USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County : from its first settlement to the present time, first under Virginia as Yohogania, Ohio, or Augusta County until 1781, and subsequently under Pennsylvania > Part 51
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This meeting was organized at Mingo Creek on the 23d July, 1794. Inflammatory speeches were made and the meeting resolved to call another general meeting on the 14th of August, at Parkin- son's Ferry, now Monongahela City. Prior to this meeting the principal actors were busily engaged not only in issuing incendiary documents and making exciting speeches to the people, because they felt that if the steps taken would prove abortive, the death penalty would be inflicted, hence their determination to involve the whole western country in one common fate-either for weal or for woe. Accordingly, orders were issued by the Council of Safety (which the meeting had appointed), consisting of Col. John Marshall, John Canon, L. Lockny, T. Spears, B. Parkinson, D. Bradford, and A. Ful- ton, to issue an order to all the colonels commanding regiments in the counties of Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette, and Allegheny, to march with their respective commands to Braddock's Field on the 1st of August, 1794, with four days' rations, to deliberate upon the unhappy crisis of their affairs.
The letter or circular which was dispatched to the colonels of the various regiments read thus :-
July 28, 1794.
SIR : Having had suspicions that the Pittsburg post would carry with him the sentiments of some of the people of the county respecting our present situation, and the letters by the post being now in our possession, by which certain secrets are discovered, hostile to our interests, it is, there- fore, now come to that crisis that every citizen must express his senti- ments, not by his word, but by his actions. You are then called upon, as a citizen of the western country, to render your personal service, with as many volunteers as you can raise, to rendezvous at your usual place of meeting on Wednesday next, and thence you will march to the usual places of rendezvous at Braddock's Field, on the Monongahela, on Friday,
at last by the hands of an unprincipled villain, in the support of what he supposed to be the rights of his country, much lamented by a numerous and respectable circle of acquaintances."
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the 1st day of Angust next, to be there at two o'clock in the afternoon, with arms and accoutrements in good order. If any volunteers shall want arms and ammunition, bring them forward and they shall be supplied as well as possible. Here, sir, is an expedition proposed in which you will have an opportunity of displaying your military talents and of rendering services to your country. Four days' provisions will be wanted-let the men be thus supplied.
JOHN CANON, T. SPEARS, B. PARKINSON,
L. LOCKNY, D. BRADFORD, J. MARSHALL, A. FULTON.
The letters taken from the mail were addressed to Gen. Morgan by Col. Neville ; to the Governor of Pennsylvania by Gen. John Gibson ; also one by James Brison to the Secretary of the Trea- sury by Edward Day; and to the Secretary of War by Major Butler.
Among the number of regiments which were ordered to the place of rendezvous was one commanded by Col. John Hamilton, then Sheriff of Washington County, who resided at Mingo Creek. Upon the reception of the order he immediately rode to Washington to endeavor to prevail on Col. Marshall to countermand the orders, requiring his regiment to march to Braddock's Field. But it was useless ; Col. Marshall was firm in his purpose, and the officers and men of Col. Hamilton had participated in the riots, and he con- cluded he would go to prevent ultra measures.
While these measures were progressing, and the eyes of the insur- gents were directed to the contemplated meeting at Braddock's Field, a delegation from Washington visited Pittsburg, and the following proceedings of a town meeting give all the particulars, which proceedings are prefixed by the
Affidavit of Wm. Meetkirke, one of the Delegates from Wash- ington to the town of Pittsburg.
We accordingly went to Pittsburg. When we arrived there a number of people came to the house where we put up to inquire of us if we knew what object the people had in view that were to assemble at Braddock's Field. We informed them that it was in consequence of letters that had been found in the mail, written by several persons in that place to govern- ment, misstating their conduct (as they termed it), and that the people conceived them to be very obnoxious characters, particularly Major Kirk- patrick, Mr. Brison, and Mr. Day. And it was our opinion that if some of those who had written the letters did not leave the town, that it was in danger of being destroyed from the apparent rage of the people. The same evening there was a town meeting of the inhabitants of the place, as we understood, to take into consideration what was best to be done for their own safety.
