Reaction

487 words Reaction on The Stamp Act Crisis It’s hard not to notice how controversially The Stamp Act is perceived by representatives of the Crown and by American colonial opposition. To my mind, the key point of the present crisis comes from a different opinion on what policy the kingdom of Great-Britain should provide to not suppress American Colonies’ constitutional Rights and Liberties as of subjects of the Empire while acting in the best interests of the Empire. If looking from a recent historical point of view, concerns of American colonial opposition seem to be fair.
It’s almost obvious, that situation has changed greatly after the French and Indian war. The Empire needs to fulfill its resources and looking for ways to increase a revenue. Taking into the account that the war and the win were happening in inter-American region, William Pym’s claim seems quietly fair: “ The benefits form the war was mutual, and consequently, the disadvantages should be mutual too” (Pym). It’s most unlikely for colonial opposition to argue Colonies’ duties to the Empire, because there’s no discussion on a fact of taxation. Moreover, Benjamin Franklin stresses that Americans already pays “ many and very heavy taxes” (Franklin). Instead, there’s a controversy about who should have a power to set a needed taxation. In the light of the above, what William Pitt filmily defines due to The Stamp Act as “ the errourness of founding principle” appears to be a concern that taxation is setting by authorities which don’t represent Colonies’ interests (Pitt).
From American point of view, The Stamp Act is considered as an imposed issue, a higher hierarchical order which has in mind to tighten the control upon Colonies. To lighten the reasons of such a perception, a historic post- war look should be taken. Acts are coming out while the Great-Britain military presence on American continent, and when setting new duties, military forces can be used for imposing, despite that Benjamin Franklin in his Testimony doubts such an outcome of the case (Franklin). What seems important, along with taxation The Stamp Act doubts authority of American paper based operations. By imposing a stamp paper as the only legitimate one it proclaims above the law any other American stamped operations. In this context Colonies’ concerns on their Rights and Liberties to be encroached reasonably lead to The Stamp Act crisis.
Yet, when reading William Pym’s article, no understanding of these concerns from a side of the Crown can be found. Then two most logical explanations can be proposed: either Great Britain’s not willing to understand a real current American concern, or the Empire cannot possibly understand Colonies’ point of view. If the first explanation, than the Crown acts anticonstitutionally on purpose, and American colonial opposition concerns about their Rights and Liberties suppression are most reasonable. If the second explanation, than Daniel Dulany’s and William Pitt argue on a legitimacy of Colonies’ virtual representation in Parliament is mostly fair.
Work Cited
“ The Stamp Act Crisis”. UNCP. History 101 Reserve Reading, n. d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.