The Columbian informer, or, Cheshire journal — Keene, N.H., 1794-12-09 00:00:00, page 1

AND OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WHEN we call to mind the gracious
indulgence of Heaven, by which
the American People became a nation ;
when we survey the general prosperity of
our country, and look forward to the rich
es, power, and happiness, to whicn it
feeins defined ; with the deepest regret
do I announce to you, that during your
recess, some of the citizens of the United
States have been found capable of an in
furreaion: It is due, however, to the
character of oar government, and to its
liability, which cannot be Shakes by the
enemies of order, freely to unfold the
cowfeof this event.„
During the Seffiou of the year >79°. "
was expedient to exercise the leg illative
power granted- by the constitution of the
United States, " to lay and colled cxci
fa." In a majority of the States, scarce
-1, an objection was heard w &&>> u^c^e cf
taxation. In some, indeed, alarms were
at firft conceived, until they were banished
by reason and patriotism. In the four
weftern counties of Pennsylvania, a pre
judice, foflered and embittered by the ar
tifice of men who labored for an afcen
dency over the will of others, by the gui
dance of their passions, produced symp
toms of riot and violence. It is well
known, that Congress did net hesitate to
examine the complaints which were pre
sented, and to relieve them, as far asjut
tice dilated,or general convenience would
permit. But the impreflion which this
moderation made on the discontented did
not cdrrefpond with whatit deserved; the
arts ofdelufion were no longer continued
to the efforts of deigning individuals.
The very forbearance to press prosecu
tions, was misinterpreted into a fear of
ur gi n g the execution of the laws ; and as
lociations of men began to announce
threats against the officers employed.—
From a belief that, by a more formal con
cert, their operations mighrbe defeated,
certain feif created societies assumed the
tone of condemnation Hence while the
greater part of Pennsylvania itfelf were
conforming themfelvea to the a&s of excise,
a few counties were resolved to fruftrate
them. Itwat now perceived, that every
expectation fiom the tenderness which had
hitherto been pursued, was unavailing,
and that further delay could only create
an opinion of impotency, or irresolution
in the government- Legal process, was,
therefore, delivered to the Maifhal, a
gaiuft the rioters -and delinquent diftili
ers. - -•
No sooner was he understood to be en
gaged in this duty, than the vengeance of
armed men was aimed at his person, and
the personal property of the infpe&or of
the Revenue. They fired upon the Mar
shal, arrested him, and detained him for
some time as a prisoner. He was obliged,
by the jeopardy of his life, to renounce
the service of other process, on the weft
fide of the Alleghany mountain; and a de
putation was afterwards sent to him to de
mand a surrender of that which he badferv
cd. A numerous body repeatedly attacked
the house of the Infpe&or,feized his papers
of office, and finally destroyed by fire, hit
Friday, nov. 19.
THIS day at iz o'clock, THE PRE
SIDENT of the United States met both
Houfesofthe Legislature,in the Hallos the
House of Representatives, and delivered
the following
[No. 37. ofVoL. ll.]
v^fa ^gfo^^^^ v^% &^%v^in W^%'
FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE,
Congress
of the UNITED STATES.
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES,
Or, C HESHIRE JOURNAL.
PRINTED and PUBLISHED by HENRY BLAKE, & CO. in KEENE, New-Hampshire.
Columbian Informer ;
buildings, and whatsoever they contained.
IBoth of these officers, from a just regard to
their fafety, fled to the feat of govern
meat ; it beingavowed, that the motives
of fuchoutrages were, to compel the re
figumion of the Infpe&cr; co withstand,
by the force of arms, the authority of the
United States, aid thereby to extort are
peal of the laws cf excise, and an al
teration in the conduct of government.
