Massachusetts: Four Documents on Shays' Rebellion. Acts and Laws, 1786 & 1787.

Description: "A horrid and unnatural rebellion"[Shays' Rebellion]Massachusetts.[Four Documents on Shays' Rebellion] Acts and Laws, Passed by the General Court of Massachusetts... on Wednesday the Thirty-first day of May, Anno Domini, 1786... to Wednesday the Twenty-seventh day of September following [bound with] Acts and Laws... to Wednesday the Thirty-first day of January, 1787 [bound with] Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Wednesday the Thirty-First Day of May, Anno Domini, 1786 and from thence continued by prorogation, to Wednesday the twenty-seventh day of September following [with] Resolves... to Wednesday the thirty-first day of January, 1787.Boston: Printed by Adams and Nourse, 1786; 1787. [487]-545, [1] pp.; [546]-627, [1] pp.; [87]-168] pp. and [169]-257, [1] pp. Folio. Quarter cloth over paper covered boards. First editions. Generally fine copies, except for last item, which is removed from a larger volume and not bound with the other three, old stitching marks at inner margin, first item with foxing on three leaves, and small faded contemporary marginal notation; first leaf of second item with two creases to lower half and one leaf with paper loss at corner just affecting marginal title, final item with a few marginal pin holes and one tiny stain, otherwise very sharp and clear impressions in a fine binding; and one loose. Evans 19780. Evans 20496. Evans 19793. Evans 20515. ESTC W016751. ESTC W016755. ESTC W006811. ESTC W33326. Item #44052 The key documents that reported on the revolt that fundamentally altered U.S. history. Beginning in 1786, only three years after the American Revolution had ended, an armed rebellion began in Western Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays, a war veteran, and composed not only of farmers but many others from diverse backgrounds who were angry about onerous taxes and imprisonment for debt, as well as cronyism, corruption and rules by an elite. The eastern rebellion was easily contained (in fact Shattuck, its leader was captured just after the time period of the first Resolve), but the western insurrection under Shays remained serious enough that the U.S. Congress surreptitiously raised 4000 troops for the defense of the arsenal in Springfield under the guise of needing them to fight a coalition of ten Indian tribes out West (Resolve LXIII, Message of October 27). The courts were forced to close in Western Massachusetts, but the insurrection was eventually put down with thousands arrested. The first two documents (Acts & Laws) contain the major responses to the rebellion: Acts for: Preventing riots; Suspending the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus; Acts for: Providing pay for the militia employed by the Gov't in suppressing the Rebellion; Amending an earlier act granting indemnity to offenders and providing for their trials; Describing the disqualifications regarding those who were guilty of treason; Suppression of Tumults and Insurrections; Disqualifying rebels from serving as jurors; Regulating the militia; and more. The two sets of Resolves are almost completely taken up with the Rebellion and its aftermath. The first began with an impassioned message delivered by Governor James Bowdoin on September 28, 1786, just two days after Daniel Shays confronted the militia Bowdoin had sent earlier under the direction of William Shepherd, and the Court was required to adjourn. "What led to the unwarrantable and lawless proceedings of those insurgents will be a necessary subject of serious Inquiry. The investigating the true causes of those proceedings may point out the proper remedy of them in future. But whatever may be the causes, it is impossible they should amount to a sufficient and justifiable reason for them. Every complaint, or grievance, that can be offered, as a reason to palliate them, is, from the nature of the Constitution, redressible by the General Court, the only body, within whose department it is, to redress public grievances. The application, therefore, to all other bodies, and all other modes of redress, are anticonstitutional, & of very dangerous tendency, even when attempted in a peaceable manner: but much more so, when attempted by acts of violence, for preventing the execution of the laws, and the due administration of Justice. These observations are strictly just, where there is a constitutional mode for the redress of grievance: and especially where those in Government, who have the power to redress, annually depend on the people for political existence." Bowdoin's last words were prophetic; he was not reelected, many of the reforms called for by the rebels were enacted, and a more powerful central government was created with the adoption of the Federal Constitution. Subject: AmericanaABAA, ILAB Fine, Rare, & Unusual Books and Manuscripts with a special emphasis on the Americas We are located on Parker Mountain, in the small town of East Jewett, set in the High Peaks region of the Northern Catskill Mountains, not far from the tallest waterfall in New York State, after which we are named. Though our special focus is on the Americas -North, Central, and South, we offer fine, rare, and unusual books and manuscripts on a wide range of subjects, including Asia, Exploration, Art, Literature, and Books about Books. We are proud to be a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) and adhere to their strict codes of conduct and ethical standards. Guarantee All books are guaranteed as described. We want you to be completely satisfied with your order. All books may be returned in original condition, for any reason, within 30 days. It is helpful if you notify us first so your refund can be processed promptly. We will pay for return postage if the book is not as described. Shipping Standard shipping for all items is via USPS Media mail. We usually ship within two business days of receipt of payment, though weather conditions in the mountains can occasionally interfere. Postal delivery usually takes an additional week to ten days. For alternative methods or faster shipping please contact us. We ship internationally. Please contact us for exact details and costs. We are happy to combine shipping on multiple items, and will issue a prompt refund if ebay charges you incorrectly upon checkout. Payment We prefer Paypal. Feedback Please contact us first if you have any issues. We appreciate feedback.This listing was created by Bibliopolis.

Price: 2812.5 USD

Location: East Jewett, New York

End Time: 2025-01-28T16:51:37.000Z

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