History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 38

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1314

USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 38

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On the 14th of August, according to appointment, the meeting of the delegates was opened at Parkin- son's Ferry. The proclamations of the President and , of Governor Mifflin had not been received. Neither the commissioners for the State nor those for the United States had made their appearance, but intel- ligence came during the progress of the meeting, that the two delegations were on their way from Philadel-

1 At the meeting of the inhabitants of Pittsburgh, held July 3Ist, it was resolved that whereas a general meeting of delegates from the town- ships of the country west of the mountains will be held at Parkinson's Ferry on the 14th of Angust next, therefore delegates shall be ap- pointed to that meeting, and that the 9th of August be appointed for a town-meeting to elect such delegates.

168

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

phia, an ] that two of the United States commissioners had just arrived at Greensburg. 1

The first ceremony performed at Parkinson's was the erecting of a tall "liberty-pole," and the hoisting of a flag bearing the inscription, "Equal Taxation and no Excise .- No Asylum. for Traitors and Cowards." Two hundred and twenty-six delegates were preseat from townships in Fayette, Westmoreland, Allegheny, Washington, and that part of Bedford lying west of the Allegheny Mountains, with a few from Ohio County, Va. The meeting was organized by the appointment of Col. Edward Cook and the Hon. Albert Gallatin, both of Fayette County, respectively as chairman and secretary. It soon became apparent that a reaction had commenced, and that the tide of opinion had, with a number of the leaders, begun to set against the adoption of violent measures. It was claimed for some of those who at this meeting developed a strong opposition to the plans of Bradford and other ex- tremists, that their course was prompted by the same desire which had at first induced them to range them- selves among the disaffected,-that of appearing to as- sume leadership for the purpose of curbing the law- less element and diverting its energies from the track leading to open violence and rebellion. But there is little doubt that their action at this time was in no small degree due to their late realization of the fact that the United States government had resolved to put down lawlessness at whatever cost, that it would exert all its powers, if necessary, to enforce obedience, and that as against that power the cause of the insur- rectionists was hopeless.

A series of strong resolutions was intro.lnced by Col. James Marshal, of Washington, and supported in an iute.nperate speech by Bradford, who was re- plied to in opposition by Albert Gallatin, Judge Brackenridge, Judge Edgar, of Washington, and others. The resolutions were finally adopted, but in a greatly modified form. The second of the series provided for the appointment of a standing committee, to consist of one member from each township, charged with various duties, among which was the drafting of a remonstrance to Congress, praying for a repeal of the excise law. They were also "to have power to tion of the people or of the deputies here convened, for the purpose of taking such further measures as the future situation of affairs may require; and in case of any sudden emergency, to take such tempo-

rary measures as they may think necessary." The closing resolution was to this effect, "That a com- mittee, to consist of three members from each county, be appointed to meet any commissioners that have been or may be appointed by the government, and report the result of this conference to the standing committee." The standing committee (consisting of sixty persons) met, and appointed the committee to meet the commissioners of the United States and those of Pennsylvania, as provided by the final reso- lution. This committee of conference was composed as follows :

For Fayette County : Albert Gallatin, Edward Cook, and James Lang.

For Westmoreland County : John Kirkpatrick, George Smith, and John Powers.

For Allegheny County : Hugh H. Brackenridge, Thomas Moreton, and John B. C. Lucas.

For Washington County : David Bradford, James. Marshal, and James Edgar.

For Bedford County : Herman Husbands.

For Ohio County, Va., William Satherland.

The Committee of Sixty, after having appointed and instructed the committee of conference, adjourned to meet at Redstone Oid Fort (Brownsville) on the 2d of September.

