Portfolio: Essay #2

An argument for American independence
by
Byron DesJardin Rowland

___This speech is taken on the Pennsylvania square autumn 1772. Britain damn you! Here we are in 1772 and all Britain is doing is taxing our people and hindering our new country! How could they think to do this to us?! Do we not mean anything to them?! Well Britain, I got something to say, I’m not going to stand for this! So the hell with y’all Britain!!! I’m a maverick! I can’t afford to be loyal to you, because your ripping us off and I can barely support my family!!! There’s no power strong enough to hold us down now!
___Like our last riots for America, a conflict among us Pennsylvanians has been whether we American’s should have remained loyal to our mother country of Britain. Or be a patriot and fight for our own rights and independence in America! Yet the sorry side of us, argue that as Pennsylvanians, we should remain loyal for the, ‘chearful’ protection of Britain’, (Resolves of the Pennsylvania Assembly on the Stamp Act.) In that statement, the Brits have deceived us into thinking this a thoughtful consideration to America. However, it is not. Also in this statement, it says, “the Assemblies of this Province have, from Time to Time, whenever Requisitions have been made by his Majesty, for carrying on military Operations, for the Defence of America, most chearfully and liberally contributed their full Proportion of Men and Money for those Services,” also stated in the ‘Resolves of the Pennsylvania Assembly on the Stamp Act.’ On the other hand, however, we argue that, America needs patriotism for becoming independent According to this view, America needs ‘her’ own laws because it isn’t part of Britain, it has different circumstances and situations that require separate laws.
___As we stand here today in Pennsylvania, my vision is that someday America would have its’ own central government, and establishes American independence from Britain for us all! Though I know and agree my brothers that the battle against Britain will be tough, as Britain was very protective of America…I still stand by that America needs its’ independence. ‘each colony has it’s own right how to govern the people.’ (The American Promise,) I mention this to say to that America was a side project maybe not to be taken as serious as it should have been. Although some might object that Britain was ignoring them, I reply that they weren’t getting the true help they needed. The issue is important because without the desire of these patriots like you and I would have been, we wouldn’t have an America with freedom.
___To you loyalists, I ask, how do you put up with this? How could you remain loyal to Britain when they treat us unfairly and not equally? For those of you loyal to Britain I will read to you this “That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, amongst which are, the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.” These words come straight from our own Constitution of Pennsylvania! It is in our own constitution that we are to be treated as equals here, but Britain isn’t treating us as equals! Our own home country forcing us to give them our goods and crops for free because they call themselves our mother country?! Loyalists, I ask yourselves this, what kind of mother does this to their child? NONE!
___“That the people of this State have the sole, exclusive and inherent right of governing” Our constitution says we have our own right to be governed, we don’t need Britain! Britain is holding us down and trying to keep controlling us! We will fight for
our own independence for our families and for ourselves! I cannot take the taxation that is hindering us!