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

1782.] REVOLUTION—ARMY SUPPLIES—SAMUEL ELY. 453
the front. In too many cases the specious reasoning of
these unprincipled leaders involved their followers in a
conflict with the law, under the pretense that they were
obeying the mandates of the people as set forth in these
conventions. Everybody was in debt to everybody else,
taxes were heavy, money scarce, and industry at a standstill.
To escape the payment of their obligations was the
end and aim of much of this agitation. People had nothing
to pay with and knew not where to obtain anything.
Hence all the machinery of law that in better times protected
business and upheld government, was considered a
grievance. The courts were opposed because they were
used to enforce the collection of debts and taxes. Lawyers
were especially obnoxious, because, under the sanction of
the courts, they compelled payments. The truth was that,
in the language of an observer of the times, the "Government
was endangered by the noise of people in debt." ^
Convention at
Hadiey.
The first couventiou of the year Avas held at
Hadley, about the ll"" of February. No
representatives were present from Northampton
or Southampton. Little is known respecting it,
but apparently it was managed by the reformers. Its
records have disappeared, but its action was characterized
at that time as having been " ill done," and a " scandal to
the county. "2 A petition was prepared and presented to
the Legislature which was referred to a committee, but was
never reported upon. Consequentlj'", in the succeeding
month another convention was held at Hatfield, the proceedings
of which will be noted hereafter. A more con-
servative class of delegates was chosen to this body, and its
action was much less objectionable. It was undoubtedly
because of the part he took in the Hadley meeting, as well
as for his utterances in different towns in the county, that
Samuel Ely, who subsequently figured quite prominently,
was arraigned before Major Hawley February l-i**", to be
examined for "treasonable practices." He seems to have
escaped with but slight, if any, punishment at this time,
but abated nothing of his treasonable work.
1 Judd's Diary.
2 Ibid.