Having disposed of Crawford—and his property too—they took up the case of Isaac Buller, whom, as he had neither family nor property, and the evidence, if any was heard (on motion), was a little vague, they simply put him in prison until an opportunity should offer to make a better use of him. This is the summary manner in which they disposed of Isaac:
On motion of Ephriam Dunlap that Isaac Buller Should Be sent to the Contl. Army, and there to Serve three Years or During the War On Hearing the facts it is Ordered by the Court That the said Isaac Buller Be Immediately Committed to Gaol and there Safely kept until the said Isaac can be delivered unto A Continent’l Officer to be Conveyed to Head Quarters.
At the February term, 1779, the court made and entered of record an order prescribing the charges that tavern-keepers might exact from guests as follows:
Diet 08s. 0: Lodging 1 night good bed and clean sheets 1s. 6d: Rum Wine or Brandy 3L. 4s. 0: Toddy pr Quart, & sprts of Rum therein 8s. 0. and so in proportion. Corn or Oats per Gal 4s. 0: Stabledge with hay or fodder 24 hrs 4s. 0: Pasturage 24 hrs. 2s: Cyder pr qrt 4s. 0: Bear pr qrt 2s. 0: Whisky pr Gallon 2L. 0. 0:
After they had put the above on record, they entered upon the trial of their second case of a very high crime, as the following entry shows:
State}
vs.} For Treason Feby 1779
George Leivis.}
On hearing the facts and considering the testimony of the Witnesses It is the Opinion of the Court That the defendant be sent to the District Gaol It Apg. To the Court that the said Leivis is a spie or An Officer from Florida out of the English Army.
At this term, besides transacting routine business, they tried ten persons on charges of treason, convicted five of them, ordered their property confiscated, and sent them to the district jail at Salisbury—and the entire record of the term is contained on twelve pages!
If this court could have been transferred to the more intelligent states of Massachusetts or New Hampshire, and had held a few terms therein, “Shays’s rebellion” would have been crushed out in a week, or all the “gaols” would have been filled with the rebellious and the public treasury with the proceeds of confiscated property. These patriots were in earnest.
At the May term, 1779, two entries appear as having been made on the same day, which show two sides of this remarkable court. The first entry is as follows: