History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 76

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 76

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The result of the elections and the apparent con- tinuance of the rebellious sentiment among the great majority of the people was regarded as extremely un- satisfactory by both the commissioners of the United States and those of Pennsylvania; and that this was especially the case with reference to the county of Washington2 is apparent in a report made by the

2 No return of the election in Washington County was made in regular form to the commissioners. The report made and signed by David Brad- ford and twenty-seven others, superintendents of the elections, was as follows:

"We, the subscribers, members of the committee who met at Parkin- son's Ferry on the 14th August last, and justices of the peace of the different townships in Washington County, met this 13th day of Sep- tember, 1794, do find ourselves under great embarrassments to express our sentiments and opinions whether there be such a general submis- sion of the people as that an office of inspection may be immediately and safely established in the county; yet we are free to declare that no opposition shall arise from us, the undersigned, to the excise law, or to any officers appointed under it; and we believe and are of opinion that a large majority of the inhabitants of the respective townships in this county will acquiesce and submit to the said law, under a hope and firm belief that the Congress of the United States will repeal said law. Given under our hands at Washington Court-House the 13th of September, 1794."

This return was forwarded to James Ross at Uniontown, but was re- garded unfavorably by the commissioners, as being evasive and indirect, not stating the number of yeas and nays on the question of submission, "declining giving any opinion whether there is such a general submis- sion that an office of inspection may be established therein," and merely expressing the belief that a large majority of the people would submit in the expectation of a repeal of the law. Very naturally the commis- sioners regarded this as being far from satisfactory evidence of a general submission in Washington County.

1 See Pa. Archives, 2d Series, vol. iv. pp. 260, 261.

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THE WHISKEY INSURRECTION.

Pennsylvania commissioners, in which they said, "From our best conjecture, the people of Washing- ton, if governed by what appears to be the majority, will prefer a civil war to a submission to the excise laws, so infatuated and frantic are their leaders in opposition ; a great majority, however, of the other three counties are friends to peace and order." The last part of this opinion, however, was not indorsed by the United States commissioners with regard to at least one other county of the survey. In their report to the President1 they said, "The county of Fayette rejected the mode of ascertaining the sense of the people which had been settled between the under- signed and the last committee of conference at Pitts- burgh (September 1st). The standing committee of that county directed those qualified by the laws of the State2 for voting at elections to assemble in their elec- tion districts and vote by ballot whether they would accede to the proposals made by the commissioners of the United States on the 22d of August or not. The superintendents of these election districts report that five hundred and sixty of the people thus con- vened had voted for submission, and that one hun- dred and sixty-one had voted against it; that no judge or member of their committee had attended from the Fourth District of the county to report the state of the votes there. . . . But it is proper to men- tion that credible and certain information has been received that in the Fourth District of that county (composed of the townships of Tyrone and Bullskin), of which the standing committee have given no ac- count, six-sevenths of those who voted were for re- sistance. . .. The written assurances of submission which have been received by the commissioners are not numerous, nor were they given by all those who expressed a willingness to obey the laws. In Fay- ette County, a different plan being pursued, no written assurances were given in the manner required."

The leaders of the insurrection were seriously alarmed by the result of the elections, for they fore- saw the consequences that were certain to follow. Their deluded followers too now seemed to realize for the first time the danger that impended.8 Immedi- ately after the result became known, the township committees in the several counties (the same who had composed the great meeting of the 14th of

August) became active, and appointed meetings to be held at the county-seats for the purpose of ex- pressing assurances to the government that resistance to the laws was ended, and the desire for submission general. Such a meeting, composed of the township delegates, but also attended by a great multitude of the people of Washington County, was held at the town of Washington on the 27th of September. At this meeting resolutions were passed declaring the firm belief that if the submission was not universal, it was largely owing to the lack of time and informa- tion necessary to bring about that result, as well as to the fact that a large proportion of the people, con- scious of having taken no part in any outrage or breaking of the laws, might and probably did regard the signing of a declaration of submission as imply- ing a sense of guilt which they did not entertain. And finally it was "Resolved that a meeting of the delegates of the townships, who met at Parkinson's Ferry on the 14th of August, be called to convene at the same place on Thursday next, the 2d of October, to take the above into consideration. And as it is of great moment, the delegates are requested to be punc- tual in their attendance at an early hour that day." The above proceedings and notice were published in an extra issue of the Pittsburgh Gazette, and circu- lated by express-riders through the four counties.