The commissioners for the State arrived at Pitts- burgh on the 17th of August, and those appointed by the President came immediately afterwards. On the 20th the two bodies met the committee of conference which was appointed at Parkinson's Ferry. At this meeting preliminary proceedings were taken, which resulted in propositions by both bodies of commis- sioners, who declared explicitly that the exercise ol the powers vested in them to suspend prosecutions and to promise a general amnesty and pardon for past offenses, " must be preceded by full and satisfactory assurances of a sincere determination in the people to obey the laws of the United States." The member: of the committee who took the most prominent par; in the proceedings were Gallatin and Cook, of Fay. ette; Bradford and Marshal, of Washington; and Brackenridge, of Allegheny County. All these, with the exception of Bradford, were in favor of acceding was found to be the sense of the committee ; but they had no power to act, further than to report the resul of the conference to the standing Committee of Sixty That committee liad adjourned to meet at Redstone Ok Fort on the 2d of September, as before mentioned, bu upon the conclusion of the conference with the commis sioners at Pittsburgh the time of their meeting wa changed and made five days earlier," though this chang

call together a meeting, either of a new representa- . to the propositions of the commissioners, and this

1 In a letter written by William Findley to Seretury Dillas, dated Aug. 21, 1794, he mentions that he was p e-ent at the meeting at Park- inson's, and says, " Messrs. Yates and Bradford enie to Greensburg the morning of the meeting, and wrote by express to me of their pacific in- tentions and authority, which being communicated to the meeting had a salutary effect, and n committee of discreet men were appointed to confer with the commissioners at Pittsburgh, but unfortunately the news- papers came next morning with the President's proclamation and the ouders for an armed force as a substitute for judicial proceeding. ; this irritated and inflourd those even who had been formerly moderate and regular, and greatly increased the difficulty of accom modation.'

" Following are extracts from a communication addressed by the con mittee of conference to the United States commissioners :

"PITTSBURGH, Ang. 22, 1794.

"GENTLEMEN,-Having in our conference at considerable length state to yon the gronuds of that discontent which exists in the minds of the people of this country, and which has lately shown itself in acts of of position to the excise law, you will cous'der us as waiving any questio

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THIE WHISKEY INSURRECTION.

of time gave great offense to Bradford and other ex- tremists. The change of time was made in deference to one of the conditions imposed by the commissioners, viz. : " It is expected and required by the said com- missioners that the citizens composing the said stand- ing committee do, on or before the first day of September next, explicitly declare their determination to submit to the laws of the United States, and that they will not, directly or indirectly, oppose the execution of the acts for raising a revenne on distilled spirits and stills."

Accordingly, on the 28th of August, the standing committee (the committee of sixty) met at Browns- ville, to receive and act upon the report of the com- mittee of conference. Of the sixty members of the committee, fifty-seven were in attendance, of whom twenty-three were from Washington County. Judge Alexander Addison said1 " that the minds of all men appeared to be strongly impressed with a sense of the critical situation of the country, and the minds of al- most all with a fear of opposing the current of the popular opinion," and that "these impressions were greatly increased by the appearance of a body of armed men assembled there from Muddy Creek, in

of the constitutional power of the President to call upon the force of the Union to suppress them. It is our object, as it is yours, to compose the disturbance. . . . We have already stated to you in conference that we are empowered te give you no definite answer with regard to the sense of the people on the great question of acceding to the law, but that in our opini m it is the interest of the country to accede, and that we shall make this rep ut to the committee to whom we are to report, and state to them the reasons of our opinion, that so far as they have weight they may be regarded by them. It will be our endeavor to con- ciliate not only them, but the public mind in general to our views on this sul ject. We hope to be assisterl by you in giving all that extent and precision, clearness and certainty to your propositions that may be necessary to satisfy the understandings and engage the acquiescence of the people. . . . As we are disposed, with you, to have the sense of the people taken on the subject of our conference as spredily as may be, with that view we have resolved to call the committee to whom uur re- proit is to be made at an earlier day than had been appointed. to wit, on Thursday, the 28th instant, but have not thought ourselves authorized in changing the place at Redstone Oll Fint, on the Monongahela.

" By under of the Committee,

"EDWARD COOK, Chairman."

-Papers Relating to the Whiskey Insurrection ; Pennsylvania Archives, 2d Series, vol. iv. pp. 190, 191.

Less conciliatory but more curious was the reply of the Ohio County (Va ) comunittee to the United States commissioners, viz. :

" PITTSBURGH, Ang. 23. 1794.

