Transcript Document

Taxes were extremely high. Some counties were two or three years behind.
And with the prices of labor and produce falling very fast, creditors began
calling for old debts and saying that they would not take payment in paper
money. . . . Property was selling almost every day by [government seizure] for
less than half its value. The jails were crowded with debtors. And with the
people being ignorant that their help lay in being fully and fairly represented
in the legislature, many towns neglected to send representatives in order to
save the cost—so that the Few only were represented at the court, with an
aristocratic Bowdoin as governor at their head.
Under these circumstances, the people were driven to the greatest extremity.
Many counties took to conventions, remonstrances, and petitions to a court
where they were not half represented. But being not heard, and in some
instances charged with seditious meetings and intentions, under all these
circumstances, some counties were so foolish as to stop the courts of justice
by force of arms. This shook the government to its foundation. For instead of
fatherly counsels and admonitions, the dog of war was let loose upon them,
and they were declared in a general state of insurrection and rebellion.
To the good people of Boylston as this is
perelous times blood shed by tirants who are a
fighting for promotion and to advance their
interest which will Destroy the good people of
this Land—we stile ourselves regelators think it
is our Duty to stand for our Lives and for our
familys and for our Intrest which will be taken
from us if we Dont Defend them. Therefore we
would have you take it into consideration and fly
to our assistance and soon as posable in this just
and righteous cause.
Vices of the Political system of the U. States.
1. Failure of the States to comply with the Constitutional requisitions.
2. Encroachments by the States on the federal authority.
3. Violations of the law of nations and of treaties.
4. Trespasses of the States on the rights of each other.
5. Want of concert in matters where common interest requires it.
6. Want of Guaranty to the States of their Constitutions & laws against internal violence.
7. Want of sanction to the laws, and of coercion in the Government of the Confederacy.
8. Want of ratification by the people of the articles of Confederation.
9. Multiplicity of laws in the several States.
10. Mutability of the laws of the States.
11. Injustice of the laws of the States.
6. Want of Guaranty to the States of their Constitutions & laws
against internal violence.
The confederation is silent on this point and therefore by the second
article the hands of the federal authority are tied. According to
Republican Theory, Right and power being both vested in the majority,
are held to be synonimous. According to fact and experience a minority
may in an appeal to force, be an overmatch for the majority:
1. if the minority happen to include all such as possess the skill and
habits of military life, & such as possess the great pecuniary resources,
one-third only may conquer the remaining two-thirds.
2. one-third of those who participate in the choice of the rulers, may be
rendered a majority by the accession of those whose poverty excludes
them from a right of suffrage, and who for obvious reasons will be more
likely to join the standard of sedition than that of the established
Government.
3. where slavery exists the republican Theory becomes still more
fallacious.
11. Injustice of the laws of the States.
11. If the multiplicity and mutability of laws prove a want of wisdom, their injustice betrays
a defect still more alarming: more alarming not merely because it is a greater evil in itself;
but because it brings more into question the fundamental principle of republican
Government, that the majority who rule in such governments are the safest Guardians both
of public Good and private rights. To what causes is this evil to be ascribed?
These causes lie 1. in the Representative bodies. 2. in the people themselves.
1. Representative appointments are sought from 3 motives. 1. ambition. 2. personal
interest. 3. public good. Unhappily the two first are proved by experience to be most
prevalent. Hence the candidates who feel them, particularly, the second, are most
industrious, and most successful in pursuing their object: and forming often a majority in
the legislative Councils, with interested views, contrary to the interest and views of their
constituents, join in a perfidious sacrifice of the latter to the former. A succeeding election it
might be supposed, would displace the offenders, and repair the mischief. But how easily
are base and selfish measures, masked by pretexts of public good and apparent expediency?
How frequently will a repetition of the same arts and industry which succeeded in the first
instance, again prevail on the unwary to misplace their confidence? How frequently too will
the honest but unenlightened representative be the dupe of a favorite leader, veiling his
selfish views under the professions of public good, and varnishing his sophistical arguments
with the glowing colours of popular eloquence?
I fear I shall not Retreve the time and other
losses occas’d by that—I almost said Cursed
Rebellion, now called Glorious Revolution, as I
sincerely now wish it may Ever prove to be, tho’
I can’t yet help thinking that we might have
been happie at this Day, had we remained as we
were.
--Cadwallader Colden, Jr., to Henry von Schaack, June 1790
Indeed the present System neither has nor
deserves advocates; and if some very strong
props are not applied will quickly tumble to the
ground. No money is paid into the public
Treasury; no respect is paid to the federal
authority. Not a single State complies with the
requisitions, several pass them over in silence,
and some positively reject them. The payments
ever since the peace have been decreasing, and
of late fall short even of the pittance necessary
for the Civil list of the Confederacy. It is not
possible that a Government can last long under
these circumstances. If the approaching
Convention should not agree on some remedy, I
am persuaded that some very different
arrangement will ensue. The late turbulent
scenes in Massts. & infamous ones in Rhode
Island, have done inexpressible injury to the
republican character in that part of the U. States;
and a propensity towards Monarchy is said to
have been produced by it in some leading minds.
To save American credit from destruction,
it was at least necessary that the interest on
the public debt should be paid. For this
purpose Congress in 1781 asked permission to
levy a five per cent duty on imports. The
modest request was the signal for a year of
angry discussion. Donkeys fond of reasoning
from analogy asked, If taxes could thus be
levied by any power outside the State, why
had we ever opposed the Stamp Act or the tea
duties?
The Men who oppose a strong & energetic government are, in my
opinion, narrow minded politicians, or are under the influence of local
views. The apprehension expressed by them that the people will not
accede to the form proposed is the ostensible, not the real cause of the
opposition—but admitting that the present sentiment is as they
prognosticate, the question ought nevertheless to be, is it or is it not the
best form? If the former, recommend it, and it will assuredly obtain
mauger opposition.
(Letter from George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, July 10, 1787)
The encouragement at this time to enlist, is truly liberal and generous, namely a bounty of
twelve dollars, an annual and fully sufficient supply of good and handsome clothing, a
daily allowance of a large and ample ration of provisions, together with sixty dollars a year,
in gold and silver money on account of pay, the whole of which the soldier may lay up for
himself and friends, as all articles proper for his substinance and comfort are provided by
law, without any expence to him.
Those who may favor the recruiting party with their attendance as above, will have an
opportunity of hearing and seeing in a more particular manner, the great advantages,
which these brave men will have, who shall embrace this opportunity of spending a few
happy years in viewing the different parts of this beautiful continent, in the honourable
and truly respectable character of a soldier, after which, if he pleases, return home to his
friends, with his pockets full of money and his head covered with laurels.
God save the United States!