Shakerism detected : their erroneous and treasonous proceedings, and false publications contained in different news-papers, exposed to public view by the depositions of ten different persons living in various parts of the states of Kentucky and Ohio : accompanied with remarks

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Digitized. by the Internet Archive

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http://www.archive.org/details/shakerismdetecteOOsmit

BY TM

LIVING

A^

By C

TO THE READER.

X HAVE brought forward five witnesses (being,
duly sworn) that prove almost all that the shakers
have denied and asserted in their writings against
me, to be false, and consequently what I have
written to be the truth : —

And whereas Richard M'Nemar, in his long
publication positively and vehemently denied
that the chief shakers held infalibilitj , — this I
have effectually proven by different depositions
and also by their own writings ; and infalibiliiy
is the snake in the grass that will as certainly
produce despotic bondage as fire will light and
heat: — -

Whereas M'Nemar, in his publication, has re-
presented my burning the Indian goods and war-
like stores, near Sideling-hill as high-way robery,
I have given a brief statement of the cause, rise
and progress of the Sideling-hill expedition, with,
proper vouchers attending it : — ■

I have brought four witnesses duly sworn—-,
proving, that the shakers have for three years past,
been using artful measures to excite the Indians
to fall upon the defenceless frontiers, belong-
ing to the United States. 1 expect that I have
plainly made it appear to the most of my readers,
that the shakers are fundamentally H practically
opposers of the United States' government and
enemies to the peace & happiness of mankind:—

Whereas much has been published on sha-
kerism in the publick papers, especially in the
state of Ohio ; theretore 1 have quoted and collec-
ted the principal arguments, taken from different
authors and set them in one connected view ; be-
cause many may read this that do not get the
papers, and scarcely any one gets all the papers
that treat on this subject.

( * )

When the shakers first came to this wester A
country, they appeared to be a very meek hum-
ble sort of people, and said that they were alto-
gether free from sin; but when their beloved
despotic money-making machine was struck at by
Shakerism Developed they were irritated out of
measure aftdwrote in amost scurrilous and illna-
tured manner, and as their system, is founded on.
falsehood and supported by secrecy and deceit,
they vehemently denied or asserted any thing that
they thought would answer their purpose.

Tn order to represent this in a proper view, we
shall take notice of M'Nemar's letter to the Rev.
col. James Smith s

WESTERN STAR July 6,1810.

" James, in this enlightened age when every

subject lies open to free enquirv, the author who

would command respect, must not only be well

acquainted with his subject,* but also impartial

in his manner of treating it."

Tf I had known but little about shakerism, and
had only spoken of your erroneous faith et mode
of worship in a very weak and imperfect manner,
you could have borne this patiently ; but when
your beloved toryism was plainly struck at, you
kicked and pranced like a horse when his sore
back has received a heavy stroke. You say
" passions heated by falsehood must cool offwheri
truth comes on the carpet, as fox-fire disappears
before the light of the sun" — you have accidental-
ly hit the truth for once; but it is wrong applied
Richard, and it is verified, in you ; in your se-
cond letter to me you have cooled off very much
when truth made its appearance concerning your
treasonous proceedings with the Indians ; but yo'l
must come lower yet Richard, and your highly

( s )

esteemed shakerism " must evanish like fox-fira
disappears before the sun.'* You say, " I think
it a duty which I owe to you and my fellow-ci-
tizens, to summon you in a public manner, to re-
call the distorted & false picture of shakerism so
called." I shall sit your summons, & let the world
see that it is a true statement that I have made
of shakerism. — You tell me " you profess to have
nothing to do with the shakers' faith, mode of
worship, &c. if so, you have nothing to do with
shakerism, for the faith of any people must be
the beginning corner, from which their real cha-
racter is surveyed*" — I have nothing to do with
the shakers' faith or mode of worship any fur-
ther than it hath a direct tendency to injure the
peace and happiness of mankind ; for instance
your holding infalibility, is the corner tree that
includes political, popish, despotic bondage in

your survey.-— But more of this hereafter. You

tell me, " first you introduce yourself, as having
been a resident among the shakers, according to
agreement, having come to live with them five
years ago, and from that time to the present, dil-
igently endeavoring to find them out &cc. This
you know to be a wilful falsity and of no small
importance as a foundation for the rest." I do
not know this to be a wilful falsity, no, it is a well
known truth by the neighbors around you that i
was with the shakers about a week, and went
With them night and day to your places oi wor-
ship, and where they were preaching or making
proselytes; insomuch that some supposed that
I had really fallen in with, & joined the shakers.
I stayed with them until I was tired of thera, and
I believe that they were heartily tired of me.
You tell me, "on the Sabbath you attended our
meeting and gave a public address int favour rf

A

( « )

what you saw among -us," — How epuld you tell
such a story as tliis, when there was about two
hundred spectators present at this time, that were
n t shakers, Fne trut 1 of the story was this ; the
shakers were opposed Sv interrupted in their wor-
ship in'sbmucfa that the^ had to leave of their
dance and go home. During the time of this in-
terruption 1 spoke publicly, and said that it. was
contrary to the laws of our country to oppose, in-
terrupt or.disiurb any people in their way of wor-
ship, and this I would now say ; but I never said
any thing in favour of the shakers' faun or / mode
of worship ; and For the truth of this I appeal to
the spectators. You s*ay, V you have asserted,
ir;-.t ihc shakers dro\e i oily from the house that
s.he had lived in while among them, and took her
children from her. Tins is a groundless slander
— Polly was kindly tieated by James and all the
society, whilst she stayed in the place. It was
voluntarily of her own choice that she went off
v itli William Smith and John Irvin, contrary to
3ames's mind who pointedly and repeatedly warn-
ed her not to go with those men, and the s,ame
aborning that she went off, she, herself had previ-
ously sent the children to school, and this she
canno^deny" — You have asserted that my saying
that you drove Polly away is a groundless siand^.r,
But you shall now see what John Irvin Tscn'
William Irvin, William Smith, Joseph Bay and
Folly Smith say upon oath : —

State of Ohio, Preble County set. -
Before me Jacob Romane one of the justices
appointed to ketp the peace in and for the .coun-
ty aforesaid, personally came- the undersigned
John Irvin Esq. and Wlliam Smith, and bring
sworn according to law depose and say, that
sometime in the last of February 1810, we re-

( I )

Reived a letter from Polly Smith in Shakertown by
her brother Joseph Bay, stating her distress bf
lining among tnose peop'e and praying us to
come without delay to see her and give her some
advice. Joseph stated to us that. James Smith
himself vviote the letter in her name (k iurnished
him with a horse and requested him to come,
and*- fetch it, which the said James Smith alter-
wards told me was the truth'. — W& accordingly
went to Shakerto-vn ah 1 stayed about four day*.
James Smith at first appeared willing to let his
wife Polly come with us on a visit ; which he ac-
knowledged he had promised her ; but when tne
time drew near that we were to start, he appeared
ui) willing, and said that he had altered his mind,
John Irvin told him that he supposed he had ask-
ed Elder David whether it was right to let Polly
go or not; upon which he answered yea; ior he
might be mistaken but Elder David could not.
We then wished. jijm to let her go and see her
friends and weitl/ouki ietch or send her safe
Jiome in sh: or -vight da; s, upon which he ap-
peared tq agse£ a ud went and caught a horse for
her and led it to the door, and then p dling olf
the bi idle said diat it would look too much like
sending her away. We therefore told him to
go and bridle her sister's horse ( Peggy Bay)
which v/as to go with her ; we then prep; red
to start, and Polly told him how to manage the
affairs about the house till she returned : (.JoIva
Jrvin only remembers that James Smith said that
JLlder David was infallible) said deponent further
saith that just at the time of star. i; g\ James then
tokj Polly his wife that il she went it w u!d be
contrary to his will, and Warned us agajust har-
bouring or crediting her on his account.

