Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-06-29
ypRaDAY mpRNnaa. JUNE 80, 1884,

III.
oniy give more extensive range to disaffection,
and multiply the dangers resulting from it.
Those who were of opinion that the occasion
demanded a full trial of the government to en-
force obedience to the laws, were also OF opinion.
that policy and humanity equally dictated the en-
ploymer,t Of force which would render resistance
desperate. The insursent country contained six.
teen thousand men able to bear arms; and the
computation was, that they could bring seven
thousand into the field. If the army OF the 60
yerument should amount to twelve thousand men.
it would present an imposing force which the IN
sursents would not venture to meet.
1t was impossible that the President could he
state to embrace the latter of these opinions
That government entrusted to him should be
trampled under foot by iawless section ct The
Union, which set at defiance the will of the ma
ton, as expressed by its representatives,, was an
abasement to which neither his judgment nor his
feelings could submit. He resolved, therefore,
to issue the proclamation, which, by law, was to
2recede the employment OF force.
On the same day a requistlon was made on the
governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mary
land and Virginia, for their several quota OF mill
tia to compose an army of twelve thousand men,
who were to be immediately organized and pre-
pared to march at minutes warning.
While steps were taken to bring this force in
70 the field. last effort was made to render Its
embloyment unnecessary. Three distinguished
and popular citizens of Pennsylvania were deput-
ed bv the government to be the bearers of a ge
neral amnesty for past offences, on the sole con-
dition of future obedience to the laws.
lthavng been deemed advisable that the exc
cuuve of the state should act in concert with that
of the United States, Governur Mifliin also is
sued proclamation, and appointed commission
ers to act with those OF the general government.
Meanwhile the insurgents omitted nothing which
might enlarge the circle of disahectlon. Attempts
were made to embark the adjacent counties OF
Virginia in their cause, aud their violence was
extended to Morgantown, at which place an in
spector resided, who saved himself by flight, and
protected his property by advertising on his own
door that he had resigned bis Office. They also
made similar excursions into the contiguous coun.
ties of Pennsylvania, lying eastot the Allegheny
mountains. where numbers were ready to JOIN
them. These deluded men, giving too much faith
to the publications of democratic societies and to
the furious sentiments of general hostility 10 the
administration, and particularly to the internal
taxes, with which the papers III the opposition
abounded, seemed to have entertained the OPT
mon, that the great body OF the people were rea-
dy to take up arms against their government, and
that the resistance commenced by them would
spread throughout the Union, and terminate in
revolution.
The convention at Parkinson's ferry had ap.
pointed committee of safety, consisting of SIX
" members, who chose fifteen Of their body to
confer with the commissioners of the United
States, and of the state of Pennsylvania. This
committee of conference was not empowered to
conclude on any thing. They could only receive
and report the propositions which might be made
to them.
Men of property and intelligence, who had con-
tributed to klndle the flame under the common
error Of being able to regulate its heat, now trem-
bled at the extent of the conilagration. 1t had
passed the limits they assigned 10 IL, and was no
longer subject to their cootro'.
The committee of conference expressed them
selves unanimously in favor OF acceptin2 the terms
offered by the government, and eXeriei themselves
in the committee Ut safety to ob a'n decision to
the same effect. In that committee. siie question
whether they would submit pea, eabtv TO the exc
cution of the law, retaining expressly the prVl-
lese of using all constitutional means to effect its
repeal, was debated with great zeal. The less
violent party carried by small majority; but,
no, thinking Themselves authorised to decide Tor
their constituents on SO munentous question,
they afterwards resolved that it should be refer
red to the people.
This reference resulted in demonstrating that
though many were disposed to demean them
selves peaceabIy, YET vast mass of opposition
reuained determined to obstruct the establish
me of civil authority.
a IN some causes among which was dsaffec-
tionl The particular service. the prospect Of
nsng the quota of troops required from Penn
sylySoia into the field, was at first unpromising.
But he assembly which had been summoned by
the Hpvernar to meet on the first of September,
exp ssed in strong terms its adherence of this
darilg attempt to resist the laws, and to subyert
the government Of the country; and degree Of
ardour and unanimity was displayed by the peo-
pie of other states, which exceeded the hopes of
the most sanguine friends of the administration.
Some feeble attempts were indeed made to pro-
duce disobedience to the regusiton Of the Pre-
sident by declaring that the people would never
be made the Instruments Of the secretary of the
treasury, to shed the blood of their fellow citi-
zens; that the representatives of the people ought
to be assembled before civil war was commenc-
ed; and by ayowing the extravagant opinion that
4 Fiji. r A.