Anti-excise assemblies initially distinguished petition from violence

The early western anti-excise assemblies used representative meetings and petitions to channel opposition and sometimes restrain violence; federal treatment of assemblies, noncooperation, and force as one combination weakened that distinction.

Verified across searchable text and rendered PDF sheets 119–129.

Assemblies later endorsed ostracism and noncooperation. The claim describes their initial and mediating functions, not permanent innocence or political neutrality.

Slaughter reconstructs an early peaceful and constitutional phase, leaders' efforts to redirect violence, and Attorney General Randolph's contemporary defense of assembly and remonstrance.

Created during exhaustive full-source processing of LOCAL-056.