1 do hereby certify that john C. Irvun Esq. h

( « )

William Smith came voluntarily before me, and
were sworn to the above statement according to
law. Given under my hand this 27th, day of
September, 1810. ..

JACOB ROMANE, Justice of the peace.

John Irvin further saith that the same time
when he was in Shakertown — Viz. last February,
that he had considerable conversation with Isa-
char Bates, and that he particularly asked Bates
if there was not at least a possibility that he might
be mistaken in some case ; to which Bates an-
swered nay ; he thert asked him if he pretended
to infalibiliiy ; Bates replied, yea, I am infalibly
right, and therefore cannot be wrong in any
case whatever.

STATE OF OHIO, PREBLE COUNTY, Set.
I do hereby certify that Tohn Irvin Escj; came
personally before me, and on oath acknowledged
the above addition to his former deposition. Giv-
en under my hand this 2d. day , of October 18 10.

JACe11 ROMANE J. P.U
pe- \

The definition of William Irvin.

About the first of March last, I, William R. ir-
vin, went home with Polly Smith to Shakertown,
on Turtle-creek ; When we got to the house we
found no one there, nor any of their property.
Jt being nearly night, we went to William Bones's
to stay all night. Next morning we went to
Shakertown to try if she could see her children,
where we found james Smith junr. — Polly, his
wife, asked him if she could see the children, he
said she might go to the school-house & see them ;
she wanted him to go with her, and he refused
to go ; we then went to the school-house : we
there enquired for the children, and they would
not tell any thing about them \ we then, went t«

C » )

John Woods's and called at the gate ; Woods &
Malcom Worley came out ; we aaked them if
Polly could see lier children; Woods said no;
we told them that we had seen James Smith, &c
that he had told Polly to go and see them ; Woods
said that they were left in his caie, and they were
not to be- r>een ; we made use of every intreaty
that we were capable of, but ail in vain. I then
proposed to let Folly into the yard, and let the
children come to the door and she will sit on her
horse, and the rest of us will stay out in the lane,
but they would not. I then threatened them with
the civil law ; Woods ordered me to go home, 8c
quit my whoring, meaning for me to quit my Wife.
Polly had a little sugar in her pocket, and she
gave it to me to desire them to give it to the
children, but they refused that ; she then rode oft7
weeping. We men went to William Bones's, and
myscli went again to see James Smith, to tell him
we were not admitted to see the children — a num-
ber of them then said that she never should see
them again, without she would receive their tes-
timony. I heard them likewise tell her the same.
Now there was another small event that took
place : — James Smith was smoking his pipe;!
told him, that agreeably to his faith, he ought
not to smoke ; he said he did not know ; and then
asked one of his brethren if Elder David smoked,
they said he did ; well said Smith, I will smoke
too — why, said I — can Elder David do nothing
wrong? No replied Smith, he cannot, and I will
smoke as long as he does ; this ended the day. —
Next morning, James Smith and Malcom Worley
came to Wm. Benes's to let us know, that on
certain conditions she might seethe children, and
that was, not to have any conversation with them
but in ihcir presence j we went to Woods's, and
B

( io )

the children were brought forward ; after a short
interview, we got up to start, and the oldest boy
attempted to go to the door to see his mother
start, when James &mith and some other of their
men took hold of the little boy and held him for-
cibly ; the cries of that child and the mother at
that time were too much for me to describe. I
asked them if there was no tenderness in them ;
they replied there was no room for tenderness
in their hearts.

WILLIAM R. 1RVIN*.
State of Ohio, Preble County set.

That the above»named William R. Irvm came personally, and
voluntarily before me, the subscriber, one of the justices appointed
to keep the peace in and for the aforesaid county of Preble, and
was solemnly sworn to the truth of the above statement. Given
under my hand, this 28th day of September 1810.

JACOB ROMANE, J. P.

Richard, you tell the world that my saying,
that the shakers drove Polly away from the house
she lived in while among them, and took her
children from her, " is a groundless slander."
At the time she left Shakertown, she only went
on a visit, upon promise, and by James's own
consent, until his judgment had to give place to
Elder David's infallible command. It was Elder
David that forbid her to go with John Trvin when
they were on horseback or just about starting,
for when James said if she went, it would-be a-
gainst his mind — he only acted as a machine,
even as much so as a spinning wheel, this iully
appears by his own acknowledgment to John and
William irvin. And after Elder David in this in-
direct manner forbids Polly to go on this visit,
and the very next day advertiseth her in the news
paper as one that had jwickedly eloped, prohibit-
ing any one from harboring her, and when she

( 11 )

returned to Shaker town found the house that she
had lived in stripped and evacuated, her children
taken, and she was told that she should never
see them, except she would confess her sins and
receive their testimony. All this is included in
the above affidavits, and will more fully appear
when Joseph Bay and Polly Smith's depositions
come forward hereafter.

Now Richard was it just or generous in ycu
to publish me to the world, as a groundless slan-
derer, for calling all that you did, driving Polly
away, and sa)ing that rjer children were taken
from her ?

The affirmation of Polly Smith, taken at Cane?
ridge. August 20th, 1810.

Saith that the statement made in the tenth
twelfth and thirteenth pages of the pamphlet en-
titled Shakeribm Developed, as relating to her
own treatment by them at that time is a just
statement of facts as they truly did accrue.
Also further saith that whilst she was among the
shakers, she heard them say it was neces-
sary when a man and woman joined their body
who had a family of children, that it was best to
separate them ; putting the man in one place and
the woman in another, and their children in a
third place, the more easily to kill natural affec-
tion— and also saith that she saw James Smith
: senior write the piece that was first published in
the Western Citizen on shakerism, and David
Purviance was not there when it was written.

POLLY SMITH.

STATE OF KENTUCKY, BOUREON COUNTY.
I Aquila Parker justice of the peace in and
for the county and state aforesaid, do certify that
the aforementioned Poll v Smith did voluntarily

( 12 )

appear before me, and solemnly affirm and sigft
the above affirmation at the time and place above-
mentioned. Given under my hand and seal this
20th day of August 1810*,

AQUILA PARKER J. P.

The affidavit of JOSEPH BAY, taken at the Court-house ia
the town of Paris on the 21st, day of August 1810'. —

Who being of lawful age and duly sworn, saith
thai the facts as stated in th^ tenth page of the *
pamphlet entitled Shekerism Developed, relating
to the treatment of Polly Smith by her husband
James Smith junr., he this deponent was per-
sonally present at that time, and saw the transac-
tions, and that it is correctly stated as they were
transacted, and also, that he was present when
the three shakers came to the house where she
saiii poliy smith went into by direction of her
hiibband, and the shakers ordered her out of said
h<.u^e, tel.ing her that James had no property, as
he had given all up to God, as stated in the 13th

page of said pamphlet,

JOSEPH BAT.

I' STATE OF KENTUCKY BOURBON COUNTY Set.

1 Aquila Parker one of the justices of the
peace in and for the county aforesaid^ do certify
that the above named Joseph Bay did personally
aid voluntarily appear before me at the time and
place stated m the introduction to said affidavit,
swore to and signed the same before me, as wit-
ness my hand and seal this day and date above
written. Aquila Parker j. p.