On hearing that we had come to town, they appointed a committee, con- sisting of Mr. Breckenridge, Gen. Wilkins, and Judge Wallace, to con- fer with us and to have our opinion on the subject. We produced to them the letters that had been taken out of the mail, viz: Major Butler to Gen. Knox, Gen. Gibson to Gov. Mifflin, Mr. Brison, to the same, Col. Neville to Gen. Morgan, and one without signature to the Secretary of
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the Treasury, in the handwriting of Edward Day, which were read in their presence. They asked us what we thought were the intentions of the peo- ple that were to assemble at Braddock's Field the next day. We gave it as our opinion that the town was in imminent danger of being destroyed if some of the obnoxious characters were not sent away, for that we our- selves had been insulted on the road coming there by some people, when they understood we were going to Pittsburg, for they said we were going there as spies, to tell the people to get out of the way, and that we ought to be taken prisoners. And they actually raised a party to follow us for that purpose, as we were afterwards informed, after which they returned to the meeting and gave the information from us, in consequence of which they entered into resolutions to expel certain persons, and which was after- wards published in handbills.
Resolutions of the Town Meeting of Pittsburg.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of Pittsburg, on Thursday evening, July 31, 1794, to take into consideration the present situation of affairs and de- clare their sentiments on this delicate crisis, Gen. John Gibson in the chair and Matthew Ernest secretary, a great majority, almost the whole of the inhabitants of the town assembled. It being announced to the meeting that certain gentlemen from the town of Washington (viz. A. Baird, Wm. Meet- kirke, Henry Purviance, Col. Blakeny) had arrived and had signified that they were intrusted with a message to the inhabitants of the town relative to present affairs, a committee of three persons was appointed to confer with them and report the message to the meeting. The persons appointed were George Wallace, H. H. Brackenridge, and John Wilkins, Jr. These gentlemen made a report to the meeting, to wit, that in consequence of certain letters sent by the last mail, certain persons were discovered as advocates of the excise law and enemies to the interest of the country, and that a certain Edward Day, James Brison, and Abraham Kirkpatrick were particularly obnoxious, and that it was expected by the country that they should be dismissed without delay ; whereupon, it was resolved it should be so done, and a committee of twenty-one was appointed to see this reso- lution carried into effect.
Also, that whereas it is a part of the message from the gentlemen of Washington, that a great body of the people of the county will meet to-morrow at Braddock's Field, in order to carry into effect measures that may seem to them advisable, with respect to the excise law and the advo- cates of it.
Resolved, That the above committee shall, at an early hour, wait upon the people on the ground, and assure the people that the above resolution, with respect to the proscribed persons, has been carried into effect.
Resolved, also, That the inhabitants of the town shall march out and join the people on Braddock's Field, as brethren, to carry into effect with them, any measures that may seem to them advisable for the common cause.
Resolved, also, That we shall be watchful among ourselves of all char- acters that by word or act may be unfriendly to the common cause, and when discovered, will not suffer them to live amongst us, but they shall instantly depart the town.
Resolved, That the above committee shall exist as a committee of infor- mation and correspondence, as an organ of our sentiments, until our next town meeting. And that whereas, a general meeting of delegates from the townships of the county on the west of the mountains will be held at Parkinson's Ferry, on the Monongahela, on the 14th of August next.
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Resolved, That the delegates shall be appointed to that meeting, and that the 9th of August next be appointed for a town meeting to elect such dele- gates.
Resolved also, That a number of handbills be struck off at the expense of the committee and distributed among the inhabitants of the town, that they may conduct themselves accordingly.
The committee of twenty-one above referred to, was composed of George Robinson, H. H. Brackenridge, Peter Audrain, John Scull, John McMasters, John Wilkins, Andrew McIntyre, George Wallace, John Irwin, Andrew Watson, George Adams, David Evans, Josiah Tannehill, Matthew Ernest, William Earl, Andrew McNickle, Col. John Irwin, James Clow, William Gormley, and Nathaniel Irish.
