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

CHAPTER XXXII.
A SERIES OF CONVENTIONS—PEACE—EASTHAMPTON,
A Critical Situation. DuRiNG tliGse trying times the people of
Xortliampton must have been in an anxious,
restless and uncertain state. For three days the town
was in the hands of a crowd of excited and irresiDonsible
men, who were constantly threatening to lay it in ashes.
Any indiscreet act on their part might bring on bloodshed,
pillage, fire, and the slightest demonstration of hostility by
either party, might precipitate open war at any moment.
Rioters and defenders of the law were acquaintances,
friends, neighbors. Heretofore they had mingled in busi-
ness, pleasure, and duty. Now they were .standing face to
face with arms in their hands. Should they 4'esist each
other unto death, and how soon would the struggle commence
? Loyal citizens of whatever town, while they sympathized
with the real grievances of their misguided
friends, suffering themselves from the same causes, were
determined to resist all attempts to break the laws, from
whatever quarter and by whomsoever made. The efforts
on the part of the sheriff to conciliate the mob and prevent
bloodshed were undoubtedly the wisest measures he could
have adopted, though his course has been censured, and
characterized as '
' contemptible and pusillanimous. " ^ In
delivering the hostages before Ely was presented to take
their places, the sheriff exhibited greater faith in the mob
than his previous dealings with it would seem to Avarrant.
In that the lawbreakers gained their point. On the other
hand they knew well enough that the surrender of Ely
would have liberated the hostages at once, though cranks
and fanatics among them may have endeavored to make
1 Holland's History of Western Massachusetts, vol. 1, p. 333.
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