The Columbian informer, or, Cheshire journal — Keene, N.H., 1794-09-30 00:00:00, page 1

part of the commissioners of the Union,
flaring with all the folemnitv due to the
" occafiors the extreme pain it had given to
th, executive, to have heard from time tp
time of the deviation# from the constitu
tional line cf expressing a dislike efpartic
v'ar laws, to those mean, of violence and
outrage, which would lead to the having
no law# at all ; that in the case of the pres
ent infractions, the* were solemnly called
upon by the constitution to exert the force
,f the union, to fopprefs them ; but that
in the firft inßance, all th,fe lenient meas
ures of accommodation were about to be^
tried, that the great reludance of the EX^
ecotive to have recourse to force, had
induced it to use ; that for thii purpofg,
• % HE committee having met on the
gift, proceeded to the elision of a chair
faan, upon which Edward Cook, wag nom
indeed and took h;s place.
A queft^n w^ made, whether the pro
posed conference with the Commissioners
from the government fh>u!o b' private or
public, it was determined that it should
be private as left liable to interruption,
and a, lending the Com .niffioaers from the
governm^tt o give a more fr^nk and full
cnmmunvdtirtoftheir sentiments and in
tentions ; anrf that after the preliminary
srrangmev.s, the corrrfpondence a, to
what was material would be in writing,
which rhe committee were not at liberty
to commucic t* to the public immediately,
but to report to the Committee of Safety,
v hich was to meet on the fi;ft Tuesday of
September.
4 report of ths proceedings of the committee &,•
pointed at the meeting at Pa kiojon'sfrry,
on the 14th ult. to confer wito commfoyers
on the part of the execu.^e of tbe V^on„
on th part of the Executive of Pei.jybva
aia, on the Jubjed of the tee oppojeiion to
the tews of ibe Union, and violation of the
peace of fate government.
04 the part of tbs executive ,b e Unimi
William Bradford, attorney (General of the
United States.
Jasper Ya*es, uffociate judge of the fu
preroe c< arr cf Pennfylvsnia.
James RO6, fenawr in the Congress of
the United States.
O# tbe ,&rt of the ^ Cutros of Pentfylvtnia.
Thoras M'Keaa, hWjiflice 9^he tae
if Pennsylvania.
William Irvine, reprefentacive in tht
CongreG cf the United Statea.
[No. 37. tfVoL. ll.]
suoh waft&frQftn
Comm //„of Conference.
Wfbwore^nd Count}. °Johv |(i kpA^frk,
George Smith, Jo: n Powers.— W,jhin,„.
County. Dar'd Bradford, James Markel,
Jernes Edgar.— Fayette County. Edward
C~% Albert Gustin, jqn: Lang.. —
jtbgban, County. Tbomlt Morton, John
Local, H. H B ackearidge.—Ob/o Ceun
/,—Wilien M'Kinler, William Suther
land, John Stephenft
It was moved and directed that two
members be appointed to wait upon the
Commitoners on the pert of the Union,
ard of the State Government, and to
adjust with them the place and time of
conference.
Thomas Morton and James Edgar wer#
appointed.
Agreeable to arrangement a conference
lock place at ten o'clock next day, a^d
was opened by communication* on &
^bomcdfcc J7ii&li^e%c&.
J, tbe Pittfargb Mailoflaft ©vising.
PENNSYLVANIA,
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. §.
Columbian Informer ;^^^
Or, CHESHIRE JOURN A
PRINTED AMD PUBLISHED by HRNRr RLAKR, IS CO. ivKRENE, Nbw-Hampsuiri.
they had been commissioned with certain
powers frem the Executive, in order that
if petiole, (hart of blood died, submission
to the laws might be obtained, and peace!
restored ; that in the mean time the moll
effeduai and decisive measures had been/
taken, that flweld a pacification be foundl
impracticable, by an address to the patri-'
otifm and reafoe of the people, fobmil-!
lion mail be enforced) and however pain
ful the Arength of the union drawn out|
to effecl it; that the militia were adlually
draughted, and their march delayed only
until the tirft of September next ; within
which time it behoved the people of this
country to make up their nrnds & give
an answer, that the gevonraent might
know whatte exped.
