The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-03-01
ShaYs' Rebellion.

| In these times of wonderous and start
ling political events, such an eruption
might not SO deeply stir the nation; but
in the early morning Of our national lite.
when the blood and the treasure OF an III
FAINT republic had been well nigh exhaust
ed-when the sword had just been sheath
ed upon the retiring of a foreign toe-an
armed rebellion against the constituted
authority was an event that shook the
country from centre to circumference.
| To many the simple fact of 'Shays' Re-
bellcn" will be familiar who cannot call
to mind the circumstances.
Daniel >hays had held a captains com
mission in the Patriot army during the
Revolution. and had been a brave and
| gallant odier. If not a native Of Massa-
chusetts, the best part OF his life was
| spent in that State; and in the State OF
| Massachusetts was the rebellion Shays
was not prominent in the first movements
of the indictments, but being of a restless
| disposition. and a radical turn Of mind,
they found in him 4 prompt and hearty
leader. The rebels We're republicans run
mad They complained that the salary
OF the chict officials, and especially that
| of the governor was too high; that the
othLC toCllutC wa siilolctl1ttiNi tiitte etiC
| lawyers were eXtortionate; that the taxes
| We're too burdensome to be borne; and
| that money was unnecessarily scarce.
| They demanded the issue OF paper money
| sufficient to meet the wants of the suffer
ing people and that this paper should he
made a legal tender; and they also de
manded that the General Court should be
| removed from Boston to some place less
n 4
vened, and an effort made 10 allay the
/ discomfort OF the complainan.s With
the experience of worthless paper money
in mind the lawmakers would issue no
more OF it, but they went 50 far rs to pass
All act whereby certain arrears Of taNrN
might be paid IN produce.
! But the recusantS would not be salts
| fled Bodies OF armed men interrupted
| the sessions OF the courts in several coun-
ties and in the month OF december, ! So,
Shays appeared, with a large force, at
Worcester and at Springfield, and pre-
vented the holding Of courts ut those
places 1he January following, at the
head OF full two thousand armed men, lac
marched to capture the Arsenal al Spring-
field but the State militia had gathered
in sufficient force to stop them, and nnder
command Of General Shepard they pave
| battle. and put the rebpllioug host to utter
rout All the first fire OF the state lroop7
| the insurgents fled in dismay, leaving
three dead. and one wounded, OF their
number upon The field
| On the following day hey were pursued
| by an increased force under Cen Lincoln,
| and nearly two hundred OF them taken
prisoners, the remainder escaping north
ward. The prompt action 81 the State
authorities crushed out The inqrlrerfion
at once A free pardon wa offered -
such a. would lay down their arms and
return to their allegiance. ot which most
of them tool. advantage Fourteen OF the
chief OF the cOnspIra'or3 were tried, 2nd
convicted, and sentenced 10 death bal III
forwards pardoned. Daniel Shays rt
moved to Sparta, y. \ d, where he died At
an advanced age, September 18th, 1872.
And that was "Shay7 Rebellion The
| following anecdote in connection there
with is worth relating
Late at night. after the rvpul>r ot the
insurgents at Ordnance Hill. in their adj
vance upon the Arsenal, Shays sent Il flag
of truce 10 Gen. Shepard requesting thai
the bodies of five OF his men W no had been
hliieu III ihe Httt engagement Shottlu bf
sent to him. Tie officer who met the
flag, and who presented the ease to his
commander, returned 10 the messenger
as follows:
9 Present General Shcparl's compli-
ments to Captain Shays, and inform him
that at this time he cannot furnish him
with five dead rebels, he having no more
than four, and one of those not quite
dead; bnt il Captain Shays Will please
to attack him again, General Shepard
will engage to furnish him with IL many
dead rs he shall desire