Existing comment:
The Whiskey Rebellion:
1794 -- As a conscious representative of Fayette County, Gallatin takes a leadership role in the mounting resistance to the whiskey tax that Alexander Hamilton has proposed in 1790. At most of the local meetings, he serves as secretary and makes many speeches, often acting as a moderating influence, always trying to avoid the violence. When rebellious farmers threaten a federal marshal, President George Washington calls out the militia and marches them towards Pittsburgh. Gallatin again counsels moderation, serving as a member of a committee which argues the farmer's case to federal and state commissioners. When the violence diminishes and tensions subside, the authority of the federal government remained intact. |