Upon the testimony of these fads, an
associate juftite of the Supreme court of
the United States noting to me,that “ in
the counties of Washington and Alleghany
in Pennsylvania, laws of the United States
were opposed, and the executions thereof
oblhuded, by combinations too powerful
to be suppressed by the ordinary coorfe of
judicial proceedings, or by the powers vef
ied in the Marshal of that district " —On
this call, momentous in the extreme, I
fought and weighed what might best lab
due the crisis. On the one hand, the Ju
diciary was pronounced to be ftript of its
capacity to enforce the laws: Crimes,
which reached the very exifttp.ee of fociai
order, were perpetrated without control,
the friends of government were insulted,
abused, and overawed into silence, or an
apparent acqaiefcence ; and to yield to
the treasonable fury of so small 2 portion
of the United States, would be to violate
the fundamental principle of our Constitu
tion, which enjoins, that the will of the
Majority sh all prevail. On the other, to
array citizen against citizen —to publish
the dishonor of such excesses—to encoun
ter the exper.ee, and other embarrassments
of so distant an expedition, were Beps too
delicate—tea dole!, interwoven with ma
ny affeding considerations, to be lightly
adopted. I postponed, therefore, the
summoning the militia immediately into
the field: But! required them to be held
in readiness, that if my anxious endeavours
to reclaim the deluded, and to convince
the malignant of their danger, Should be
fruitlefs, military force might be prepared
to ad, before the season Should be too far
advanced.
My Proclamation of the 7th of August
last, was accordingly issued, and accom
panied by the appointment of bCommiffion
ers who were charged to repair tc the Scene
of infurreaion. They were authorifed to
confer with any bodiesof men or indivi
duals. They were inUruaed to be candid
and explicit, in Bating the sensations
which had be^g excited in the Executive
and his earnest wilh to avoid a resort to co
ercion ; to represent, however, that with
out fubmiflion, coercions must be the re
sort; but to invite them,at the fame timeto
return to the demeanor of faithful citizens,
by such accommodations as lay within the
Sphere of the executive power—pardon
too, was tendered to them by the govern
ment of the United States, and that of
Pennsylvania; upon no other condition,
than a fatisfadory assurance of obedience
to the laws.
Although thereport of the Commission
ers, marks their firmnef# and abilities,
and must unite all virtuous men, by Shew
ing that the means of conciliation have
been exhausted; all of those who had
committed, or abetted the tumults did
not fubferibe the mild form, which was
proposed as the atonement ; and the indi
cations of a peaceable temper were nei
ther fufficiently general nor conclusive to
recommend or warrant a further suspen
sion @f the march of the militia.
Thus, the painful alternative could not
be discarded. I ordered the Militia to
march, after once more admonishing the
insurgents, in my Proclamation of the
25th of September last.
It was a talk; too difficult to afeertain
with precision, the lowest degree of force
competent to the quelling of the Infur
re&ion. From a refpa, indeed, to
economy and the case of my Fellow-citi
zens belonging to the militia, it Would
TUESDAY, December 9, 1794.
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THE
have gratified me to accomplish such an
ethmu.e. My very great reludance to
afcrih: too much importance to the oppo
sition; had its extent been accurately seen,
would have been a decided inducement to
the fmaheft efficient numbers In this un
cerwety, therefore, I put into motion
fifteen thousand men, as being an army.
whicTu according to all human calculation
—tould be prompt and adequate in eve
ry view, and might perhaps, by render
ing affidance desperate, prevent the effu
fion crfblood. Quotas had been aligned
to the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and Virginia ; the Governor
of Prmfylvania having declared on this,
ooau,n an opinion which justified a re
quilih4l to the other Bates.
As Commander in Chief of the Militia,
when tilled into the aaual service of the
United States, I have visited the places of
general rendezvous, to obtain more exa&
information, and to direct a plan for ulte
rior movements. Had there been room
for a ,-rrfuafion that the laws were secure
from obftrudion —that the civil magistrate
was ale to bring ojuftice such of the most
culpable as have not embraced the prof
fe cd erms of amnesty, and may be deem
ed fit ~bjc&s of example ; that the friends
of pte and good government were not
in need of that aid and countenance which
they aught always to receive, and I trust,
ever vi!l receive against the vicious and
turbe+nt, I Should have caught with avi
dity the opportunity of restoring the Mili
tia to eir families and home. Bat fuc
ceedirg intelligence has tended to mani
feff the necessity cf what has been done ;
it be% new cnefeffed, by these who were
not inclined to exaggerate the ill conduct
of the ipfurgerts, that their malevolence
was not pointed merely to a particular
law; but that a spirit inimical to all or
der had actuated many of the offenders.—
If the State of things bad afforded reason
for the continuance of my presence with
the army, it would not have been with
holden;- but every appearance affurieg
such an iffre as will redound to the repu
tation ard Rrength of the United States —
I have judged it moll proper to resume my
duties at the feat of government, leaving
the chief command with the Governor of
Virginia.