"GENTE .- Having Concidered your Letter of this Deate since the Departur of the speachel Comatie delegated from Westmoreland, Wash- ington, Featt & Aleganie countis, in Pensilvenea, & Considering our Selves a Ju-tifyalle repsentation of those inhaltents of Ohio County ly whome we were Deligated, & a part of that speachell Comitie to whom your proposals wear mead and Accepted yesterday, and the day posting and telying on the faith all'dy pledged by you atul Acepted by the Speachell Comatee, we d'elin entering any further on this Bussens, un- tell we Consult our Constaitnents & the Cometee of Safety.

" We are, Gentl., will esteem,

" Your most Obed. Humble Serv't, " ROBERT STEPHENSON. "WILLIAM SUUNTERLAND, " Wa. MCKINLEY."

-Ibid., p. 203.

1 Ju a deposition before Richard Peters, judge of the United States District Court .- See Pennsylvania Archives, 20 Series, vol. iv. p. 300.

Washington County, to punish Samuel Jackson " as an enemy to what they called their cause."

The business of the meeting was opened by the submission of the conference committee's report and a speech upon it by Mr. Gallatin, who urged the adoption of a resolution in acceptance of the terms offered by the commissioners, and set forth the dan- ger of using force in resistance to the law, the im- possibility of these western counties contending suc- cessfully against the force of the United States, and the evident necessity of submission. "Mr. Gallatin, although a foreigner who could with difficulty make himself understood in English, yet presented with great force the folly of past resistance, and the ruin- ous consequences to the country of the continuance of the insurrection. He urged that the government was bound to vindicate the laws, and that it would surely send an overwhelming force against them. He placed the subject in a new light, and showed the insurrection to be a much more serious affair than it had before appeared."3 Mr. Brackenridge followed Gallatin in an argument to the same end, though urged in a different manner. Then Col. Bradford delivered a speech in opposition to the various argu- ments of Gallatin and Brackenridge, alluding to the revolutions in America and in France as models for imitation, and as inducements to hope for the success of these counties against the government, which he said was rendered reasonably certain on account of their peculiar situation, as separated from the eastern country by almost insurmountable natural barriers. His whole speech was manifestly intended to keep up the opposition to government, and to prevent the adoption of the resolutions proposed by Mr. Gallatin.

The leaders, with the exception of Bradford and a few others of less prominence, had fully made up their minds to abandon the wreck of the insurrection, but the followers had apparently at that time little thought of submission, and were as violent and determined an

" Samuel Jackson was a Quaker of great restwertability, a mian of some wealth, and in part owner of a paper-mill on Redstone Creek. He was conscientiously opposed to the use mun manufacture of whiskey, and naturally sided ng inst the insurgents. This cansed them to regard him as a foe, and the enmity was ine rased by a remark which he had made concerning the meeting at Parkinson's Ferry, calling it a " sernh con- gress " It was for this uffeuse that the Muddy Creek men now vis ted him, took him jnisoner, marched him to Brownsville, and arraigned him before the Committee at Sixty. Violence nught and probably would have been done him but for the interposition of Judge Brackenrulge, a member of the committee, but an acquaintance and prisonal friend of Mr. Jackson. On the appearance of the latter the judge took the mitter into his own hands. He addres-ed the meeting saying that Simurl was certainly very culpable for having applied so disrespectful an epithet to such an august and legitimate assemblage of the sovereign people, but that it was probably from lack of thought and reffe tion more than from sinister des gn, and that on this account the proper punishment to apply to him would be to pay him in his own co'n ly stigmatizing him as 4 " sernh-Quaker." The effect was just what the judge had intended. Tom the Tinker's boys yelled with delight, and after alinun hing the serule- Quaker to be more careful of his language in the future, allowed him to depart with no other maltreatment that the jeers of the Muddy Creckers and their compatriots.

