The Massachusetts Spy

bills scarcely could be found against the offenders, and where a chance bill was found, the highest fine laid on them was only sixpence. But on the other hand, if any of the complainants happened to be indicted, be the offence never so trifling, their fines were seldom or never less than 100l. which has in fact been the case: Being thus beat they were laughed at, and called fools and asses, &c. &c. Then some of the inhabitants of Orange county met, and concluded that they would pay no more public taxes, till a full state of their public accounts was published, and a fair settlement made, and under that conclusion bound themselves by an oath to stand by and support each other in this their resolution, as it was clearly their opinion that the public had more money in bank than would pay all their public dues, &c. which resolution was soon adhered to by the other counties. Things then began to be in great confusion; the people refusing to pay caused the sheriffs to execute, on which a mob would rise, whip the sheriff, and any other that supported him; after which they frequently petitioned the Governor to interpose in the matter, and cause a fair settlement to be made, to which he turned a deaf ear: this so enraged the people, that they stopped several courts from doing business, by rising into mobs, and ordering the Judges not to sit. However before any courts were disturbed the Governor raised a large army of men, at the request of one Fanning, clerk to several of the courts in the province, and an Attorney at law, and stands charged with being the principal oppressor of the poor people, which armed force cost the province 18,000l. These preparations caused the people to take arms, however they never carried their arms into the towns. Great numbers of them went with a petition to the Governor for the purpose aforesaid, on which the Governor told them that if they would bring in their arms, and deliver up such men as he should name to be put to death, that they should then have a settlement on such terms as he should think proper; which offer was refused by the people, and they returned to their habitations, and the Governor disbanded his men. After this, another trial for redress in the law way was made in Orange county, in which they were as unsuccessful as heretofore, which caused a resolution that there should be no courts held till a settlement, or until their grievances were redressed; whereupon the General Court at Hillsborough town, Orange county, a mob came in armed with raw hide whips, and went to the Judge and King's Attorney, who they desired to go home, and guarded them safe to their houses, telling them that they should suffer no damage, and that they might hold court next day, &c. their next step was to take the aforesaid Fanning and some other lawyers out of the Court house, to whom they gave raw-hide correction very severely; they then went to Fanning's house, which they levelled with the ground, and destroyed the furniture, doing damage to the amount of 1500l. after which they offered Fanning to repair his house and make good all his damage, if he would repay the money he had unjustly taken from them: To which he answered, that he only wanted revenge, and revenge he would have, &c.

[The remainder, for want of room, must be deferred till next week:]