FIRST YEARS OF PEACE.
The year 1783 commenced with the old money difficulties. Peace was now
certain; but the disbanding of the army without money to pay its
arrears, was a difficulty which all the wisdom and the courage of the
young republic knew not how to overcome. Many schemes were suggested;
among the rest, one had been started the preceding year, which, however,
met with no encouragement; but as it presents the noble spectacle of a
human being superior to temptation and ambition, we must be allowed to
pause upon it for a moment. One Louis Nicola, a colonel of the
Pennsylvanian line, regarding the financial difficulties of America as
the result of republican principles, became the agent of a party in the
army who held similar views. It was proposed, therefore, that a
monarchical government should be established, with Washington at his
head, the army, of course, coming in for a fair share of offices and
emoluments. Nicola was employed to lay the plan before the
commander-in-chief, which he did in a plausible and elaborate letter.
The government proposed for America was, however, to be no ordinary
monarchy; “nevertheless,” said the writer, “strong arguments might be
adduced for admitting the title of king.”
Washington’s ambition was not of that vulgar kind. The proposal
astonished, displeased and grieved him. He replied that no occurrence
during the whole war had caused him so much pain, as now to learn that
such ideas existed in the army, ideas which he viewed with abhorrence
and reprehended with severity. “I am at a loss,” continued he, “to
conceive what part of my conduct can have given encouragement to an
address which to me seems big with the greatest mischief which could
befall my country. If I am not deceived in the knowledge of myself, you
could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more
disagreeable.” “Nevertheless,” said Washington, turning to the root of
the mischief, “no man possesses a more sincere wish to see ample justice
done to the army than I do; and as far as my powers and influence, in a
constitutional way, extend, they shall be employed to effect it.”
No more was heard of making Washington king. But the causes of the
army’s discontent remained no less this year than they had done the
last, although congress did its utmost for their removal. Discontent and
disaffection were growing apace. Even Washington began now to be
censured for indifference towards their troubles, because he had not
removed them, and because his own private property left him independent
of pay, which in fact, he had declined from the first.
Congress was anxiously deliberating on some means of raising money, when
an anonymous invitation appeared, calling upon the general and
field-officers, with an officer from each company, to attend a meeting
on the following day, for the purpose of taking their own affairs into
consideration. At the same time an artful and energetic address was
circulated, written, as was afterwards discovered, by Captain Armstrong,
aide-de-camp to Gates, appealing to the passions of the officers,
setting forth their unrequited dangers and sufferings, and advising them
no longer to ask for justice from congress, but with arms in their hands
to obtain it from that body through their fears.
Washington, who was still in camp at Newburgh, seeing the fearful crisis
which was now at hand, issued an order denouncing the anonymous call for
the meeting as irregular, and naming a later day, on which the officers
were invited by himself to assemble for the purpose of receiving the
report of their committee sent to congress; while, in the meantime, he
had personal interviews with individual officers, and used all his
influence to calm their passions and to infuse a spirit of confidence
and patience.
The meeting assembled, and Washington rose to read a short speech which
he had prepared. He took off his spectacles to wipe them, remarking that
his eyes had grown dim in the service of his country, but that he had
never doubted her justice. He then, reading from the paper, appealed to
the patriotism and good sense of the officers, and entreated them to
rely on the justice of congress, and stigmatised the anonymous addresses
as the work of some British emissary, whose object was disgrace to the
army and ruin to the country. Then repeating in public the remonstrances
he had used in private to different officers, he retired from the
meeting. No one rose to counteract the effect of the speech. A series of
resolutions was then passed, expressive of unshaken confidence in
congress, “and abhorrence and disdain of the infamous proposal”
contained in the anonymous addresses.[56]
Washington had pledged himself to the army to use his utmost influence
with congress, and he redeemed his pledge. The half-pay for life which
had been promised, was soon after commuted into five years’ full pay at
once, the certificates to be issued for it to bear interest at six per
cent.