YOU say, " The same morning that she went
off, she herself had previously sent the children
to school ; and this she cannot deny." — This is
the truth Richard, and I intend to give you and
your fraternity credit for every sentence of truth

( 13 )

that I can find in any of your writings.— You sayV\
V when you and William lrvin came with Polly'
she was not debarred from seeing the children at
a suitable occasion." — This is not true Richard >
■ — William lrvin and others also tell you upon
oath that she was debarred, except she would "con-
less her sins ike. and it is well known that there*
was no mob about at that time, or at least no one
ever heard of an) such thing. " You insinuate
lli at on' Ai arch 6 you returned to Shakertown as
you call it) to try, if by any means Polly could
be admitted to sec her children. 'I his James
you kndw to be a gross misrepresentation ; for
you know that your son James'a.ud Malcom Wor-
ley went to you early that very morning to
.William Bones's, and invited both Polly and your-
self to come and see the children ; which accor-
dingly you did, and had liberty to be among
them as much as you pleased, and the free ac-
cess that she has repeatedly had to them since
{of which I am a wtness) proves the whole state-
ment of the matter tobc maliciously false." — Yoa
say that james and" Malcom Worley came and
told us we might sec the children- But it was on
certain conditions. And was there ant) thing
like falsehood or misstatement or inconsistency
in saying we, would go and try if by any mean*
Folly would be admitted to see her children? No:
for you had deceived us so often before that T
could not believe any thing that a shuker would
say without trial. You say that we had liberty
to be among them as much as we pleased; this
is not true Richard ; see Shakerism developed
page 13, what we were told, on March 13, and the
time you spoke of, was March the 6th.— A'ndv
Joseph Bay and Polly Smith have said upon oath
that from the tenth including the 13th page *rf
G

( 14 )

justly a.r.d truly stated, and it is word for word
the same in the said pages in said pamphlet, as
in the piece I first published in the Western Cit-
izen which you had reference to. And the whole
cf what vou have violently denied concerning
the usage Polly received at that time is included
in said pages ; and said deponents were e) e and
car witness to the whole of it. And John & Wil-
liam Irvin and William Smith saw a considerable
pari of the transactions. — You assert that the
'Whole statement of the matter is maliciously {al$cw
but I have already proven by five witnesses that
it is aP true \ and if you had said on oath what
you wrote against me, I cpuJd find as many '\v\u
testes as would prove you perjured.-— Vou say
that my son James, " was the only person who in-
terposed any authority over the child on .the oc-
casion,5* that is in taking him, from his mother.
This is not true Kichard-r- see W^m. lrviirs depo-
sition. Vou say that . Felly was well used " till
the time of her elopement," This is not true, lor.
she never eloped, it was only a false adveniso
ment of David Durrow's that said so. See John
Irvin's deposition.

After describing David Purviance, you say " I
*nean that David who assisted you in preparing
the materials of your publication &c." You in-
sinuate that it was David Puiviance that at least
assisted in preparing the materials for said pub-
lication. But it is not so — see Polly Smith's de-
position. And Mr. Boman and others saw me
write said piece, and heard me read it when I
was near Shakertown, above forty miles from
Where David Purviance lived.

You say " that they hold no man to be infallible,*
but each as a free agent to stand or fall, accord-
pig as lie is obedient to infallible truth.4' — Rich-

( is )

ard, can it be that you have the audacious im-
pudence to deny that the shakers hold their in-
spired leaders to be infallible ? Yes you have de-
nied it in the lines above, in the strongest terras ;
but your de nial is a well known falsehood. Why
did you deny infallibility I Because you well
knew that was the snake in the grass, that would
as certainly produce despotic bondage as fire will
light and heat j therefore, you tried to conceal
this poisonous, distructive serpent that is gnawing
at the root ol the tree of liberty.

Now Richard, if I do not prove that your lea-
ders who profess to be inspired, also hold infal-
libility, and that their followers rau^t implicitly
brlieve and obey them ; if I do not prove this I
will never again call the shakers tories. — See
John and Wm.' Irvin and Wm. Smith's deposi-
tions, and see ' the following quotation : — " The
first point of faith in relation to testimony, is to
believe that he who bears it, is a true messenger
and witness of Christ ; in whom the spirit of truth
continually abides, and whatever instruction,*re-
proof or counsel is administered by such, it comes
from Christ, who'speaketh in him; therefore all
who are taught in this manner are strictly and
properly taught of God, and in obeying what they
are taught they yield obedience to Christ." M'-
Nemar's pamphlet — page SI: — This long pam-
phlet was written by you Richard, and published
by and with the consent of Elder David and his
council ; yet you positively have denied what
you yourself stated in said pamphlet in the strong-
est terms. You wanted, if possible to evade this
well known truth ; because you know that infal-
libility is the corner stone of your political, despo-
tic, money-msking building. But more of this
hereatter; ^when other depositions come forward.

( 16 )

You ask me " By what spirit were you influx
enced» at the schoolhouse, last March when you
vaunting'y said, ihatif you were as you had been
in the days of your youths the -shakers' houses
should have been laid in ashes and they expelled
out of the country ere that time, and that we need
not think it strange if such an event should take
ptece." There is some truth in this story, but it
is wrong stated and intermixed with falsehood, f
told Ton that I would try every regular and legal
measure ; that I would apply to the press and let
the world know what sort of people you are, and
that when government would find put what your
designs were, I expected that I would recover
my grand-children by law. But it it should be
possible that you could evade justice by prcteirl-
ing to Worship God according to the dictate-- of
your Conscience' ; perhaps the military spirit that
I was possessed ol in my youth; might again a-
rise and I be under the disagreeable necessity of
taking my children from you by force. I suffered
much in procuring the happy liberty that we
now possess, I lost my old Brother in the contest,
J had also a cousin capt. James Smith that was
killed at the skirmish in the Buckwheat field :
and I myself was nigh unto death (while in the
army) with the camp fever ; /also lost almost all
that I possessed by the depreciated money. After
all this can 1 bear Xo see my grand-children rais-
ed up traitors to the free government that pro-
tects them, to be pests of society and slaves to
pope David ? It is well known that I have as
yet constantly opposed men rising in arms against
the shakers without legal authority : because it
is an exceedingly bad example ; and also impolitic
for it has scarcely ever been known that men ri-
sing in this wa* ever succeeded. Supposing men

( 17 )

Were to go in this way and not under regular coro^
mand ; is it not almost certain that some of the
foolish sort that might be arnongthem would com- .
roit some outrage that no wise man could justify ?
Then some would take the shakers' part and some
the opposite, and so get to contending among
themselves ; and this might be a means of en-
Creasing shakerisnl.

Iris generally supposed that the shakers are
just in their common dealings ; and the reason is
obvious, they deal all for ready money, but when
they can have any opportunity to defraud, they
embrace it. — See Abraham Irvin's deposition.

STATE OF OHIO PREBLE COUNTY Set.
This day personally came before me Thorn as?
Beasley one of the justices of the peace for the
aforesaid county, Abraham Irvin, and being sworn
according to law, deposeth and saltn that about
eight years ago James Smith junr. agieed with
his father, Col. James Smith, to take the printed
Journals of the above named Col.. James Smith,
vthen in the han Is of John Bradford, printer in
Lexington Kentucky, together With the copy right
of said Journals ; lor and in consideration of which -
the said James Sm)th junr. was to pay the above
named John Bradford "the balance due him for
printing said Journals ; and this deponent further
saith, ih it it the same time the above named
james smith junr. agreed to take twenty acres of
land out of the northeast corner of the land which
.his father bought from Col. Garrard on S toner,
joining Smith and Irvin's mill-dam for and in con-
sideration of which he, the said james Smith junr.
agreed to decently support his father Col. jaraes'
Smith, his life time ; and this deponent further
saith, that the «L>Jv*c-memioned journals and copy
D

( 18 )

right were a joint 'contract, and that the "above
named jam.es.' Smith junr. has since he joined the
shakers positively refused to comply with the a-
bove mentioned contract. -

ABRAHAM IRVIN.

I do hereby certify that Abraham Irvin came
voluntarily before me and was sworn according to
lawtl-at the above statement was true. Given
under my hand this 28th d?y of September 1810.

v THOS. BE ASLY Justice of the peace.