3 Juilge Wilkeson.

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

opposition as ever, and so strong an influence did this exert, even on the leaders who knew that the cause was hopeless, that they dared not openly and fully avow their sentiments and place themselves on record. "Such was the fear of the popular frenzy that it was with difficulty that a vote could be had at this meet- ing. No one would vote by standing up. None would write a yea or nay, lest his handwriting should be recognized. At last it was determined that yea and nay should be written by the secretary on the same pieces of paper, and be distributed, leaving each member to chew up or destroy one of the words while he put the other in the box," thus giving each mem- ber an opportunity of concealing his opinion, and of sheltering himself from the resentment of those from whom violence was to be apprehended, or whom he wished to avoid offending. In this way a balloting was had, and in the adoption of the resolutions by a vote of thirty-four to twenty-five. When this vote was declared, so strongly in opposition to his views, Col. Bradford withdrew from the meeting in anger and disgust.

It was by the meeting "Resolved, That in the opinion of this Committee it is the interest of the people of this Country to accede to the proposals made by the Commissioners on the part of the United States. Resolved, that a Copy of the foregoing reso- lution be transmitted to the said Commissioners."

But instead of giving the assurances required by the commissioners, the Committee of Sixty showed a disposition to temporize, and in the hope of obtaining better terms they further "Resolved, That a Com- mittee be appointed 1 to confer with the Commission- ers on the part of the United States and of the State of Pennsylvania, with instructions to the said Com- mittee to try to obtain from the said Commissioners such further modification in their proposals as they think will render them more agreeable to the people at large, and also to represent the necessity of grant- ing further time to the people before their final deter- mination is required . . . That the said Committee shall publish and communicate throughout the sev- eral counties the day at which the sense of the people is expected to be taken. That on the day thus pub- lished the following question be submitted to the citi- zens duly qualified to vote, according to the election law of the State, of the Counties of Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette, Allegheny, and that part of Bedford which lies west of the Allegheny mountains, in Pennsylvania, and of Ohio County, Virginia,- Will the people submit to the laws of the United States

1 The following letter from the chairman of the meeting was addressed to the United States committee :

" BROWNSVILLE, 20th August, 1794.

"GENTLEMEN,-Difficulties having arisen with us, we have thought it necessary to appoint a committee to confer with you in order to procure, if possible, some farther time, in order that the people may have leisure to reflect upon their true situation.

" I am, Gentlemen, your most obt. Humble Servt,

" EDWARD COOK."

upon the terms proposed by the Commissioners of the United States:"

The persons appointed to form the committee under these resolutions were John Probst, Robert Dickey, John Nesbitt, Herman Husband, John Corbly, John Marshal, David Phillips, John Heaton, John McClel- land, William Ewing, George Wallace, Samuel Wil- son, and Richard Brown.

The meeting continued in session at Brownsville for two days, and adjourned on the 29th of August. It was the last meeting of the kind held during the insurrection, and virtually marked its close, as the meeting held at the same place three years before (July 27, 1791) had marked its opening, that being the first public meeting held in opposition to the ex- cise law. Thus it may be said that the famous insur- rection was born and died at Redstone Old Fort, in Fayette County.

The committee appointed at the Brownsville meet- ing met the commissioners of the United States and those of Pennsylvania in conference at Pittsburgh on the 1st of September, at which meeting "it was agreed that the assurances required from the citizens of the Fourth Survey of Pennsylvania [the four west- ern counties] should be given in writing, and their sense ascertained in the following manner :

"That the citizens of the said survey (Allegheny County excepted2) of the age of eighteen years and upwards, be required to assemble on Thursday, the 11th instant, in their respective townships, at the usual place for holding township meetings, and that between the hours of twelve and seven, in the after- noon of the same -day, any two or more of the mem- bers of the meeting who assembled at Parkinson's Ferry on the 14th ultimo, resident in the township, or a justice of the peace of said township, do openly propose to the people assembled the following ques- tions : Do you now engage to submit to the laws of the United States, and that you will not hereafter, directly or indirectly, oppose the execution of the acts for raising the revenue upon distilled spirits and stills ? And do you also undertake to support, as far as the laws require, the civil authority in affording the protection due to all officers and other citizens? Yea or nay? ... . That a minute of the number of yeas and nays be made immediately after ascertaining the same. That a written or printed declaration of such engagement be signed by all those who vote in the affirmative, of the following tenor, to wit : 'I do solemnly promise henceforth to submit to the laws of the United States; that I will not, directly or indi- rectly, oppose the execution of the acts for raising a revenue on distilled spirits and stills; and that I will support, so far as the law requires, the civil authority in affording the protection due to all officers and other

" The citizens of Allegheny County were required to "mert in their respective election districts on the said day, in the same manner as if they were as em' led in townships."

