32 FACTS RELATING TO GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 



sword in hand. His pursuers seized him. Upon his refusal 

 to surrender his sword, they cut the cords of his hand, and 

 wounded him in the leg. He was tried, sentenced to be 

 hanged, and confined in the jail at Concord. 



The election of 1786 turned upon the questions at issue, 

 and especially upon the execution of the persons under sen- 

 tence. Bowdoin was the candidate of the " Law-and-Order 

 Party," and John Hancock was nominated by the friends of 

 the convicts. Hancock was elected by a vote of about nine- 

 teen thousand against less than six thousand for Bowdoin. 

 The convicts were pardoned, and a stay law was passed. The 

 demand of the Shays men was reasonable, and the Govern- 

 ment was guilty of a criminal error in resisting it. 



The Shays Rebellion was beneficial to Massachusetts, and 

 it contributed to the argument in favor of the Constitution of 

 the United States. 



The town of Groton continued in the control of Shattuck 

 and his friends for many years after the suppression of the 

 Rebellion. During that period he was drawn as a juror. 

 When his name was called the judge repeated it, and said, 

 " Job Shattuck ! He can't sit on the jury in this Court." As 

 Shattuck came out of the seat limping he said : " I have 

 broken up one Court here, and things won't be right, until I 

 break up another." 



Something of the spirit of Job Shattuck has been exhibited 

 in the larger portion of his numerous descendants. They 

 have been devoted to liberty and just in their dealings. 

 These two qualities were conspicuous in his grandson, Captain 

 William Shattuck. 



I took part in the canvass of 1840 and made speeches in 

 Groton and in several of the towns in the vicinity. I was also 

 the candidate of the Democratic Party for a seat in the House 

 of Representatives. There was no opposition for the nomi- 

 nation, although there were many Democrats who thought 

 that my defection the preceding year had prevented the elec- 

 tion of the Democratic candidates. My temperance opinions 

 were offensive to many, if not to a majority of the party. On 

 the other hand there were a number of young members of the 



