Description:

Shays' Rebellion
Boston, MA, ca. 1786
On Shays' Rebellion, the Establishment of a Mint in Massachusetts, Indian Unrest, the Precarious Financial State of the Federal Treasury and More! Dr. E.A. Holyoke's Personal Copies of (7) Massachusetts Gazettes
Newspaper

Seven issues of The Massachusetts Gazette dated October 10, 1786 to December 22, 1786. Boston: Samuel Hall. Each issue is 4pp and measures 9.9" x 15". All have the original subscriber's name written in period ink at either the top or right margin, "Doct. E. A. Holyoke," a noted doctor and longtime member of Harvard Corporation, the University's governing body. Dated during the period of Shays' Rebellion, all issues contain news as events unfolded in the form of opinion pieces, laws passed, and reports of the insurgents' activities. Also includes laws passed by both the state and federal governments, news from abroad, and Indian unrest. Previously bound with stab holes in the margins. Minor separations along the horizontal fold at the gutter, otherwise very good with even toning and an occasional tear with no loss of paper. A fantastic account of Shays Rebellion from a Federalist perspective.

Issues of note as follows:

October 13, 1786 issue prints a synopsis of Rufus King's report (page 2, column1) to the Massachusetts House of Representatives of the "full information relative to the affairs of the United States." King had recently completed his term of service to the Continental Congress. Per King's report, the fiscal state of the nation was in dire straits: "The last two years not 500,000 had been received; a sum scarcely more than adequate to the ordinary charges of government." Also, "That the alloy and values of coins having been established by Congress, a mint would probably be soon erected; and a coin, with an American impression, relieve the citizens under their distresses arising from the want of money." Page 2, column 3 also prints the resolves passed at the October 11, 1786 meeting of the Society of Cincinnati condemning the actions of the insurgents participating in what would become known as Shays' Rebellion and pledging their support for the existing state government. Signed in type by Benjamin Lincoln as president of the Society. Lincoln would later be instrumental in quelling the rebellion.

November 17, 1786 issue announces the suspension of Habeas Corpus making the insurgents subject to arrest and prosecution under the Riot Act and other emergency measures. At the same time, the Massachusetts Indemnity Act was passed offering pardon to insurgents who returned home, lay down their arms, and pledged allegiance to the state.

November 21, 1786 issue, page two prints in full "An Act granting Indemnity" and "An Act for the suspending the privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus" passed in response to the growing unrest and attempts to stop the proceedings of the Courts in Massachusetts. Page 3 reports on the election of Benjamin Franklin as President of Pennsylvania and announces an act to establish a mint in Massachusetts.

December 12, 1786 issue contains more news of Shays' Rebellion, and now identifies former Continental Army captain Daniel Shays as the leader of the insurgents. A notice on page 2, column 3 reads: "The Supreme Executive on Friday last, received information from Worcester, purporting, that on Thursday last, insurgents were still collecting at that place; and that it was supposed, there were then in that town about 1000 men commanded by Shays; and that Day was momently expected to arrive with 300 more…" Page 3, column 1 reports on the killing of insurgent Luke Shattuck: "that blood had been wantonly drawn by government; that every abuse had been offered to the friends of liberty; that Shattuck had been hacked to pieces by the light horse sent out to take him, and was dead of his wounds and buried, that his daughters had been abused, and one of his wife's eyes put out by them."

December 22, 1786 issue announces that the Continental Congress had unanimously resolved to raise 1,340 troops by the states in response to hostile Indian activity along the western frontier. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress could not directly conscript troops, but it could request that states raise men for federal operations and promise reimbursement. Massachusetts was requested to raise 660 men, almost half of the total troops requested. The Congressional resolution requiring payment by each state to the federal treasury was also printed on that page; and finally, an announcement by the Board of Treasury for subscriptions in loans totaling 500,000 dollars as resolved by Congress.

Edward Augustus Holyoke (1728–1829) was a prominent American physician and long-serving academic leader. Born in Massachusetts, he graduated from Harvard College in 1745 and pursued a distinguished career in medicine, becoming one of the most respected physicians of his era. Holyoke served as a member of the Harvard Corporation (the University's governing body) for decades, holding influence over academic and administrative affairs at Harvard well into the early 19th century. He was also a member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 9.9" x 15"
  • Medium: Newspaper

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