1:1

TIIE WIIISKEY INSURRECTION.

citizens.' This shall be signed in the presence of the said members or justices of the peace, attested by him or them, and lodged in his or their hands.

"That the said persons so proposing the questions stated as aforesaid do assemble at the respective county court-houses on the 13th inst., and do ascer- tain and make report of the numbers of those who voted in the affirmative in the respective townships or districts, and of the number of those who voted in the negative, together with their opinion whether there be such a general submission of the people in their respective counties that an office of inspection may be immediately and safely established therein ; that the said report, opinion, and written or printed declarations be transmitted to the commissioners or any one of them at Uniontown on or before the 16th instant."

On the part of the United States, the commissioners agreed that if the assurances should be given in good faith, as prescribed, no prosecution for treason or any other indictable offense against the United States com- mitted in this survey before the 22d of August, 1794, should be commeneed before the 10th of July, 1795, against any person who should, within the time Jim- ited, subscribe such assurance and engagement, and perform the same, and that on the 10th of July, 1795, there should be granted " a general pardon and ob- livion of all the said offenses ;" but excluding there- from every person refusing or neglecting to subscribe the assurances and engagement, or who having so sub- scribed, should violate the same, or wilfully obstruct the execution of the excise laws. On behalf of the State of Pennsylvania, the commissioners, McKean and Irvine, promised that if the proposed assurances should be given and performed until July 10, 1795, there should then be granted (so far as the State was concerned) "an act of free and general pardon and oblivion of all treasons, insurrections, arsons, riots, and other offenses inferior to riots committed, counseled, or suffered by any person or persons within the four western counties of Pennsylvania" subsequent to the 14th of July, 1794, but excluding from its operation every person refusing or neglecting to subscribe to such agreement, or violating it after subscribing.

The Pennsylvania commissioners left Pittsburgh on the 3d of September, and Messrs. Yeates and Brad- ford, United States commissioners, proceeded cast soon afterwards. Both bodies were requested by the Governor and the President respectively to remain until after the announcement of the result of the popular vote;1 but for some reason they did not comply, and only James Ross remained to carry the signatures to Philadelphia.

On the day appointed, September 11th, elections were held in (nearly) all the townships or election distriets of the four counties. The result in Fayette was announced as follows :

" UNIONTOWN, September 16, 1794.

"We, the subscribers, having, according to resolu- tions of the committee of townships for the county of Fayette, acted as judges on the 11th instant at the meetings of the people of said county, respectively convened at the places in the first, second, and third election districts where the general elections are usually held (no judge or member of the committee attending from the fourth and last district, which consists of the townships of Tyrone and Bullskin), do hereby certify that five hundred and sixty of the people thus convened on the day aforesaid did then and there declare their determination to submit to the laws of the United States in the manner expressed by the commissioners on the part of the Union in their letter dated the 22d day of August last ; the total number of those who attended on that occasion being only seven hundred and twenty-one,-that is to say, something less than one-third of the number of citi- zens of the said three districts. And we do further certify that from our previous knowledge of the disposition of the general body of the people, and from the anxiety since discovered by many (who either from not having had notice, or from not hiv- ing understood the importance of the question, did not attend) to give similar assurances of submis- sion, we are of opinion that the great majority of those citizens who did not attend are disposed to be- have peaceably and with due submission to the laws.

" ALBERT GALLATIN. JOHN JACKSON.

" WILLIAM ROBERTS. ANDREW RABB.

" JAMES WHITE. THOMAS PATTERSON.

" GEORGE DIEUTH [ DEARTH ?]."

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 38

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1314

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1314