The Stamp Act
On February 6th, 1765 George Grenville rose in Parliament to offer the fifty-five resolutions of his Stamp Bill. A motion was offered to first read petitions from the Virginia colony and others was denied. The bill was passed on February 17, approved by the Lords on March 8th, and two weeks later ordered in effect by the King. The Stamp Act was Parliament's first serious attempt to assert governmental authority over the colonies. Great Britain was faced with a massive national debt following the Seven Years War. That debt had grown from £72,289,673 in 1755 to £129,586,789 in 1764*. English citizens in Britain were taxed at a rate that created a serious threat of revolt.
The Stamp Act
March 22, 1765
AN ACT for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the British colonies and plantations in America, towards further defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the same; and for amending such parts of the several acts of parliament relating to the trade and revenues of the said colonies and plantations, as direct the manner of determining and recovering the penalties and forfeitures therein mentioned.WHEREAS, by an act made in the last session of Parliament several duties were granted, continued, and appropriated toward defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the British colonies and plantations in America; and whereas it is just and necessary that provision be made for raising a further revenue within your majesty's dominions in America toward defraying the said expenses; we, your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, have therefore resolved to give and grant unto your majesty the several rates and duties hereinafter mentioned; and do humbly beseech your majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that from and after the first day of November, one thousand seven hundred and sixty five, there shall be raised, levied, collected, and paid unto his majesty, his heirs, and successors, throughout the colonies and plantations in America, which now are, or hereafter may be, under the dominion of his majesty, his heirs and successors:
It was only a shilling tax. Only a shilling. It is was an intrusive act to the American heart, soul, and spirit. One must remember that this nation was birthed of the intolerable acts against Christians who feared the Roman Catholic oppression of the Inquisitions of those who would not bow to the church of Rome, they chose to follow God's Word. They feared the crowns of secular rule, the watched in 1555 as many innocent soul was imprisoned, tortured, and burned alive for not bowing to a pope in Rome. The property of these innocent souls, was absorbed by the church and the state. The two were inseparable in the execution of Christians, the papal authorities would condemn and the state execute.
Our founding charters in the New England colonies were ones of Puritans, seeking a place to be free to read a Bible in English, pray in English, worship in freedom. So at personal cost of life, limb, and family these Christians called "Protestant" by the papal religion and secular crowns in coercion of the citizen by religion crossed the Atlantic Ocean and came. One must look back at history books pre-1920's to get these truths. But the Puritan colonies were successful at a faster rate than the "Tide Water" colony of Jamestown, VA. Built on biblical principles, and the Mayflower Compact these colonies began to excel.
Fast forward now to 1765, a free people are being oppressed. They've had enough time to form a political and philosophical mindset based on liberty. Then a crown intrusively oversteps its self perceived power, and meets the three million people who could think for themselves freely. A people guided by God, reason, and liberty. The Intolerable Acts or the Stamp Acts and a schilling tax on everything that moved, breathed, or printed.
Our Founders eleven years later after repeated addresses to Parliament and the Crown, banded together under principles of God, reason, and liberty and wrote the most American, the most beautiful, documents and wrote the Declaration of Independence.
A nation was born. Our nation. A country of freedom, liberty, and freedom of worship, not under tyranny. Tyranny of the papal authority, the crown, and totalitarian governments. A costly War of INDEPENDENCE, that was won. Many wars, much strife, blood, toil, sweat and tears. Fast forward to 2013. Now we have a federal government with its hand in our purse, foot on our freedom of worship, and ear to our private conversations. People who call themselves Christian are on terror watch list by DHS. Veterans who served faithfully, volunteers mind you are listed on terrorist watch list. Don't mention the Constitution for heaven's sake, and don't you dare speak the name of Jesus in public. Now we are taxed beyond imagination of our founding principles, our Founders would be ashamed of us for allowing this to have happened. Benghazi, IRS, Department of Injustice, Border Agents murdered by the hand of the DOJ. The Free Press is no longer free due to the DOJ. Wire taps on all Americans. And a tax for being an American called the Affordable Healthcare Law. And you think you have liberty? A "schilling" mind you. When America will you hold the employees we have in government accountable? When?
And you think you're free America. Better to trust in God, than man. Please share my fellow Americans, Christians we are headed to the stake if we do not change the climate and culture of our nation. Love in Christ Jason.
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