Still, however, as it is probable, that
in a commotion like the piefent, whatso
ever may be the pretence, the purposes of
mifehief and revenge may not be laid a
side ; the stationing of a final! force for a
certain period in the four Weftern conn
ties of Pennsylvania, will be indilpeufible,
whether we contemplate the Situation of
those who are conneded with the execution
of the laws, or of others, who may have
exposed themfetves by an honourable at
tachment to them.
Thirty days fom the commencement
of this session, being the legal limitation
cf the employment of the militia, Con
gress cannot be too early occupied with
this fubje£L
Among the diferffions, which may ar
rife from this afpe& of our affairs, and
from the documents which will be febmit
ted to Congress, it will not escape their
arferv:tioD> that not only the infoedor
of the Revenue, but other officers of the
United States in Pennsylvania, have--
from their fidelity in the discharge of their
funaions, sustained material injuries to
their property. The obligation and poli
cy of indemnifying them, are Strong and
obvious. It may also merit attention,
whether policy will notenlarge this pro
vision to the retribution cf our citi
zens, who, though not under the ties
of office, may have fuffered dam
mage by their generous exertions for
upholding the couftitution and the
laws. The amount even of all the inju
red were included, would not be great ;
and on future emergencies the govern
ment would be amply repaid b, the in- I
To every description, indeed, of citi
zens, let praise be given ; but let them
preterve in their aucctivOLie vigilance 0-
ver that precious depository of American
happiness, the constitution of the United
States. Let them cherish it too, for the
fake of those, who, from every clime, are
daily Seeking a dwelling in our land.
And when, in the calm moments of re
fleaion, they Shall have retraced the ori
gin and progress of the infurreaion, let
them determine, whether it has not been
fomented by combinations of men, who
careless of consequences, and disregard
ing the unerring truth, that those who
rouse, cannot always appease a civil con
vulsion, have disseminated from an ig
norance or perverSion of Safes, iufpic:6ne>
jealousies, and accusations of the whole
government.
Having thus fulfilled the engagements
which I took, when I entered into office,
" to the best of my ability to preserve,
protea and defend the Constitution cf the
United States," on you, gentlemen, and
the people by whom you are deputed,
I rely for Support.
In the arrangements to which the possi
bility of a Similar contingency will natur
ally draw your attention, it ought not to
be forgotten, that the militia laws have
exhibited such Uriking defers, as could
not have beenfupplied by the zeal of cur
citizens. Besides the extraordinary cx
pence, arid waße, which are not the least
of the defeat every appeal to these laws
is attended with a doubt on its success.
The devising and establishing of a well
regulated militia, would be a genuine
force of Legislative honour and a per
fea title to public gratitude. I therefore,-
entertain a hope, that the prefeht session
will not past, without carrying to its
full energy, the power of organizing, ar
ming and disciplining the militia ; and
thus providing, in the language of the
constitution, for calling them forth to ex
ecute the laws of the Union, suppress in
furreaion, and repel invasion.
An auxiliary to the Bate of cur defence
to which Congress cannot too frequently
recur, they will not omit to enquire whe
ther the fortifications which have been al
ready licenced by the law, be comtnen
furate with our exigences.
The intelligence fiom the army under
fluence of an example that he who incurs
alofs in its defence, Shall find a recom
pence in its liberality.
While there is cause to lament that oc
currences of this nature Should have dis
graced the name, or interrupted the tran
quillity, of any part of our community,
or Should have diverted to anew applica
tion, any portion of the put.ic resources,
there are not wanting real and Substantial
consolations for the misfortune. , It has
demonstrated that our prosperity retts on
solid foundations; by farnifhtng an ad
ditional proof, that my fellow-citizens
understand the true principles of govern
ment and liberty ; that they feel their in
separable union ; that notwithstanding all
the devices that have been made use of
to sway them from their interest and duty,
they are now as ready to maintain the au
thority of the laws against licentious inva
sions, as they were to defend their rights
against usurpation. It has been alpcc
tacle, displaying to the highest advan-^
tage the value of republican government,
to behold the most and least wealthy of
our citizens funding in the fame ranks as
private Soldiers ; pre-eminently distin
guishing by being toe army of the consti
tution ; undeterred by a march of three
hundred miles over rugged mountains,
by the approach of an inclement season,
or by any other difeouragemeot. Nor
ought I to omit to acknowledge the effi
cacious and patriotic co-operation which
I have experienced from the chief Magis
trates of the States to which my requisi
tions have been addressed.
[Whole No. 89.]
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