Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-08-27


rs that did not treat his ncishbors to a dra
IL whenever an opportunity offered.
a The country remained in this state t
W about the year 1871, when Congress laid
it duty or excise CT four pence per gallon {
e all distilled spirits. The long war vii
o. England had greatly exhausted the publ
4 treasury, and this was thought to be a ta
f that would assist tic revenue With rs lit
c injury to the citizens rs any other th;
If could lie devised. The people, howevc
c would not submit to it, They considcre
J., it a great oppression, and tyranical Lcyon
/ endurance. WHAT" said they, slla
|, we, who within twenty years have success.
fully contended with Great Britain on az
/ count of Il tax on tea, now submit to b
taxed for whiskcy?" When the excis
officers came around to collect the duty
they were hisscd at and insultcd, and threat
iened to hc tarrci and fcatLered if the,
persisted in executing their office. Othe
officers were sent, and were treated in tn,
same manner. Some few recommended
submission to the laws, and that they sho' {
petition Congress for redress Of grievances
but they were disregarded. The popular
frenzy was such that the man who talked
Of submission or moderation, was in great
danger of getting his person abused Or bis
house burned Public meetings were held
i'll different sections of the country, inilan
matory speeches made, and liberty poles
raised, with such devices on them as these ::
"Liberty and no exeisc;' "No asy lum
for towards or traitors"
Thus very great excitement vas raised,
and 4 large ..ajority were willing to 60
any length in opposing the collection of
the tax. Whilst airlirs remained in this
situation, government sent out three inlu-
entail Commissioners to the disailccted
counties, in order to persuade the citizens
to submit to the law The excitement,
however, was so high that they would not
hear the Commissioners, and scarcely de-
sisted from insulting them. They were
plainly informed by the Commissioners,
that the law neither could be, nor would
be repealed so long as the citizens resisted
it, and that the dignity and stability of the
Government required that it should en-
force obedience to the laws by the strong
arm, if nothing else would dc. The effect
Of this menace was, that general CONVEX
tion Of citizens was called, to consider
whether they would submit to the law or
resist it. The delegates assembled at Par
kinson's ferry (now Mouongahela City, in
the carly part Of the summer of 179I.-t
The majority Of the Convention passed
that the several excise officers
should be brought in Immediately by force,
and that their commissions should be ta-
ken from them, and promise cxtortcd
from them that they would not again act
in that capacity, and that if any resistance I
was made by them they should be burned
,ut Of house and home Thus this affair
vas fast drawing to a crisis.
The insurgents, by a numerous body Of
,rmed men, made their first attack on tn.
lwelling house OF Gen. Neville, the excise
,ilicer in Washington county. Neville
vas aware of their coming, and prepared
IN armed force to defend himself. lie
varied them to dcsist, or hc would lire on
hem. They advanced, however, anu Capt
I'Farland was shot dead The ASSISTANTS
etircd, and day or two afterwards, re
urncd to resume the attack. Neville, in ;
he mean time, had abandoned the house,
md the assailants, meeting with no resis-
ancc, set fire to it and burned it down.
The next movement was made against
'hilip Reagan, the deputy excise officer in
Ncstmorelaul county. The attack was ;
made in the night, by numerous body of
men Reagan expected to be attacked, and
lad prepapcd himself with number of
,uns, and one or two men. The firing S
from the house, and the as {
ATLANTIS fred at it for some time without
fleet on either side. The insurgents then .
ct fire to Reagan's barn, which they burn
down, and retired for that time. In l
he course Of a day or two after, the as
ATLANTIS, with force of one hundred and |
fly men, returned to renew the attack
After some parleyiug, Reagan, rather than t
he'd blood, proposed to capitulate with i
hem, provided they would do it on hon /
rablc terms, and give him assurance that t
hey would neither abuse nor destroy his G
and would agree on his part to
i've up his commission, and never again a
D act as an excise man. These stipula- :
ions were agreed to, reduced to writing, '
nd signed by the parties. Reagan than L
pened bis door, came out with keg of d
hiskey, and treated them all. In short e
nc, however, after the whiskey was drank, t
,me Of them began tomurmur, and to say 7