The History of the Insurrections, by George Minot

prison. Both parties met in the field, and nothing but a decided superiority of numbers and characters on the part of government, prevented bloodshed, and the commencement of a civil war. The rioters were surrounded, and then permitted to repair to their several homes. This event may not be chargeable upon the convention, as there is no evidence that Ely was authorised [sic] by them to commit the act of violence which he intended ; but, however innocent the intention of members of convention might have been of these disturbances, if such use was made of their authority, it was a strong argument against future assemblies of a like nature.

The business of the conventions naturally leading them to exhibit lists of grievances to the people, their proceedings of course, always weakened the government, whose business it ever is, to prevent evils of that kind. But this effect was greatly increased, when the measures of government itself were held up as grievances. Their complaints then wore a strong appearance of opposition to constitutional authority. Thus, in the beginning of the year 1784, we find a proposition made by the towns of Wrentham and Medway, to their sister towns in the county of Suffolk, to meet in convention, to redress the grievance of the com-