A similar meeting of township delegates had been held at the county-seat of Fayette on the 17th of the same month. Speakers at that meeting had whiningly asserted that "whatever heat existed in this county was chiefly owing to what had passed in the neighboring counties," and resolutions were passed recommending township associations in the four counties for the purpose of promoting submis- sion to the law, and reciting in their preamble that "It is necessary to shew our fellow-citizens through- out the United States that the character of the in- habitants of the western country is not such as may have been represented to them, but that on the con- trary they are disposed to live in a peaceable manner, and can preserve good order among themselves with- out the assistance of a military force." Evidently the opponents of the law had at last begun to realize that successful resistance to the government was hopeless, and that voluntary submission was better than that enforced by infantry, cavalry, and artillery. But the knowledge came too late to prevent the ex- ercise, or at least the menace of the military power. Upon a full knowledge of the result of the meetings held on the 11th of September in the townships and election districts of the disaffected counties, the United States commissioners reported to the Presi- dent, narrating the events connected with their mis- sion, and concluded by saying that although they firmly believed that a considerable majority of the inhabitants of the four counties were disposed to submit to the execution of the laws, "at the same 1 time they [the commissioners] conceive it their duty

1 Papers Relating to the Whiskey Insurrection ; Pa. Archives, Series 2, vol. iv. pp. 257, 258.

" The agreement of the committee with the commissioners was, not that qualified voters by the law of Pennsylvania alone should vote on the proposition, but that the question should be submitted to " the citizens of the said survey of the age of eighteen years und upwards."

8 " It was but a few days (in some places the very next day) after signing that many who had been most riotous on the day of signing came, some of them in tears, begging permission to sign. In some places their signing was received with certification that it would not be admitted as a claim for amnesty ; in other places they were refused the privilege altogether. When they reflected they saw that they were deserted by those on whom they had depended, and who perhaps had advised them, or by their example encouraged them to mischief." -- Findley.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

explicitly to declare their opinion that such is the state of things in that survey that there is no proba- bility that the act for raising a revenue on distilled spirits and stills can at present be enforced by the usual course of civil authority, and that some more competent force is necessary to cause the laws to be duly executed, and to insure the officers and well- disposed citizens that protection which it is the duty of the government to afford. This opinion is founded on the facts already stated [the accounts of the un- satisfactory result of the township and district meet- ings], and it is confirmed by that which is enter- tained by many intelligent and influential persons, officers of justice and others, resident in the western counties, who have lately informed one of the com- missioners that whatever assurances might be given, it was in their judgment absolutely necessary that in order to secure a due execution of the laws."

the civil authority should be aided by a military force , about thirteen thousand men, in four divisions, one

The commissioners' report upon the situation of affairs in the western counties caused the President to decide, unhesitatingly, to use the military power, and to extinguish the last vestige of insurrection at whatever cost. In taking this course he had (as he afterwards said to a committee from these counties) two great objects in view : first, to show, not only to the inhabitants of the western country, but to the entire Union and to foreign nations, that a republican gov- ernment could and would exert its physical power to enforce the execution of the laws where opposed, and also that American citizens were ready to make every sacrifice and encounter every difficulty and danger for the sake of supporting that fundamental principle of government; and, second, to effect a full and com- plete restoration of order and submission to the laws in the insurrectionary district. In pursuance of this determination the forces were promptly put in motion, and on the 25th of September the President issued a proclamation, which, after a preamble, setting forth that the measures taken by government to suppress the lawless combinations in the western counties had failed to have full effect; that " the moment is now come where the overtures of forgiveness, with no' other condition than a submission to law, have been only partially accepted ; when every form of concilia- tion not inconsistent with the well-being of govern- ment has been adopted without effect," proceeds,-

