The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-07-26

u NJ Ut Ill CHuIcH Ill WtsttIH teuHSfi-
- vana is explained by a memorial tab
let which is attached to 1t and which bears this
inscription George Washington and John
Neville. united In their ideals of an orderly gov
eminent, co-workers In suppressing the whiskey
insurrectlon. the only armed conflict OF which
occurred ON hill adjacent to this church on
July IT. 1794"
Thus Is recalled to visitors to the church Of
today an abut-forgotten chapter In American
history. the story OF what has been called '.the
first American civil war" which was running Its
course lao years ago. The reason for placing
the memorial tablet In st. Luke's Of CHARTERS
Is that this church. which Is the oldest west of
the Allegheny mountains was only a log cabin
when 1t founded In 1865 by General Neville,
who was It's first senior warden, and 1t was
burned to the ground by the insurrectionists !
during the Whiskey rebellion.
The Whlskey rebellion had Its genesis In the
passage OF law by congress In 1T91 placing
small tax whiskey to help pay off debts In
Cured during the Revolution and to provide
funds for the costs OF the federal government
The law was suggested by Alexander Hamilton
then secretary of the treasury. and In presenting
his plan for an excise tax on liquor he argued
that such tax not new but that Ii had
been levied by various states before that time.
What he neglected to tell congress- however. was
that the states had found 1t virtually impossible
to collect such tax and that this would be
severe test imposed upon the power OF the new
and none-too-s strong federal government They
to find out just how unpopular such
legislation would be generally and more par
ticularly In the counties Of Washington. West
moreland. Allegheny and Fayette In western
Pennsylvania where the hardy frontersmen had
long been accustomed to making all the whiskey
~. +~l .
Ing posts In lieu OF money
When the bin leyylng the tar. which was
passed In March, 1901, was up for consideration
In congress, the state legislature OF pennsyi-
vanla, then In session, went on record In very
strong terms opposing the tax, and urging
Pennsylvania senators and representatives to
vote against It. The two congressman from
Western Pennsylvania voted against the bill and
denounced 1t at every opportunity and such q
notable as Albert Gallatin then resident OF
Fayette county and later secretary of the treas
ury under Jefferson and Madison, advocated
opposition to the law by all constitutional meth
DDS.
The last of the public meetings In protest OF
the law was held In August, 1902; the insnr-
rection did not break out until 1904 but In the
Intervening time "there were five or six uncon-
Heeted FIets or assaults on collectors In differ
ent parts Of the western country, on account Of
the excise"
In cases federal revenue officers were
tarred and feathered their commissions torn up
their records seized, and by threats compelled
to print their designations In the Pittsburgh Ga
zette. II law-abldng farmer gave information
to the location of stills his barn would be
burned.
Early In the disturbances President Washing
ton issued proclamation condemnng lawless
acts and warning all the malcontents to return
to their allegiance and assuring them that 1t
WAS his intention to enforce the law lat all haz-
ards This was without effect In fact 1t
seemed only to fan the flames. and organized
rebellion began to be talked about.
An insurgent leader, David Bradford sprang
to the front and called upon the free whlskey
forces to organize and defend their cause with
force Of arms. II necessary. Although congress
had Endorsed Washington's proclamation, the
whskey forces began to arm themselves here
and there. Congress tried to allay the bitter
by reducing the tax and providing for
monthly payments but there seemed to be no
abatement Of the fury
In July, 1904 an armed detachment Of the
insurgents attacked the home Of General Neville
who was an Inspector In Westmoreland county
He had called to his aid small detachment
from the garrison at Fort Pitt, which then con-
sisted OF but Ii men under the command Of Nal
Abraham kirkpatrick, The major refused to al
low the insurgents to search the home of Neville
for papers, and the insurgents then withdrew to
cover and opened brisk fire upon the house,
which was returned by the troops
Bradford, determined to aggravate the disturb
ance, stopped the mail at Greensburg. on the
road between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and
robbed 1t Of letters, some Of which he published
On July % a circular signed by Bradford and
one or two others sent out summonlng to
personal service the militia of the county and
calling for volunteers to rendezvous at Brad
docks field. eight miles south Of Pittsburgh,