The insurrection among the officers had been quelled, but the army
itself was not satisfied. Three months’ pay had been promised, but as it
was not forthcoming, the men thought probably that neither could they do
better than appeal to the fears of congress, as the officers themselves
had just before recommended. Congress was sitting at Philadelphia, when
a letter demanding their pay was sent to that body by the Pennsylvanian
troops, just returned from the South, and immediately afterwards that
part of the troops stationed at Lancaster marched to Philadelphia for
the same purpose. Congress desired that the militia might be called out;
but the council of Pennsylvania, with President Dickenson at their head,
frightened at this threatening aspect, demurred, alleging that the
militia would not act unless some outrage were committed. The mutineers,
on reaching the city, were joined by the troops in barracks, and under
the command of seven sergeants surrounded the State-house, where
congress and the state council were sitting, and demanded immediate
payment. They were only induced to disperse on being allowed to choose a
committee to represent their grievances.
Congress, which felt itself doubly insulted by the mutineers and the
pusillanimity of the Philadelphia council, adjourned in disgust to
Princetown, where they were received with great respect. Washington, on
hearing of the revolt, sent 1,500 men, who instantly dispersed the
mutineers, several of whom were tried and condemned by court-martial,
but afterwards pardoned.
It now became a warmly-agitated question where congress should
permanently hold its sittings, since Philadelphia had proved herself so
incapable of protecting that august body. One party advocated a federal
city being established on the Delaware, another on the Potomac. Maryland
offered Annapolis; New York, Kingston on the Hudson: while the council
of Philadelphia apologised and endeavoured to bring back congress to
their city, but in vain. It was finally agreed that, as soon as two
suitable sites could be found, two federal cities should be created, at
which congress should alternately hold its sittings. In the meantime
Annapolis and Trenton were to be used for that purpose, the next session
to be held at Annapolis. The following year congress sat at Trenton, but
adjourned to New York, where it continued to meet till the year 1800, by
which time the city of Washington had been prepared for a suitable
federal seat of government. Washington stands in a territory ten miles
square, called the District of Columbia, which had been ceded to the
general government by the States of Maryland and Virginia for that
purpose.
On the 19th of April, 1783, exactly eight years after the battle of
Lexington, the news of the preliminaries being signed between Great
Britain and the United States, with the consequent cessation of
hostilities, was published in the camp at Newburgh. The proclamation of
peace was celebrated, four days afterwards, in Greene’s camp, by
fireworks and musketry; and the very army, “ragged as wolves,” was at
that moment so short of food that for several days they had been without
either bread or rice. On June 8th, Washington published a farewell
letter addressed to the governors of the States, urging oblivion of
local prejudices and politics, indissoluble union, a proper peace
establishment, and careful provision for the payment of the public debt.
On November 3rd was issued a proclamation from congress for the general
disbanding of the army, which took place on the 5th; Washington having
the day previous issued his farewell orders. On the 25th, the British
troops having all embarked at New York, a detachment of the American
army, under General Knox, entered and took possession. And here we may
remark, that during the last year, 1782, the desertions from the British
army in New York had been very frequent, especially from Arnold’s corps,
the men going off with their horses and arms, by threes, fives and sixes
at a time, as did also many Hessians.
[Illustration: WASHINGTON’S RECEPTION AT NEW YORK.]
On the same day that the Americans regained possession of New York,
Washington also entered it, preparatory to taking leave of the army. We
will give the account of these remarkable events from Dunlap’s History
of New York, who quotes principally from the narrative of an
eye-witness:—“On that memorable day, the 25th of November, General
Washington entered the city by the Bowery, the only road at that time,
accompanied by his friends and the citizens, mostly on horseback. At an
appointed hour the British troops had embarked, and their gallant fleet
was standing to sea over the bay.
“The military of the American army were under the command of General
Knox, who took immediate possession of the fort, and prepared to hoist
the American colours and fire an appropriate salute. The British, after
taking down their flag, had ‘knocked off the cleats and slushed the
flag-staff,’ so as to prevent the American colours from being hoisted.
But after an hour’s hard labour, in which a sailor-boy played a
distinguished part, the American standard was hoisted on Fort George by
this same sailor-boy, a true type of bold young America; and a salute
was fired of thirteen rounds immediately, and three cheers were given.
“At the time the flag was being hoisted, the river was covered with
boats filled with soldiers, to embark on board the shipping that lay at
anchor in the North River,—the boats at the time lay on their oars,
sterns to shore, to observe the hoisting of the American colours, during
which time they preserved a profound silence. The boats rowed off to
their shipping when the salute of thirteen guns was fired.