" Now, therefore, I, George Washington, President of the United States, in obedience to that high and irresistible duty consigned to me by the Constitution, ' to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,' de- ploring that the American name should be sullied by the outrages of citizens on their own government, commiserating such as remain obstinate from delu- sion, but resolved, in perfect reliance on that gracious Providence which so signally displays its goodness towards this country, to reduce the refractory to a due subordination to the law ; Do hereby declare and make known that, with a satisfaction which can be

equaled only by the merits of the militia summoned into service from the States of New Jersey, Pennsyl- vania, Maryland, and Virginia, I have received in- telligence of their patriotic alacrity in obeying the call of the present though painful yet commanding necessity ; that a force which, according to every rea- sonable expectation, is adequate to the exigency is already in motion to the scene of disaffection; that those who have confided or shall confide in the pro- tection of government shall meet full succor under the standard and from the arms of the United States ; that those who, having offended against the laws, have since entitled themselves to indemnity, will be treated with the most liberal good faith, if they shall not have forfeited their claim by any subsequent con- duct, and that instructions are given accordingly. . . . "

The forces called out for the exigency amounted to

division from each of the States of Virginia, Mary- land, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, as before men- tioned. The Virginia and Maryland troops (com- manded respectively by Gen. Daniel Morgan, of the former State, and Brig .- Gen. Samuel Smith, of Bal- timore) formed the left wing, which rendezvoused at Cumberland, Md. The right wing (which was ren- dezvoused at Carlisle, Pa.) was composed of the Penn- sylvania troops, commanded by Maj .- Gen. William Irvine (and accompanied by Governor Mifflin), and those of New Jersey, under Governor Richard Howell, of that State. The commander-in-chief of the whole army was Gen. Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia, the "Light-Horse Harry" of Revolutionary fame, and father of Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Confederate commander in the war of 1861-65.

In his instructions from the President, the com- mander-in-chief was directed to " proceed as speedily as may be with the army under your command into the insurgent counties, to attack and as far as shall be in your power to subdue all persons whom you may find in arms in opposition to the laws. You will march your army in two columns from the places where they are now assembled, by the most convenient routes, having regard to the nature of the roads, the convenience of supply, and the facility of co-opera- tion and union, and bearing in mind that you ought to act, until the contrary shall be fully developed, on the general principle of having to contend with the whole force of the counties of Fayette, Westmoreland, Washington, and Allegheny, and of that part of Bed- ford which lies westward of the town of Bedford, and that you are to put as little as possible to hazard. The approximation, therefore, of your columns is to be sought, and the subdivision of them so as to place the parts out of mutual supporting distance to be avoided as far as local circumstances will permit. Parkinson's Ferry appears to be a proper point towards which to direct the march of the columns for the purpose of ulterior measures.