Not less than from 1500 to 2000 men were assembled on Braddock's Field, which is about nine miles from Pittsburg and immediately on the north bank of the Monongahela River in Allegheny County. It is the celebrated battle-ground famed for the destruction of an army intended to capture Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburg). Here Braddock fell, and Washington displayed his first military genius, and here too the insurgents met to devise some plan by which they would free themselves from imaginary wrongs. Many plans were suggested, but no definite action taken upon any of the proposed measures, except to visit Pittsburg with a military parade under the command of Maj .- Gen. David Bradford and Edward Cook as Marshal, and Col. Blake- ney, as officer of the day, in order to exhibit their strength and power and control public feeling. On their arrival, fear caused the people of Pittsburg to receive this army of Bradford's as the guests of the city. Prior to their march, however, David Bradford issued the following circular :-
To the Inhabitants of Monongahela, Virginia :-
Washington, Aug. 6, 1794.
GENTLEMEN : I presume you have heard of the spirited opposition given to the excise law in this State. Matters have been so brought to pass here, that all are under the necessity of bringing their minds to a final conclusion. This has been the question amongst us some days : "Shall we disapprove of the conduct of those engaged against Neville, the excise officer, or approve ?" Or in other words, "Shall we suffer them to fall a sacrifice to federal prosecution, or shall we support them ?" On the result of this busi- ness we have fully deliberated, and have determined with head, heart, hand, and voice, that we will support the opposition to the excise law. The crisis is now come, submission or opposition ; we are determined in the opposition. We are determined in future to act agreeably to system; to form arrange- ments guided by reason, prudence, fortitude, and spirited conduct. We have proposed a general meeting of the four counties of Pennsylvania, and have invited our brethren in the neighboring counties in Virginia to come forward and join us in council and deliberation on this important crisis, and conelude upon measures interesting to the western counties of Pennsylvania and Virginia. A notification of this kind may be seen in the Pittsburg paper. Parkinson's Ferry is the place proposed as the most central, and the 14th of August the time.
We solicit you by all the ties that an union of interests can suggest to
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
come forward and join us in our deliberations. The cause is common to us all-we invite you to come even should you differ with us in opinion. We wish you to hear our reasons influencing our conduct.
Yours with esteem, DAVID BRADFORD.
Before this meeting at Braddock's Field dispersed, however, the . barn of Major Abrabam Kirkpatrick was burned, the grain and hay of the tenant consumed, and unsuccessful attempts were made to set fire to his house to avenge the death of Major McFarland. Some of that army, however, disclaimed the course pursued, and published the following card :---
We, the undersigned, on behalf of ourselves and the great body of the column that marched from Braddock's Field on the 3d of Aug. 1794, think it. necessary to express our disapprobation of the disorderly proceeding of those of the troops who were concerned in setting fire to the house of Abraham Kirkpatrick, on the hill opposite the town of Pittsburg, also of the attempt made by others of burning his house in the town, as these acts was not within the sentence of the committee of volunteers in Braddock's Field, and therefore there could be no authority for carrying them into effect.
We consider it as a blemish on the good order of the march of the column through the town of Pittsburg, and their cantonment in the neighborhood of it. It has been endeavored to be removed as much as possible by repay- ing the tenant of Kirkpatrick his damages.
EDWARD COOK, FRANCIS MCFARLAND, THOMAS STOKELEY,
DIXON HUSTON, JAMES TERRY,
THOMAS SEDGWICK.
HAMILTON HUSTON, WM. MCCLURE,
DAVID HAMILTON,
WM. MEETKIRKE, WM. NAILOR,
JOHN HAMILTON,
JAMES MARSHALL, JOHN HUGHES,
ABSALOM BAIRD.
From this period to the 14th of August, Tom the Tinker's boys were busily engaged in erecting liberty poles, and had flags floating therefrom with the significant words, "LIBERTY; No EXCISE; DEATH TO TRAITORS." Any man who refused to assist in erecting a liberty pole was deemed an enemy to the common cause, and Tom the Tinker gave him the significant notice.
The eventful 14th of August arrived, and the first movement was to erect a liberty pole with the following inscription thereon : " EQUAL TAXATION AND NO EXCISE ; NO ASYLUM FOR TRAITORS AND COWARDS." After the meeting was organized by appointing Col. Edward Cook, chairman, and Albert Gallatin, secretary, two hundred and twenty-six delegates were accredited as representatives from the various townships, besides a large concourse of spectators. Speeches. were made by Bradford, Marshall, Brackenridge, Edgar, Gallatin, Parkinson, and Husband, upon the following resolutions proposed. by Col. John Marshal.
