For the MASSACHUSETTS GAZETTE.

Undigested Ideas on various Cases.
Section first.

THE volitions of man being so innumerable and diverse, it is more than wonderful how societies form and continue long in any tolerable order; than that they should convulse, break and forget their first principles. The late insurrection in the western counties was attended with a greater panic than wonder: There was it seems a promiscuous assemblage of many contrary motives blending themselves together; be that as it may, all plead virtue with equal dogmaticism. Messrs. Observator and Examiner have entered the lists, proclaimed war, drew their literate swords, but to what purpose? Pity it is they were not content at home, or appeared abroad in better humour. Our virtuous assembly willing to compromise matters in favour of the people, (thanks to Heaven) made boards, &c. a tender, glorious act! We hope it will not be repealed as yet!* one objection assigned against the justness of the act, is, that creditors cannot so well pay their taxes in coin, partial objection! for creditors are the only men who command money; and few have trusted so much but they can trust more. Again, were they allowed to sue for cash, the cost would render the debtors, if not the community itself, more unable to pay taxes at all.

Our assembly knows that murmurings will happen with some, and cannot be avoided. It would be a novelty, if not a monster, to have a government against which there was no complaints at all.
(To be continued from time to time.)
*Our obscurity makes it uncertain to us whether the act is run out or repealed.
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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As early as 1782, people in Massachusetts were calling for the government to allow real and personal property to be used instead of hard currency when paying taxes. On July 3, the legislature passed the "Tender Act", which made cattle and other kinds of property legal tender in the discharge of debts. It marked the beginning of a deepening hatred between those who had and those who had not, and it postponed the suits for judgment against debtors, thus increasing the total indebtedness. The act expired in the 1784.

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