“The commander-in-chief took up his head-quarters at the tavern known as
‘Black Sam’s,’ so called from its keeper, Samuel Francis, being a man of
a dark complexion, and there he continued until December the 4th. On
that day at noon the officers assembled, when their beloved leader
entered the room, and after addressing them in a few words, concluded by
saying: ‘I cannot come to each of you to take leave, but shall be
obliged to you if you will come and shake me by the hand.’
“General Knox, who had served with him from the commencement of
hostilities, was the first to experience the parting grasp of the hero’s
hand; and in turn all present, with tears and in silence, pressed that
hand which had guided a nation through the storms of war, and was
destined afterwards to rule its destinies. Leaving the room, he passed
through a line of his brave soldiers to Whitehall, where he entered into
a barge waiting for him. He turned to the assembled multitude, waved his
hat, and then bade them a silent adieu, as they thought, for ever.”
Congress was sitting then at Annapolis, and Washington hastened thither,
to deposit in the hands of those from whom he had received it, in the
year 1775, his commission of commander-in-chief of the American forces.
On his way, he deposited in the Controller’s office at Philadelphia, the
account of his expenses during the war, secret-service money included,
which amounted to £19,306 11s. 6d. A public audience was appointed by
congress to receive him, and briefly addressing it, he offered his
congratulations on the termination of the war, and concluded by saying:
“Having finished the work assigned me, I now retire from the great
theatre of action, and bidding an affectionate farewell to this august
body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my
commission and take my leave of all the employments of public life.”
From Annapolis Washington hastened to his home at Mount Vernon, which he
had visited but once during the eight years of his arduous public
service, and where he continued quietly living as “Farmer Washington”
until summoned by the public voice to a convention, for the amendment of
the government founded by the old confederacy of sovereign States, and
of which we shall speak in its place.
We now return to the evacuation of America by the British. Four days
after the British troops had left New York, Long Island and Staten
Island were given up. The whole sea-coast was thus once more wholly
American; but the western frontier-posts of Oswegatchie, Oswego,
Niagara, Presque Isle (now Erie), Sandusky, Detroit, and Mackinaw, were
still held by British garrisons.
[Illustration: WASHINGTON TAKING LEAVE OF THE ARMY.]
Henry Laurens, it will be remembered, had caused the insertion of an
article in the treaty of peace, to prohibit the carrying away of slaves
under the protection of the British. This referred principally to
Virginia and the Carolinas, where great numbers of slaves had joined the
British, under promise of protection. Sir Henry Clinton, however, was
not disposed to pay attention to this prohibition; and when Washington
reminded him of it, he replied that it would be highly dishonourable to
the British flag to surrender any who had taken refuge under it.
Accordingly he sent off all such negroes in the first embarkation, in
order that their safety might be secured. They were taken to Nova
Scotia, and thence many of them emigrated to Sierra Leone, where their
descendants, as merchants and traders, now constitute the wealthiest and
most intelligent population of that African colony.[57]
There had also been an attempt, on the part of Britain, to provide for
the safety and indemnification of the loyalists, in the treaty of peace.
Little, however, could be done for them by this mere _recommendation_ of
justice and humanity. The difficulty of finding transports for the
removal of the loyalists, who had crowded into New York with their
families, delayed the evacuation of that city considerably. The penalty
of the American laws compelled them to abandon their country, although
at the sacrifice of wealth and property. Many of them, however, spite of
the confiscations, possessed considerable wealth, which had been made
during the war by privateering and as sutlers to the British army. Those
from the Northern States settled principally in Nova Scotia or Canada;
450 sailed to Nova Scotia in the month of October, from New York, under
a strong convoy. They were furnished by the British with provisions for
a year; rations for a passage of twenty-one days; clothing; tools for
husbandry, together with arms and ammunition. They were to receive also
grants of land. The greater number of them, however, gradually returned
to the United States, when a few years had worn away the inveteracy of
the hatred felt against them. Those from the Southern States found
refuge in the British West India Islands. The feeling against the
loyalists was very strong in the South, where the sufferings of the
people had been severe and more recent. In reestablishing the State
government of South Carolina, none were allowed to vote who had taken
British protection. Among the very earliest proceedings of the assembly,
was the passage of a law banishing the most active British partisans,
and confiscating their property. The services of General Greene were
rewarded by a grant of 10,000 guineas, to purchase him an estate. The
Georgia Assembly passed a similar law of banishment and confiscation,
and Greene received also from this province the present of a confiscated
estate; while North Carolina acknowledged his services by a grant of
wild lands.[58]
The loyalists, finding that the mere recommendation of indemnity from
Great Britain did not secure it to them from the State government,
appointed a committee of their body to lay their grievances and their
faithful services before the British parliament. A commission was
accordingly appointed to inquire into and report upon their claims and
losses; and in 1791, 4,123 claims were admitted, amounting to upwards of
£8,000,000. All claims of £10,000 and under were paid in full, the
remainder in a three-and-a-half per cent. stock. Claimants whose losses
were the deprivation of lucrative offices received equivalent pensions.