1. Resolved, That taking citizens of the United States from their respective. abodes or vicinage, to be tried for real or supposed offences, is a violation of the rights of the citizens ; is a forced and dangerous construction of the constitution, and ought not under any pretence whatever to be exercised by the judicial authority.
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2. Resolved, That a standing committee be appointed to consist of members from each county, to be denominated a committee of public safety, whose duty it shall be to call forth the resources of the western country, to repel any hostile attempts that may be made against the rights of the citi- zens or of the body of the people.
3. Resolved, That a committee of members be appointed to draft a remonstrance to Congress praying a repeal of the excise law, and that a more equal and less odious tax may be laid, and at the same time giving assurance to the representatives of the people that such tax will be cheer- fully paid by the people of these counties, and that the said remonstrance be signed by the chairman of this meeting in behalf of the people whom we represent.
4. WHEREAS, The motives by which the people of the western country have been actuated in the late unhappy disturbances at Neville's house, and in the great and general rendezvous of the people at Braddock's Field, &c. &c., are liable to be misconstrued, as well by our fellow-citizens through- out the United States, as by their and our public servants, to whom is con- signed the administration of the Federal Government, therefore,
Resolved, That a committee of be appointed to make a fair and can- did statement of the whole transaction to the President of the United States, and to the Governors of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and if it should become necessary that the said committee do publish to the world a mani- fest or declaration, whereby the true motives and principles in this country shall be fairly and fully stated.
5. That we will, with the rest of our fellow-citizens, support the laws and government of the respective States in which we live, and the laws and government of the United States (the excise law and the taking citizens ont of their respective counties only excepted), and therefore we will aid and assist all civil officers in the execution of their respective functions, and endeavor by every proper means in our power to bring to justice all offenders in the premises.
These resolutions were amended by the meeting, and adopted after much discussion in the following words, which we trust every reader will carefully compare. To the first resolution there was no objection, but the remaining resolutions adopted read as follows :-
2. Resolved, That a standing committee to consist of one member from each township be appointed for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, viz :--
To draft a remonstrance to Congress praying a repeal of the excise law, at the same time requesting that a more equal and less odious tax may be laid, and giving assurances to the representatives of the people that such tax will be cheerfully paid by the people of these counties.
To make and publish a statement of the transactions which have lately taken place in this country relative to the excise law, and of the causes which gave rise thereto, and to make a representation to the President on the subject.
To have power to call together a meeting either of a new representation 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 temporary measures as they may think necessary.
3. Resolved, That we will exert ourselves, and that it be earnestly recom- mended to our fellow-citizens to exert themselves, in support of the munici-
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pal laws of the respective States, and especially in preventing any violence or outrage against the property and person of any individual.
4. Resolved, That a committee to consist of three members from each county be appointed to meet any commissioners that have or may be ap- pointed by the Government, and to report the result of this conference to the standing committee.
The standing committee under the 2d resolution consisted of sixty members, while that under the 4th resolution was composed of fifteen members.
The standing committee of sixty met and appointed the 2d day of September, 1794, and designated Brownsville as the place of meeting. They chose the Committee of Conference of twelve, three from each county, and these fixed their meeting at Pittsburg, on the 20th of August. This committee consisted of twelve dele- gates from the four western counties of Pennsylvania, and three from Virginia. Their names were John Kirkpatrick, George Smith, and John Powers, for Westmoreland County; David Bradford, Jas. Marshall, and James Edgar, for Washington County ; Edward Cook Albert Gallatin, and James Lang, for Fayette County; Thos. Mor- ton, John B. C. Lucas, and H. H. Brackenridge, for Allegheny County; and Robert Stevenson, Wm. McKinley, and Wm. Souther- land, for Ohio County, Virginia. Col. Cook chosen chairman.
The delegates from Virginia did not participate in the delibera- tions of the Committee of Conference, hence the number was reduced to twelve commissioners.
