WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2021 - INDEPENDENCE WEEK - with MP Jeremiah Smith

 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2021 - INDEPENDENCE WEEK

The last day of June for this year!!  Are you going to celebrate?  (I think I’ll wait until the weekend to celebrate - American Independence!!)

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We’ve been looking at factors that led to the American Revolution and I have more today.  Most are taken from: www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3218p

I’ll be throwing in some comments from Jeremiah Smith - a Member of Parliament (aka - an “MP” made up person) who has not been to the colonies.

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The Declaration of Independence gives many reasons to be independent of England the the English King

10. "He has erected a multitude of New Offices to harass our people."
The royal government had appointed tax commissioners and other officials.

Although several hundreds of miles away, the King (and the government in England) controlled the colonies.  He (the King or authorities acting in the King’s name) appointed the governors, appointed tax commissioners.

The British government was having a little financial crisis.  The French and Indian War had cost a lot.  To pay off debts from that war (and other areas), the King put additional taxes on the colonists.  I imagine the reasoning went something like this: “We sent troops to defend these little colonies from French and (their Indian allies) on the North American continent, so those residents of the North American continent should help pay the bill.”

Putting some perspective on this, is this analysis: “The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The next year, the Declaration of Independence laid out the Americans’ case for freedom, portraying George III as an inflexible tyrant who had squandered his right to govern the colonies. In reality the situation was more complex: Parliamentary ministers, not the crown, were responsible for colonial policies, though George still had means of direct and indirect influence.”

Like the Congress of today, there must have been different factions.  In my opinion the “hard-liners” probably pushed for more taxes.  After all, they were in England, the colonies were far away, and the best tax is the tax that other people pay!!

MP Jeremiah Smith - “Don’t those crazy colonists understand that everything we do is in their best interest?  We found the French and Indian war to protect them. And, that cost us a lot.  They are paying off their indebtedness for our protection.”

(Ahh, the “taxation without representation” argument)

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11. "He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies."

The Crown had kept an army in the colonies after the Seven Years' War without the consent of the colonial legislatures.

The English powers treated the colonies as children that were unable to make their own decisions.  I can imagine a statement like this: 

MP (Parliament member) Smith “The Massachusetts Colony just passed a law nullifying the Stamp Act”

The other parliamentary members laughing up a storm (while sipping their tea)

Smith (again), “And, they passed another law expelling the army.  I think those colonists must be eating some kind of locoweed!! Or smoking that “wacky tobacco”.  They’ve lost their senses!!” 

And, again, laughter.  Treating the colonies like children was the norm.  Can you imagine if the United States Congress was run by children from 10 to 18 years old?  (Aside - sometimes it seems that way!!!)

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12. "He has affected to render the Military independent of Civil power."

The British government had named General Thomas Gage, commander of British forces in America.

MP Smith “It is obvious that they don’t understand - WE are in charge.  Spare the rod and spoil the child.  No, we need a firm hand in putting down these foolish colonists.”

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13. "He has subject[ed] us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution."

The royal government had claimed the power (in the Declaratory Act of 1766) to make all laws for the colonies.

MP Smith “Father (or in this case, the British crown), knows best!!”

14. "For quartering armed troops among us."

The Crown had required the colonies to house British troops stationed in America.

MP Smith “To keep our expenses down, we are going to force those colonists to put up our soldiers (which are there to protect those colonists from the radicals in American society) - kind of a free B & B program.  And their children will grow up with an appreciation of English Justice”.

15. "For protecting them from punishment for Murders."

Parliament had passed a 1774 law permitting British soldiers and officials accused of murder while in Massachusetts to be tried in Britain.

MP Smith “But of course, they will be tried in Britain.  We’ve had ‘trial by peer’ for centuries, and there sure aren’t any peers in that wilderness!!”

 

21. "For taking away our Charters."

Parliament (in 1774) had restricted town meetings in Massachusetts, had decided that the colony's councilors would no longer be elected but would be appointed by the king, and had given the royal governor control of lower court judges.

MP Smith again. “Don’t those idiots know that we - the Parliament - are in charge?  It's like the blind leading the blind over there.”  

22. "For suspending our Legislatures."

Parliament (in 1767) had suspended the New York Assembly for failing to obey the Quartering Act of 1765.

MP Smith “That’s right, show them the upper hand!!!  They are like errant children who need a good spanking.  And, we are going to administer that spanking!!!”

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I’m not sure the American Revolution would happen today.  The communications channels would be buzzing, there would be ‘fact finding’ commissions on both shores.  Rational minds might say “How can we work together”.  (But, of course, Fox News, MS-NBC news, and CNN would be covering the situation - heaven forbid that we could really get along!!)

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So, here we are - four days before American Independence Day - four days before celebrating with picnics, fireworks, and fun.  But, this was serious stuff to the colonists - pushing new taxes on the colonies, forcing decisions made in London down “our” throats, and putting soldiers on every corner (and in local houses).  

May we not forget Micah 6:8 - love justice, but show mercy, and be humble.  

LOVE WINS!!

Karen