On the part of the emmiffioners from
the Executive of Pennsylvania, it was list
ed, that it was in tike manner with great
pain that it had been heard, by the ftatc
government, that a refinance to the laws
et the Union, and a violation of the pub
lic peace, had taken place within this par
ticular jurifdiaion; violations of fa flag
rant a nature as the invasion of personal
'Security in a demeftic habitation of an
officer of government; the burning down
his mention hwofe; reducing him to the
necessity of rclirquilhing the country by a
flight at an unseasonable hour, and by a
circuitous rout cf many hundred miles
through a wiidernefs ; the attacking the.
marfhll : expelling an Affociste judge,
the Prothonotary of the county, &€. and
above all invading the cabinet of govern
ment, in the intercepting the public mail
—-and violating the right of the citizen b,
breaking the reporter, of his private
thoughts, which ought to have been con
lidered as sacred as in his fcrutoirc ; thut
the laws efthe Union were a part of the
lawsof Pennsylvania, and the Bate gov
ernment on principles of delicacy and hon
or, could not avoid taking a very fenfable
part in defending them, independent of
the obligation under which it was by the
constitution ; but that these outrages were
breaches of the municipal law," and as such
the Bate government was under an indif
penfible necessity of taking notice of
them ;—ard by every necessary coercion
repressing them ; that for this purpofe,the
governor had 'dete nii^ed to give the moll
prompt and decided iffiftance to the gen.
era! government in the requisition of mi
litia, and had thought it proper to call the
assembly, in order to make provision for
any farther force, that the exigency of re
pressing the iafurreaion might require ;
but that it mull be peculiarly diftreffiag to
be under the necessity of arming against a
country always heretofore refpeaable for
its obedience to the laws ; a country which
had been peculiarly an object of attention
with the prefect state executive'; never
theleis, it was impossible to avoid it, nn
lefs order, by the voluntary id of the cit
izens could be restored ; that to effed this
obje& the Governor bed cemmiffioned
them to co-operate in their good offices
with the commidinners oa the part of the
Union, and for ^ii purpose, inasmuch,
as the confcioofs#s of having violated
the laws might lead to a farther violation
as a means of impunity, they were au
thorifed, on an accommodation with co,-
miflioners of the United States, and an
aflurance of a difppiition to prefer've peace,
to flipulate and engages free and fell
indemnity for what was past ; so far as
regarded the commonwealth of Pqnnfylva
nit, and that it would give them personal
ly great pinafore indeed jf by these means
a return could be facilitated to this coun
try to the bosom of peace and happi
neffr.
On the part of the committee, a narra
tive was given of the grounds of the fra.
finefs and difeontent which have shifted
in this country and to have grown
up at length to that popular fury
TUESDAY, September 30, 1794.
raqhugn ughqhfe#3qh*4favjfr?.
which has faewn. itfelf in the late tranfac
lions.
ITo this the cbmmiffioaers replied and
I then preceded to hate more particularly
;the nature of their powers, and that cer
tain assurances were necessary previous to
Itheir exarcife, all which have been since
reduced to writing, the documents will
I (peak for thernfelvcv, They ado declar
ibd their expirations that the commit
tee would declare their sense on this sub.
jed.
It was answered by the committee that
it was their duty to hear, and report, for
this purpose were they appointed ; but no
power lay with them to stipulate for the
people.
ft was stated on the part of the Com
mittee that fach was their situation, that
they could not dilperfe with requiring
from the committee, at least to recom
mend what opinion they themfetves Should
farm on the fubjea of the ptopofitions
made, as otherwise they could have no cn
caaragament to go on, aid wait the tefnit
of the opinion of the people of the ©eua
"y.
You well know that the president of the
United States is charged with the execu
tion of the laws. Obedience to the na
tional will, being indifpenfible its re
publican government, the people of the
United Satyrs have dridly enjoined it as
his duty “ to fee that the laws are faith
fully executed"—and when the ordinary
authorities of the government are incom
petent frr that end, he is bound to exert
thok high powers with which the nation
has inveiled him for so extraordinary an
occasion.
