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

564 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1T93.
with infractions of its provisions. These animosities were
aggravated by British orders in Council, directing English
cruisers to seize all ships laden with provisions bound for
any French port and bring them to the British Admiralty
Courts for adjudication. This meant the extermination of
all trade with France and her colonies, and produced great
•excitement in this country. War with England was
strongly advocated. But when Congress assembled retaliatory
measures were adopted, and an embargo was laid for
thirty days, which was afterwards continued for thirty
days longer. This of course nearly interdicted all foreign
trade, and so greatly increased the excitement that the
question of discontinuing all trade in articles of British
growth and manufacture was seriously considered. So
strained were the relations between the two countries that
war was thought to be almost inevitable. While this hos-
tile feeling was at its height, measures were taken by Pres-
ident Washington, looking to an amicable adjustment of
affairs with the mother-country, and Chief Justice Jay was
commissioned to negotiate a settlement. At the same time
preparations were made for a vigorous defense. Among
them was the enrollment of eighty thousand militia. Jay
succeeded in negotiating a new treaty with England, which,
though bitterly denounced throughout the Union, was rati-
fied by the Senate and signed by the President.
Bounty for Soldiers. In July, soou after the Call for troops had
been issued, Northampton voted that all
who were drafted or volunteered from this town should
receive $3 per month additional pay from the town, provided
they were called into actual service. Fortunately no
soldiers were needed, but Northampton manifested her
patriotism and hearty determination to support the government
in its hour of need. The quota of Northampton was
filled from the enrolled militia, and numbered forty-three
men, who were organized under the command of Capt.
Shubael Wilder, and went into training. On the musterroll
they were called " minute-men." They trained one day
at Hatfield, and in 1797, the town voted to pay them each
$1 '
' for their extra service in training one day.
"