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

496 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1786.
the courts, to assemble tlieir men together, ''to see that
they were well armed and equipped with sixty rounds each
man, and to be ready to turn out at a minute's warning
likewise to be properly organized with officers."^ The
House of Representatives had manifested a desire to tem-
porize, but this defiance of Shays seemed to brace them up,
and a bill was passed to suspend the Habeas Corpus Act,
and to empower the Governor to arrest and imprison without
bail the leaders of the rebellion. Among the measures
passed by the Legislature for the relief of the prevailing
distress, were — : a provision for collecting the arrear of
taxes in specific articles, an act making real and personal
estate a tender in discharge of executions, and for rendering
law processes less expensive, as well as a promise that
in future, if possible, the sessions of the General Court
should be held in Boston. A riot act was also passed imposing
penalties upon all who were in rebellion, such as
confiscation of property, punishment by whipping, imprisonment,
etc. At the same time indemnity was provided
by which all who submitted according to the terms offered
should be pardoned. After a session of two months, on the
18"' of November, the Legislature adjourned, having in
addition to its other proceedings issued an address to the
people. Its acts, however, did not satisfy the malcontents,
and they were as bold and defiant as ever. Construing the
leniency of the government as an indication of weakness,
the mob continued the business of holding conventions and
stopping the courts as vigorously as before. A convention
was at once held in Worcester County, which adopted an
address to the public, in which the action of the Legisla-
ture was strongly condemned. The course of the mob in
opposing the courts was also disapproved and the people
advised not to do so any more. Before this document was
issued the mob assembled at Worcester, when the November
term of the Court of General Sessions came on, and
succeeded in preventing it from transacting any business.
The Government De-
Mcasurcs Were at ouce taken by the Gov-
cidesto Protect the emor to arrest the leaders of the mob and
Judiciarj'. j j ji r-m •tiprotect
the courts. ihe militia were
ordered to hold themselves in readiness for active service,
1 Hampshire Gazette, Nov. 1.5, 1786.
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