Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-05-13
American RebeIIIOns-Past and Present.

ferent rebeIlions which have occurred in the
United States;]
Before the gigantic rebellion that is now
in its death-thrOes, there have been six insur-
rections, or so called instructions, or attemp-
ted instructions, since the formation of the
federal government. Some of these out
breaks, or attempted outbreaks, were rather
riots, or bloodless demonstrations of popular
discomfort; but they are generally called in
surrections, and it is sufficient for our present
purpose to so consider them.
What is popularity known as Shay's rebel
lion is the first instance of organized resist
ance to lawful government in the United
States. In 1855 Daniel Shay, citizen of
Massachusetts,, became the leader of party
of malcontents in the old Bay State, which
had organized to right such grievances as
heavy state taxation, the high salary of the
governor, the aristocratic tendencies of the
state senate, and other similar local grievan-
ces 1t was entirely family quarrel, and the
state troops settled the difficulty by killing
three of the insurgents and wounding others.
Shay, and some of his fellow insurreetonists,
were captured and subsequently tried, con-
victed and sentenced to death; but all were
finally pardoned, and thus ended Shay's rebel
lion.
The Whiskey Insurrection in Pennsylvania,
towards the close of the administration of
President Washington, was a more formida-
BILE outbreak. 1t arose from discomfort
caused by the heavy excise tax imposed by
Congress upon distilled domestic spirits
This instruction ended without bloodshed,
and if we mistake not, namesake and ances-
ter of the present rebel General Robert E.
Lee held prominent command in the troops
sent to enforce Obedience to the laws of the
United States.
Burr's enterprise, in 1907, the precise mean
ing of which has never been clearly made out,
but which is believed to have been the in
tended invasion of Mexico, and the formation
Of a great southwestern empire, was the next
revolutionary movement. In that case no
overt act of treason was committed, and the
trial of Burr, in Richmond, resulted in an
abandonment of the prosecution by the gov
eminent, and the acquital Ca the accused.
Notification in South Carolina in 1882 was,
in its effects, more mischievous revolution
ary effort than either of those that had pre-
ceded it; but in this case there was no blood
shed, no overt act of war, and no punish
ment inflicted upon any of the leaders.
DORIS rebellion in Rhode Island, nearly or
| quite quarter of century ago, has frequent
| ly been referred to by southern rebels, along
with Shays rebellion, the Whiskey Insurrec-
| ton and Burr's .fGSc0, by way of excuse for
secession, the main actors in all these move
ments being northern men. But there Is no
| parallel among any of the cases spoken Of
| Dorr found Rhode Island governed by an old
| charter granted the state by Charles H., as
| far back as 1868. He agitated Its repeal and
upon a popular vote its abrogatlon was or
lined, and he was elected governor upon
the reform ticket Governor King and the
charter party which he led refused to recog-
Mt Fba Of of gha pQnrIn claiming that the
charter was perpetual and unalterable, that
it could not be amended or repealed, and
armed resistance was made to the DOrrites.-
John Tyler, then accidental President, sent
United States troops to aid the state forces
of Rhode Island in their anti republican stand,
and after bloodless struggle Except that an
innocent COW was shot by mistake by pick
et) Governor Dorr was arrested, tried and
sentenced to imprisonment for life. He was
afterward pardOned, the record of his sent
ence ordered to be expunged, and he lived
to see the old monarchial charter legally
abolished and a republican constitution
adopted.
John Browns famous raid into Virginia in
1859 comes, next in chronological order
among recognized American outbreaks. John
Brown, a crack-brained enthusiast, with a
score of followers, made war upon Virginia,
and, in pursuit of wild project of freeing the
slaves in the Old Dominion, he took posses
sion of United States property at Harper's
Ferry, and he broke the laws of the common
monwealth of Virginia. That state dealt out
harsh Justice to the offenders, and but a sim
Gle soul of them escaped. Those who were
not killed in the unequal fight, or murdered
after they were made prisoners, were hanged,
and Virginia made herself almost as Tidicu-
lous in her wholesale sanguinary settling of
\. 4I,a ofsh bod hafo
made herself by her childish fears and trepi-
dation.
The great rebellion which began in 1861,
and which now seems to be in its last gasp,
is the next outbreak in order Strangely
enough, the nearest parallel to it among all
former American Instructions is the John
Brown raid There was blood shed in the
case of the latter, every soul of the Taiding
party, except one who made his escape, eth
er biting the dust in the field or ending his
career upon the gallows. But John Brown
made war upon what he honestly and enthu-
siastically believed to be wrong, and not in
support Of crime John Brown was not ed
ucated at the expense of Virginia, he had
never sworn specially to support its constitu-
ton and its laws, ard he had never enjoyed
high honors and emOluments at the
hands of the commonwealth which he
made war upon. mere JOHN DTONn
was innocent, Robert E. Lee is guilty. He
pas educated at the cost of the United States;
he enjoyed rank and emolument off bestOw
al he was bound by his oath and his honor
to stand by its government, and he failed in
both Where John Brown sheds rills of hu-
man blood, Robert E. Lee has shed rivers
where John Brown was merciful and kind
towards the prisoners who fell into his hands,
Robert E. Lee allowed Belle Isle, Libby Pris-
on and Andersonville to disgrace humanity
and where John Brown refused to tell lie to
save his life, Robert E. Lee has lent his name
to statements that he must have known were
false. In everything wicked and criminal,
Robert Z. Lee is far ahead of John Brown /;
in generous impulses and manly truthfulness,
and true heroism, John Brown, with all his
great mistakes, stood head and shoulders
above Robert E. Lee. General Lee was
Lieutenant Colonel in the United States army
in 1859, and he took command of the storm
ino marty that eaptursd what w0s left of
Browns force of twenty men. We have new
er heard that he made any effort to save the
brave old enthusiast from the gallows. He
must know that his own crime is as much
greater than that of John Brown, as the
shareholders rebellion is greater in its dimen-
sions than the John Brown raid. John
Brown sleeps in the grave whittier he
was sent by Virginia justice, or Virginia
terror; Robert E. Lee is at large on the
parole of soldier. Does he appreciate
the generosity of northern foemen or does
he feel about his throat in his dreams the