Mr. Grant and Mr. Foote sought to take the Springfield court by force due to discontent with unjust legal practices, including sending men to debtors' prison. They believed peaceful means had failed to address their grievances.
Mr. Grant and Mr. Foote justified trying to take the Springfield court by force due to their dissatisfaction with the courts' actions, particularly in sending good men to debtors' prison. They believed that the legal system was unjust, imposing heavy debts and court fees on hardworking individuals.
Despite their earlier hopes for the Hatfield Convention to bring about change, they felt that nothing had improved. The mention of Daniel Shays leading a group to Springfield reflected their belief that more drastic measures were necessary to address the grievances against the government, which they perceived as unresponsive to their demands for change.