A Loyalist Life Be Damned by Colonists free essay sample

A revolution was born due to these acts. Yet for we have come to know that for every protest group started, there is an opponent. For the colonial patriots, there were the loyalists to the British Empire. These loyalist were against what Samuel Adams and The Sons of Liberty stood for. The loyalist had no intention of going against Britain and her rule. They felt that Britain was looking out for the colonists and was only making the colonies better. Such loyalists insisted that British soldiers be looked after and even treated like family. Some loyalists went so far as to call the cry for independence the same as killing ties with Britain.Take Reverend Samuel Seabird for example. The Reverend wrote a document titled A View of the Controversy between Great Britain and her Colonies in 1774. This critique was written to criticize the First Continental Congress. In this critique, Seabird goes Into how the colonies are one with Great Britain. He even goes as far as saying The British colonies make a part of the British empire. As parts of the body they must be subject to the general laws of the body (Seabird, 1774). This statement actually holds true In that the colonies are Indeed part of the British Empire.With that being said, Seabird feels that the colonies are hereby bound by Sluts British law to Britain. That could be compared to todays society in that the fifty states in the country that was built from this revolution now have to follow Congress laws from the Constitution. 2 Seabird goes against the Continental Congress calling for independence by comparing it to the human body. He makes this comparison by saying To talk of a colony independent of the Mother Country, Is no better sense than to talk of a limb independent of the body to which it belongs (Seabird, 1774).The comparison makes sense in that a limb in the body cannot function without the entire body and the toys brain is the British Parliament, as well as the King. One main issue that the colonist protested was that of taxation. There was the famous line said by many colonists, No taxation without representation. The colonists had felt that the British government had violated the guaranteed Rights of Englishmen. However, Parliament disregarded those accusations saying the colonists were Mortally represented. Seabird sticks with Parliament in saying Legislation and taxation must be conjoined (Seabird, 1774).He feels the British government has the right to raise or create any tax to support the British government and that it is incontestable. Certain men who fought against Britain felt that the taxation created a source of slavery for the British empire. Thomas Paine, who wrote the famous Common Sense during this time period, wrote another not as well known article. This article was read by General George Washington before the Battle of Trenton and famous Crossing of the Delaware River. This article is known as The American Crisis, Number 1. Written in 1776, the purpose of this article was to instill confidence in a weakened Continental Army. In it, Paine states that Britain has Sluts instilled slavery into the colonies through taxation. Paine says, Britain Has cellared, that she has a right (not only to TAX) but to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER, and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth (Paine, 1776). Thomas Paine truly felt that Britain had indeed made the colonists her slaves through taxation. After all, these taxes were on the goods that the colonists made as well as needed. Britain put the colonists to work for the empires benefit. The colonists main exports were 3 cotton and tobacco.The main import was tea. However, these were all taxed by the Parliament. Many loyalists were fine with the taxes imposed by Parliament. The loyalists felt it was necessary to remain loyal to Britain in that it is the governmental body of the colonies and they had Britains protection. Yet, Thomas Paine was against every single loyalist, or Tory as they were called in the eighteenth century. Paine goes as far to call every loyalist a coward, for a servile, slavish, selflessnesss fear (Paine, 1776). This was every patriots view of Tories in the colonies, especially those who would not fight in the war.Paine goes as far as saying a man under such influence, though he may be cruel, never can be brave (Paine, 1776). He feels that Britain is what controls these peoples lives and that it is not right for a country to do that. In fact, it is in this article that we first see the colonies being referred to as states. This statement of course does not include the Declaration of Independence, which was the first document to call the colonies states right in its first line. Paine calls for the states to unite and fight for freedom for the future. In fact, he says that, at the time, separation is believed by every man to happen at some time. Paine calls for the time to be then. Sluts In fact, Paine ends his article by saying that the movement is growing. Thomas was only a matter of time before the states fully untied against Britain. He even stops talking about Tories at the end of his article and starts talking about how the army is growing. Paine states, .. . Our new army at both ends of the Continent is recruiting fast, and we shall be able to open the next campaign with sixty thousand men, well armed and clothed.This is our situation, and who will may know it (Paine, 1776). This statement held true. After the Battle of Trenton, where Washington did not suffer one casualty, the Continental Armys numbers grew and began to outnumber the British armys numbers. At the Battle of Yorktown, the Continental Army had a 4 number between 18,900-19,900 soldiers including the French Army. The British Army, with the combined forces of the Hessians, had about 9,000 troops. The British suffered a severe number of casualties at the Battle of Yorktown due to the Continental Armys heavy numbers.Pains prediction proved true in that the Continental Army was growing fast and the number of Tories was decreasing. Yet before Thomas Paine, loyalists were writing articles and poems to increase numbers. The Pausing American Loyalist was a poem published in the