It is but two evident that the infarrec
tions which have lately prevailed in some
of these, weftern counties have fappreffod
the usual exercise of the authority ; and it
has been formerly notified to the President
by one of the associate judges, in the man
ner the law prescribes, and in the coun
ties of Wethington and Alleghany, in
Pennsylvania, laws of the United States
are opposed and the execution thereof ob
ftroded by combinations too powerful to
be fuppreffed,by the ordinary course of ju
dicial proceedings, or the powers vetted
in the marshal of that diftri&. He there
fore perceives with the dee,eft regret, the
necessity to which he may be reduced for
calling forth 'the national force in order
to support the national authority, and to
Icaufe the laws to be executed ; but he has
determined, previously, to address him
felf to the patriotifra and reason of the
people of the weftern counties, and to try
the moderation Sf government in hopes
that he mi, not be compelled to resort to
fa strength. But L we must not conceal
fronr you, that it is also his fixed determi
nation if these hopes should be difappeiat
ed, to employ the force, and if it be ne
;Gcffary, the whole force of the union to,
This was thought reafonable,and it was
agreed on the part of the committee, that
it should be so.
It was then agreed that the proportions
of the commiffioirers Ihould be received in
writing, and the conference was adjourn
'd- 4
HAVING had a conference with you
on the important fubje& that call as into
this part of Penofylvauia, we ball now
date to you in writing, agreeable to your
requett, the nature and oojed of our raif
fibn hither. Considering this as a cribs
icfioini;ely interfiling to our fellow citi
zens who have authorised you to confer
with us, we fhsll explain ourselves to
you frith that franknefs and Sincerity
which the folcmoity of the occasion de
mands.
Th fe%wing letter suae mm received
from th commfynere on tbe tet es the
Urt^n.
— Pirqfob, Apt, at. i,fy
Gentlemen,
#ot, gentlemen, we explicitly declare
to £u that the exereft of these powers
ms be preceded by full and fatisfa&er,
mrsncei of a fiaeere determination in the
people to obey the laws of the United
States, and their eventual operation must
depend upon a correfpondeut acquiefceece
in the execution of the a&s which hav#
been opposed. We have not, and coming
from the executive you well know that we
cannot have, any authority to fofpend the
laws or to offer the most didant hopes
that the a&s, the execution of which has
been obfruta, will be repealed. On
the contrary we are free to declare to you
our private opinions, that the national
councils, while they consult the general
intetefts of the republic, and endeavor to
conciliate ever, part by local accomoda
tions to citizens who refpe& the laws, will
sternly refufe every indulgence to men
who accompany their reqaefts with threats,
and red ft by force the public authority.
Upon these principles we arc ready to
enter with you into the detail heceffar,
far the exercise of our powers, to learn
what local accommodations are yet want
ing to render the execution of the lewd
convenient to the people, to concert with
you the measures foe restoring harmony
and order, and for burying thb past in ob
livion ; and to unite our endeavors with
yours to secure the peace and happiaefa
of cur common country.
Wealfo declare to you, that no iadufo
gence will be given to any future offence
agaiuft the United States, and that they
who ffiall hereafter diredly or iedireaiy
eppofe the execution of the laws mast
abide the consequences of their tended.
James ross,
J YATES,
W. BRADFORD.
To the committee of conference,
assembled at Piufourgh.
secure the execution of the laws. Mb
has, therefore, authorised as to repair
hither, and by free conferences and the
peers reded in us, to endeavor to pat
an end to the present diftorbaaces and
the oppefiti^ to the execution of
the law# io manner that may be
final) fatis/adory io all oar fellow citi
zens#
The pc+ers vetted in us will enable us
so to arrange the execution of the ads for
raifiag a revenue on drilled spirits and
Aills, that little inconvenience will ink
therefam, to the people, to prevent as far
as is irtonfiftent with tie public intsrlft,
the commencing prosecutions wader thofel
ads at a>diftancc from the places where,
die delinquents reside, to fafpend prefect
tions for the late offences against ^e
United States, and, even, to engage
for a g&eral pardon and oblivion of
them.
It it nece&ry, however, to apprise
you thus early, that at prefect, we do
not confider ourselves a# authorifed to tenter
into any conferences on this fubjed after
ter the firft of September ensuing. We
therefore hope that the business will be fa
conduced that some definitive answer may
be given as before that day.
We cannot believe, that in fe great a
crisis, any attempts to temporise and pro
eradicate will be made by these who fin-
Merely love their country and will to fe<
cure its tranquility.
We hope that this moderation in the
government will not be mifeonftrued by
the citizens to whom we are feat. The
President, who feels a paternal solicitude
for their welfare, withes to prevent the
calamities that are impending over them#
to date te them clearly the inevitable
confluences of further refinance, to re
call than to their duty, end to prove to
the whole world, that if military coercion
mud be employed it is their choice and net
his.
[Whole No. ~.]
nvgftQh yft