" When arrived within the insurgent country, if an

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armed opposition appear, it may be proper to publish a proclamation inviting all good citizens, friends to the constitution and laws, to join the standard of the United States. If no armed opposition exist it may still be proper to publish a proclamation exhorting to a peaceful and dutiful demeanor, and giving assu- rances of performing with good faith and liberality whatsoever may have been promised by the commis- sioners to those who have complied with the condi- tions prescribed by them, and who have not forfeited their title by subsequent misdemeanor. Of those persons in arms, if any, whom you may make prisoners, leaders, including all persons in command, are to be delivered to the civil magistrates, the rest to be dis- armed, admonished, and sent home (except such as may have been particularly violent and also influen- tial), causing their own recognizances for their good behaviour to be taken in the cases which it may be deemed expedient. . . . When the insurrection is subdued, and the requisite means have been put in execution to secure obedience to the laws, so as to render it proper for the army to retire (an event which you will accelerate as much as shall be consistent with the object), you will endeavor to make an arrangement for attaching such a force as you may deem adequate, to be stationed within the disaffected counties in such a manner as best to afford protection to well-disposed citizens and the officers of the revenue, and to sup- press, by their presence, the spirit of riot and opposi- tion to the laws. But before you withdraw the army you shall promise, on behalf of the President, a gen- eral pardon to all such as shall not have been arrested, with such exceptions as you shall deem proper. . . . You are to exert yourself by all possible means to preserve discipline among the troops, particularly a scrupulous regard to the rights of persons and prop- erty, and a respect for the authority of the civil mag- istrates, taking especial care to inculcate and cause to be observed this principle,-that the duties of the army are confined to attacking and subduing of armed opponents of the laws, and to the supporting and aid- ing of the civil officers in the execution of their func-, tions.

" It has been settled that the Governor of Pennsyl- vania will be second, and the Governor of New Jersey third in command, and that the troops of the several States in line on the march and upon detachment are to be posted according to the rule which prevailed in the army during the late war, namely, in moving towards the seaboard the most southern troops will take the right, in moving towards the north the most northern troops will take the right. . . . "

In addition to his military duties as commanding officer of the expeditionary forces, Gen. Lee was also . charged to give countenance and support to the civil officers in the execution of the law, in bringing offenders to justice, and enforcing penalties on delin- quent distillers, and "the better to effect these pur- poses" the judge of the United States District Court,

Richard Peters, Esq., and the attorney of the district, William Rawle, Esq., accompanied the army.

President Washington, with Gen. Henry Knox, Secretary of War, and Gen. Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, left Philadelphia on the 1st of October, and proceeded by way of Harrisburg to the headquarters of the right wing of the army at Carlisle. From that place on the 11th he went to Chambersburg, and thence by way of Williamsport to Fort Cumberland, where he arrived on the 14th, and where he reviewed the Maryland and Virginia troops, composing the left wing ; after which he pro- ceeded to Bedford, Pa. (which was then Gen. Lee's headquarters), reaching it on the 19th, and remaining there two or three days, then returning east, and ar- riving at Philadelphia on the 28th.

In the mean time the meeting of delegates (which had been called by the Washington meeting of the 27th of September, as before noticed) was held at Parkinson's Ferry on the 2d of October, Judge Alexan- der Addison being made secretary.1 At this meeting William Findley, of Westmoreland, and David Redick, of Washington County, were appointed a committee to wait on the President of the United States and to assure him that submission and order could be re- stored without the aid of military force. They found the President on the 10th of October at Carlisle, where he had come to review the troops of the right wing of the army, as before mentioned. They there had sev- eral interviews with him, in which they informed him of the great change that had taken place; "that the great body of the people who had no concern in the disorders but remained quietly at home and attended to their business had become convinced that the vio- lence used would ruin the country ; that they had formed themselves into associations to suppress dis- order, and to promote submission to the laws." In reply to this the President said that as the army was already on its way to the western counties the orders could not be countermanded, yet he assured the dele- gates that no violence would be used, and that all that was desired was to have the inhabitants of the disaffected region come back to their allegiance.

This reply was final; and ended the mission of the committee. They returned and made their report at another meeting, which was held at Parkinson's on the 24th of October, and of which Judge James Ed- gar was chairman and Albert Gallatin secretary. At this meeting of the committees of townships of the four western counties of Pennsylvania and of sundry other citizens" it was resolved, "First,-That in our opinion the civil authority is now fully competent to enforce the laws and punish both past and future

1 " Bradford and Marshel attended the meeting; but how changed from what they were in the same body less than one month before! The former, particularly, was much crestfallen, and had become the most humble in sueing for peace. He denied that he had deserted the cause; it was the people who had deserted him."-Findley.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

offenses, inasmuch as the people at large are deter- mined to support every description of civil officers in the legal discharge of their duty.

