoke of oxen, said to be worth fifty dollars, at one shilling ; and a cow said to be worth fifteen dollars, at six pence. Thus finding myself unable to raise the money in that way, as I then thought, I returned the property to the persons from whom I had taken it-one yoke of oxen excepted. And I then being pursued by an execution in an officer's hands, and being deceived by the people and drove to extremity, and finding (as I then thought) no other alternative, I submitted to go to gaol ; which was attended and followed with such' expense and loss as I am unable to bear."
This is but a picture of what existed at the close of the Rev- olution. The war debt, the state of the currency, and the general derangement of business of all kinds; the want of con- fidence in the community ; the apparent indifference of some to their pecuniary obligations, and the exorbitant exactions of others ; the multiplicity of suits and the apparent if not real and unnecessary delays in the courts of justice ; the false notions entertained by some that the freedom they had acquired by war, gave them a universal license in peace; these and similar evils incident to the transition state through which they were passing, proved quite as trying as the war itself; and were a necessary part of that discipline, requisite to fit the people for the permanent enjoyment of liberty regulated by law.
The General Court attempted to relieve these embarrass- ments, but their efforts were attended with but partial success. Though the evils were such as the Legislature could not cure, the people who felt the oppressive burdens, would naturally charge the fault upon somebody. The Commonwealth was in commotion ; conventions were called; resistance to the laws threatened ; and an actual insurrection was inaugurated. Marl- borough does not appear to have taken any prominent part in these movements. But although not ultra, she partook of the common feeling, and expressed her opinions in a public manner.
191
At a meeting legally warned, September 25, 1786, they instructed Col. Edward Barnes, their Representative, as follows :
" Many towns in this Commonwealth did not send Representatives to the General Court this year, whereby, as we conceive, there is an undne balance of power and interest, as appears by some votes, and by these will be an unequal taxation ; that is, the farmers will be greatly distressed, while the merchants may riot in grandeur and luxury ; for while the former hath attended to his farm, the merchant hath speculated in public securities, and is now endeavoring to establish funds to receive twenty shillings for that which cost them about two shillings and six pence, and the farmer to be chiefly taxed for the payment thereof. While the Great and General Court sits in the town of Boston, are not many of the Representatives of the several country towns often found attending to their own private business, when they ought to attend to the public's only ; and also being exposed to that undue influence of crafty and designing men, or their counsels-which last-mentioned reason Congress offered for their removal-shall not we be as jealous of our Representatives as Congress were of themselves ?
" We therefore instruct you to use your endeavors and influence to have said Court removed to some convenient inland town.
" We have found that the administration of justice by the Courts of Com- mon Pleas, and the Courts of General Sessions of the Peace, have been attended with great expense and trouble, to little purpose, so that they appear to be almost needless ; therefore we instruct you that you use your endeavors that some other more easy and cheap method be substituted in their stead.
" The great abuse of the law, by the Order of Lawyers, calls aloud for a reformation ; therefore we instruct you that you use your endeavors to get such laws enacted as will prove effectual to their reformation or total annihilation. Also that the Fee Bill be revised, so as to give equal pay for equal service ; and that the pay of the First Magistrate of this Common- wealth be lessened for another year, before such Magistrate be chosen to said office ; also that all other officers of Government, whose pay should be thought too high, be lowered in like manner.
" We have found by sorrowful experience, that we have been destitute of laws to regulate Trade and Commerce, and this, perhaps, for want of invest- ing Congress with power therefor-which has been almost the whole cause whereby we have run into idleness, luxury and prodigality, and are now left without a circulating medium to pay our debts or taxes. We therefore instruct you to give Congress sufficient power to regulate Trade and Com- merce, and that all monies arising from imposts and excise be appropriated for the payment of the Foreign Debt only ; also that our unappropriated lands be sold at a reasonable sum per acre, and that all domestic Public Securities, State and Continental, be received in payment for the same ; and that such measures may be taken as to make it the interest of the holders of these securities to take said lands.
" Also that no person be allowed to sell any foreign goods without first obtaining a license for that purpose, from the Selectmen of the town, where
192
said trader resides, and that each pay for their license a sum equal to inn- holders and retailers of spirituous liquors. And that there be an excise laid on all foreign imported articles, except salt, cotton, wool, and warlike stores, equal to that on spirituous liquors ; and that all excise shall be collected by the respective towns where such excise shall be due, free of charge to the State. And also that there be a bounty given for all sheep kept four months in this State, next preceding the shearing in the months of April, May, or June. That a bounty be granted on all flax and hemp raised in this State.
" The entire prosperity of every State depends upon the discipline of its armies. When we take a view of the present situation of the militia in this State, is it not alarming? The regiment of which we are a part, has been neglected, as it was the year preceding the late war-unofficered for almost two years ; and many regiments are in not much better situation. From what quarter this neglect comes, we do not pretend to say ; but this we aver, that something is out of order. Some companies have not been called into the field, even to have their arms viewed, since the close of the war. A remedy for such an enormous evil ought to be sought for. We therefore instruct you that you use your endeavor and influence, that every officer, from the highest to the lowest, be made to do his duty, and that the militia be immediately put on a respectable and safe foundation; and that the Town Clerk record and transmit a copy of these instructions to Adams and Nurse for publication."
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