Evidence that the 1790s conflict drew on earlier Pennsylvania practice rather than appearing spontaneously.
The state-excise episode precedes the federal whiskey tax and shows an inherited local repertoire of petition, nonpayment, crowd enforcement, and communal silence.
In 1786 Washington County residents turned excise collector William Graham's seizure into a public ritual of humiliation among neighborhood stills, using collective participation and secrecy to enforce the slogan “liberty and no excise.”
PDF p. 19; printed p. 12
PDF p. 18; printed p. 11
Chapter 1
Paraphrase checked against searchable text and rendered PDF sheet 18 on 2026-08-27. Re-audited 2026-09-07: locator extended through PDF p. 19 / printed p. 12, where the parade, slogan, and collective silence are described.
No access › Whiskey Excerpts Database (USWA)
Paraphrase from Slaughter; checked against the supplied source, not independent corroboration of the historical claim.
Evidence
In 1786 Washington County residents turned excise collector William Graham's seizure into a public ritual of humiliation among neighborhood stills, using collective participation and secrecy to enforce the slogan “liberty and no excise.”
Location and context
Source: No access
Start: PDF p. 18; printed p. 11
End: PDF p. 19; printed p. 12
Section: Chapter 1
The state-excise episode precedes the federal whiskey tax and shows an inherited local repertoire of petition, nonpayment, crowd enforcement, and communal silence.
Annotation
Evidence that the 1790s conflict drew on earlier Pennsylvania practice rather than appearing spontaneously.
Knowledge connections
Literature note: 
Citation:
Supported claims:
Verification checklist
Verification status: Verified.
Paraphrase checked against searchable text and rendered PDF sheet 18 on 2026-08-27. Re-audited 2026-09-07: locator extended through PDF p. 19 / printed p. 12, where the parade, slogan, and collective silence are described.