Kurtis Cameron AMERICAN CIVILIZATION- HIST 1700 B.

Halford Document Analysis #2 Representation and Taxation of the American Colonies The end of government being the good of mankind, points out its great duties: It is above all things to provide for the security, the quiet, and happy enjoyment of life, liberty, and property. (The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved 1764) There were critics of the colonial revolutionaries in the Americas. They clamed that the colonists objections against parliamentary taxation were inconsistent and that they just didnt want to pay taxes. Men like Thomas Jefferson, James Otis, John Dickinson, and even the British loyalist Daniel Dulany opposed these critics arguments. They argued that the colonies were not properly represented in the British government and ether deserved representation in the British parliament or deserved to represent themselves independently of the parliament. Also they argued that the British taxation of the colonies was unfair and was akin to slavery. In different writings they all demonstrate the consistency of their arguments. Daniel Dulany writes, the notion of a virtual representation of the colonies must fail (Considerations of the Propriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies 1765). In the 1760s British parliament was making and enforcing laws that the colonists never had the opportunity to voice an opinion on. The British parliament saw no need to have a representative from the colonies participate in the decisions made for the colonies. They assigned local representatives to act as colonial representatives. Dulany also, The electors, who are inseparably connected in their interests with the nonelectors, may be justly deemed to be the representatives of the nonelectors, at the same time they exercise their personal privilege in their right of

election, and the members chosen, therefore, the representatives of both. This is the only rational explanation of the expression virtual representation (Considerations of the Propriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies 1765). The reason they did this was because of the enormous distance that was the Atlantic Ocean, which separated Britain from the colonies and made too difficult to have a colonial representative. The American colonists agreed with the problem that the ocean caused, but saw that another solution was needed. The colonists already had their own local governments and believed that they deserved the rights to govern themselves. Thomas Jefferson claims that the colonists deserved equal representation or even independence because of the sacrifices that the colonists made, he wrote, Their own blood was spilt in acquiring lands for their settlement, their own fortunes expended in the making that settlement effectual; for themselves they fought, for themselves they conquered, and for themselves alone they have right to hold (A Summary View of the Rights of British America 1774). Taxation of the colonies was also a strong source of contention between the British government and the American colonies. The British taxed the importation of paper and glass, two resources that the colonists were unable to produce enough of to meet their own needs. The colonists were forced to only import these goods from Britain. Certain duties are thereby imposed on paper and glass, imported into these colonies. By the laws of Great Britain we are prohibited to get these articles from any other part of the world. We cannot at present, nor for many years to come, make enough ourselves for our own use. Said John Dickinson in the seventh of his Farmers Letters. Dickinson also described two forms of taxation in this text. One is, by imposing a certain sum on particular kinds of property, to be paid by the user or the consumer, or by rating the person at a certain sum. The other is, by imposing a certain sum on particular kinds of property, to be paid by the seller. He says that the second is a trap because a

man who pays this tax does not see the tax so he may forget it is there and the government that set the tax could raise it without the man noticing until it is too late. John Dickinson believes that the colonies ought to regard the act [of British taxation of the colonies] with abhorrence If they have the right to levy a tax of one penny upon us, they have a right to levy a million upon us: For where does their right stop? (The Farmers Letters 1767, 7) The colonists were being taxed and without a representative in the British parliament. They had no say in whether or not they had to pay taxes, in how much that they would pay, or even on whom would be taxed. Though Britain tried to be fair with the colonies, the colonists were unhappy with the lack of representation. Those who are taxed without their own consent, expressed by themselves or their representatives, are slaves. We are taxed without our own consent, expressed by ourselves or our representatives. We are therefore SLAVES (The Farmers Letters 1767, 7). The critics were wrong. The American colonists were justified in having ether equal representation or the independence to conduct their own affairs. The colonist would use the lack of proper representation and taxation to justify declaring their independence from Great Britain. Which would lead to a war that would give birth to a new nation. That nation would become a great world power, influencing all other nations. Whenever the administrators deviate from truth, justice and equity, they verge towards tyranny, and are to be opposed (The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved 1764).

Citations: Considerations of the Propriety of Imposing Taxes in the British Colonies Pamphlet, Dulany 1765.

A Farmers Letters Letter, Dickinson 1767.

The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved Tract, Otis 1764.

A Summary View of the Rights of British America Tract, Jefferson 1774.