History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc, Part 16

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USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > History of Cumberland and Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Containing history of the counties, their townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 16

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city troop, and dispersed the assailants, capturing the leaders. The Academy and College of Philadelphia required by its charter an oath of allegiance to the King of Great Britain. An aet was passed November 27, 1779, abrogating the former charter, and vesting its property in a new board. An endowment from confiscated estates was settled upon it of £15,000 annually. The name of the institution was changed to the "University of the State of Pennsyl- vania. "

France was now aiding the American cause with money and large land and naval forces. While some of the patriots remained steadfast and were disposed to sacritice and endure all for the success of the struggle, many, who should have been in the ranks rallying around Washington, had grown luke- warm. The General was mortified that the French should come across the ocean and make grent sacrifices to help us, and should find so much indiffer- enee prevailing among the citizens of many of the States, and so few coming forward to fill up the decimated ranks. At the request of Washington, Presi- dent Reed was invested with extraordinary powers, in 1780, which were used prudently but effectively. During the winter of this year, some of the veteran soldiers of the Pennsylvania line mutinied and commenced the march on l'hiladelphia with arms in their hands. Some of them had just cause. They had enlisted for "three years or the war," meaning for three years unless the war closed sooner. But the authorities had interpreted it to mean, three years, or as much longer as the war should last. President Reed immediately rode out to meet the mutineers, heard their cause, and pledged if all would re- turn to camp, to have those who had honorably served ont the full term of three years discharged, which was agreed to. Before the arrival of the Presi- dent, two emissaries from the enemy who had heard of the disaffection, came into camp, offering strong inducements for them to continue the revolt. But the mutineers spurned the offer, and delivered them over to the officers, by whom they were tried and executed as spies. The soldiers who had so patriot- ically arrested and handed over these messengers were offered a reward of fifty guineas; but they refused it on the plen that they wero acting under authority of the Board of Sergeants, under whose order the mutiny was being conducted. Accordingly, a hundred guineas were offered to this board for their fidelity. Their answer showed how conscientious even mutineers can be: "It was not for the sake, or through any expectation of reward; but for the love of our country, that we sent the spies immediately to Gon. Wayne; we therefore do not consider ourselves entitled to any other reward but the love of our country, and do jointly agree to accept of no other."

William Moore was elected President to succeed Joseph Reed, from No- vember 14, 1781. but held the office less than one year, the term of three years for which he had been a Councilman having expired, which was the limit of service. James Potter was chosen Vice President. On account of the hostile attitude of the Ohio Indians, it was decided to call out a body of volunteers, numbering some 400 from the counties of Washington and Westmoreland, where the outrages upon the settlers had been most sorely felt, who chose for their commander Col. William Crawford, of Westmoreland. The expedition met a most nnfortunato fate. It was defeated and cut to pieces, and the leader taken captive and burned at the stake. Crawford County, which was settled very soon afterward, was named in honor of this unfortunate soldier. In the month of November, intelligence was communicated to the Legislature that Pennsylvania soldiers, confined as prisoners of war on board of the Jer- sey, an old hulk lying in the New York Harbor, were in a starving condition, receiving at the hands of the enemy the most barbarons and inhuman treat-

112

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ment. Fifty barrels of flour and 300 bushels of potatoes were immediately sent to them.

In the State election of 1782, contested with great violence, John Dickin- son was chosen President, and James Ewing Vice President. On the 12th of March, 1783, intelligence was first received of the signing of the preliminary treaty in which independence was acknowledged, and on the 11th of April Congress sent forth the joyful proclamation ordering a cessation of hostilities. The soldiers of Burgoyne, who had been confined in the prison camp at Lan- caster, were put upon the march for New York, passing through Philadelphia on the way. Everywhere was joy unspeakable. The obstructions were re- moved from the Delaware, and the white wings of commerce again came fint- tering on every breeze. In June, Pennsylvania soldiers, exasperated by delay in receiving their pay and their discharge, and impatient to return to their homes, to a considerable number marched from their camp at Lancaster, and arriving at Philadelphia sent a committee with arms in their hands to the State House door with a remonstrance asking permission to elect officers to command them for the redress of their grievances, their own having left them, and employing threats in case of refusal. These demands the Council rejected. The President of Congress, hearing of these proceedings, called a special ses- sion, which resolved to demand that the militia of the State should be called out to quell the insurgents. The Council refused to resort to this extreme measure, when Congress, watchful of its dignity and of its supposed supreme authority, left Philadelphia and established itself in Princeton, N. J., and though invited to return at its next session, it refused, and met at Annapolis.

