Essay #2 Rough Draft #1

I’ve been asked by many of my undecided fellow Marylanders to extrapolate upon my reasons for supporting the patriot cause of independence for America. For awhile before the war, I was siding with the loyalists, but could see the patriots’ problems with economics. Later, I was reconsidering my views by looking at the political side of the argument. When I reviewed injustices of the war, it finally cemented my views against the English right to control our colonies. Great Britain has slighted our fair colonies in 3 different ways, and, being thusly slighted, I am forced to conclude that our recourse should be, not one of submission and reconciliation, but one of recession and rebellion.

For awhile, I had no idea why one would be a patriot, so I decided to look into our economy first. One line of reasoning I completely agreed with was that, as Thomas Paine put it, “Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has the right (not only to tax) but “to bind us in all cases whatsoever” (Paine, Writings 68). As Marylanders, this means she could not only tax our planters’ land and their sales, but could also, at any point, demand that any of us give up our land or anything else that they wish. Furthermore, looking at the taxes and acts parliament levied, one can only decide that Britain was trying to elicit every last drop of wealth from the colonies. ("A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms"). This goes against the very foundations of our colony in that, the original charter for Maryland declared that the ruler, even though he was almost a “Constitutional King”, still had to consult the freemen of the colony before raising a tax (West 42). I believe that these enforced and powerful taxes should not have been able to be levied by a group that is not answerable to any of the taxed (Constitution of Maryland 5).

After I was confident I understood the foundation of the patriots economic points, I went to further learn about their political arguments as to why we should separate from England. I found that, according to several patriots the government of England is corrupt for Americans because we have no choice in the representation, and there is little representation of anyone the English governmental system to begin with (Paine, Writings 71). The government of England is also corrupt because it’s organization is to complex and nonsensical (Paine, Writings 72-73). According to Maryland’s very own constitution, “The parliament of Great Britain, by a declaratory act, having assumed a right to make laws to bind the Colonies in all cases whatsoever,… to subjugate the United Colonies to an unconditional submission to their will and power” (Constitution of Maryland 3). These points helped me empathize with the patriots and would even make me go as far as to say that the government of the Colonies by England, like the kind, guiding hand of a parent, was necessary at their conception but is no longer advantageous or justified for the Colonies. We should now expound on our parents guidance with the experience and distance granted from our current, similar yet removed situation.

The last thing I looked at was the issue of the war with Britain, for I believed on should first have a proper grounding in the other two parts. First there was the blockade of Boston harbor, to which one contemporary thinker wrote “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation” (Henry). I will answer his rhetorical question to say that no, they are not needed, they are in fact, works of war which cannot, in good conscious, be ignored. They are a slap to the face of America and this duel should not be ignored. After this, they provoked us into fighting them in many battles, but our impromptu soldiers have conducted themselves as best as could be expected of men not trained for war (Paine, Writings 172). Britain has provoked us into a war and, as one would not expect a man to allow himself to be beat for no reason without defending himself, so we as a colony should not allow ourselves to be beaten into submission without defending ourselves.

Britain has been driving us like oxen. They decided that we were their own and they could do with us what they want through the Declaratory Acts. They hooked us with packs through the taxes they’ve laid upon us. Now that we’re not carrying their packs to their own ends, they are trying to beat us into submission with a war. Now is the time to show them what we are truly made up of. Are we beasts, or are we men? I, for one, say that we are men and as such should fight for our right to life, liberty, and property.

Citations:

Maryland, Constitutions of Maryland. 1776, 1851, 1864, and 1867. Maryland: 1905.

Paine, Thomas. The Writings of Thomas Paine. 1. G.P. Putnam's sons, 1894.

Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, "A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms." Yale.edu. Yale. 14 Nov 2008 .

Henry, Patrick. "Patrick Henry - Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death ." Yale.edu. Yale. 14 Nov 2008 .

West, Willis. The Story of American Democracy, Political and Industrial. Allyn and Bacon, 1922.