Whereas the above contract was only a verbal
one and could not be recovered by the law of
Kentucky because the time was a little past that
made verbal contracts binding ; those holy sin-
less people do deny paying a contract where there
was value received, .

What is shakei ism ? If the infallible Elder Da»
vid tells a man that he may break his contract 8c
cheat his father he must do so, or according to
their faith goto hell for disobedience. ^ (an we
have any dependence on a shaker's oath? If
1 Ider David tells them what they are to sware,
tl ey must do as they ; a*e commanded ; because
they believe that obeying Elder David is obeying
God and that they whl go to hell if they disobeys
Is it not strange that those sinless people should
be guilty of roguery and falsehood Ik betrayers of
their country, as will hereafter more fully appear ?

Richard says "I will also ask you a question.
Did you Col. Smith constitutionally interfere when
at the head of the Black-boy sv you burned and
destroyed the property of your peaceable fellow-
citizens on Sideling-hill in the state of Pennsylva-
nia ?" — Richard you. have stated this patriotic
Sideling-hill expedition, in as false a light as your
other writings. I shall give a true statement of

( 19 )

Said expedition with proper vouchers attending it.
Alter Bradock's war in the vear 1763 almost
all the nations of Indians united against the white
people, and a hot war ensued ; the Indians be-
sieged Fort-pltt, and cut off the communication for
nearly one whole summer.' That same fall a
campaign went out against the Indians under Bo-
quet, who was Col. co m man dent ; he had a hard
fight with the Indians at Brushy-run, and chiefly
through the assistance of the Virginia volunteers,
and some few Pennsylvania rifle-men he gained
the battle and raised the siege. The nrxt year
in 1764 another campaign was carried out against
the Indians by said commander. v I was then a
servant under King -George in a Pennsylvania
company ol rifle- men and also Indian interpreter.
The army proceeded on to near the forks of
Nuskingum. We found that the Indians by two
years' war, and having no trade during this time
with any nation of white people, were reduced to
poverty, they were almost naked and very scarce
of ammunition. Under these circumstances, they
appeared willing to hold a treaty ofpeac?. — Col.
Buquet as a condition of peace positively demand-
ed all the white prisoners that the Indians had a-
mong them, and that they should immediately give
an account of the number of prisoners that they
then had, this the) did; and also delivered up
three hundred prisoners, who were not half the
number they had. The Indians then said that
it was late in the year and the prisoners far scat-
tered, that they could not collect them then but
that they would bring them in the next spring and
deliver thtm up. — The Col. then told them that
he would make a cessation of arms for six months
on condition that they should deliver up all the
next spring ; and as a security of this he deman-

( 20 )

ded six of their chiefs as hostages ; which he said
he would keep until the prisoners came in. But;
before we came to Fort-pin the hostages ran all
away ; and as the condition of the cessation of
aras. was broken there was consequently no peace
a/i that lime with the Indians.

The next spring in the year 1765 there was
the prospect of war between Eitgland and Amer-
ica and a great rumor on the account of the ty-
rannical proceedings of Great Britain's asserting
that tbey had a right to to tax us without our
own consents or that of our representatives. — A-
bout this time England appeared determined to
force the Stamp Act — America almost unani-
mously opposed it. Under -these circumstances,
a large number of wagon-loads of Indian goods
and warlike stores were sent from Philadelphia to
Henry Polan's in Cumberland county on their
way to "Fort-pin to supply the Indians. On this
the country was much alarmed ; and collected
and demanded of those who had the care of said
goods and warlike stores to shew them by what
authority they were carrying said goods to the
Indians. But this they would not do, but threa-
tened them with the civil law and British troops
if they would attempt to meddle with them. The
country was then in an awful dilemma, apparently
between two fires ; we suspected that the British
had secretly encouraged those people that were
carrying said goods ; because it was not likely
that they would run such a risk contrary to the
law that then existed without any encouragement.
But this we could not prove, yet it appeared that
the British were sending those warlike stores to
the Indians, in order to have them afmed and
ready, in case America should continue in their
rebellion, as it was then called. — As this part of

( 21 )

khe frontiers suffered hard by two years' Indian
War, and many ofihem had buried their scalpped
friends, wives and children without sheet or cof-
fin ; therefore the general cry of the country was
stop them, stop them ! we cannot bear to see
Ahose warlike stores going to supply our savages
encinies ; contrary to law or justice* Yet as the
British troops were stationed at Fort Loudon near
this place, there was a great backwardness among
the people in doing any thing against them. At
length seventy pack horses were loaded with said
goods in order to proceed to Fort-pitt. A num-
ber of armed men then arose and met said brigade
at the place where Mercers-burgh row stands, c*
desired tbero to store up said goods until they
could show legal authority for carrying said goods
to the Indians. This they would not do, but stiU
threatened them with the civil law and the Bri-
tish troops. Said armed men followed said bri-
gade over 6ne mountain to the Big Cove and
desired them again to store up said goods ; but
their answer was as aforesaid.

A small paity then sallied out into the moun-
tains in disguise and waylayed said brigade near
hideling-hill ; and made them surrender ; and
burned seventy horse loads. A considerable part
of said loading was lead, seal ping-knives and to»-
nhaws. Those things we could not fully destroy
but we threw them into the fire. — We then re-
turned to the settlement and burned a large quan-
tity of powder that was deposited there.

The commander of Fort Loudon sent out his
troops and took a number of prisoners without
applying to a civil magistrate, and laid them in
the guard-house in order to have them tried by a
Court-martial. He said that rebels had no right
to the civil law. Among all those prisoners theie
E

( 22 )

were but two that bad been at the burning of
fcaid goods ; they had also a venerable old gray-
headed man in the cold < uard-house ; and they
even alledged no crime against him only that he
had talked sauc) .— We then raised a little1 army
and en camped near Fort Loudon, and sent out
scouting parties and took the British, prisoners, if
they moved out any distance from the Tort, and
set a guard over them m our camp. — While we
encamped here the country supplied us vvithi ev-
ery thing that was necessary, arid it vasi.t.l very
long until we had doubly as many British prison-
ers in our camp as they had of curs in the cuar el-
house. Then the commaneler sent out a flag and
we settled the cartel and exchanged priscner- arid
gave them two for one, and we told them that we
expected that we would be able to do so during
the war. The commander said that was an insult
upon King George ; we told him that we paid no
respect to King George, while he and his ttoops
used us in such an unjust and inhuman mariner
sis they did. He said that v/e Wert clovrpight har-
dened rebels and that we were guilty of treason,
in speaking against King George and he hoped
10 live to see us everyone hanged. .After this
they again made an attempt to carry goods to the
Indians ; and v/e had 1 ke to have taken them but
they drove into Fort no-don ; but had to send
their horses out to, pasture — there we burned
their packsaddles and whipped the driver*., and al-
so demanded of the commander a number of rifle
guns which he had taken from the country ; but
he refu-.ed giving them — we then took the com-
mander prisoner as he rode out from the Fort, and
kept him until he wrote to his under officer to
give up said arms — and when we reeeived said
arms, we let the commander return to his station.

( 23 )

After this we were sued i.i Carlisle for said
goods ; and stood the action. We employed Mr.
Ginens an eminent lawyer Our opponents could
not or would nor shew by what authority they
were carrying sal 1 goods ; at a . time that there
was no peace' with the Indians: — thetefote we
were cleared by law. — After this Sir Wiiliam
Johnson the Indian agent made peace with the
Indians and the Stamp Act was repealed. Then
we had a cesiatkm of arms until the war again
broke out at Boston.

IN order to give the realer some additional ideas
of the Stamp Act and the Sideling-hill expedi-
tion I shall insert a few simple verses that were
frequently sung at that time.

ON LIBERTY.

