, 1876-04-29
FAMILIAR TALK,

THE WHISKY REBELLION DURING WASHING.
TONS ADMINISTRATION.
Tue trouble which tue Government 10 expert
ensing at tho present day, iu its enlcnvor to
gather in the taxea imposed upon the manufae-
turc1s Of whisky. recalls to mind the oxtronae
difficulty, culmiuating In an actual rebellion,
which. nonrls century ago, attended ts ororss
to raise revenue from the enmo potent and
mischicyous article. The war Of the American
Revolution, by which our nation nehiovod its in
dependence, left the country In m impoverished
aud wol-nigh bankrupt condition. It was by
dint OF the most shiiful management. by the
use Of tho most sagaciouy o1pedierts. tnl BY
tho expenditure OF tisoleas yet exlAustivo
Inventions, that tue statesmen md ilnanciors at
ihe head OF affairs were abls to carry the states
safely through tho irving. threatening ycara
that followed after tha closa of tho desolatiu.
strife with England. There wat no money in
the Treasury, and thsro waa very little In tue
hands OF the people. Commerce and industry
had to bo newly created, and tsne allowed then,
to develop into prosperity, bofors they could
yield roturns In adequate proportions for the
support Of the Government. Meanwhile, tax
alton was Eesorted 10 as desperate yet In
perativo modc by which moana for establishing
the credit Of the country could b secured.
Whpn early in 1880. Hamilton, the aasuto Sec-
Rotary Of the Treasury. aout into cougsess Lla
first report upon tho public credit, 1e suggested
Tho leyyipg Of duty upon spirits Of homo man-
utacture and upon stills. Tho idea was for tho
tsn,o being rejected. 1t touched al interest that
WAS peculiarly sensitiys, and the Congressman
who guardod that iutorest succeeded iu dofend-
inE it from an unmo|cono Interference. Yet
acstco1y a twe!yomouth passed. orc Hamilton
I,
which tho dfstiliin industry must be made sub
mlsslye. Aftsr = furious debate in ths Ma
t!onal Legislature, during which the most vio-
lent Ansipathy to tho principle OF taxation came
to the susfecs. aud tho mont bitter donunciationB
Of this particular form OF 1t rots openly er-
pEoBsed, the bill passed laying AL oxciso upon
domestic liquors, ranging from 0 ceuts to 80
conts per gallon, according to the quality OF the
article. @
Tie law. which ueat into effect in the spring
parts Of tho county, but MAS especially irri-
tattns to the community dwelling west OF tho
Allegheniea in tho State Of Pennsylvania. Tho
fact!ols spirits assembled in Tits region Nosa
descendants OF mingled Scotch aud Irish ma
tionalisles. aud we're naturally glvon to much
whisky aud to excessive pugnacity and stub
bornneBs OF trmpor. Thor chiof occupation
was disti'tinK; hence ths excise law affected
them worry nearly. and reused to tho hietlaHt
clsonent their conbatiye propensities. inJnlya
maetng MAS convened at Nod Stono Old Fort,
At which, under the leadership OF QAl!atin,
Hndley. aud hGtllc, it was resolved that tom.
1nittees should bo formed in tho dlsnfIected
counties TO doy'Be ways for tho protection Of
the pcoplo from oppressive tazatljn. Through
tho summer tlio agitation was kept active by in
tlAmmatory lec!anlAtsons which ardent speakers
poured out On continuous 4sscmbiases,
Violont woids weto gradually exchanged for
violent deeus, aud in September hn unhap.,y
Collector Of Revenues for tie counties OF Al
legheny and Washington was aeiYed BY mob OF
men IN Disguise, aud thrred-nnd d-feRthcFcd. An
attempt WAS tnadc BY tho District Court to in-
llcs punishment upon tho perpetrators OF this
outrage: but the sndlviduRinpou whom do!olvcd
tho duty OF aEEcatiug tue oiIcnders was Hubtect-
Cd to sll worse ttcatment shsn tie Collector
whose faso VAS to bo avenged. lie was whipped
p1los 10 being invested III a coat Of sar-a1,l-
feathers. nud vas theu robbed Of his money anu
losBO. and left for hourB tied 10 \ ttes III tho
forest. There Was no freedom in the EsbellIous
counties, whore Inoh-law rsIgncd degpoticaiy.
Whoever dhrod to cxprcas Allegiance to tho
Government. OF to aad,Ht in the execution of hs
decEeo Of taxation, suffered ih perBon and
property from lhe sinGictyeuess OF tue excited
ropulace. Tho innocent aud the guilty. who
drow suspicion uEou themselves, Woro alike
hlutal'y lhualed by horde Vt tyrunts who
kue" no mercy. having onco usuEped tho right
OF Iodrosslng thelf fAEcles wrongs.
Thc Government Haa greatly embarrassed by
the inanEgeut attitude assuued by = portion of
lts btocts. G8 no provision bad yot beon made
for aiding tue Judiciary In tue execution OF tho
laws. For time the policy OF se.nporizlug WAS
tho summer OF 'l79a the rebels roused UP to re-
newed activity, and demonstfRtlons OF violence
were theoretically resumed Ihs Aoatilily to
ehs exclse-otHclas Was 10 oxtremu that II bo-
came almost impossible for thom to obtain the
necessary facilities fur tsansactinx thoir b,lai.
meas, nalle socially they we're put literally under
tha ban ny ss2uls5lY"orgAnlGad schema Of