In October, 1784, the last treaty was concluded with the Indians at Fort Stanwix. The Commissioners at this conference purchased from the natives all the land to the north of the Ohio River, and the line of Pine Creek, which completed the entire limits of the State with the exception of the triangle at Erie, which was acquired from the United States in 1792. This purchase was confirmed by the Wyandots and Delawares at Fort McIntosh January 21, 1785, and the grant was made secure.

In September, 1785, after a long absence in the service of his country abroad, perfecting treaties, and otherwise establishing just relations with other nations, the venerable Benjamin Franklin, then nearly eighty years old, feel- ing the infirmities of age coming upon him, asked to be relieved of the duties of Minister at the Court of France, and returned to Philadelphia. Soon after his arrival, he was elected President of the Council. Charles Biddle was elected Vice President. It was at this period that a citizen of Pennsylvania. John Fitch, secured a patent on his invention for propelling boats by steam. In May, 1787, the convention to frame a constitution for the United States met in Philadelphia. The delegation from Pennsylvania was Benjamin Frank- lin, Robert Morris, Thomas Mifflin, George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson and Gouverneur Morris. Upon the completion of their work, the instrument was submitted to the several States for adoption. A convention was called in Pennsylvania, which met on the 21st of November, and though encountering resolute opposition, it was finally adopted on the 12th of De- cember. On the following day, the convention, the Supreme Council and offi- .cers of the State and city government, moved in procession to the old court house, where the adoption of the constitution was formally proclaimed amidst the booming of cannon and the ringing of bells.

On the 5th of November, 1788, Thomas Mifflin was elected President, and George Ross Vice President. The constitution of the State, framed in and adapted to the exigencies of an emergency, was ill suited to the needs of State

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114

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

in its relations to the new nation. Accordingly, a convention assembled for the purpose of preparing a new constitution in November, 1789, which was finally adopted on September 2, 1790. By the provisions of this instrument, the Executive Council was abolished, and the executive duties were vested in the hands of a Governor. Legislation was intrusted to an Assembly and a Senate. The judicial system was continued, the terms of the Judges extend- ing through good behavior.

CHAPTER XIII.

THOMAS MIFFLIN, 1788-99-THOMAS MCKEAN, 1799-1808-SIMON SNYDER, 1808-17 --- WILLIAM FINDLAY, 1817-20-JOSEPH HEISTER, 1820-23-JOHN A. SHULZE, 1823 -29-GEORGE WOLFE, 1829-35-JOSEPH RITNER, 1835-39.

YTHE first election under the new Constitution resulted in the choice of Thomas Mifflin, who was re-elected for three successive terms, giving him the distinction of having been longer in the executive chair than any other person, a period of eleven years. A system of internal improvements was now commenced, by which vast water communications were undertaken, and a moun- tain of debt was accumulated, a portion of which hangs over the State to this day. In 1793, the Bank of Pennsylvania was chartered, one-third of the cap- ital stock of which was subscribed for by the State. Branches were established at Lancaster, Harrisburg, Reading, Easton and Pittsburgh. The branches were discontinued in 1810; in 1843, the stock held by the State was sold, and in 1857, it ceased to exist. In 1793, the yellow fever visited Phila- delphia. It was deadly in its effects and produced a panic unparalleled. Gov. Mifflin, and Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the United States Treasury, were attacked. " Men of affluent fortunes, who gave daily employment and subsistence to hundreds, were abandoned to the care of a negro after their wives, children, friends, clerks and servants had fled away and left them to their fate. In some cases, at the commencement of the disorder, no money could procure proper attendance. Many of the poor perished without a hu- man being to hand them a drink of water, to administer medicines, or to per- form any charitable office for them. Nearly 5,000 perished by this wasting pestilence."

