The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-07-03

British parliament the very cause of
the revOlutiOn-had been an excise
law. There was nothing at that day
disreputable in either making or drink
ing whisky. No temperance societies
then existed; to drink whisky was a.
common and honorable as to eat bread.
Distilling was then esteemed as moral
and respectable as any other business.
IL was early commenced and extensive
ly carried on in western Pennsylvania.
There was neither home nor foreign
market for rye, their principal crop;
the grain would not bear packing
across the mountains. y horse could
carry but four bushels; but he could
take the product Of 2i bushels in the
shape of alcohol. Whisky, therefore,
was the most important item of remit
tance, 10 pay for their salt, sugar and
iron. The people had cultivated their
land for years at the peril oftheir lives,
with little pr no protection from the
federal government; and when, by
extraordinary efforts, they were ena-
bled 10 raise little more grain than
their immediate wants required, they
were met with law restraining them
in the liberty of doing what they
pleased with the surplus. The people
of this region, therefor, regarded a tax
on whisky in the same light as the
people now would regard 4 United
States tax on lard, pork or flour.
II should also be remembered in this
connection, that the new federal gov
ernment was bat recently organized; its
pcwers were but little understood on
the frontier; and the people of this
region generally, for the previous
twenty years, had been much more in
the habit Of opposing foreign govern
ment, ihan Of sustaining one Of their
own.
In order to allay opposition as far rs
possible, men of the most deserved
popularity were appointed to collect
the excise. Capt. Webster, hero of
the revolution and wealthy citizen or
Somerset, was appointed excise officer
for Bedford county. II was with much
difficulty that ne was induced to accept
the office, - unpopular was the law.
Ths. public mind in WeStmOreland,
Washington, Fayette and Allegheny
counties was in a very inilammatory
state. and a. a result Il number Of out
RACES were committed upon the excise
officers. In June or July, 1894, a com-
panv of 1870 men from Westmoreland
county men marched to Somerset and
captured Capt Webster. They took
his commission FROM him and made
him promise never again to act as a
collector of excise. An attempt was
made 10y some of the party To fire his
hay stacks, bat it was prevented by
Others. They marched homeward,
taking Webster few miles. Seeing
him very submissive, they ordered him
to mount a stump, and repeat his
promise never again to act as collector
of excise, and to hurrah three times
for Tom the Tinker, after which they
dismissed him.
The opposition to the excise became
- strong and the rebelliOus spirit 81
alarming that the president thought it
necessary "a forward an army con
sis.ing cf l5,JlJ from the east. This
ARMY was commanded by Gen. Lee, of
Virginia. Secretary of the Treas ury
Hamilton also went To Pittsburg, and
stopped over night in Somerset with
Capt. Webster The army reached its
destination in November. but met with
no opposition and she'd 40 blood. y
number Of the leaders ofthe insurgents
among them Herman Husband and
RobeT. PhilsOn, of Somerset. county,
were arrested and sent 10 Philadelphia
for trial. Husband died in prison and
PhiIson was discharged. In the spring
the troops were withdrawn, onter had
been fully restored, the law was ac-
quiesccd in, and business resumed its
wanted course.
: PIONEER WEDDING.
It Is pleasing, after the details of the
har,lships endured by the first settlers
10 contemplate the more peaceful and
eonvival scenes of the early pioneers
as drawn by the graphic pen of Rev.
Mr.. Doddridge.
For long time after the first set
/ tlement of this country, the inhabitants
in general married young. There Wa
no distinction of rank, and very little
/ OF fortune. ON these accounts the first
impression of love resulted in marriage
and q family establishment cost bui
little labor, and nothing else.
y wedding engaged the attention o
the whole neighborhoOd; and the froli'
was anticipated 10y old and young Will
\ eager expectation. This Is not to b
wondered nj when il i remembered
that y wedding was almost the oni!
/ gathering which was not accompanies
with The labor of reaping, log rolling
building Il cabin or planning som'
scout or campaign.
In the morning of the wedding dal
the groom and his attendants assem-
bled nj the home of his father for th
purpose of reaching the mansion of hi
bride by noon, which was the usul
time for celebrating the nuptials-
Let the reader imagine an assembling
OF pcople, without a store, tailor, q
mautuamakcr, within a hundred miles
and an asSesnblage of horses, without
blacksmith or saddler within an equa
distance. The gentlemen dressed il
shoe-paeks, mOccasins, leather breeches
leggins, linsey hunting-shiris, and a
homemade The ladies dressed j
linSev pettieoats, and linsey or linen be
gowns, coarse shoes, stockings, hant
kerchicfs, and buckskin gloves, if any
The horses were caparisoned with ol
saddles, brides or halters, and paci
saddles; a rope or string rs often eoi
! stituted the girth as a piece of leathe
The march i'm double file was ofte
, interrupted by the narrowness an
distractions of our hOrse-paths, rs the
were callei, for we had no roads. Whe
: the party were about mile from q
, place two young men would single o'
| fo r1D for the bottle. The worse tl
t path and the more obstacles the Wa
: afforded the better opportunity for Il