Freedom and liberty they are very good,
They ought to be prais'd Irke to our daily food,
But bondage and ilav'ry Americans abhor,
Whilst, freedom and liberty, they ever adore.

Where freedom takes place, wealth Ik knowledge

abound,
But cruelty's a thing that learning doth confound
Where people* are slaves they're ignorant & poor
So it is not for, naught that we freedom adore.

Those that are born free their talents may improve
In acts- of benevolence of kin dntss and love,
For freedom's a thing that doth human nature

raise,
For this very cause, we freedom do praise.
Granvil I am told was the very first man,
Who proposed stamp duty to be laid ci\ our land,

( 24 )

Against our consents : so their power well deny,
To whai's unconstitutional, we're loth to comply.

In the province of New-York therecsgood fellows

I do hear,
That act like bold heroes, and strangers to fear;
The governor's effigy and coach they did burn.
For offering to make slaves of those that are free-
born.

Calender and Crochan they both did agree,
To carry warlike stores to our savage enemy,
But their being obstinate made them fare much

the worse,
When thty deni'd the civil law we govcrn'd them

by force*

ALSO the foUowin? lines were sung at that time to the tun© of the

" BLACK JOKE."
Ye patriot souls who love to sing,'
What serves your country and your king^

In wealth, peace and royal estate ;
Attention give whilst 1 rehearse,
A modern fact, in jingling verse,
How party interest strove what it cou'd,
1 o profit itsell by public blood,

But justly met its merited fate.

Let all those Indian traders claim,
Their just reward, in-glorious fame.

For vile, base and treacherous ends;
To Pollins, in the spring they sent,
Much warlike stores with an intent,
To carry thrm to our barbarous foes,
Expecting that no-body dare oppose,

A present to their Indian friends.

Astonish'd at the wild design,
Frontier inhabitants combin'd,

( 85 )

With brave souls, to stop their career,
Although some men apostatiz'd,
Who fir^t the grand attempt advis'd,
The bold frontiers they bravely stood,
To act for their king and their country's good.

In joint league, and strangers to fear.

On March the fifth, in sixty-five,
Their Indian presents did arrive,

In lortg pomp and cavalcade,
Near Sideling Hill, where in disguise,
Some patriots did their train surprize,
And quick as lightning tumbled their loads,
And kindled them bonfires in the woods,
And mostly burnt their whole brigade;

At Loudon, when they heard the news,
They scarcely knew which way to choose,

For blind rage and discontent ;
At length some soldiers they sent out,
With guides for to conduct the route,
And seized some men that were trav'ling there,
And hurried them into Loudon where

They laid them fast with one consent.

But men of resolution thought,

Too much to see their neighbors caught,

For no crime but false surmise ;
Forthwith they join'd a warlike band,
And march' d to Loudon, out of hand,
And kept the jailors pris'ners there,
Until our friends enlarged were,

Without fraud or any disguise.

Let mankind censure or commend,
This rash performance in the end,

Then both sides will find their account.

F

( 26 )

'Tis true T;o law can justify,
To burn our neighbors' property,
But when this property is design'd,
To starve the enemies of mankind,
It's high treason in the amount.

"WE the "subscribers do certify that we lived
in Cumberland county, in the settlement near
where the abovementioned Sideling-hill expedi-
tion or burning of the Indian warlike stores was

•.i -acted, and that we were wtll acquainted
•he cause, rise and progress of the aforesaid
'• arch 17, 176 5 ckc. And we do certify
'■'native contains a just ;iu true
St; t< inc'-'.i of tlie.cau '•, rise and progress of the
t deling -hill expedition, or the Ivvuning snd des-
troying the aforesaid goods &i.ti wat like-stores ;
and we do also certify, that as far as cur ac-
quaintance reached; that every rank of citizens
heartily approved of • the abbvernentroned pro-
ceedings, excepting interested persons, Royalists
or Tories.

State of Ohio, MontgoO Samuel Kyle, senr.

mery County, Dayton > William Petterson,

Township. j Col. Kobert Petterson.

State of Ohio, Butler ) T -r>.

.-.jj, > James Piper,

county, Middietown. j l

"Warran countv Deer 7 ,,nr r^i

y. . , - £ William Thompson,

State of Ohio, Clear-

xnont county

Col. Thomas Paxton.

You stated the Sideling-hill proceedings Richard
as high-way robery ; and through the whole of
your publications you have artfully represented
me as a man of a most infamous character and as

( 27 )

one that was both a rogue and liar ; but what
must the world think ot yon, Isachar Bates and
John Dunlavy, when I have proven almost all
that you have written to be notoricus falsehoods.
In order to support >our own character and
shakerism, you have not only endeavoured to
stigmatise my character, but also, all those that
were engaged in said expedition, which were first
and last above one thousand men ; and many of
them have since that time borne higtycommissions
— one who was a bold, active, constant hand in
said expedition has of a long standing ; perhaps
fifteen years, been a member of Congress, and
now is a member of that honorable body ; but
the most of those worthies have departed this
life, — In order to support your treasonous, cause
you not only strike at the characters of the living
b it turkey-buzsard-like, you have been picking at
the dead.

EXTRACT TAKEN FROM THE OHIO CENTINEL.

I am now riding taking depositions. I can
prove all that I have asserted in Shakerism De-
veloped ; and much more. As an evidence of
this I shall lay before the public one affidavit,
which T said nothing about in any of my writings
against the shakers, which is as follows : — -

The affidavit of Stephen Ruddle, taken before
me Joseph L. Stephens, a justice of the peace
for Bourbon county, and at the house of said
Stephens on the 4th day of September 1810.

Said Buddie being of lawful age and duly
sworn, saith that in September, 1807, he had an
interview with the shawanoe Prophet and his bro-
ther, and after some conversation he mentioned

( 28 )

something about religion to them ; they then told
him that they knew very much about religion;
but, said they, what do you know about it? He
answered that he had the word of God, and shew*
ed them his Bible. They said,; you white people
use that book only to deceive red people ; to which
he answered that if the white people had wrong-
ed them it was not the book's fault, for no good
man that adhered to that book would wrong them
or do them any injury. Well, said the y, what is
the reason that the white people are always cheat-
ing red people out of their country and land.
Now said they, if white people would give us
back our country, then we would believe them.
But yet, they said, they believed that there were
still some good white people that loved red peo-
ple. Now said the}7, there are our friends, the
shakers; they are honest ; for, said they, Bich-
ard JYTNamar told us that the white people had
cheated us out of our land ; but as for his part,
he lived on their land, it was true ; but as for
them, that is the shakers, they did not consider
the land as their own, but only as rented of themr
and that they should come and get what grain
they pleased ; and were it in their power, they
would give them back their country ; out as they
were but few, they could do nothing for them yet,
but he told them to continue their own wor-
ship, and not to mind the white people when
they come to you with their book which they
call the word of God, as that book is good for
nothing now — it was once good, but bad men
had changed it and made it bad.— But the Great
Spirit had now revealed to Indians the same
that he had to the shakers ; and now they were
brothers. — Now, said the Indians, they have
given us corn and wheat, and we believe them,

I 29

r ■ , J. . ,., , ' ' . , -, ....... I

foiher white people will tell us many good
things but never give us anv thing. — Sail depo-
nent further saith, that in 1810 he had ako ari
interview with the prophet's brother, at Tawa-
tovvn who told him he very well knew what the
white people wanted to do with the red people,
for he had friends that always told him what the
white people intended to do with the red people,
but he would not tell who these friends were,
who made known td them the designs of the
white people ; as they had told hini not to tell
iherefore he would not. . . - •.

The Shawanoe prophet at this time had influ-
enced about fifty of the Shawanoes, & about two
hundred of the other tribes to fall in with his plot
in opposition to the United States ; and said pro-
phet threatened the other Shawanoes if they
would not fall in with his terms he would cause
the said two hundred to fall upon them.
,. Those peaceable Shawanoes said that they be-
lieved that the dancing people, meaning the^ Sha-
kers, had set the prophet and his people wrong.

