The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-02-23
SHI IS' REBELLION.

In these times of wondrous and startling
political events. such an eruption might
not So deeply stir the nation but the early
morning of national life, when the blood
ana The treasure of AN infant republic had
been well nie II exhausted-w hen the sword
had Just been sheaihed upon the retiring
OF foreign foe-an armed re eballion against
the constituted authority was an event that
shook the country from cenrre to circu,n-
terence. To many the simple fact of
''Shay's rebellion will be familiar who
cannot call To mind the circumstances.
Daniel Shays had held captains com
mission in the patriot army during the
revolution and had been ii brave aud Gal
lant soldier Ii not native Of Nassacbn-
setts, the best part of lis life was spent
In that State; and in the State of MaSsa-
cinsetts was the rebellion. Shays was not
prominent in the first movements of the
malcontents but being of restless disposi
ton and a radical turn of mind they found
W INN prompt aud hCar.y leader Tie
reDeiS were republicans run mad. They
complained that the salary of the chief o.
ficials, and especially thai of the governor.
was too high that the State Seuate was
aiistocratic that the lawyers were extor-
tionate that the taxes were TOO bui den
some To be borne, and that money was nm
necessarily scarce. They demanded the
issue of paper money sufficient to meet the
wants OF the suffering people, and that this
papV: should be made IA legal tender: and
they also demanded that the general cont
sh"uid be removed from Boston to some
place less aiIstocIaIic. The general court
was convened and an eff,rt made to aliay
The discomfort of the c0mplainants With
The experience of worthless paper money in
mind The law makers would issue no more
of 1T, hut they went so far MS 10 pass an act
whereby certain arrears Of taxes might be
paid in prouuce.
But the recusants would not be satisfied
Bodies of armed men interrupted the scs-
sions of the courts in several counties and
In the month OF December, 1856. Shays an
peared, with Il large force. at Worcester
and at Springfield and prevented the hold
ing of courts at those places. The January
following, at the head of full two thousand
armed men, he marched to capture the ar
senal at Springf field but the State militia
had gathered in sufiicicntfDI ce To stop them.
and under command of Gen. Shepard they
gave battle, and put the REBEL host to
utter rout. At the first fire of the State
troops the insurgents fled in dis:nay, Ieav-
i Ing three dead and one wounded, of their
number upon the field.
On the following day they were pursued
, by an Increased force uuder Gen. LiIcolu.
. aud nearly two hundIed of them taken
prisoners, The remainder escaping north
ward lhe prompt action of the state au-
thorIties crushed out the insuTrectiun at
once. free pardon was offered To such
as would lay down tifeir arms and return
to their alleg lance, Of which most of then,
took advantages. Fourteen Of the chief of
! the cOnspirators were tried aud convicted
and sentenced To death, bat afterwards
pardoned. Daniel Shays removed 20 Spar
TIA. u. T., where no died at an advanced
age, September 20, 1925. Aud that was
, ''Shays Rebe lliun," The following anec-
dote III connection herewith is worth reia-
ting:
Late at night, after the rcpElse OF the
Insurgents al Ordnance hill, in their ad-
vance upon the arsenal, Shays sent "A flag
OF tiuce To Gen. Shepard, requesting that
the bodies of tive OF his men vino had been
/ Killed III the late engagement should be
! sent TO him. The officer who met the flag
I and who presented the case to his COM
mander, returned To the messenger as fol-
lows
present General Shepard's compliments
TO Captain Slays, aud Inform him that at
this time he cannot furnish him with five
dead rebels, he having more than four.
and one of those not quite dead but it
Captain SIays will please attack him again.
General Shepard viii engage To furn ish
him with as many dead as he shall DESIRE"