The Regulators
The high taxes that had now been bestowed upon the colonists to help pay for the palace and its ground buildings angered them, especially those in the Piedmont counties. In addition, corrupt sheriffs and illegal fees sparked uprisings throughout North Carolina. In the spring of 1768 a group of the abused citizens formed called the “Regulators” ("The Regulators - North Carolina Digital History", 2009). This group and its supporters agreed to pay no more taxes until they were satisfied that they were agreeable to law, to pay no more fees than the law allowed, to subscribe to a fund for defraying necessary expenses, to meet as often as possible, and to allow a simple majority to rule if there should be differences (Robinson, 1963).
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Tryon was unaware of the Regulators grievances and even thought that the missing taxes were being embezzled by the Sheriffs. That is until he received “Regulator Advertisement Number 8” asking for redress for the abuses of the corrupt men who occupied public office (Robinson, 1963). Tryon did take the complaints to the council, but returned with a statement that their grievances did not justify them not paying their taxes and directed them to give up the names of the Regulators, dismantle their group and to pay their taxes. Tryon and the Regulators would meet several more times over the next few years, but no resolution to the high taxes or illegal practices by the sheriffs and other county government officials. The peak was finally reached on May 16, 1771 when Tryon and his militia marched against about 2,000 Regulators, hoping to suppress the Regulators once and for all (Robinson, 1963). Tryon refused to meet with the Regulators as long as they remained under arms and gave them one hour to disperse or he would fire upon them. They refused and the ensuing battle, which came to be known as the Battle of Alamance lasted about two hours and left nine dead on each side, sixty-one of Tryon’s men wounded and an unknown amount of Regulators wounded. Fifteen Regulators were taken prisoner. They were tried and twelve were sentenced to be hanged, but Tryon pardoned six of them (Robinson, 1963).
This would be Governor Tryon’s last “stand”, in that he soon left for a new post in New York. Tryon and his family moved to New York after living in the palace he had built for only slightly over one year. |