The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

ET. 62.] LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 499
his usual practice, the President had exercised towards
these deluded people for more than two years, served
only to increase their violence, and encourage their determined spirit of hostility. He could no longer hesitate, as to the course he ought to pursue. He resolved
to employ the means intrusted to him by the laws, and
suppress the insurrection by a military force. As a
preparatory step, he issued a proclamation, dated on
the 7th of August, in which, after briefly narrating the
criminal transactions of the insurgents, and what had
been done by the government to allay their discontents
and turn them from their treasonable practices, he declared his determination to execute the laws by calling
the militia to his aid, and commanded the insurgents
and all persons concerned in abetting their acts to disperse and retire peaceably to their abodes before the
first day of September.
Having sent out this proclamation, as a preliminary
measure exacted by the laws, he next made a requisition for militia on the governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The insurgents chiefly
resided in the western counties of Pennsylvania. It
was supposed there were among them about sixteen
thousand men capable of bearing arms, and that they
could bring at least seven thousand into active service.
The number of militia at first ordered out was twelve
thousand, and it was subsequently increased to fifteen
thousand. The Governors of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey took the field at the head of the troops from their
respective States, and the command of the whole was
conferred on Governor Lee of Virginia.* The place
o The rank of the principal officers, as stated in Washington's Diary,
was as follows; first, Governor Lee, commander-in-chief; second, Governor
Mifflin; third, Governor Howell; fourth, General Daniel Morgan. The
comparative rank of the brigadiers is not mentioned. General Hand was
appointed adjutant-general.