"I. A radical and univerfal diffatisfaction with the excife, pervades the four tranfmontane counties of Pennfylvania, having more than fixty-three thoufand fouls in the whole, and more than fifteen thoufand white males above the age of fixteen. The counties on the eaftern fide of the mountain, and fome other populous counties, are infected by similar prejudices, inferior in degree, and dormant, but not extinguished.

"2. Several counties in Virginia, having a ftrong militia, participate in these feelings.

3. The infurgents themfelves, numerous, are more closely united by like dangers, with friends and kindred, scattered abroad in different places, who will enter into all the apprehenfions, and combine in all the precautions of fafety adopted by

them.

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4. As foon, too, as any event of eclat fhall occur, around which perfons, difcontented on other principles, whether of averfion to the Government, or difguft with any measures of the Administration, may rally, they will make a common cause.

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5. The Governor of Pennsylvania has declared his opinion to be, that the militia, which can be drawn forth, will be unequal to the task.

6. If the militia of other States are to be called forth, it is not a decided thing, that many of them may not refufe. And if they comply, is nothing to be apprehended from a ftrong cement growing between all the militia of Pennsylvania, when they perceive, that another militia is to be introduced into the bofom of their country? The experiment is at leaft untried.

7. The expenfe of a military expedition will be very great; and with a devouring Indian war, the commencement of a navy, the fum to be expended for obtaining a peace with Algiers, the deftruction

of

of our mercantile capital by British depredations, the uncertainty of war or peace with Great Britain, the impatience of the people under increafed taxes, the punctual fupport of our credit;-it behoves thofe who manage our fifcal matters to be fure of their pecuniary refources, when fo great a field of new and unexpected expenfe is to be opened.

8. Is there any appropriation of money, which can be immediately devoted to this ufe? If not, how can money be drawn? It is faid that appropriations are to the war department generally; but it may deferve inquiry, whether they were not made upon particular ftatements of a kind of fervice, effentially diftinct from the one propofed.

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If the intelligence of the overtures of the British to the Western Counties be true, and the inhabitants fhould be driven to accept their aid*, the fupplies of the western army-the western army itself may be destroyed; the reunion of that country to the United States will be impracticable; and we must be engaged in a British war. If the intelligence be probable only, how difficult will it be to reconcile the world to believe that we have been confiftent in our conduct; when, after running the hazard of mortally offending the French by the punctilious obfervance of neutrality; after deprecating the wrath of the English by every poffible act of government; after the request for the fufpenfion of the fettlement at Prefque Ifle, which has in fome measure been founded on the poffibility of Great Britain being roufed to arms by it; we purfue measures which threaten collifion with Great Britain, and which are mixed with the blood of our fellow-citizens !

The reader will here recur to what FAUCHET fays on this fubject: "It was neceffary," fays he, "to DISGUISE the motives "of the infurgents, to attribute to them the defign of UNITING THEMSELVES WITH ENGLAND,"

"10. If mifcarriage fhould befall the United States in the beginning, what may not be the confequence? And if this fhould not happen, is it poffible to foresee what may be the effect of ten, twenty, or thirty thoufand of our citizens being drawn into the field against as many more? There is another enemy in the heart of the Southern States, who would not fleep with fuck an opportunity of advantage*.

11. It is a fact well known, that the parties in the United States are highly inflamed against each other; and that there is but one character which kceps both in awe. As foon as the fword fhall be drawn, who will be able to restrain them?

"On this fubject the fouls of fome good men bleed they have often afked themfelves. why they are always fo jealous of military power, whenever it has been propofed to be exercifed under the form of a fuccour to the civil authority? How has it happened, that, with a temper not addicted to fufpicion, nor unfriendly to those who propofe military force, they do not court the fhining reputation which is acquired by being always ready for firong measures? This is the reafon; that they are confident that they know the ultimate fenfe of the people; that the will of the people muft force its way in the Government; that, notwithstanding the indignation which may be raised against the infurgents, yet if measures unneceffarily harfh, difproportionably harsh, and without a previous trial of every thing which law or the fpirit of conciliation can do, be executed, that indignation will give way, and the people will be eftranged from the Adminiftration which made the experiment. There is a fecond reafon; one motive, affigned in argument, for calling forth the militia, has been, that a government can never be faid to be eftablished until fome fignal difplay has manifefted its power of

*The Negro flaves.

military

military coercion. This maxim, if indulged, would heap curfes upon the Government. The firength of a government is the affection of the people; and while that is maintained, every invader, every insurgent, will as certainly count upon the fear of its ftrength, as if it had with one army of citizens mown

down another.

"Let the parties in the United States be ever kindled into action, fentiments like thefe will produce a flame which will not terminate in a common revolution.

"Knowing, Sir, as I do, the motives which govern you in office, I was certain that you would be anxi ous to mitigate, as far as you thought it practicable, the military courfe which has been recommended. You have accordingly fufpended the force of the preceding obfervations, by determining not to call forth the militia immediately to action, and to fend Commiffioners, who may explain and adjuft, if poffible, the prefent difcontents.

"The next qucftion then is, whether the militia fhall be directed to hold themselves in readiness, or fhall not be fummoned at all?

"It has been fuppofed by fome gentlemen, that when reconciliation is offered with one hand, terror fhould be borne in the other; and that a full amnefty and oblivion fhall not be granted, unless the excife laws be complied with in the fulleft manner.

"With a language fuch as this, the overtures of peace will be confidered delufive by the infurgents, and the most of the world. It will be faid and believed, that the design of fending Commiffioners was only to glofs over hoftility; to endeavour to divide ; to found the strength of the infurgents; to discover the moft culpable perfons, to be marked out for punishment; to temporize until Congrefs can be prevailed upon to order further force, or the weftern army may be at leisure from the favages, to be turned

upon

upon the infurgents; and many other fufpicions will be entertained which cannot be here enumerated. When Congrefs talked of fome high-handed fteps against Great Britain, they were difapproved, as counteracting Mr. Jay's miffion; becaufe it could not be expected fhe would be dragooned. Human nature will, to a certain point, fhow itself to be the fame, even among the Alleghany mountains. The miffion will, I fear, fail; though it would be to me the most grateful occurrence in life to find my prediction falfified. If it does fail, and in consequence of the difappointment the militia fhould be required to act, then will return that fatal train of events, which I have ftated above, to be fufpended for the prefent.

"What would be the inconvenience of delay? The refult of the miffion would be known in four weeks, and the Prefident would be mafter of his measures, without any previous commitment. Four weeks could not render the infurgents more formidable; that space of time might render them lefs fo, by affording room for reflection; and the Government will have a fufficient feafon remaining to action. Until every peaceable attempt fhall be exhaufted, it is not clear to me, that as foon as the call is made, and the proclamation iffued, the militia may not enter into fome combination, which will fatisfy the infurgents that they need fear nothing from them, and spread thofe combinations among the militia.

My opinion therefore is, that the Commiffioners will be furnished with enough on the score of terror, when they announce, that the Prefident is in poffeffion of the certificate of the Judge. It will confirm the humanity of the miffion; and, notwithftanding fome men might pay encomiums on decifion, vigour of nerves, &c. &c. if the militia were fummoned to be held in readiness, the majority

would