American War For Independence P3

Many Americans spoke out against the unjust Stamp Act, including ministers such as the Rev. George Whitefield and the Rev. Charles Chauncy, and political leaders like James Otis, Samuel Adams, and Patrick Henry.

Patrick Henry was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses (the state legislature) shortly after the passage of the Stamp Act tax. He was new in the state assembly, but when he found none of the senior legislative members willing to oppose the tax publicly, he felt compelled to take action. He therefore penned resolutions against the Stamp Act and introduced them in the legislature. Because several members were staunchly pro-British and supported whatever the British did, Henry reported, “Upon offering them (the resolutions) to the house, violent debates ensued. Many threats were uttered, and much abuse cast on me.”

At one point in those discussions, Henry brought up what he felt were applicable lessons from the past. He started with ancient Roman history, pointing out that when Caesar (the Roman Emperor) usurped power, Brutus rose up from within his own government and killed him for the good of the country. Henry then reminded them that in England's own history, when King Charles I similarly seized arbitrary power, Oliver Cromwell had arisen and had Charles executed for the good of the country. He then brought his lesson home to the current British ruler, King George III, by declaring, “Caesar had Brutus; Charles the First, his Cromwell; and George the Third…,” but before he could finish, the shout of “Treason! Treason!” erupted from across the room. They believed he was calling for the murder of King George III, but without any hesitation Patrick Henry, after having already stated “and George the Third” finished his statement with, “…may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it!” He nimbly turned the debate in an unexpected direction and refused to back down.

Content sourced from The American Story The Beginnings by David Barton and Tim Barton