"Second,-That in our opinion all persons who may be charged or suspected of having committed any offense against the United States or the State during the late disturbances, and who have not entitled themselves to the benefits of the act of oblivion, ought immediately to surrender themselves to the civil authority, in order to stand their trial ; that if there be any such persons among us they are ready to surrender themselves to the civil , authority accord- ingly, and that we will unite in giving our assistance to bring to justice such offenders as shall not sur- render.

"Third,-That in our opinion offices of inspection may be immediately opened in the respective coun- ties of this survey, without any danger of violence being offered to any of the officers, and that the dis- tillers are willing and ready to enter their stills.

" Fourth,-That William Findley, David Redick, Ephraim Douglass, and Thomas Morton do wait on the President with the foregoing resolutions." 1

The four committee-men appointed by the meeting to carry the renewed assurances to the President met at Greensburg preparatory to setting out on their mission, but at that place they received intelligence that the President had already left Bedford for Phila- delphia, and that the army was moving towards the Monongahela, and thereupon they decided to await the arrival of the forces, and to report the action of the meeting to the commander-in-chief, as the Presi- dent's representative.

There was no delay in the movement of the army. The New Jersey and Pennsylvania troops, composing the right wing, marched from Carlisle on the 22d of October, and proceeded by way of Bedford, across that county and Somerset, to what is now Mount Pleasant, in Westmoreland, at which place the advance brigade arrived and encamped on the 29th. The centre corps (of this wing) encamped on the farm of Col. Bonnett, in Westmoreland, near the line of Fayette County, and the rear went into camp at Lobengier's Mills on the 30th. At these places they remained encamped about one week. Following is an extract from a let- ter2 written from the rear brigade, dated Jones' Mill (in Westmoreland County), Oct. 29, 1784: "I am

distressed at the ridiculous accounts sometimes pub- lished in our papers. I assure you that there has not been a single shot fired at our troops to my knowl- edge. The whole country trembles. The most tur- bulent characters, as we advance, turn out to assist us, supply forage, cattle, etc. From Washington we hear of little but fear and flight; a contrary account as to one neighborhood (Pidgeon Creek) has been sent down, but no appearance of an armed opposition, and this the only part of the country where the friends of government are not triumphant. Our army is healthy and happy ; the men exhibit unexpected fortitude in supporting the continued fatigues of bad roads and bad weather."

The left wing of the army moved from Fort Cum- berland on the 22d of October, and took the route marched over by Gen. Braddock thirty-nine years be- fore to the Great Meadows, and from there to Union- town, at which place Gen. Lee arrived on the last day of October, and the main body of the left wing came up and encamped there the same evening. With this wing of the army came Col. Presley Ne- ville, and with the right wing was Gen. John Neville, who had fled from Pittsburgh on the 18th of July, and had remained in the East from that time until the marching of the army.

The committee-men, Findley, Redick, Douglass, and Morton, who, as before mentioned, had been met at Greensburg with the intelligence of the departure of the President from Bedford, which decided them to wait the arrival of the army, went to the head- quarters of the right wing at Bonnett's farm on the 30th of October, and presented the resolutions of as- surance to Secretary Hamilton, who accompanied the division of Governor Mifflin. The secretary examined them and returned them to the committee, with the re- mark that, " for the sake of decorum, it would be best to present them to the commander-in-chief." This was what the committee had intended to do, and learning that Gen. Lee was then at or near Uniontown they immediately left for that place, and arriving there on the 31st of October, laid the business of their mission before him, he having full power to act in the name of the President. Secretary Hamilton also came over from the right wing, and arrived at Uniontown on the same evening.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 76

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216