STATE OF KENTUCKY, BOURBON COUNTY, Sct.

Stephen Kuudell personally came before
me, Joseph L; Stephens one of the Justices of
the peace in and for the county aforesaid and
voluntarily at the tim» and place stated in the in-
troduction to said affidavit swore to, and signed
the same. — As witness my hand and seal the day
and date above written.

JOSEPH L. STEPHENS, I. k

Richard, if you had acted as an honorable citi-
zen of the United States ought to have do:e,)ou
would have told the Indians that their pretended
friends, the British, after they had fought hard
for them, made over their land by contract to us»
G

( 3° )

Und notwithstanfftng we had beat the Tnglish ?$
$hem both, and might, have kept their land by
force, yet we condescended to purchase it from,
them* and while they continued peaceable we
fvould not encroach upon them, only ^>y pur*
{tfiase and their own consent.

If you had spoken to the Indians in t]ie above
wanner, this would have been the truth. I:uj
you are guilty of treasonous falsehood in varipus
facets, and this I can prove."

Now, Kic hard, brirgan aaipn of slander a-
g*in*t me if you please. I never called any man
m liar, or an> one me an I can remember, until I
met with these pretended, sinless people called
•i-akers, N. now it appears that I canr ot avoid it.

When the Apostle Paul hacf to do with one
just of your kind h character, Kichard he fourd
it necessary 10 use har>b language & said uO full
f>f all hubtilty, & mischief; thou child of the devil
thou enemy of all righteousness ! wilt thou not
Cease to perveit the right wa) s of the lord ?

| continue to assert that the shakers are fun*
daroentally and practically enemies to the United
States' government, and d:* \nbers of the p#'ace
and happiness of mankind— this I can prove if
legally qahed upon.

JAMES SMITH.

— — ^^^ ' ^* t at jwi

WARREN COUNTY, STATE OF OHIO Set.
Before me Inos Williams a justice of the peace
in and for said county personally appeared John
Davis, John Wilson and Robert Wilson, each of
lawful age, who being sworn according to law,
depose and say, that the staiemrnt contained*!!!
Col. Smith's pamphlet entitled bhakerism Devel-
oped in the sixth, seventh and eighth pages is
Crue and justly stated excepting three things that

( 31 )

fieed f rpUining^ viz. — Where it is said that El-
der David has laugh* the shakers that when as-
saulted by tl e men of the world, they might
foot-row their own spirit snd beat them j the said
deponents say |hey pnly had it by information
and npi irom I Ider David himself. — Concerning
the education of children, as stated in the fccventh
page of Jjud pamphlet— At was so whtn we were
viththem, but they rnav have, phanged the gift
sjnee we left them ; which is a common thing.

Said deponents further say that some time in
March 1807, David l)urrqw, Richard, M'Namar
and Benjamin Young went put to the Indians &
afterwards tuld said depqnents that they gave
them ten dollars, and told said deponents to keep
this a secret and tell no man ? and about the
first of Va>> said year, about five and twenty qr
thirty Indians came into shakertown and the sha*
kers sent them oft with twenty -*even horse load
of provisions.^— In August the same year about
fifty Indians earner U} agai 1 and loaded about fift
ty horses with provisions ; the shaker,? also gave
tfyem aboiu twen.yfive dojlars tq buy ammunition
in Lebanon. At this time by tjie orders ot El»
der David, the whole society were collected toge-
ther and strictly charged to keep this a secret.

After this a shaker woman died, and the v*h«>le
of the shakers were collected together a,nd Mder
David told them that the Indians could not be
saved if fhat wonnn had not died tor them and
for the sin?» of that people ; — said deponents also
say that it is a common thing f >r the working
hands to pull o*T their hats and shoes on entering
Elder David's chamber, because they arc told
that the place where he is is holy ground.

The shakers teach their disciples that it is a
Jess sin to tell a lie to the world than to discover

( 32 }

the gift. By the gift is meant to believe aricf
obey Elder David and keep his secret.-.. Elder
David forbids his ptople to read the Bible, and
tells them that it would put ill m their heads.'
Elder David teach eth his deciples that they must"
not think their own thoughts except they are in
union with his, for he is holy and cannot err,;
and that he is infallible. They teach in their
private assemblies a different doctrine from what
they preach in public when they are making pio-
selytes, because they say they must take people
by guile, and if they did not take artful measures'
they would never get one to join them. .

The common people by times take hold of TLV
der David's garment, and say uBehold the Lamb
of God which taketh away the sin of the world.
The vvomen have also to kneel down before Ej|
dress Ruth and kiss her feet and say "Behold
the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of
the world.

Elder David hath the absolute command of
hi* people ; insomuch that the victual* that are
brought to the table of the working hands must
b-r particularly nominated ; they do nothing but
by his orders, and them they must positively
©b^y. lie compels them to dance and calls
them serpents and devils if they attempt to dis-
6bey.

This deponent also saith, that the shakers say
that the soul of General Washington came to them
after his decease and confessed his sins ; and alsd
the ancient prophets and apostles ! ! !

N. B. As for the third thing needing expla-
nation, leave out or omit in the 7th page, through*
out the states of Ohio, Kentucky and the i Indi-
ana Territory. Also concerning the punishing
of the boy for taking the cake mentioned in the

( 33 )

seventh page of said parnp5. let, John Davfts kd
fcot see it ; also the one striking the oilier waft
his fist, as mentioned in the 8th page, John Da*
vis sajfth that he did not see it. John Davis does
not remember how much money the shakers
gave the indians to buy ammunition; but heard
the shakers say that they gave them money for
that purpose.

Jchin bavts
john wilson.

- ROBERT WILSON.

■ Sworn and subscribed before me at i.ebanoti
in said county, the 6\h day of October IS 10.

ENOS WILLIAMS, Justice of the peace.

The abovementioned deponents (viz.) John;
Bavis, John Wilson and Robert Wilson are the
men that I had an interview wit!., as mentioned
in the 6th page of u Shakerism Developed ; " 6c
though I took in writing what they had to say in,
haste, late in the night ; yet they have sworn to
the whole of it, wiih only a few immeterial alter-
ations ; and as said deponents were jointly sworn
in one instrument of writing, it might be expec-
ted that some might see or hear what the others
did not. With these tew exceptions o iy, said
deponents have jointly sworn to what is contain-
ed in the Stb, 7th and 8th pages of " Slr-ikerism
Developed ;" and also to what is additionally,
written in the above depositions.
• Notwithstanding the shakers have in i heir owa
verbal declarations, which now appear by the
deposition a- of John Irvin 1: sq William IrvirL
John Davis, John Wilson and t*o !>ert Wil-on K:
also i>v th^ir own writings in M'N^nnr's pi«4

it,page8i, as alrraciy quoted, likewise jq
the shakers " #eligiouii Registj r," ini . : I is
hdu out in the plainest teYms — , ei vvn :n •• b &
H

( S4 )

kerism Developed" pointed out the certain eflfec
that this doctrine would produce, (viz) absolut
bondage, and the shakers apprehended that this
•ecret was now discovered and they in danger,
thtn by and with the consent of Elder David*
M'Namar in his publication positively denici
that they hold infalibility ; and says " That they
hold no man to be infallible."— What are we
to think of the shakers when they positively'
deny their own assertions, and also their public
writings ? Is it any wonder that they have denied
all the plain truths that I have published in the
newspapers and in " Shakerism Developed ?"

