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Quote by: Voluntary Social Discipline, huh? Hamilton could have taxed other goods and services, but decided to levy a discriminatory tax targeted at a specific group because they needed social discipline?

Mostly the federal government needed money, but Hamilton wanted to assert the power of the federal government by demonstrating they could make laws and enforce them. What's not to understand?

Quote by: Voluntary Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in Western Massachusetts from 1786 to 1787

That would be under the Articles of Confederation, with an extremely weak central government, as opposed to the Constitutional Democratic Republic that replaced it two years later, in 1789, with a much stronger central government.

And anyway, continue reading...

"When Shays and his forces attacked, Shepherd ordered a warning shot, followed by a single round into the oncoming mob. Two or three of the Shaysites were killed, and the rest fled north. On the opposite side of the river, Day's forces also fled north. The militia captured many of the rebels on 4 February 1787 in Petersham, Massachusetts; by March there was no more armed resistance."

No legitimate government can allow an armed insurrection to succeed against it, just like no legitimate government can allow its citizens to disregard it's laws with impunity. If the laws are bad, then you disobey them with the full understanding that you are willing to suffer the consequences, and, as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated, continue paying that price until the laws were changed.

Quote by: Voluntary "A Little Rebellion Now and Then Is A Good Thing" -- Thomas Jefferson

"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government." -- Thomas Jefferson

A little rebellion was a good thing as long as they didn't actually threaten anything and mostly, as long as they didn't succeed!

Jefferson can be forgiven for having a soft spot for rebels. After all, the country he founded was created by an armed rebellion. But kindly note that a little rebellion was not a good thing while Jefferson was actually President, nor a good thing under any other U.S. President, since no domestic rebellion against the U.S.government has ever succeeded, no matter how much force was required to put them down.

Fries Rebellion -- "In July 1798, during the troubles between the United States and France now known as the Quasi-War, the US Congress levied a direct tax (on dwelling-houses, lands and slaves; sometimes called the Direct House Tax of 1798) of $2 million, of which Pennsylvania was called upon to contribute $237,000. There were very few slaves in the state, and the tax was accordingly assessed upon dwelling-houses and land, the value of the houses being determined by the number and size of the windows. The inquisitorial nature of the proceedings aroused strong opposition among the Germans, and many of them refused to pay. Fries, assuming leadership, organized an armed band of about 60 men, a force that grew to about 400 by mid-day, which included his son Ben Fries, who marched about the country intimidating the assessors and encouraging the people to resist. In March 1799, the governor called out the militia, and the leaders were arrested. Fries and two others were twice tried for treason (the second time before Samuel Chase) and were sentenced to be hanged, but they were pardoned by President John Adams in April 1800"

Quote by: Voluntary Looks like The Whiskey Rebellion and Shay's Rebellion mimic The American Revolution; revolt under an oppressive government.

Under an oppressive government??? The Whiskey Rebellion was put down by the very American President libertarians most revere... George Washington ...under the bright, spanking new ORIGINAL INTENT of the new government.

Quote by: Voluntary Do you want to distort history or would you rather learn it?

It's you who should be learning. No government, no matter if they originated from an armed rebellion, can allow it's citizens to disregard it's laws or resist enforcement of those laws by force of arms. The Browns should know this, the Davidians knew this, the Weavers knew this, and YOU should know this.

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