The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-05-09

lions issued by Alexander Hamiltop thu
seclesafy OF the treasury, to prosecute dsl;n.
quents with rigor, and to collect tho revsr.
ues 81 al hazards. Process was served un s
9 number OF persons, but the marshal n.
urea upon, captured, and threatened With
ooa.n unless ne promised to serve no protest
wes' OF the mountains. General Neville. in
:pIoso. OF tho western district. was besieeed
~ ms own mouse, near Pittsburgh. by par
" W. =. Insurgents, numbering forty guns.-I
nailed up with plank, and a nnmher Of hi,
negroes behind them, supplied with arms and
ammunition The rioters fred upou the
house, but being unexpectedly attacked in
return by the negroes-one of them killed,
and SIX wounded-they hastily retreated.
Inc attack was renewed the next day by
nVe or SIX hundred men. General Neville
could procure as reinforcement for the ne
groes but eleven soldiers-regulsrs from
Fort Pitt. The civil authorities feared to or
der out the posse comitatus to suppress the
riot. lest it should be found that the majority
were on the side of the insurgents. The lat
ter had appointed a committee of three lin
imitation of the national commissioners
which, at that dsy, attended the French ar
mics, who were to superintend the enter
prise, hold parley with the besieged, and
compel him, if possible, to resign his obnox
ious Office without hloodshed. The redoubta
BILE army marched to the inspectors house,
and the COMMITTEE" gravely seated them
selves on an eminence, at some distance, to
overlook the war. A flag was first sent in to
demand his resignation. This being summa-
rily refused, notice was gwen, by another
flag, for the women and children to withdraw.
The attack then commenced. The defenders
of the house replied warmly, and Major Mac
lane, who led the assailants, was soon killed.
A message was sent to the COMMITTEE" to
know whether the house should not be storm
ed. Meanwhile. the outhouses were fired,
the house threatened with copfagration, and
the small party within were compelled to
come out aud surrender themselves. The at
tack lasted about an hour two of the assail.
ants were killed, and three of the soldiers
wounded. While the house was burning the
insurgents broke open the cellar, drank up
the wine, and, becoming intoxicated, were
hardly restrained from massacring their cap
tivss, most of whom managed, however, to
escape.
A great meeting of the country militia was
now called by the leading insurgents. They
met at Braddock's Field, on the Monongahe
la, on the first of August. About seven thou
sand men, armed and equipped, attended, and
a very warlike disposition was manifested
II was resolved that the army should march
to Pittsburg. The design of attacking the
garrison Ia triaing squad of United States
troops in Fort PITY, was, however, abandon
ed. The people of the town were very hos
pitable. Whisky (untaxedl flowed freely,
aud the army marched through and crossed
the Monongahela where they mostly retired
to their houses, having made demonstration
of strength which, it was thought, would eff
feotually prevent any future attempt to exc
cute the law.
But the insurrection had now reached a
point where the temporizing policy OF the gov
eminent could be pursued no longer. The
alternative of subduing this open and forci-
| BILE resistance, or of submitting to it,wss pre-
scented to the administration. Washington
chose the former. On the eth of August, 1894,
he issued his proclamation warning the in
surgents to dispense within three weeks; pro-
| hibiting all persons from aiding or abetsng
the perpetrators of such reasonable acts !;
and declaring his purpose to ''csll forth the
| militia to suppress the combinations afors
| said and to cause the laws to be duty execut
| ed in the most solemn conviction that the es-
sential interests of t2e Union demanded il"
On the same day, a requisition was made on
the governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
Maryland and Virginia for twelve thousand
militia, afterwards increased to fifteen thou
sand who were to be Immediately organic
ed and ready tosEmarch at a moments warn
ing.
While steps were taken to bring the force
into the field, "a last attempt was made to rem
der its employment unnecessary. Three dis
siuguished citizens were appointed commits
sioners TO bear to the insurgents general
amnesty for past offences the sole condi-
ton of future obedience. Their Instructions,
drawn up by Edmund Randolph, secretary of
state, clearly stipulated that the excise law
must be executed as a preliminary to any ar
rangement; that process against the ring
leaders in the rebellion must not be obstruct-
ed, and that the duties of 1894 must be paid.
although nothing would be exacted for the
former years.
Meanwhile, the insurgents were using every
means to extend the circle of disaffection and
succeeded in drawing the neighboring coun-
ties of Virginia largely engaged in the dis
tIllery interest," into the rebellion. The i'm
preston became general that the body of the
people were ready to resist the government
by force of arms, and many believed that the
resistance thus commenced would spread
through the Union, and bring about revolu-
tion Those who see through rose-colored
medium and fancied peace and security, and
universal popularity of ''the great and good
Washington" have little conception of the
stormy times, which on more that one occas-
ion, beset his administration OF public affairs.
A great meeting OF insurgents was held at
Parknson's Ferry. where liberty pole was
erected and on Its red flag foated the inscrip-
ton - Liberty and M E:rcise! No AsyInm
for Traitors and Cosoards At this meetin z
twelve commissioners were appointed to con
fer with those sent by the president. On the
2lst day of August the commissioners on
both sides met at Pitssburg. After a tedious
amount of palaver, and an interchange of
communications and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
now filling a hundred pages of print, con-
ference separated, being unable to agree up
on any basis of settlement which came with
in the terms of their instructions. Mean
while, the federal commissioners were insult
ed and even attacked by the populace.
Hugh Ii. breckenridge, the eccentric Pitts
burg judge, and the author of modern chival
ry, was conspicuous IN his warnings to, the
federal authorities. He wrote thus after urg-
ing delay ON the part of the government:
at will be said this insurrection can be
easily suppressed it is but that of part Of
four counties. Be assured it is that OF the
greater part, and the three Virginia countries,
II II