Issachar Bates 'says that my piece in the Pa»
lis paper contains " sixty-oni palpable kok-
truths, misrepresentations and false statement*
for facts, which to the discerning are evidently
rooted with the deepest prejudice. The attempt
is a scandalous lie-bill altogether"

As 1 have proven all that I have written to be
true, by the solemn oath of ten different persons
of undoubted veracity, I shallnow leave it to the
impartial reader to judge who it is that has been
guilty of publishing a scandalous lie-bill.

Whereas shaker infallibility and implicit faith
and obedience is now proven by the solemn
oath of five persons, and their own public writ-
ings, must not every one see that shakerism stands
in direct opposition to the United States1 govern-
ment ? Because assumed infallibility and im-
plicit faith, and obedience were the sources frsm
whence popish despotic power flowed, and
spread over all Christendom, and were the causes
of the loss of the lives of millions of the human
race^ before we arrived to that degree of liberty
that we Americans > now possess, and after
fighting hard for our liberty, shall we suffer a

i 35 )

treasonous and treacherous nest to be hatching
and breeding among us ? Ifshakerism succeed
and be not suppressed by the civil law, will it
not cause a civil war ? May not fire and water
is well dwell 'together as shaker bond age! and
American liberty? We know what shocking ef.
fects infallibility and implicit faith and obedience
have produced in the world ; and have we any
reason to believe or expect that it will be any
better now ? For shakerism far exceeds popish
bondage, or any thing that ever was known in
the world. The Pope and his cardinals and
other officers, received a large part of his people's
labour ; but our modern Pope David receives
all that his people dan make hy their work ; and
riot only this ; but also all that they or their an-
cestors ever had made ; for they must bring all
with them and give it up to Elder David, to be
disposed of as he sees cause. : S

Shakerism includes in it all kinds of political
evils / it disturbs the peace of families ; separates
husbands and wives ; robs Women of their ten*
der offspring; destroys natural affection; dissolve $
the marriage covenant, which is the main pillar
Of any state or kingdom ; it prevents propagation,
takes people's money without any compensation ;
and perhaps murders infants ; (but this I cannot
yet prove) it is raising a young generation systa-
matically enemies to American liberty, it enslaves
mankind, and if it predominates will finally de-
populate America. Are all these injuries to be
admitted and patiently borne with, under the
pretence of worshipping God according to the dic-
tates of their conscienceo We have no objections
to Mahometans, Pagans or Roman Catholic's
worshipping God their own way if they do not in-
jure others. But supposing the Pope of Rome

c * y

w^s to come into our country and had influence
sufficient to erect a political Popedom, and would
agree that his people should be taxed as other
American citizens, while his power was insuffi-
cient to Oppose, in order to regain his former
power, would this be publicly admitted of under
the pretence of worshipping God ? And shall we
admit of a secret attempt of a worse kind?— Th^ re
scarcely ever was a salutary law or constitution
made but evil designing members endeavored td
evade it or to pervert it to answer their own base
purpose.

Whatever shakerisfri might have been origin*
ally, I apprehend they have changed the gift,
as they u rm it, that is general order*- — with a
design to cause that clause in our constitution
^ hich admits of all men worshipping God ac-
cording to the dictates of their own conscience,
to discomfit itself, and to erect a monarchical go-
vernment and shelter themselves from being pro-
secuted by the loud cry, which we have already
heard in the news-papers, not only from the sha-
kers, but also from others : "O let them alone, it
is persecution to meddle with them.kC I have no-
thing to do with their faith or mode of worship,
and I have said nothing against it — it is their ac-
tions that I oppose.

Does it noi evidently appear that their design
is to overturn our free government in a future
day ? Theirs is a wonderful money-making
scheme, and money gives power and influence.

The shakers now have nothing to do with our
civil law, among themselves. Elder Davids
mandates is their law — he can administer re-
wards and punishments — his authority is abso-
lute and is punctually obeyed. And is not this
a^despotic go vernmet already erected within our*

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free states? And is this with all the complicated
growing evils that attend . it, to be dispensed with?

Jtn extract from " Liberty HaW" Oct. 24th, 1310.

In yo'ir piece contained in the " Wester t
Star4' October 6th, 1310, you tell me Richard "If
ycur pamphlet of affidavits is like that which
>ou have given as a specimen; that is mere
hearsay, and that too from such as are said to
be plotting against government, it will merit but
little notice ft om the public or the public's well
wisher " . . ,

.You talk very impertinently about Siephei
Ruddle's ; deposition, which is the only, specimen)
that t have as yet given. You came from Penn-
sylvania Richard — and did you never hear that
a jtny. in Carlisle, in 1764 condemned John Mo-
$ey for wilful murder ; and that he confessed
and. was hanged, on presumptive evidence only ?
And i<* there not as long a chain of corroborating
circumstances, & as Strang presumptive evidence
accompanying Stephen 'Ruddle's deposition as
that which hanged John Money ?

1st* Stephen Ruddle is well known to be a
tnan of veracity ; he was a long time among the
Indians and speaks the Shawanoe tongue well ;
he is a Baptist preacher, and was year after year
a missionary among the Shawanoes, and had t*ie
greatest opportunity of finding out the treache-
rous proceedings of the shakers.
y 2d. Different Indians, in different years all
agree in their stories.

3d* Richards shdkerefied, oratory: he told
the Indians not to mind the white people wThea
they come to them with a book which they call
the word of God, as that book is good Lr no*
thing now ; it was once good, but bad men have

I

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chrnged it and made it bad ; but the Great Spv
lit had now revealed to Indians what he had te*
shakers, and now they were brother^ This it
just what the shakers tell their |proselj tes, when
they get them fully into their belief— that the
Bible is good for nothing now, it was once cf use
but they are come now with a new Revelation
and anew Dispensation, and that the Bible i* of
no more use now than an old Almanac.— Can
anyone believe, Richard, that such shaker tenth
fnetits would ever have entered into an Indian*
t;ead, if you had not told them these things I

4th. The Indians acknowledged ihat they had
received rent, about that time, both corn and
vrheat, &c- — For the proof of this, see 1 avis and
the two Wilsons' depositions* — -they say on oath
that the shakers about this time gave the Indiani
about seventy horse-load of provisions, and also
about twenty-five dollars to buy ammunition^ and
charged their people to keep this a profound se»
cret.

5th. Can it be supposed that the shakers were
so liberal to the Indians, and also careful to charge
their people to keep secret their giving the In-
dians money to buy ammunition, without any e-
vil design? And that after they went out first to
the Indians and gave them ten dollars and invi-
ted them into fehakertown.

6th. You say that from the time the Indians
left Shakertown, or from the time ihey left Green-
ville, "From that time to this you have never
seen or spoke to one of them.4' This is not true
—see John Biddies deposition.

WARREN COUNTY, STATE OF OHIO Set.

Before me, Enos Williams, a justice of the
peace in and for said county, came personally

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John Bidc[le of lawful age, who being duly sworn
according to law, deposeth and saith, That af-
ter the time the Indians were in Shakertown at
Tartle-creek, that tssachar Bates told him that
lie himself, Benjamin Young and Richard MlNa-
jnar had been out at the Wabash, and that they
had been at a feast with the Indians. This de-
ponent Js not certain as to the particular time,
when Battrs, Young and lyi'Namar feared with
the Indian*, on the Wabash, hut saith that it was
a considerable time after the Indians left Shaker*
to vu last, and after they left Greenville, and fur-
ther this deponent saith not.

1 ' JOHN BIDDLE.

Sworn and subscribed the 8th of Oct. la 10.

ENOS WILLIAMS, justice of the peace.

Your denying this well knovyn truth, is a cir-
cumstance against you Richard.

7th. Who are the*e i*ao Americans that paicj
the prophet's brother a visjt, one in the course
of last winter and one lately, and had imformed
them that Gov. Harrison had purchased the land*
without the consent of government, and that one
half of the people were opposed to the purchase.
&c. as contained in the " Ohio Centinel ?k» It is
presumed that it was the shakers.

