Indictment of Daniel Hamilton
This document is the indictment charging Daniel Hamilton of Washington County, PA, with treason due to his participation in an armed insurrection at St. Clair, PA, in 1794. In response to the 1791 excise tax on distilled spirits, hundreds of western Pennsylvania farmers, primarily from the counties of Allegheny, Greene, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland, banded together to oppose the collection of the tax on their most important commodity, whiskey.
The Whiskey Rebellion lasted through 1794 and was an important test of the federal government鈥檚 power in the face of grass-roots resistance. The Whiskey Rebels鈥� tactics included sending threatening messages to tax collectors in the form of legal notices, attacking government agents attempting to serve warrants, and employing tar and feathering to intimidate others wishing to enforce the tax. Eventually, George Washington led an army of 10,000 troops to suppress the insurgency; however, the rebels never engaged Washington鈥檚 army and around 20 individuals were arrested and tried for treason. While not all the court papers survived, several of the cases that were tried in the District of Pennsylvania are held by the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at Philadelphia. Despite being indicted, only Hamilton was convicted, but later pardoned by President Washington.
View and download the on the 威尼斯人娱乐场 Catalog. You can explore more records held in the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at Philadelphia through the or by visiting the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at Philadelphia. These records are located in , Series: .