JAMES FRIES and his dog WHISKEY were here in 1794

Text Box: Another early American rebellion There are three important rebellions led by American citizens following the American Revolution. First, Shay’s Rebellion took place in 1787 when Daniel S hay led a group of bankrupt Revolutionary War Veterans to Springfield, Massachusetts, to protest direct taxation and to collect what was owed them from the War. Second, as we at Old St. Luke’s know well, Hamilton’s 1791 excise tax on whiskey led to the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. Third, there was the 1798 Fries Rebellion. The similarities through each of these formative steps in American history are amazing. John Fries was born in 1764 in Hatfield Township, southeastern Pennsylvania, of German descent. He was a cooper and an itinerant vendue cried, or auctioneer, and he was well acquainted with the German settlers. He was a Captain in the Continental Army. In 1794 John Fries was part of the 13000 troops led by Washington to quell the rebelling farmers in southwestern Pennsylvania. It was here that he found a dog, which he named “Whiskey.” When John Adams was elected the second President of the United States in 1797 he immediately had to face increased tension between political leaders and citizens who favored either Britain or France. This division of thought added to the growth of political parties. Europe was in an ongoing uproar due to the French Revolution and Napoleon, and John Adams feared that war with United States would result. Adams send Chief Justice John Jay to London in 1797 to tie up loose ends from the 1783 Treaty. Critics who favored the French charged that Jay had given Britain an immense diplomatic and economic victory. It really was a victory for the United States to gain” most favored nation” status with Britain. Local tradesmen and farmers were delighted to gain full land settlement in the Ohio Valley, and to have shipping access to New Orleans. France felt insulted over the Jay Treaty, and what was deemed lack of gratitude for all that

Text Box: France did for us in the Revolutionary War. International tensions were at a fever pitch. President Adams and Congress were moved to raise 2 million dollars, anticipating that war would break out with France. Pennsylvania’s share was $237,000 for what was called the “House Tax.” Other names used included “Window Tax” (based on the number of windows in the house, and “Hot Water Tax” because housewives threw boiling water on the assessors as they came to the front door). Citizens in the Lancaster area were reminded of the hated “hearth tax” levied in Germany, and the hated whiskey excise tax levied in 1791 by Alexander Hamilton. In 1798 Fries was the leader of some 60 men who toured the countryside, urging residents to intimidate the assessors, to make it impossible for them to do their work. Governor Thomas Mifflin was embarrassed because of Fries and the protestors’ actions. On March 5, Fries warned that some 700 men could be mustered to stop the collection of the House Tax. Assessors were intimidated and their papers were destroyed.. However, some of the protestors were arrested and were held prisoner at Bethlehem. Fries and his men went there, and the U. S Marshal urged them to leave the matter to the government. Fries’ men so outnumbered the U. S. Marshal that the protestors had to be released Adams, like Washington in 1794, ordered some 1200 troops to suppress the rebellion and enforce the law. On April 6 Fries hid in the brush only to have his dog “Whiskey” reveal his location. He was taken to Federal Court in Philadelphia, where he was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. He was pardoned by President Adams. Fries returned to auctioneering until his death in February, 1818. References: “Fries Rebellion” by Paul Douglas Newman, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fries’s_Rebellion http://www.jamesmannartfarm.com/friesreb1.html