CHAPTER VIII.

Refugees... Taxes... Law against Extortion... Scarcity... Various measures of defence... Depreciation... New calls for militia... Convention for new Constitution... Large sums called for by Congress... Penobscot Expedition... Conventions to prevent extortion... Additional troops, both for state and continental service... Public Fast... General Lincoln in Georgia and South Carolina... Constitution formed and accepted... Order of Congress to call in paper money... Debt of the state... Complaint of the people... Troops in Maine... Academy of Arts and Sciences... Dark day.

Ar the session of the General Court in October, 1778, an act was passed, forbidding certain individuals, formerly citizens of the state, who had left the state and joined the enemy, to return ; and requiring them, if they came into the state, immediately to depart out of the country; and making it a capital crime, if they should presume, a second time, to come within their jurisdiction, unless special permission was first obtained. There were nearly three hundred persons named in this prohibitory statute. There were, however, some among them, who had never taken an active part against the country; and were not, therefore, really deserving the severe punishment which others justly merited. Some of those named in the act had leave afterwards to return into the state, and to remain. But the greater part never discovered a disposition to return; and they had proved them

selves too decidedly hostile to the liberties of the country, to be indulged with the privilege, had they desired it.

In January 1779, Congress called upon the several states to raise $15,000,000. The sum apportioned to Massachusetts was $2,000,000; and the amount was to be passed to the credit of the United States, to be accounted for on an adjustment between the state and the continent at a future day. The sum required of Massachusetts was to be expended by the state, but for the purposes of general concern and utility.

The complaints of the people in most of the states had become so loud and so general, on account of the prevalence of extortion and monopoly, that in January 1779, Congress was led to inquire, whether it were not practicable to provide a preventive. They were of opinion that regulating statutes were necessary; and divided the thirteen states into two districts; advising that a convention in each be holden, to fix and regulate the prices of the common articles of living. convention of delegates from the northern district was held at New Haven, who formed a plan for regulating prices, and preventing extortion. The plan was adopted and carried into effect by most of the states composing the district. It was approved also by the legislature of Massachusetts, and a law passed on the subject; but there were many of her citizens, who considered it their interest to disregard the law; and there was remissness

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* Some gentlemen in Congress, however, were of opinion that trade should be left to regulate itself. Many citizens of Massachusetts entertained similar sentiments.

in the officers, whose duty it was to see it observed, which favoured the violations of a salutary law with impunity.* The General Assembly, however, were very desirous to prevent the evil, and to save the poorer classes of people from oppression. They directed the law to be published, and to be read at the annual town meetings.

Another subject engaged the attention of the General Assembly at their session in January, which related to the support and comfort of the people. The preceding season had been uncommonly dry; which, together with a severe blight of the grain, cut off nearly one half of the usual crops. A great number of men, usually employed in cultivating the soil, was engaged in the milita

ry service through the spring and summer. This, also, had served to lessen the customary fruits of harvest and several thousand prisoners, taken with Bourgoyne had been kept in the state. The scarcity was such as to give great alarm. Added to all other difficulties, there was an embargo laid on all vessels bound from one state to another. The General Court addressed letters to Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, requesting flour and grain for the inhabitants. They voted $200,000,† and appointed a committee to visit those states to procure provisions. They also requested Congress to grant permission for trans

*Nothing but a strict regard to facts could make it necessary to notice the above. As a state, Massachusetts was most patriotic, and made great exertions for the public welfare. But there were some, who sought their own without regard to the general interest. "The Recusants prevented the execution of the law."

The paper had then greatly depreciated.

porting flour and corn from the southern states. The towns, particularly those on the sea coast, which suffered most severely for the want of grain, were furnished from the public stock purchased by the state, and in such proportions as their several necessities demanded.

Such was still the situation of the state and of the country, that great exertions were requisite on the part of the General Court to provide for the protection of the one, and to furnish its proportion of aid for the defence of the other. In February, a resolve was passed, as in the two preceding years, providing for men to be stationed at the towns on the sea coasts, liable to be approached by the enemy's ships; with the addition of Falmouth in the county of Barnstable, which had suffered from their depredations. Clothing was furnished for the soldiers composing the seventeen regiments of the Massachusetts line. Their families were provided for, by the selectmen of towns in which they resided, by virtue of particular orders of the legislature. To the officers on the continental establishment, large sums were also paid, or advanced on the credit of the United States; 300l. to the field officers; and to captains and others, 2001. The treasury of the state did not indeed permit of the immediate payment of the whole sum: and a part was to be paid in three and six months. The assembly wrote to their delegates in Congress, and also to the president, to be laid before that body, informing them of their proceedings to quiet the minds of the soldiers, and praying them to provide some remedy for the evils of depreciation on the public paper, and to do justice to those who were engaged in the mili

tary service of the country. The soldiers received wages from the continent; but the bills in which they were paid were so greatly depreciated below the nominal value, that they received not, in fact, one tenth or one twentieth of the amount promised; and the state of Massachusetts had engaged to them a bonafide compensation. The state omitted no possible means of doing justice to the officers and soldiers in the regiments it had raised; but still these brave men and their families suffered extremely, by devoting a long period to the public service. The wants of their families obliged them to part with their notes from the continent and from the state, for the tenth part of the amount due them; and individuals, who were never exposed to danger or losses, eventually received the fruit of their toils.

In February, the legislature was requested by general Gates, then commanding, on the Boston station, to call out the militia to assist in fortifying the harbour, and to collect stores and provisions. As a reason for his request, general Gates stated that he feared an attack from the British. The legislature addressed Congress on the subject, desiring their advice, and solicting aid from the continental army, if the enemy should invade the state. They had then but recently raised 400 of the militia to serve as a guard at Boston and neighbourhood, in addition to the state battalion which had been sometime in service; and had required a detachment from Plymouth and Bristol counties to be ready to march for the defence of Rhode Island, at the shortest notice from the commanding officer in that state.

The General Court adjourned for a few weeks,