00000426 |
Previous | 426 of 684 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
CONFISCATION OF BRITISH PROPERTY. 389
up the subject, with much warmth and ill-temper. Week after week the
columns of these two journals teemed with the dissertations of numerous
correspondents, upon this all-absorbing question. A correspondent, in the
Gazette, over the signature of "A Sentry," gives a fair idea of the prevailing
■spirit.
" It is justly alarming," he writes, " to see principles like the Senator's spread in a free
country, when, two years ago, if any man had talked in that manner, he would as soon
have dared to put himself in the fire or be tarred and feathered, especially a member of
our assembly. Good God ! what is this State come to, to be the subjects of Great Britain ?
And we cannot take the property of our enemies to pay our taxes, when, if it was in their
power they would take our lives. It is time for men to trim, and make fair weather on
both sides; but I can say this, though I cannot write, I can think, and I have borne a firelock; and I can say it is d d toryism."
Upon the reassembling of the legislature, petitions poured into both
branches from all parts of the State, urging the adoption of the measure.
The public debt had now increased from $14,220,000 to $23,700,000, rendering
it more difficult to raise it by taxation. To meet their quota, the tax-payers
■of the State would have been obliged to pay a tax of £100, in paper currency,
for every hundred pounds worth of property. The House of Delegates immediately passed another bill, which the Senate, after a renewed discussion, again
rejected. The question then lay dormant until the October session of 1780,
when another bill for the confiscation of British property was introduced and
passed both Houses.
In the preamble to this " Act to seize, confiscate and appropriate all British
property within the State," the legislature took occasion to record the following indictment against the British government for the manner in which they
prosecuted the war:
"Whereas Great Britain commenced an unjust war against the United States, and
because of their defending themselves against her unprovoked and unjustifiable violence,
declared the people of these States rebels, and out of the protection of her government,
and now prosecutes the war against them on pretence of their being revolted colonies and
in rebellion, and hath confiscated the property of some of the citizens of these States ; the
British army and navy, and other armed vessels acting under the authority of the British
Tfing, have seized in this and other of the United States the negroes and other property of
the citizens of these States, and the property so seized have carried off and disposed of at
their will and pleasure; the said army and navy, and other armed vessels, have committed
various outrages on the persons and devastations on the property of the people of these
United States, contrary to the practice of civilized nations and the present usage of war,
in burning houses and towns without any necessity, out of mere wantonness and cruelty ;
"unfortunate American prisoners, by cruel usage an I threats, have been compelled to
enlist in the army of their enemies and fight against their country; and many of the citizens of these States taken captive have been forced on board ships of war, and compelled,
under an act of the Parliament of Great Britain, and the cruel execution of it by the officers of the King of Great Britain, to fight against their country, their friends and
relations. •
"And, wdiereas, The subjects of Great Britain possess considerable landed and other
^property in this State, which the legislature, from a disinclination to distress individuals,
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000426 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | CONFISCATION OF BRITISH PROPERTY. 389 up the subject, with much warmth and ill-temper. Week after week the columns of these two journals teemed with the dissertations of numerous correspondents, upon this all-absorbing question. A correspondent, in the Gazette, over the signature of "A Sentry," gives a fair idea of the prevailing ■spirit. " It is justly alarming," he writes, " to see principles like the Senator's spread in a free country, when, two years ago, if any man had talked in that manner, he would as soon have dared to put himself in the fire or be tarred and feathered, especially a member of our assembly. Good God ! what is this State come to, to be the subjects of Great Britain ? And we cannot take the property of our enemies to pay our taxes, when, if it was in their power they would take our lives. It is time for men to trim, and make fair weather on both sides; but I can say this, though I cannot write, I can think, and I have borne a firelock; and I can say it is d d toryism." Upon the reassembling of the legislature, petitions poured into both branches from all parts of the State, urging the adoption of the measure. The public debt had now increased from $14,220,000 to $23,700,000, rendering it more difficult to raise it by taxation. To meet their quota, the tax-payers ■of the State would have been obliged to pay a tax of £100, in paper currency, for every hundred pounds worth of property. The House of Delegates immediately passed another bill, which the Senate, after a renewed discussion, again rejected. The question then lay dormant until the October session of 1780, when another bill for the confiscation of British property was introduced and passed both Houses. In the preamble to this " Act to seize, confiscate and appropriate all British property within the State," the legislature took occasion to record the following indictment against the British government for the manner in which they prosecuted the war: "Whereas Great Britain commenced an unjust war against the United States, and because of their defending themselves against her unprovoked and unjustifiable violence, declared the people of these States rebels, and out of the protection of her government, and now prosecutes the war against them on pretence of their being revolted colonies and in rebellion, and hath confiscated the property of some of the citizens of these States ; the British army and navy, and other armed vessels acting under the authority of the British Tfing, have seized in this and other of the United States the negroes and other property of the citizens of these States, and the property so seized have carried off and disposed of at their will and pleasure; the said army and navy, and other armed vessels, have committed various outrages on the persons and devastations on the property of the people of these United States, contrary to the practice of civilized nations and the present usage of war, in burning houses and towns without any necessity, out of mere wantonness and cruelty ; "unfortunate American prisoners, by cruel usage an I threats, have been compelled to enlist in the army of their enemies and fight against their country; and many of the citizens of these States taken captive have been forced on board ships of war, and compelled, under an act of the Parliament of Great Britain, and the cruel execution of it by the officers of the King of Great Britain, to fight against their country, their friends and relations. • "And, wdiereas, The subjects of Great Britain possess considerable landed and other ^property in this State, which the legislature, from a disinclination to distress individuals, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| G |
|
| H |
|
| M |
|
| T |
|
| U |
|
