In Congress, July 4, 1776, a declaratio by the representatives of the United States of America in General Congress wa assembled. Unanimously, the Declaratio of Independence was signed. From loyalist’s point of view, there are many complaint that are exaggerated and invalid within the declaration. What is odd to the loyalists is that th rebels say “He” in all the complaints in this declaration, when the rebels mus know that our King does not make the laws, it is the Parliament who decides o what laws to pass and what ones not to. One of the complaint that the rebels claim is “He has called legislative bodies at places unusual uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for th sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.”
Simply put in some situations, the meetin sites were held far away from where the public records were located to depres colonists from meeting as a legislature. Maybe the rebels were referring to violent opposition to the governmen in the town of Boston, like the Townshend Act of 1767. There was an excellent reason for moving som of the meetings, like for example the house in Boston where they usually hel their meetings was being alarmed with the fear of smallpox. The loyalists decided that to move to publi rooms of Harvard because it was convenient for the Assembly to sit in therefore, it was not uncomfortable. I was only miles away from the Town of Boston, so it was not that far away a all. The Assembly then refused to do any more sessions until they were moved back t Boston.
The rebels also claim “He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies, without the consent of our legislatures”. The rebels ar claiming that they did not approve the close supervision of the military i America, which violated their traditional rights. When the war was in a time of peace th rebels thought that the British troops would be going back to Britain. They did not though, a lot of our troop stayed in America. This is to insignificant to deserve any remark. Th King has kept no armies among them without the consent of the Suprem Legislature, or Parliament. This beg the question to suppose that this authority was not sufficient without the ai of their own legislatures. One of the majo complaints the rebels claim within the Declaration of Independence is “Fo imposing taxes on us without our consent”.
Perhaps the rebels are talking about the “Townshend Act” of 1767. What is the “Townshend Act”? According to the lecture, the “Townshend Act imposes taxes on import of paper, glass, lead, paint, and tea” (Dr. Flagel). From a loyalist’s perspective the colonists are saying that the crown cannot tax us because they have n representation, or say, from the Parliament. They believe that no one asked them if they wanted to pay more taxes because they did not vote and cannot be force to pay taxes without their approval. What the rebels do not understand is that since the British protecte the colonies they believe that it is fair to have them help pay off thei debts. Because of the “Townshend Act” w are collecting the taxes on paper, tea, and glass that we believe we ar owed. A fourth complaint th rebels claim is “For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretende offenses”.
This complaint means tha sometimes the colonists are sent to England for tria for crimes against the king’s property. Perhaps the rebels believe that since the are in America then they should have an American judge to run their trials t decide if they are guilty or innocent of what they are being accused of. When in reality even though they are livin on American soil, they are still a British subject. So, anyone that has committed a crime will b in front of a British judge that is either appointed or chosen by King Georg III.
Sometimes the British judge will b sent to America and sometimes the suspect will be sent to London to be in fron of the judge. The last complaint that is somewhat worthy o talking about is “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt ou towns, and destroyed the lives of our people”. This means that according to the rebels, the king’s troops have declare war on them because the king declared that he will no longer be protecting thei lives, liberties, and property. The onl reason that the king has decided this is because the colonists have started rebellion against the British.
The rebels have no idea about the all the penalties of the laws that they hav broken. Before the King decided t declare war on the rebels, the colonists had already renounced their allegianc to the British. The rebels have appointed officers of thei own, modeled their own civil government, and appointed a genera government. They have become independen from the crown and because of their choice the crown needed to show them tha if they want to become enemies then they can become enemies. In conclusion, all of these complaints ar exaggerated and very invalid from a loyalist’s perspective. Many of the complaints that are in th Declaration of Independence have no use in even being there at all, none o them make sense.
The crown has don everything right and the rebels were just jealous of the crown, so they decide to go against it. Even though th Declaration of Independence stated that “all men are created equal”, many o the people that lived in America felt as if the declaration did no represen them. These rebels tried to mak everyone happy and make everything equa when in reality all they did was make more people mad. At least in Britain everyone knew where they stood in society even if everyone was not equal.
