The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-19
CroubIes Of
Our Doom.
American Wars, RebeIlions, Insur-
rections, Riots, Strikes.
THE WHISKY REBELLION.

THE WHISKY REBELLION.
This began in PENNSYLVANIA II 1871 AMI
became SO formidable that Is, troops
were called out, being the first use Of
federal troops in domestic troubI IS.
PRESIDENT Washington accompanied the
troops part way, and Secretary Alex
ander Hamilton went to Western Penn
sylvania, the chief scene of trouble
Many arrests We're made, but there was
no armed conflicts. The first Fedei% Of
hcers sent to collect the whisky tax were
tarTed and feathered. Albert Gallatfn.
afterwards ecIetary Of the treasury,
was secretary Of the largest gathering OF
insurgents, some 7,C0c in number, at
Braddock's field, Aug. 1, 1894.
ll9l-4Whisky Instruction in western
Pennsylvania, 1900 troops were called
out, being the first use of Federal soldiers
in domestic troubles. Presi -ent WASH
instoR accompanied the troops part way
and Secretary Alex. Hami ton went to
the scene of trouble. Man arrests were
made, but there was no armed conflict
The first Federal officers sent to collect
the whisky tax were tarred and feath-
cred. Albert Gal at n. afterwards s5c-e-
tary of the treasu- Y. was secretary of
the largest gathering, 700 of the in
surgents at Braddock's Field, Aug l.
1874.
The excise law which caused the
whisky rebellion was pass d by congress
March 3, 1871. 1t was the fir law Of
the kind ever PASSED in this count y, and
Is said to have been a scheme devised by
Hamilton for the express purpose OF
testing the power of the new Federal
government. The measure was suppo T.
ed by the Federdlists AMI opposed by the
aiiti-Federalists, and there is no doubt
the rebellion against it was rather po-
htlcal than a social outbreak The tax
was on the manufacture of the spi its
but as the excise paid by the manu-
facturers of course raised the price of the
article to all who used 1t, the tax NAV
be said to have been laid on the articls
itself. The disafection was greatest IN
Western Pennsylvania, because the
farmers there, being at a great Gistancs
from the important grain shipping and
buying points. depended largely upon the
distillertes for market for their q ain
They claimed that an article produced In
an isolated community. and so largely
the dependence Of that community. cou'd
not be lawfully taxed for the advantage
of the Federal government Tee very
name Of an excise law was oGious to
many at this time from associat on with
the detested laws Of Great Brita n. 1t 4,
asserted, also, that the rebellion was
largely due to the influence of Citizen
Genet, the FRENCH minister sent over in
1872, who wanted the United States to
take sides with France in the war with
Great Britain.
The whisky tax law was reueaIed In
1862 as soon as the ami ceraIists came
into power for that party had never ap-
proved Of it. There was no still tax
again levied until 1879 when It was neces,
sary to increase the revenues to carry on
the war with Great Britain That tax
was repeated again n 1916, and was rot
again levied until July J. 1862. Since the
last mentioned date there has always
been whisky tax in force. There have
been many attempts on the part Of
manufacturers to evade the law, no
doubt-especially from 1864 to 1861 when
the tax ranged from $1.Ec to 50 a gallon
by making false reports Of the amount
distilled but about the only efforts made
to resist the collection of the tax by 70 CO
were those Of the moonshiners" of thu
mountain districts of the South in 1881
and later.