On the whole they were extremely well provided for and indemnified. The
Penn and Calvert families received a considerable portion of this
parliamentary allowance; besides which, we must not omit to mention
that, in 1779, Pennsylvania, by act of assembly, granted to the heirs of
William Penn, on the relinquishment of quit-rents and proprietary
claims, the sum of £130,000, to be paid by instalments, commencing the
first year after the peace. The State of Maryland was less liberal, as
regarded her proprietary claims, on the plea of the illegitimacy of the
infant representative of the Calverts.
Whilst the great struggle for independence had been going on, and every
state in turn, New Hampshire excepted, had been the scene of a
desolating war, the heart of the nation had still been so vigorously
alive that the organisation of the local governments and the arrangement
of terms for confederation and union had never for one moment been lost
sight of. Liberty and enlightenment gradually advanced, although the
revolution made no violent change in the political institutions of
America, beyond casting off the superintending power of the
mother-country, and that power in a great degree was replaced by the
authority of congress.
“The most marked peculiarity of the revolution,” continues the able
historian, Hildreth, to whom we are so largely indebted, “was the public
recognition of the theory of the equal rights of man”—a theory set forth
in the declaration of colonial rights, made by the first congress at
Philadelphia; solemnly reiterated in the Declaration of Independence;
and expressly or tacitly recognised as the foundation-principle of all
the new governments. This principle however, encountered, in existing
prejudices and institutions, many serious and even formidable obstacles
to its general application, giving rise to several striking political
anomalies. Of these the most startling was domestic slavery, an
institution inconsistent with the equal rights of man. That this anomaly
was felt at the time, is clearly enough evinced by the fact that no
distinct provision on the subject of slavery appears in any State
constitution, except that of Delaware, which provided “that no person
hereafter imported from Africa ought to be held in slavery under any
pretence whatever; and that no negro, Indian, or mulatto slave ought to
be brought into this state for sale from any part of the world.”
Prior to the revolution the anti-slavery struggle had begun in New
England; and in 1777, a number of slaves on board a prize-ship taken by
an American privateer and brought into Salem for sale, were at once set
at liberty by the interference of the General Court, and yet the
provisional congress of Massachusetts at the same time forbade any negro
to enlist into the army. Its Bill of Rights declared all men to be born
free and equal, and this was considered by the Supreme Court to prohibit
slavery.
The assembly of Pennsylvania in 1708 forbade the further introduction of
slaves, and gave freedom to all persons thereafter born in the state.
The most enlightened and illustrious citizens of Virginia and Maryland
responded to the feelings which led New England and Pennsylvania to
abolish slavery in their states, and they too forbade the further
introduction of slaves and removed the restrictions on emancipation,
though slavery as an institution was retained. New York and New Jersey
followed the example of Virginia and Maryland, forbidding also the
introduction of slaves from other states. The Quaker population of North
Carolina strongly advocated the same Christian line of conduct, but were
not supported by the legislators of the state. South Carolina and
Georgia made no alteration whatever in their laws regarding slavery.
The importation of “indented servants,” so numerous in some of the
states, and who were slaves in a modified sense, ceased with the war of
the revolution. But in Connecticut, even to within the present century,
debtors unable to meet the claims against them might be legally sold by
their creditors into temporary slavery.
The year 1784 brought with it all the anxieties and difficulties
consequent on the termination of a struggle, such as that through which
America had just passed. The crisis of a great fever was over, and the
sufferer was left with prostrated strength, excited nerves, and
irritable temperament. Wisdom and prudence, and the vigour of his
youthful constitution would, however, restore him to perfect health. In
the meantime many a long depression and many a sally of impatience and
petulance must be borne.
