A Tea Party

NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!

Protesters were concerned with a variety of issues:

1. The familiar "no taxation without representation" argument, along with the question of the extent of Parliament's authority in the colonies, remained prominent. Some regarded the purpose of the tax program—to make leading officials independent of colonial influence—as a dangerous infringement of colonial rights.

2. Legitimate tea importers who had not been named as consignees by the East India Company were also threatened with financial ruin by the Tea Act.

3. The Tea Act gave the East India Company a monopoly on the tea trade, and it was feared that this government-created monopoly might be extended in the future to include other goods.

Samuel Adams was the Boston patriot who led the resistance to the Tea Act. In 1772, Samuel Adams suggested that political leaders in Boston form a twenty-one member Committee of Correspondence to help get the word out to other communities how the British actions threatened American liberties. One example of their efforts occurred when Great Britain blockaded the Boston Harbor in 1774 with the intention of starving the colonists into submission. The communities quickly spread the word and soon wagon-loads of food and supplies were rolling into Boston to help its citizens. Little did his Majesty understand that he was uniting the people even more to become ever stronger. When the British tea ships arrived in Boston Harbor, the colonists wanted to send them back to England. Governor Thomas Hutchinson rejected their wishes. Feelings in Boston continued to escalate especially when the townspeople were told that the Governor refused to send the ships back. On December 16th, 1773, Samuel Adams told the towns people that their meetings could do nothing more to save the country, and there was a cry from the crowd: "Boston harbor a teapot tonight!" "Hurrah for Griffin's Wharf!"
About 100 Bostonians disguised as Mohawk Indians, went to the Wharf and raided three British ships docked in Boston Harbor, dumping their cargoes of 342 chests of tea overboard, so as to avoid paying the tea tax.

From a letter written by George Washington to his friend George William Fairfax, about the American resolve in regard to the Boston situation:

The [British] ministry may rely on it that Americans will never be taxed without their own consent; that the cause of Boston--the despotic measures in respect to it, I mean - now is and ever will be considered as the cause of America . . . . . and that we shall not suffer ourselves to

be sacrificed by piecemeal, though God only knows what is to become of us . . .while those from whom we have a right to seek protection are endeavoring by every piece of art and despotism to fix the shackles of slavery upon us. (Andrew M. Allison, The Real George Washington,page 106)

Soon it was clear that the Americans meant to stand up for their right.

And so it continues today - We as Americans are crying out to our political leaders that we oppose the spending of our government in Washington. As they continue to insist on shackling us, our children, our grandchildren, our great grandchildren, our great great grandchildren, etc., with their poor stewardship of our tax money. Just like his Majesty King George who would not hear the shout from the New World and its Colonists our government (of the people) are not listening to the will of the people today. Let us continue our shout (with peaceful demonstrations) as we remind our elected leaders that this is a government by the people and for the people.

"We, the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow men who pervert the Constitution." Abraham Lincoln

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." Thomas Jefferson

Information taken from: The American Heritage Junior Library Books