Toward twilight on the day after Christmas, 1787, Major James A. Wilson and a group of Carlisle's leading Federalist citizens were preparing to celebrate Pennsylvania's recent ratification of the new federal Constitution. After hauling a cannon into the center of town, the revelers gathered round in anticipation of the artillery salute that was to open the festivities. As they might have expected, though, their preparations were drawing angry attention from local residents, most of whom were passionately anti-federalist. Before long, a mob of townsfolk, many brandishing barrel staves and axe handles, began taunting the despised Federalists and pelting them with chunks of wood. So began one of the most widely reported events in the national conflict over ratification, the Carlisle Riot.
At the forefront of the mob was William Petrikin, a Scottish immigrant tailor with little education, but possessing a keen mind and a gift for satire that would earn him a place among the leading authors of what would come to be known as the Anti-Federalist Papers. To Petrikin, as to most inhabitants of the Pennsylvania backcountry, the proposed new central government threatened the people's right of local governance, and would effectively undermine the freedom for which they had risked their lives in the war with Great Britain. As they saw things, the Constitutional Convention had been nothing more than a cabal of aristocrats conspiring to appropriate the powers of "purse and sword" to themselves and to those of their station. Still smarting from their defeat in the Pennsylvania ratification fight, these tailors, merchants, mechanics, and tenant farmers, were not about to let Federalist enthusiasts make a mockery of their doubts and fears.
The mob closed in, but, as they did, Major Wilson challenged them, saying that "he hoped people so pregnant with liberty as they appeared would not wish to hinder their neighbors." But the crowd was not in a tolerant mood, and one of the leaders reminded the major and his party that "their conduct was contrary to the minds of three-quarters of the inhabitants, and must therefore produce bad consequences if they persisted." Unmoved, the Federalists swore that they would not be prevented from firing their cannon, and, if the mob would not clear the way, they would fire it "through their bodies." With that the townsfolk attacked, and, despite a valiant effort by Major Wilson, easily put their opponents to rout. & the local press reported, "It was laughable to see Lawyers, Doctors, Colonels, Captains, etc., etc. leave the scene of their rejoicings in such haste.” The-cannon's wooden carriage was set ablaze and a spike driven through the barrel.
The following day, the Federalists returned to pursue their rejoicings. More heavily armed this time, they were able to enjoy a brief celebration capped by a musket fire salute, after which they retired to Joseph Postlethwait's tavern for toasts all around. Not to be outdone, townsfolk got up effigies ofJames Wilson (Pennsylvania delegate to the Constitutional Convention, not the major) and Pennsylvania Chief justice Thomas McKean, and, after subjecting them to sufficient ridicule and abuse, burned them to ashes. Finally, the state Supreme Court stepped in issuing warrants for the arrest of 20 of the rioters, including William Petrikin, charging them with a variety of unlawful acts. Sheriff Charles Leeper called at the homes of each of the defendants, and all agreed to appear at any time before any magistrate of Cumberland County. When bail was demanded, Petrikin and six others, though capable of paying it, refused on the grounds that they were guilty of no crime against the laws of their country. A commitment order being signed, Sheriff Leeper conducted the seven to the county gaol.
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