This was precisely the case with America. She had suffered from every
calamity of war; her towns had been burned, her country ravaged, her
frontiers laid waste by Indians; her citizens had been called out to
serve in her army, and to suffer even more than the average miseries of
camps, hunger, nakedness, and disease, with insufficient hospital
resources. Citizen had been armed against citizen, and even brother
against brother. Civil war had here assumed its direst aspect.
Agriculture, trade and manufactures, had decayed during the war, and
thousands of otherwise industrious and prosperous inhabitants were
thrown out of employment, and so totally impoverished as to be nearly
destitute of clothing. The once imposing navy was now completely
annihilated. Almost every vessel, whether home-built or purchased, had
been destroyed or had fallen into the hands of the enemy. The only ship
of the line built during these disastrous years, and finished in 1782,
was presented to the king of France, to supply the loss of one of his in
Boston harbour. Add to all this an immense debt, the natural consequence
of war, universal distress and discontent.
Congress met; and financial affairs claimed its first attention.
Secondly came an important fact. Virginia ceded all her claims to lands
lying north-west of the Ohio. New York had already set this example two
or three years before, and now prided herself on having been the first
to do so. By her act of cession, Virginia stipulated for the security of
the French inhabitants already occupying those lands, and that those
lands should be erected into republican states, to be admitted into the
Union with the same rights as the older states. This led to vast plans
for the laying out of states, and the government of the immense
territory which the United States expected to acquire by the cession of
the claims of the different states. The originators of these plans were
Jefferson, who sat in congress as delegate from Virginia; Chase, of
Maryland; and Howell, of Rhode Island. Among other proposed conditions
for new states was the following: “After the year 1800, there shall be
neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, other than in the punishment
of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” But the
requisite votes of nine states could not be obtained, and this condition
was lost.
Everything was done by congress to reduce the public expenditure. The
military force retained at the peace amounted to 700 men, placed under
Knox, in garrison at West Point and Pittsburg. These however, being
thought too many, all were disbanded, excepting twenty-five men to guard
the stores at Pittsburg, and fifty-five for West Point and other
magazines, while no officer above the rank of captain was retained. Nor
was even a minister-of-war considered necessary.
In March, 1785, Benjamin Franklin, after an absence of nine years,
solicited his recall, and Jefferson was appointed to succeed him as the
American representative at the French Court, and just about the same
time John Adams was appointed to the same office in England. The now
aged Colonel Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia, was the first person
who waited on the American minister in London. Great Britain declined as
yet to send over a diplomatic agent to the United States.
In October, 1784, a treaty was concluded at Fort Schuyler between the
United States and the chiefs and warriors of the Six Nations, by which
the Mohawks, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas, who during the war had been
adherents of the British, consented to peace and the release of
prisoners. At the same time they ceded all their claim to the territory
west of Pennsylvania. In the following January a similar treaty was
entered into with the Wyandots, Delawares, Chippewas and Ottawas, by
which the two former nations agreed to limit themselves to a tract on
Lake Erie. The Shawanees refusing to form any pacific treaty, congress
empowered the enlistment of 700 men for three years, to defend the
western frontiers.
Again Kentucky, which now numbered six instead of three counties, and
which had a supreme court and court-house, together with a jail,
although as yet built only of hewn logs, resolved to form a separate
state, and accordingly petitioned Virginia for permission to do so. They
had no printing-press or newspaper as yet, but the address on this
important occasion was circulated in manuscript.
Tennessee was rapidly increasing likewise, and beginning again, like her
neighbour, to think of independence, although as yet a great portion of
the present territory remained in the hands of the Indians. Under the
name of Franklin, or Frankland, a provisional government was organised,
with John Sevier at the head, which, though leading to violence and
almost civil war, and put down for the present, yet rose up again in due
time, like a growth of the forest, and John Sevier was the first
legalised state’s governor, with a recognised place in congress. Nor
were the Wyoming people yet satisfied, and a John Franklin there, with
Ethan Allen of Vermont, and other “wild Yankees,” as they were called,
agitated for an independent existence, until at length Pennsylvania, who
had acted like a step-mother to them, pacified their uneasiness by
granting their reasonable requests. The settlers of Maine also were
stirred by the same craving for independence, and agitated for it and a
remission of taxes.