The whisky insurrection in some of the western counties of the State, which occurred in 1794, excited, by its lawlessness and wide extent, general interest. An act of Congress, of March 3, 1791, laid a tax on distilled spirits of four pence per gallon. The then counties of Washington, Westmoreland, Allegheny and Fayette, comprising the southwestern quarter of the State, were almost exclusively engaged in the production of grain. Being far re- moved from any market, the product of their farms brought them scarcely any returns. The consequence was that a large proportion of the surplus grain was turned into distilled spirits, and nearly every other farmer was a distiller. This tax was seen to bear heavily upon them, from which a non-producer of spirits was relieved. A rash determination was formed to resist its collection, and a belief entertained, if all were united in resisting, it would be taken off. Frequent altercations occurred between the persons appointed United States Collectors and these resisting citizens. As an example, on the 5th of Septem-

115

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

her, 1701. a party in disguise set upon Robert Johnson, a Collector for Alle- gheny and Washington, tarred and feathered him, eut off his hair, took away his horse, and left him in this plight to procoed. Writs for the arrest of the perpetrators were issued, but none dured to venture into the territory to serve Them. On May S, 1792, the law was modified, and the tax reduced. In Septem- ber, 1792, President Washington issued his proclamation commanding all per- sons to submit to the law, and to forbear from further opposition. But theso meas- ures had no effect, and the insurgents began to organize for forcible resist .. ance. One Maj. Macfarlane, who in command of a party of insurrectionists, was killed in an encounter with United States soldiers at the house of Gen. Neville. The feeling now ran very high, and it was hardly safe for any per- son to breathe a whisper against the insurgents throughout all this district. " A breath," says Brackenridge, "in favor of the law, was sufficient to ruin any man. A clergyman was not thought orthodox in the pulpit unless against the law. A physician was not capable of administering medicine, unless his principles were right in this respect. A lawyer could get no practice, nor a merchant at a country store get custom if for the law. On the contrary, to talk against the law was the way to office and emolument. To go to the Legislaturo or to Congress you must make a noise against it. It was the Shib. boleth of safety and the ladder of ambition " One Bradford had, of his own notion, issued a circular letter to the Colonels of regiments to assemble with their commands at Braddock's field on the 1st of August, where they appoint- ed officers and moved on to Pittsburgh. After having burned a barn, and made some noisy demonstrations, they were induced by some cool heads to re- turn. These turbulent proceedings coming to the ears of the State and Na- tional anthorities at Philadelphia, measures were concerted to promptly and effectually check thom. Gov. Mifflin appointed Chief Justice Mckean, and Gen. William Irvine to proceed to the disaffected district, ascertain the facts, and try to bring the leaders to justice. President Washington issued a proc- lamation commanding all persons in arms to disperse to their homes on or be fore the Ist of September, proximo, and called out the militia of four States - Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia-to the number of 13,000 men, to enforce his commands. The quota of Pennsylvania was 4,500 infan- tr., 500 cavalry, 200 artillery, and Gov. Mifflin took command in person. Gov. Richard Howell, of New Jersey, Gov. Thomas S. Lee. of Maryland, and Gen. Daniel Morgan, of Virginia, commanded the forces from their States, and Gov. Henry Lee, of Virginia, was placed in chief command. President Washington, accompanied by Gen. Knox, Secretary of War, Alexander Hamil- ton, Secretary of the Treasury, and Richard Peters, of the United States Dis- trict Court, set out on the Ist of October, for the seat of the disturbance. On Friday, the President reached Harrisburg, and on Saturday Carlisle, whither the army had preceded him. In the meantime a committee, consisting of James Ross, Jasper Yeates and William Bradford, was appointed by President Washington to proceed to the disaffected district, and endeavor to persuade misguided citizens to return to their allegiance.