While this meeting of the 14th of August was in session at Par- kinson's Ferry, it was notified of the approach of three commission- ers on the part of the United States, and two on behalf of the State of Pennsylvania. Wm. Bradford, Attorney-General of the United States, and Jasper Yates, and James Ross, represented the United States; and Thomas Mckean and General William Irvine, the State of Pennsylvania.
The twelve commissioners under the 4th resolution met the Na- tional and State commissioners on the 20th of August in the city of Pittsburg. The prominent actors on that committee were Messrs. Marshall, Bradford, Brackenridge, Cook, and Gallatin, who were all favorable to acceding to the propositions of the commissioners except Mr. Bradford. The propositions were an unconditional sub- mission to the laws of the United States by all the citizens, to ab- stain from all violence towards the officers in the execution of the laws, not to injure or allow others to injure the personal or real estate of any citizen, and that in case of compliance therewith, full and free pardon was offered to all.
The committee of twelve who had met consented to these terms, but they had no authority to act further than to report the result of their conference to the standing committee appointed under the second resolution, which was composed of sixty persons. To this committee was delegated the power to call together a meeting either
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of a new representative of the people or of the deputies here con- vened 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 temporary measures as they may think necessary. Under these delegated instructions, the committee of fifteen called a meeting of the standing committee of sixty to meet at old Fort Redstone, (Brownsville) on the 2d day of September.
The National and State commissioners from their intercourse with the citizens and the excitement prevailing, believed that the interests of the people themselves as well as the government demanded imme- diate action, they, therefore, had the meeting changed to the 28th of August, five days sooner than the time appointed. This fact aroused Bradford and his associates, and the charge of bribery and corrup- tion was publicly made against not only the commissioners, but the committee themselves, and Tom the Tinker, by his inflammatory bills, overawed the people and those who desired to submit. From this time to the meeting the wildest excitement prevailed; some proposed the formation of a new state, others, resistance to government, while another class favored reconciliation. In the midst of this anarchy and confusion throughout the rebellious counties, the day of the appointed meeting had arrived (the 28th of August). Gallatin in speaking of that meeting says :-
"Fifty-seven members attended, twenty-three of whom were sent by the county of Washington alone, and thirty by the three counties of West- moreland, Fayette, and Allegheny ; one came from Bedford County, and three from the county of Ohio, in Virginia. All that could be obtained was a resolve that, in the opinion of the committee, it was the interest of the people of this country to accede to the proposals made by the commis- sioners on the part of the United States ; the question upon it being taken by ballot, thirty-four voting for the resolution and twenty-three against it. Bradford, as soon as he heard the vote, retired in disgust."
This meeting, however, appointed another committee of conference, to obtain further time from the National and State commissioners, in order that the people might have time for reflection. The commis- sioners and the committee agreed that instead of any further action by the committee, that the people themselves should vote directly on the question of submission, and the 11th of September was designated. The following is the result of that election :-
"In the county of Fayette, which contains two thousand and eight hundred taxable inhabitants, eight hundred and sixty attended, five hundred and eighty of whom voted for submission and two hundred and eighty against it. In the counties of Washington, Westmoreland, and Allegheny, which contains eleven thousand taxable inhabitants, two thousand seven hundred signed the declarations of submission."-Gallatin.
These facts convinced the commissioners that there was no general submission, and they returned to the seat of government, and re- ported their proceedings, as well as those of the rebellious counties to President Washington.
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HISTORY. OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
The following deposition, explanatory of the committee meeting at old Fort Redstone, by Judge Alexander Addison, will throw much light upon the subject.
UNITED STATES-PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT, SS.
Before me, Richard Peters, Judge of the District Court in the United States, in the Pennsylvania District, appeared Alexander Addison, of the town of Washington, in the State of Pennsylvania, and made oath that he was present at Brownsville, or Redstone old fort, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, on the 28th and 29th of August last, when what was called the Standing Committee met to receive the report of the com- mittee appointed to confer with the commissioners on the part of govern- ment-that the minds of all men appeared to be strongly impressed with a sense of the critical situation of this country and the minds of almost all with a fear of opposing the current of the popular opinion ; and this deponent be- lieves these impressions were greatly increased by the appearance of a body of armed men assembled there from Muddy Creek, in Washington County, to punish Samuel Jackson as an enemy to what they called their cause.
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