Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/308

 284 HISTORY OF to satisfy me that the execution of civil and criminal process in that county, has been forcibly resisted by bodies of men ; that combinations to resist the execution of such processes by force, exist in that county, and that the power of the county has been exerted, and is not sufficient to enable the sheriff and his deputies, having such process, to execute the same ; and have applied to me to exert the authority, with which I am clothed by the 19th section of the act, entitled ^ An act to enforce the laws and preserve order,' passed April 15, 1845. The evidence presented to me, establishes satisfactorily, the following among other facts : ^^That the execution of civil and criminal process, began to be resisted by bodies of men, in the county of Delaware, as early as March last. ^' That combinations to resist the execution of such process, by force, under the denomination of anti-rent, or equal rights associations, commenced being formed in that county, more than one year ago. That these associations have engrafted upon the organiza- tion, a force of disguised, masked, and armed men, subject to the orders and directions of the officers of the associations, and by and through which force, under the protection of its dis- guises and masks, the resistance to the execution of legal pro- cess is to be made, and is made. That the members of this armed force are denominated Indians, or Natives ; are organized in bands called tribes, and have their leaders and commanders, called chiefs, having names. in imitation of Indian chiefs. " That the officers of the associations, and all the members of the armed force, are sworn to observe and support the con- stitution of the association, and to keep secret all things com- municated, or known, to them, which require to be kept secret, and in the case of the disguised and armed men, the further