A meeting of 260 delegates from the four counties was held at Parkinson's Ferry on the 14th of August, at which the state of their cause was considered, resolutions adopted, and a committee of sixty, one from each county, was ap- pointed, and a sub-committee of twelve was named to confer with the United States Commissioners, McKean and Irvino. These conferences with the State and National Committoes were successful in arranging preliminary conditions of settlement. On the 2d of October, the Committee of Safety of the insur- gents met at Parkinson's Ferry, and having now learned that a well-organized

116

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

army, with Washington at its head, was marching westward for enforcing obedience to the laws, appointed a committee of two, William Findley and David Reddick, to meet the President, and assure him that the disaffected were disposed to return to their duty. They met Washington at Carlisle, and sev- eral conferences were held, and assurances given of implicit obedience; but the President said that as the troops had been called out, the orders for the march would not be countermanded. The President proceeded forward on the 11th of October to Chambersburg, reached Williamsport on the 13th and Fort Cumberland on the 14th, where he reviewed the Virginia and Maryland forces, and arrived at Bedford on the 19th. Remaining a few days, and being satis- fied that the sentiment of the people had changed, he returned to Philadel- phia, arriving on the 28th, leaving Gen. Lee to meet the Commissioners and make such conditions of pacification as should seem just. Another meeting of the Committee of Safety was held at Parkinson's Ferry on the 24th, at which assurances of abandonment of opposition to the laws were received, and the same committee, with the addition of Thomas Morton and Ephriam Douglass, was directed to return to headquarters and give assurance of this disposition. They did not reach Bedford until after the departure of Washington. But at

Uniontown they met Gen. Lee, with whom it was agreed that the citizens of these four counties should subscribe to an oath to support the Constitution and obey the laws. Justices of the Peace issued notices that books were opened for subscribing to the oath, and Gen. Lee issued a judicious address urging ready obedience. Seeing that all requirments were being faithfully carried out, an order was issued on the 17th of November for the return of the army and its disbandment. A number of arrests were made and trials and convic- tions were had, but all were ultimately pardoned.

With the exception of a slight ebulition at the prospect of a war with France in 1797, and a resistance to the operation of the " Homestead Tax " in Lehigh, Berks and Northampton Counties, when the militia was called out, the re- mainder of the term of Gov. Mifflin passed in comparative quiet. By an act of the Legislature of the 3d of April, 1799, the capital of the State was re. moved to Lancaster, and soon after the capital of the United States to Wash- ington, the house on Ninth street, which had been built for the residence of the President of the United States, passing to the use of the University of Pennsyl- vania.

During the administrations of Thomas Mckean, who was elected Governor in 1799, and Simon Snyder in 1808, little beyond heated political contests marked the even tenor of the government, until the breaking-out of the troub. les which eventuated in the war of 1812. The blockade of the coast of France in 1806, and the retaliatory measures of Napoleon in his Berlin decree, swept American commerce, which had hitherto preserved a neutral attitude and prof- ited by European wars, from the seas. The haughty conduct of Great Britain in boarding American vessels for suspected deserters from the British Navy, under cover of which the grossest outrages were committed, American seaman being dragged from the decks of their vessels and impressed into the English service, induced President Jefferson, in July, 1807, to issue his proclamation ordering all British armed vessels to leave the waters of the United States, and forbidding any to enter, until satisfaction for the past and security for the future should be provided for. Upon the meeting of Congress in December. an embargo was laid, detaining all vessels, American and foreign, then in American waters, and ordering home all vessels abroad. Negotiations were conducted between the two countries, but no definite results were reached, and in the meantime causes of irritation multiplied until 1812, when President

