History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

1783.] REVOLUTION—ARMY SUPPLIES—SAMUEL ELY. 451
Deplorable State of Thougli relieved of the immediate bur-
-^ffairs. dens of the war, the newly established
government was compelled to meet other
difficulties resulting from the long contest. Drained of its
resources, exhausted phj^sically, financially, industrially ;
with mountains of debt overshadowing energy, and paralyzing
effort, the condition of the state was deplorable and
apparently remediless. ^ The effect of this unsettled state
of affairs became apparent before the preliminaries of the
proposed treaty were completed. In fact, during the sanguinary
life struggle, the means of remedying these evils
and bringing relief out of existing chaos, had been under
discussion. Legislation had endeavored ineffectually to
solve the problem. Conventions of the people to regulate
prices proved futile. Added to the constantly vanishing
value of the currency was the rapidly decreasing supply of
gold and silver, enhancing the difficulties and accumulating
the burdens, till any sufficient remedy seemed impossible.
Attempts to legislate away the burdens of the people fell
far short of the requirements, if they did not add to the
distress already existing. Among the laws passed by the
General Court was Avhat was termed the '"'
confession act."
It authorized Justices of the Peace to take acknowledgments
of debts, and if any were not paid within a year,
executions were to issue. While this saved something of
the costs of the court, it brought other burdens and opened
the way for greater injustice. This was followed by the
"Tender Act," which provided that private debts might be
paid in neat cattle, and certain articles of produce, specially
named, at an impartial appraisal. This remedy failed to
accomplish its object, and in the end led to other and more
serious complications. "Its chief effect was to suspend
law suits, which by delaying, only strengthened and enlarged
the evil, when the year's existence of the law ex-
pired."
1 " In this state it was estimated that private debts amounted to §7,000,000, and
the state's arrears to the federal government to as much more. Bounties due to
soldiers, and the annual cost of state, county, and town governments, would reach
an aggregate equivalent to a tax of more than $50 on every man, woman and child in
the population of 379,000 souls. Upon every head of a family the average burden was
some $200. at a time when most farmers would have thought such a sum yearly a
princely income."—Fisk's Critical Period of American History, p. 177.