History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

348 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. L1W4.
"Capt. Merrick of Munson was next treated with for uttering imprudent
expressions. I thought they would have tarred & feathered him,
and I thought he almost deserved it. He was very stubborn, as long as
he dare be, but at length he made some concessions. But not till after
they had carted him. No man received the least injury, but the strictest
order of justice were observed. The people to their honor behaved
with the greatest order & regularity, a few individuals excepted, and
avoided, as much as possible, confusion.
"The people of each town being drawn into separate companies
marched with staves & musick. The trumpets sounding, drums beat-
ing, fifes playing and Colours flying, struck the passions of the soul
into a proper tone, and inspired martial courage into each.
" I kept all the time amongst the people, and observed their temper
and dispositions, which I shall be better able to inform by word of
mouth than otherwise.
"Another incident I will relate and then I have done. Mr. Stearns,
by imprudent expressions, raised their indignation. They marched in
a body to Col. Worthington's and demanded him. Mrs. Worthington
assured them he was not in the house. But they were by no means
satisfied. They entered the house. She was fright, delivered up all
her keys, begged of them to accept of their property, but spare their
lives, and took her two youngest daughters in her arms and fled out
into the fields. The people searched the house, but not finding Stearns
they returned peaceably.
"The people will probably be condemned for preventing the sitting
of the court but their conduct yet is comendable. I wait till morning,
hope nothing will be transacted rashly tonight, for it is given out by
the fearful that there is a number looking —"^
No Court in North- No sessioH of tlie Supreme Court was held
ampton. ^t Northampton, in April, 1774. Judge
Gushing was sick and "Judge Oliver may
not sit. The Grand Jury had prepared something against
him if he had appeared in the county.'' =^ The
Supreme
Court under the old regime sat for the last time in Northampton
in the Spring of that year. Apparently no open
demonstration against holding a court was made here, but
circumstances rendered its session inexpedient.
Committee of corre- On the 13'*' of September, the first Comspondence
Chosen, mittec of Correspondence was chosen. It
was not appointed at a regularly called
town-meeting, or if so, no record was made of the transac-
1 This portion of Clark's letter is quoted in a letter by C. L. Shaw of Astoria, N.
Y., in Hampshire Gazette, Jan. 19, 1K94.
3 Diary of Jonathan Judd Jr.