The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-21

made under an act Of Congress Of the last CEN
lury, 70 remove metrom this State, l formally
offered to the proper authorities Of the United
States, any pledge or security to appear in New
Orleans, and meet the charges against me, so
soon ~ my term Of Office should expire and
against the indignity thus about
to be offered, rot to myself, but to the State, in
dragging from his duties her chief magistrate.
:" My proposition was not accepted. and my
remonstranse not needed. II is not for me to
complain. You are the aggrieved party. My
course in this matter meets the approval of
some Of the most patriotic citizens near me.
sincerely hope, as it was dictated alone by my
sense of duty to the State. it may meet the APP
probation OF my felow-citizens."
Then let the senator from New Hampshire
learn that this governor, surrounded by a people
attached to him, man himself Of military fame
and who might, therefore, the more readily have
been suspected of seeking resort to arms, re-
signed the office which he held, abandoned the
trust confded to him, that he might go and an
swer to charge which he believed TO DO "a
charge entirely unfounded. So much for the
reference of that senator to the State Of Mis-
sissippi.
Now, Mr.. President, while am quite willing,
] may say anxious to know what measures tho
Executive may take, as the question Of military
force has been drawn into this debate, take
this occasion to say TINT hope the day is far
distant when the militia of the States cannot
enforce the laws of the United States, cannot
suppress instruction withinthe States. / hope
the day is equally distant when the federal gov
eminent, by it's army and navy, should attempt
to enforce obedience upon State. Ii this free
negro mob represent the true feelings Of the
State of Massachusetts, if such be the action of
the State herself; if she wills to be free Of the
obligation Of the Union, let her 60.
|, for one, will never give my vote to extend
single arm of the federal power for her coer-
cion. trust that the history of our govern
ment my never record such scenes as horse
guards charging upon the peasantry, or steel-clad
curassiers turned out to ride down the ignoble
rabble. The people are the sovereigns. Let
them act as their wisdom and their patriotism
may direct, and when they cease to have wisdom
and patriotism necessary of their voition to sus-
tain this government, ] say the government is
at an end.
Mr.. FOOTE. simply rise for the purpose
Of putting myself right with regard to an his
torcal point. had no idea Of saying any thing
more. Perhaps have said more than is neces-
sary referred to an insurrection which took
place in the State of Pennsylvania, called the
"whiskey insurrection," some years ago. ! said
that the President of the United States ut that
period-Gen. Washington-had performed his
duty as President of the United States, by taxi
ing the proper steps 20 suppress the instruction.
1t was case Of insurrection in the bosom Of
one of the States of this Confederacy 1t was
not suppressed by the military of Pennsylvania,
unaded by the military forces of other States
The history of it is entirely different; and as
have an authentic account before me- shall
content myself with simplyreading few extracts
that all may understand what Gen. Wash.
ington thought to be his duty in euch an emer-
geEcy as then arose. 1t will be very high au-
thority, certainly. The historian (Sparks in the
Life OF Washington) narrates the matter in this
way:
"Soon after Congress- adjourned, the Pres-
dents attention was called 10 another subject
Of very serious import, 10th as it regarded the
authority Of the laws and the stability of the
Union. The act of Congress imposing tax on
distilled spirits had, from its first operation, ex-
cited much uneasiness in various parts of the
country, and in some districts it had been evaded
and openly resisted The inspectors of the re-
venue appointed. by the government were in
tied, threatened, and even prevented BY force
from discharging their duty. To so great a
length had these outrage gone in some places,
as early as September, 1892, that proclamation
was published by the President, admopishing
all persons to refrain from combinations and
proceedings which obstructed the execution of
the laws, and requiring the magistrates and
courts to exert the powers vested in them for
bringing to justice the offenders. Bills of in
dictment We're found against some of these per-
sons, and the marshal attempted to serve the
processes issued by the court. He was met BY
body of armed men, seized, detained, and
harshly treated. The indictments proceeded
from one degree Of excess to another, holding
seditious meetings, arming themselves, abusing
the officers of the government, and bidding de-
tance to the laws, till they have assumed the
attitude of insurrection, and prepared for an
organized resistance.
"The moderation and forbearance which, ac-
cording to his usual practice, the President had
exercised toward these deluded people for more
than two years. served only to increase their
violence and encourage their determined spirit
of hostility. He could no longer he state AS
to the course he ought to pursue. He resolved
to employ the means entrusted to him by the
laws and suppress the insurrection by mill
tary force. AS preparatory step, he issued a
proclamation, dated on the 18th of August, in
which, after briefly nnrrating the criminal trans
actions OF the insurgents, and what had been
done by the government to allay their discon-
tents and turn them from their REASONABLE prac-
tees, he declared his determination to execute
the laws by calling the militia TO his aid, and
commanded the insurgents, and all persons con-
cerned in abettng their acts, to dispense and re-.
tire peaceably to their abodes before the first
day of September.
Having sent out this proclamation, as pre-
limiuary measure exacted by the laws, he next
ade requistion for militia on the Governors
of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryla and
Virginia The insurgents chiefly resided in the
western counties of Pennsylvania. 1t was SIP.
posed there were among them about sixteen
thousand men capable Of bearing arms and that
they could bring at least seven thousand into
active service. The number of militia at FIRST
ordered out wars twelve thousaud, and it was
subsequently increased TO fifteen thousand. The
Governors of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
took the field at the head Of the troops from
Bedford. Those from Virginia and MARYLAND
assembled at Cumberland, the site Of old Fort
Cumberland, at the junction of Wills creek
with the Potomac river. From every Quarter
the militia came forward with alacrity, and the
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