The History of the Insurrections, by George Minot

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personal attendance of some members of the legislature, who were under oath to support the constitution, it ought not to be readily concluded that their motives were originally injurious to the established government ; but, it has certainly, been unfortunate to their reputation, that they have been held at such times, and patronized by such characters without doors, as would injure the best institutions. Several disturbances have been ascribed to their influence ; one, in particular, which happened in the year 1782, as it bears a strong resemblance to the insurrections that took place in 1786 , deserves to be noticed. The well known Samuel Ely was indicted at the session of the Supreme Judicial Court at Northampton for an attempt to prevent the sitting of the Court of Common Pleas at that place, in which attempt, he used the name of a convention, and pretended to hold up their authority. Ely pleaded guilty to this indictment, and while under sentence of Court, when the inhabitants of Springfield were accidentally withdrawn from the town, was released from the gaol there, by a mob being afterwards taken, and confined, and attempt was made to release them also. This obliged the militia of the county to the number of 1200 or 1500 men to march out for the protection of the