Middlesex Journal on January 30, 1776. This poem was written to describe the challenges Loyalists faced. In an interesting writing technique, the anonymous poet wrote the poem to that of William Shakespearean Hamlet. The poem accurately talks about the challenges Loyalists faced against the patriots. It is been known that Loyalists were tarred and feathered during this time period. The poem mentions this as a possible result of being a Loyalist of the British Empire. Sluts The treatment of Loyalist was harsh, not Just in New England, but in all colonies. This 5 was especially true prior to the revolution when the Intolerable Acts were put into effect. This is where Loyalist really start appearing during the colonial era. Famous political cartoons of loyalists being tar and feathered begin to show up, as well as unthinkable acts such as rape and murder.Then starting in 1776, Loyalist are once again singled out when the Second Continental Congress declares the thirteen colonies independent. In the poem, the Loyalist poet is contemplating whether to flee to England or not. This is because he realizes the terror that Loyalists are seeing taking place against them. The Loyalist poem even states that the only possible safe resolution would be to flee to England or a safer territory. However, the poet knows that if he were to flee to England, he would be poor. England, at the time, was not a country for poor peoples living.In fact, many poor countrymen died of disease or starvation. The poet would be poor from the taxation occurring in the colonies as well as the fee to travel to England. The Loyalist poet scared for his life as he talks about fleeing. He feels that the colonists are an evil that he wants no part of. This is clearly states To patriot rage, when I have left my all Must give me pause: Theres the respect That makes us trim, and bow to the men we hate. The poet aspects the patriots fighting for something they believe in. However, he hates them for the actions they take against the Loyalist in the colonies.Seabird, as well as the poet, are completely against the patriots actions. In fact, Seabird criticizes the actions of the patriots that he even states a possible war. He clearly states that it would not be war of colonies against England, but that of a civil war. Seabird states, Is it Sluts right to risk the valuable blessings of property, liberty, and life, to the single chance of war? Of the worst kind of war a civil war? A civil war founded on rebellion. Without ever attempting the peaceable mode of accommodation? (Seabird, 1774). Seabird sees the colonists as Englishmen and not separatists. This vision is, in fact, true. There are plenty of records that show that families were separated by sides of patriotism to loyalist. Most notably, Benjamin Franklins family was split during the American Revolution. Benjamin son, William Franklin, was a Loyalist. A result of the Revolution was the destruction of the father-son relationship the two had. The two rarely, if 6 ever, spoke to each other during and after the war because of Benjamin patriotism to Williams loyalist views. In fact, William Franklin moved to England after the war, where Benjamin served as an ambassador to the newly formed United States. William only saw Benjamin once in 1785 when Benjamin was returning from France. The relationship was so torn from the twos difference political views that Benjamin had pretty much sworn off William as his son. In Benjamin will, William was left virtually none of Benjamin wealth and only a spot of property in Nova Scotia. Benjamin Franklin addresses his famous autobiography to his son, but does not mention him once in the famous literature piece. There were even Patriots who earned Loyalist during the war. Most notably and hated is Benedict Arnold. Arnold has been written in history as a traitor to his country. Arnold was a decorated officer for the Continental Army. Yet, he did not receive the recognition he felt he deserved. It is known that Arnold was giving the British the location of colonial troops and location of supplies for the Continental Army. In April of 1780, Arnold resigned from the Continental Army after court martial were held for charges against him. In August of 1780, Sluts Benedict Arnold enlisted his services to the British army and was recognized as traitor by the Continental Army. After the war, Arnold moved to London, following the actions of other Loyalists.He died in 1801. To this day, he is regarded as most famous traitor in American history. Benjamin Franklin said this of the Loyalist traitor, Judas sold only one man [Jesus], Arnold three millions. Loyalists were hated by patriots. After the war, some Loyalists moved back to England for fear of the safety and familys safety. In fact, many Loyalists stayed in America due to family roots that had been in the New World. Only Loyalist who did not have a deep history or connection with American left for England. Ironically, Reverend Seabird stayed in America after the war. By staying in America, he became the first bishop of the newly formed American Episcopal Church. The man who was Loyal to England and was against the patriots actions towards the English Empire stayed in the country help build it to what it would become today. As for Thomas Paine, whose article against Loyalist was analyzed, he became very connected with the French. He played a big part in the French Revolution with his writing The Age of Reason. When Paine returned to American, he was heavily criticized by the Federalists for his injection to the French Revolution and his friendship to then President Thomas Jefferson.Thomas Paine died on June 8, 1809 on his New York estate. Although he was buried on his estate, his body was dug up in 1819 to be buried in his home country of England. His body was never buried there and has been recorded as lost by historians. The Loyalist movement in the colonial era was condemned by patriots. The patriots felt as if the loyalists were traitors to the independence movement. Although many loyalists stayed as mentioned, there were still terrible things done to them, like tar and feather. Tar and feather Sluts was the most embarrassing and tormenting action that could be done during that time.