icon for Home page
icon for Kid's Home page
icon for Digital Collection
icon for Activities
icon for Turns Exhibit
icon for In the Classroom
icon for Chronologies
icon for My Collection

Online Collection

Worcester December 7, 1786.

An ADDRESS to the PEOPLE of the several Towns in the County of Hampshire, from the Body now at arms.

Gentlemen,

WE have thought proper to inform you of some of the principal causes of the late risings of the people, and also of their present movement, viz.

1st: The present expensive mode of collecting debts, which by the reason of the great scarcity of cash, will be necessity fill our gaols with unhappy debtors, and thereby render a reputable body of people incapable of being serviceable either to themselves or the community.

2d. The monies raised by impost and excise being appropriated to discharge the interest of governmental securities, and not the foreign debt, when these securities are not subject to taxation.

3d. A suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus, by which those persons who have stepped forth to assert and maintain the rights of the people, are liable to be the taken, and conveyed even to the most distant part of the commonwealth, and thereby subject to an unjust punishment.

4th. The unlimited power granted to Justices of the Peace, Serriffs, Deputy-Serriffs and Constables, by the Riot Act, indemnifying them in the prosecution thereof, when perhaps wholly actuated from a principle of revenge, hatred and envy.

5th. _ _ be assured, that this body now at arms, dispite the idea of being initiated by British emissaries, which is to strenuously propagated by the enemies of our liberties: We also with the most proper and speedy measures may be taken to discharge both our foreign and domestic debt.

Per Order,
DANIEL GRAY, Chairman of a Com. for the above purpose.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.



label levels:

This article published in the Hampshire Gazette was written by Daniel Gray, a Regulator from Pelham. Gray was the richest man in Pelham and was an ardent supporter of the Regulators. Gray lists the grievances which are causes for the rebellion. These include the method of debt collection, suspension of Habeas Corpus and unlimited power of Justices of the Peace and Sheriffs. William Butler began publication of the Hampshire Gazette on September 6, 1786, in Northampton, Massachusetts, 18 days after the Regulators prevented the Court of Common Pleas from convening there. The newspaper often urged support of the government and was generally against the activities of the Regulators. The paper came out on Wednesdays and consisted primarily of articles reprinted from other newspapers.

 

top of page

"An address to the People of Several Towns" article regarding Shays' Rebellion, in Hampshire Gazette newspaper

publisher   Hampshire Gazette
author   Daniel Gray (1728-1803)
date   Dec 27, 1786
location   Northampton, Massachusetts
height   5.5"
width   2.0"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Newspaper
accession #   #L07.038


Look Closer icon My Collection icon Document Image icon Detailed info icon


ecard icon Send an e-Postcard of this object



See Also...

Petition to General Shepard in the Hampshire Gazette

List of grievances by Shaysite Thomas Grover -article published in Hampshire Gazette newspaper

Petition of Convention of Hampshire County article from the Hampshire Gazette newspaper


button for Side by Side Viewingbutton for Glossarybutton for Printing Helpbutton for How to Read Old Documents

 

Home | Online Collection | Things To Do | Turns Exhibit | Classroom | Chronologies | My Collection
About This Site | Site Index | Site Search | Feedback