Massachusetts surrendered to the United States, in April, her claims to
the western territory; and in May, congress enacted an ordinance for the
survey and sale of the lands north-west of the Ohio. Regular surveys on
a systematic and uniform plan were commenced. The plan is described by
Hildreth as consisting of a series of lines perpendicular to each other,
the one set running north and south, the other east and west, by which
means the federal lands were to be lotted out into townships of six
miles square, each township to be again subdivided by similar lines into
thirty-six sections, each containing a square mile. The survey has since
been carried to half and quarter sections, and even to sixteenths. One
section in each township was to be reserved as the basis of a school
fund, which however, it is to be regretted, has not always been attended
to. The public lands, when ready for market, were to be sold by public
auction, the minimum price being one dollar per acre, to which the
expenses of survey were to be added.
The whole attention of congress was not, however, devoted to such
agreeable subjects as the survey and sale of the great western
territory. The early instalments of foreign debts were falling due in
addition to the old pressure for money. It was no use to impose taxes,
for each state had its own local debts, and congress had no legal power
to enforce their payment. Nevertheless, in the midst of all these urgent
and accumulating cares, congress being possessed of powers to regulate
the currency and coinage of the country, turned its attention to this
subject. A decimal scale was adopted, and the dollar, as the coin best
known and most common in America, was taken as the money unit. A mint
was established in October, 1786, but the poverty of congress allowed no
coinage excepting a few tons of copper cents.[59]
We have spoken of the uneasy, restless spirit which was agitating in the
newer settlements, the resistance against taxation being in many cases
the primal cause, while others were by no means wanting, among which may
be reckoned the disorganisation of the social state by the long war, the
regular useful and arduous occupations of the male population having
been interrupted, and a vast number of discontented, impoverished and
unoccupied men thrown upon society. The general court of Massachusetts
had found it necessary to impose taxes which, perhaps, in any case would
have been ill received, but which now led to general resistance and even
rebellion. The discontented had arms in their hands; they had seen the
country free itself from the tyranny of Britain by these means, and now
they were about to try the same against what they considered the tyranny
of their own government. In September of 1786, the number of the
malcontents appearing so large and formidable, the militia were called
out to protect the sittings of the court, which it was the object of the
insurgents to prevent; and so conciliatory and considerate was the
spirit of the government, that their grievances were taken under
consideration and as much as possible redressed. Bills were passed for
diminishing legal costs, law charges being at that time enormous; and
for allowing the payment of taxes and private debts in specific articles
instead of specie, of which there was scarcely any in the country; as
well as for applying certain revenues, formerly devoted to other
purposes, to the payment of governmental taxes. So far were concessions
made; still the agitation continued, and the Habeas Corpus Act was
suspended for eight months. Under the plea of raising troops to act
against the north-western Indians, congress enacted the enlistment of
1,300 men, to sustain the government of Massachusetts. Nevertheless full
pardon for past offences was promised to all, if they would cease from
these illegal agitations.
But the seriousness of the occasion only increased, and at length some
few of the agitators were lodged in Boston jail. This was the token for
more determined measures, and upwards of 1,000 armed men, under the
command of Daniel Shays, a late captain in the continental army, of Luke
Day and Eli Parsons, appeared at Worcester, where the supreme court had
just adjourned, and placed guards over those houses where the judges
lodged, so as to prevent the sitting of the court, while the remainder
took up their quarters in an old revolutionary barracks in the
neighbourhood. Another still larger body, also under the command of
Shays, marched towards Springfield, where was the federal arsenal under
the guard of General Shepherd, of which they intended to possess
themselves.
This was in the depth of an unusually severe winter, and the insurgents
suffered bitterly from the cold and want of provisions; nevertheless
their ardour was unabated. Arrived at Springfield, and in reply to the
demand that the arsenal should be surrendered, General Shepherd, after
warning and entreating them to retire, fired upon them. The first
discharge was over their heads; no notice was taken. The second was into
the ranks; a cry of “Murder!” arose, and all fled in confusion, leaving
three men dead on the field and one wounded.