8th. It is well known that ever since the sha-
kers held their first conference with the Shawa-
noe prophet and his brother, that the prophet has
been constantly stiring up the different tribes of
Indians to fall upon, the frontiers belonging to the
United States. We have now both positive and
strong presumptive proof of the *h ikers treason-
ous designs. — Stephen Rud lie's affidavit is pos-
itive that the Indians told him what he has sworn
to. All that is wanting is that the Indians are
mot legal witnesses. We have sufficient, positive

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proof tfoatf:the takers hold infalibihty and impli^
cit faiih and obedience ; and all their treacherous *
dealings with the Indians is only a sprout, sponta-
r em sly splitting from this fatal root, infallibility
aud implicit faith and obedience,

An extract tak?n from the " Lover of peace am! jUStic,**,ih his a»»
swe'- o Thomas Free/n -m's '* Retros, •ective view of shake »i3rft'?
continued in tour nnroberb in the " Western Star.'*

Freeman ha* .said much ; and that with
•nety ; on the awful effects of persecu-
tion—b '• c* are the persecutors ? Col, SmitK
gainst the. shaker fahh or mode
. , .v is theif proceedings that fr| tr.dea-
expo?e to view, and it wan their conduct
the h.ilitia opposed Air. Freeman has also
litten largely at d. pertinently on the great dan-
ger of tumultuous cempa-.ies rising in grms with-
out legal authority. I i?gree with him in this a!*
.^o. . But what \i as \ht cause of aboat four hun-
dred armed men, and about as many unarmed
marching into Shake town? Perhaps the cause
will be ronr.d to origir ate in the civil department,
, Cob Smith in various news-papers, ever since
May last, has advertised the shakers as enemies
to American Liberty, and disturbers of the peace
and happiness of mankind, and said he waukl
$>rove it, if ltga»lyea!led upon. And though it
is well known that the shakers applied to the civil
jaw when they were in the Wrong, and cast ; yet
they never brought a writ of defamation against
him, which wa* a if- cit acknowledgment of guilh
There was more evidence against the shakers
before the militia arose iri arms, thari what was
against Aaron Biirr when he was tried on suspi-
cion at f rankfort. Why then did not the civil

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£b\ver stir in this important concern which is nbW
like to raise disturbance among the citizens t
But it may be asked, whose particular business
was it to put ihe civil law into execution ? Was
it not the chief magistrate in Warren county, who
lived near Shakertown, that ought to have done
it ? It is reported that the Judge, and also ari
eminent Barrister, by some means, are in favour
of the shakers. If the Judge had only been as
intent in putting the law into execution against
the shakers as he was in endeavouring to dis-
perse the militia — would it not have prevented
their rising in arms ? Did he think that the mi*
litia officers were all tofies, and that they would
patiently bear to see the defenceless frontiers
betrayed into the hands of the Shawanoe pro-
phet and his brother, and their barbarous crew ?
Mr. Freeman says " I am no advocate for sha*
kerism." But let any one of discernment read
his four elaborate numbers contained in five dif-
ferent news-papers, and he will see that he is ari
artful advocate for the shakers — *and can any
one suppose that a lawyer will labour hard for
nothing ?— *He pretends to be against the shakers'
foolish enthusiastic and superstitious notions,
which he knew the law could not take hold of ;
and adds " Col. Smith says cart the legislature
constitutionally interfere?" It appears by the con*
nection, that it was concerning shaker fathers rob-
ing women of theirtender offspring that he spoke,
for every one knows that we have law sufficient
to take an account of opposers of the U. States'
government and betrayers of our country. Mr.
Freeman says the legislature can interpose, and
proposeth a vague plan which he well knew
could never be put into execution, and says U 1*11
venture all I am worth there wont be a shaker
K

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in Warren county in three years frorn this date.**
I shall now examine Mr. Freeman's plan for ex-
pelling the shaken.. — In his proposed law fot
that purpose he savs that evading the riuiriaga
covenant or for a man's leaving his wife, " he
shall deliver up to his wife and lor the use of her
and her heirs all his estate real and personal.
You well knew sir that such a law as this would
never be enacted , because the legislature in years
past had hard work to make the marriage cove-
nant less binding than it formerly was. Eut
your plan would be beyond any thing th^t ever
was known.

Again you say if any one " shall undertake
to forgive or pardon the sins of others, or have;-
their bins pardoned by others <xc, shall be fmed
in a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, nor
less than five hundred.'' I find that falsehood
will produce inconsistency. Notwithstanding
Mr. Freeman's great outcry against persecution^
he now proposeth a law that would be downright
persecution. If such a law was general, the Ro-
man Catholics would be expelled from the Uni-
ted States. I despise the thoughts of persecuting
even the Roman Catholics; (et them worship
God any way they please if they do not injure o-
thers.

Did you intend sir, when you said you were no
advocate for shakerism, and proposed laws to
expel them, to blindfold the people or lull them
to sleep ? You need not think, sir, to catch old
birds with chaff though Balaam should give you
his house full of gold and silver. Upon the
plan you have proposed, if Aaron Burr had only
been a shaker, and sheltered all his doings under
the pretence of mpt shipping God, nothing must
be said or done against him, or the outcry must

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l>e persecution, persecution, & at last contradict
your own scheme by proposing an unconstuution-
gl persecuting law.

If all that common fame has said concerning
fhe Judge and -Lawyer in Warran county should
be only groundless surmise, it may now be known.

Whereas there are now the depositions of four
(different persons published in the news-papers,
which contain positive and strong presumptive
evidence that Richard M'Namar (and consequent*
ly the other leading shakers as they are under
absolute command) has for three years past been
taking artful measures to excite the Indians to
fall upon the white people belonging to the UnU
ted States.

I shall also propose a plan for dispersing or
expelling the shakers. That is let the militia
lie still for some considerable time, and the judge
exert his 'authority in bringing M'Namar and thq
«hakers chiefs' to trial ; but if the civil department
will do dothing in this important concern will not
then the militia be excused, should rhey send
the shakers off to live with their beloved Shawa-
noe prophet and his brother ? This matter is
now become truly serious, and certainly some-
thing ought to be done soon, in order to preserve
peace among our citizens. My desire is that it
may be settled in an orderly and legal manner.
A LOVER OF PEACE AND JUSTICE.

The shakers have published a piece in the u Western Star,"
Lebanon October 6th, 13 10 — -wherein they deny what has been
published aqjainst them, and profess great loyalty and fidelity to the
United States' government — seventeen shakers have signed this
publication. When we consider the many falsehoods that have al-
ready been proved against the in, and that their system is founded
•n falsehood and supported by secrecv find deceit

WHO CAN BELIEVE A SHAKER ! I I

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
District of Kentucky Set.

§ #X>E IT fctMEMBERED, That oh the *Ut &sf

A L. S. A of November* in the year of otir Lord 1810, and in
a a the 35th year of the Independence of the United

m ** ••• States of America, JAMES SMITH of the said dist-
inct hath deposited in this Office the title of a Book, the right
whereof he claims as author in the Words and figures following*
(to wit.) "Shakerism Detected* their erroneous and treasonous*
*' proceedings, and false publications contained in different news*
" papers, exposed to public View, by the depositions of ten differ*
<* ent persons, living in various parts of the States of Kentucky
*' and Ohio, accompanied with remarks, by Col. Jame* Smith of
« Kentucky."

In conformity t« the act 'of Congress of the U. States entitled
" an act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies
of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such
copies during the Term therein mentioned," and also to an act
entitled " an act supplemental y to an act, entitled an act for the
encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts,
end books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during
the times therein mentioned and extending the benefit* thereof to
the arts of designing, engraving and etching, historical and other
printt,

JOHN H. HANNA, Clerk**

Of the District of Kentucky* '

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