%226. The Whisky Rebellion, 1794.%--One of the taxes to which the Republicans objected, that on whisky, led to the first rebellion against the government of the United States. In those days, 1791, the farmers living in the region around Pittsburg could not send grain or flour down the Ohio and the Mississippi, because Spain had shut the Mississippi to navigation by Americans. They could not send their flour over the mountains to Philadelphia or Baltimore, because it cost more to haul it there than it would sell for. Instead, therefore, of making flour, they grew rye and made whisky on their own farms. This found a ready sale. Now, when the United States collectors attempted to collect the whisky tax, the farmers of western Pennsylvania drove them away. An appeal was then made to the courts; but when the marshal came to make arrests he, too, was driven away. Under the Articles of Confederation this would have been submitted to. But the Constitution and the acts of Congress were now "the supreme law of the land," and Washington in his oath of office had sworn to see them executed. To accomplish this, he used the power given him by an act of Congress, and called out 12,900 militia from the neighboring states and marched them to Pittsburg. Then the people yielded. Two of the leaders were tried and convicted of treason; but Washington pardoned them. The insurrection or rebellion was a small affair. But the principles at stake were great. It was now shown that the Constitution and the laws must be obeyed; that it was treason to resist them by force, and that if necessary the people would, at the call of the President, turn out and put down rebellion by force of arms.[1] [Footnote 1: Read McMaster's _History of the People of the United States_, Vol. II., pp. 189-204; Findley's _History of the Insurrection in Pennsylvania_.] SUMMARY 1. As soon as Washington was inaugurated, Congress proceeded to organize the new government. 2. The Supreme Court and circuit and district courts were established. 3. The departments of State, War, and Treasury were formed. 4. Twelve amendments to the Constitution were proposed. 5. Three financial measures were adopted: A. A tariff act was passed. B. The debts of the states were assumed, and, with that of the Continental Congress, funded. C. A national bank was chartered. 6. The price of funding was the ultimate location of the national capital on the Potomac. 7. The first census was taken in 1790. 8. The result of the financial measures of Congress was the rise of the Republican party (the forerunner of the present Democratic party). THE ORIGIN OF POLITICAL PARTIES /--------------------------------------------------------------------\