General Lincoln pursued with 3,000 militia, called out to serve for
thirty days; but the insurgents fled to Pelham, where they posted
themselves upon two hills, rendered almost inaccessible by a great fall
of snow. They offered to disperse on condition of general pardon, which
Lincoln, however, was not empowered to grant, and then being sorely
pressed for food, made a sudden retreat to Petersham. Lincoln, informed
of this retreat, set off at six in the evening, and marching all night
forty miles, through intense cold and a driving snow-storm, reached
Petersham by daybreak, to the astonishment of the rebels, who had not
the least idea of this movement, and accordingly fled in disorder or
were taken prisoners.
The energy of Lincoln broke up this formidable confederacy. Straggling
parties still were in existence, and occasional collisions took place
between them and the authorities, but the public danger was at an end.
In May, a pardon was proclaimed to all who, within three months, should
take the oath of allegiance, with the exception of nine persons. All
insurgents, however, were deprived for three years of the right to vote,
to serve as jurymen, or to be employed as schoolmasters, innkeepers, or
the retailers of ardent spirits. Of the nine condemned to death, four
escaped from prison, four were afterwards liberated, and one was
condemned to hard labour.
In September, tranquillity was so generally restored that it was judged
safe to disband such troops as still remained in service. The leniency
which had been shown towards the insurrectionists was the only safe
course. The sentiment of the people was with them, and at the general
election the ensuing year, all who had been active against them lost
their votes. Hancock was elected governor in the place of Bowdoin.
It had long been felt that the Articles of Confederation were
insufficient for the growing national exigencies. As early as 1782 it
was recommended to form a convention for their revision and amendment.
Great care had been taken in framing the original articles that no power
should be delegated which might endanger the liberties of the individual
states. Congress had no authority to enforce its own ordinances; and
now, when the external danger was removed by peace, they were, as we
have seen, disregarded and contemned also. It was evident to all that a
more energetic form of government was required. In 1783, John Adams,
then in Europe, suggested to congress the expediency of strengthening
the general government. On a motion of Madison, in a convention of the
delegates from five of the Middle States met at Annapolis in 1786, it
was concluded that nothing short of a thorough reform of the existing
government would be effectual for the welfare of the country. Congress
approved, and passed a resolution recommending a general convention of
delegates for that purpose to be held at Philadelphia.
Before, however, we proceed to the important business of this
convention, we must notice a few facts which mark the progress of
opinion in the States. In 1784, soon after the treaty of peace was
signed, Franklin received overtures from the pope’s nuncio at Paris,
relative to the appointment of a vicar apostolic for the United States.
Congress being referred to, replied that the business was of a spiritual
nature and did not fall under their cognisance. John Carroll, of
Maryland, was soon afterwards consecrated archbishop of the United
States. Catholics, though still suffering under political disabilities
in some of the states, had freedom of worship everywhere, and very soon
a Catholic church was opened even in the puritan city of Boston.
The Church of England in America, which suffered much during the war,
reorganised herself after the peace, and became established on a
reformed basis. The title of lord bishop, and all other titles
descriptive of temporal power and presidency, were dropped, and the
clergy and dignitaries of the church declared liable to deposition from
office in case of misconduct, by the state and general conventions. The
liturgy was purged and modified to suit a republican country. The
English bishops demurred at these innovations, but there was no remedy;
and in 1787, White of Philadelphia, and Madison of Virginia, together
with Seabury, who had been ordained by the episcopal Church of Scotland,
were consecrated bishops, and formed the nucleus of episcopal authority
in America.[60]
In 1784, Thomas Coke, one of Wesley’s ablest coadjutors, and ordained by
him bishop, arrived at New York, bringing with him Wesley’s plan for the
organisation of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Methodism was now wanted
in America; it was the element of religious excitement, which the temper
of the times required, and it spread rapidly, especially among the
poorer classes of the Southern States. It commenced by excluding
slaveholders from its communion; but as God suffers his sun to shine on
the just and unjust alike, methodism opened its pale to sinners of every
description. The zeal of the Methodists aroused the somewhat slumbering
energies of the Baptists, and religious revivals commenced, especially
in the Middle and the Southern States. They were the safety-valves in
many cases for the excited and agitated popular mind. The Presbyterians,
as the Episcopalians had done, reorganised their church on a national
basis. In New England, by that necessary law of reaction which never
fails, latitudinarianism had followed the sternness of the puritan
creed, and made its way with the learned, while universalism was adopted
by the less educated.[61]