grown cold, and Shays expressed to an acquaintance here, the impression that the cause had become gloomy and hopeless. In conversation with an officer of government, he disclaimed being at the head of the rebellion; declared he had come to the resolution to have nothing more to do with stopping courts: that if he could not obtain pardon, he would gather the whole force he could command, and fight to the last extremity, rather than be hanged. When asked if he would accept pardon were it offered, and abandon the insurgents, he replied, "yes, in a moment."[1]
The delay of government, while it afforded time to circulate correct information among the people, left the insurgents at liberty to pursue their measures. The Court at Springfield, on the 26th of December, was resisted, and intelligence was received of active exertions to prevent the session of the Common Pleas, at Worcester, on the 23d of January. Longer forbearance would have been weakness, and vigorous measures were adopted for sustaining the Judiciary. An army of 4400 men was raised from the Counties of Suffolk, Essex, Middlesex, Hampshire and Worcester, for thirty days service. General Benjamin Lincoln, whose prudence, and military skill peculiarly qualified him for the important trust, received the command. Voluntary loans were made by individuals for the armament, pay, and subsistance of the troops.
- ↑ The retreat of Shays not only afforded the friends of order occasion for triumph, hut sport for wit. An Epigram, from one of the prints, affords a specimen of the poetry and jest of the time. The name of the common carriage, the chaise, and that of the insurgent lender, had then the same spelling as well as sound.
"Says sober Will, well Shays has fled,
And peace returns to bless our days.
Indeed! cries Ned, I always said,
He'd prove at last a fall back Shays;
And those turned over and undone,
Call him a worthless Shays to run