117

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Madison declared war against Great Britain, known as the war of 1812. Penusylvanin promptly seconded the National Government, the message of Gov. Snyder on the occasion ringing like a silver clarion. The national call for 100,000 men required 14,000 from this State, but so great was the enthu- siasm, that several times this number tendered their services. The State force was organized in two divisions, to the command of the first of which Maj Gen. Isaac Morrell was appointed, and to the second Maj. Gen. Adamson Tan- nehill. Gunboats and privateers were built in the harbor of Erio and on the Delaware, and the defenses upon the latter were put in order and suitable armaments provided. At Tippecanoe, at Detroit, at Queenstown Heights, at the River Raisin, at Fort Stephenson, and at the River Thames, the war was waged with varying success. Upon the water, Commodores Decatur, Hull, Jones, Perry, Lawrence, Porter and McDonough made a bright chapter in American history, as was to be wished, inasmuch as the war had been under. taken to vindicate the honor and integrity of that branch of the service. Napo- leon, having met with disaster, and his power having been broken, 14,000 of Wellington's veterans were sent to Canada, and the campaign of the next year was opened with vigor. But at the battles of Oswego, Chippewa, Lundy's Lane, Fort Erie and Plattsburg, the tide was turned against the enemy, and the country saved from invasion. The act which created most alarm to Pennsylvania was one of vandalism scarcely matched in the annals of war- fare. In August, 1814, Gen. Ross, with 6,000 men in a flotilla of sixty sails, moved up Chesapeake Bay, fired the capitol, President's house and the various offices of cabinet ministers, and these costly and substantial buildings, the nation - al library and all the records of the Government from its foundation were utterly destroyed. Shortly afterward, Ross appeared before Baltimore with the design of multiplying his barbarisms, but he was met by a force hastily collected under Gen. Samuel Smith, a Pennsylvania veteran of the Revolution, and in the brief engagement which ensued Ross was killed. In the severe battle with the corps of Gen Stricker, the British lost some 300 men. The fleet in the mean- time opened a fierce bombardment of Fort McHenry, and during the day and ensuing night 1,500 bombshells were thrown, but all to no purpose, the gal- lant defense of Maj. Armistead proving successful. It was during this awful night that Maj. Key, who was a prisoner on board the fleet, wrote the song of the Star Spangled Banner, which became the national lyric. It was in the ad- ministration of Gov. Snyder in February, 1810, that an act was passed making Harrisburg the seat of government, and a commission raised for erecting public buildings, the sessions of the Legislature being held in the court house at Har- risburg from 1812 to IS21.

The administrations of William Findley, elected in 1817, Joseph Heister, in 1820, and John Andrew Schulz in 1823, followed without marked events. Parties became very warm in their discussions and in their management of po- litical campaigns. The charters for the forty banks which had been passed in a fit of frenzy over the veto of Gov. Snyder set a flood of paper money afloat. The public improvements, principally in opening lines of canal, were prose. cuted, and vast debts incurred. These lines of conveyances were vitally need- ful to move the immense products and vast resources of the State

Previous to the year 1820, little use was made of stone coal. Judge Obediah Gore, a blacksmith, used it upon his forge as early as 1769, and found the heat stronger and more enduring than that produced by charcoal. In 1791, Phillip Ginter, of Carbon County, a hunter by profession, having on one occasion been out all day without discovering any game, was returning at uight discouraged and worn out, across the Mauch Chunk Mountain, when, in

DIAGRAM SHOWING PROPORTIONATE ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF ANTHRACITE COAL IN PENNSYLVANIA SINCE 1820.

ONIWORMS

119

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TABLE SHOWING AMOUNT OF ANTHRACITE COAL PRODUCED IN EACH REGION SINCE 1820.

YEAR.

Lehigh, Tons.

Schuylkill Tonv.

Wyoming. Tons.

Lyken's Valley, Shamokin, etc., Tous.

Total Tons

1820

1,073

1821 ..

2,240

1,480

3,720

1823.

5,823

1,125

6,951

1824

9,541

1,567

11.108

1825.

28,393

6,500

34,893

1826.

31,280

16,767

63.434

1828.

30,232

17,281

7,000

112,083

1830.

41.750

89,934

43,000

174.734

1831.

40,966

81,854

84,000

363.871

1833.

123,001

252,971

111,777

487.749

1834

106,244

226,692

43,700

376,636

1835.

131.250

339,508

90,000

560,758

1~36 ..

148,211

432,045

103,861

684,117

1837

223,902

530,152

115,387

870,441

1×38.

213.615

446,475

78,207

738,697

1×39 ..

221.025

463.147

122,300

11,930

818,402

1840 ..

225,313

475,091

148,470

15,505

864.384

1411.

143,037

603,003

192,270

21,463

959,973

1812

272,540

573,273

252,599

10,000

1,108,414

1×13.

267.793

200,200

285,605

10,000

1,263.598

1844

377,002

874,850

365,911

13,087

1,630,850

18-15 ..

420,453

1,121,724

451,830

10,000

2,013,013

1416 ..

517.116

1,295,928

518,389

12,572

2,344,00

1847.

633,507

1,650,831

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Author: Publication date: Publisher: W. Taylor Number of Pages: 1280

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher: W. Taylor
Number of Pages: 1280