The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-01
Different Rebellions in the United States


The present is the third rebellion against the
General Government, which has occurred since
the adoption of the Federal Constitution. The
first broke out in Western Pennsylvania, in
the summer of 1884, growing out of the colec-
ton of the duties imposed by Congress on dis
titled spirits, and hence called the WHISKY In
sURRECT1oN. Ia this rebellion, over seven
thousand men took up arms and assembled to
resist the execution of the law, and put the au :
thority of the Government at defiance. The
proclamation of the President, calling on them
to disperse and return to their loyal duty, pro-
duced no effect; and it was not till the Militia
Of four States, and to the number of fifteen
thousand, were. called out and marched into the
locality, under the command of Gen. Lee, of
Virginia, that the rebellion was fully put down.
The second rebellion, which occurred in 1882,
had its seat in South Carolina, and grew out of
pretended disafection to the tariff of 1928
The State called a general Convention, which
voted the tariff unconstitutional, null and void
and the Leg islature passed acts forbidding the
execution of the tariff laws in that State, and
encouraged the raising of armed forces to resist
the Federal officers who should attempt it. This
rebellion was also soon put down by the prompt
and vigorous measures of Gen. jackson, who,
finding the eloquent proclamation he issued on
the occasion was not likely tc be needed, COM
menced warlike preparations, and made move
towards arresting the leading traitors then in
oil bo
rebellion for the time being, but it lacked the
practical lesson which was needed to prevent
similar disturbances in that false, fiery and re-
bellous State in the future. Had Gen. Jack
carried out his threat of hanging John G.
Calhoun, he, probably, would have done the
Country the additional favor of preventing the
more extensive calamity that has now befal-
len us in this, the third and last in tho
list of rebellons we have to name for the
present rebellion, which had its sole origin
in that same South Carolinan hot-bed of trca-
son, sprang in a great measure doubtless from the
poisonous seeds sown in 1882 and subsequent
ly, on to the end of his life, by that mschievous
arch tor--seeds that, instead of being suf
honoring him, would have withered and persisted
under the scorching ignominy which would have
forever settled down on his name, had he, as he
deserved, met the death of felon.
All these rebellons, it is particularly worthy
to remark, have been either strictly local, or
have had strictly local origin. And what is
especially remarkable in them all is the common
fact, that not one of them has arisen from any
defect in the Constitution, or any real injustice
done under it to any portion of the Country.
There is a lesson to be gathered from this which
should not fail of being noted by the free peo-
pie of the North, and all the loyal of the South
and which should nerve them with every posi-
Bile resolution and energy" to fight on and fight
ever " to preserve a Constitution and Union
which have stood the test SO long and so well in
their general operation, and been the means of
raising us as nation to the first rank among
the great powers of the earth.