Semiquincentennial of the American Revolution

[Tidewater]

An interesting conversation with Burns about the Revolution.

 

[92tide]

An interesting conversation with Burns about the Revolution.

thanks, that was an interesting interview

 

[Tidewater]

thanks, that was an interesting interview

I like how he said he would tell the story and let the people draw their implications..

 

[Tidewater]

On the subject of democracy, here is what Fisher Ames said on the subject in 1788:

"Faction and enthusiasm are the instruments by which popular governments are destroyed. We need not talk of the power of an aristocracy. The people, when they lose their liberties, are cheated out of them. They nourish factions in their bosoms, which will subsist so long as abusing their honest credulity shall be the means of acquiring power. A democracy is a volcano, which conceals the fiery materials of its own destruction. These will produce an eruption, and carry desolation in their way. The people always mean right; and, if time is allowed for reflection and information, they will do right. I would not have the first wish, the momentary impulse of the public mind, become law; for it is not always the sense of the people, with whom I admit that all power resides. On great questions, we first hear the loud clamors of passion, artifice, and faction."

Think of Marc Anthony's "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" speech. Caesar's assssins speak to the crowd and they were ready to lynch Caesar's supporters. Then Marc Anthony speaks and the same crowd us ready to lynch Caesar's assassins. That was written almost two centuries before the Constitution.

 

[Tidewater]

I cannot believe I missed this, but November 7th was the semiquincentennial of Lord Dunmore's Proclamation:


By His Excellency the Right Honorable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE, His Majesty's Lieutenant and Governor General of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, and Vice Admiral of the same.

A PROCLAMATION.

As I have ever entertained Hopes that an Accommodation might have taken Place between Great-Britain and this colony, without being compelled by my Duty to this most disagreeable but now absolutely necessary Step, rendered so by a Body of armed Men unlawfully assembled, bring on His MAJESTY'S Tenders, and the formation of an Army, and that Army now on their March to attack His MAJESTY'S troops and destroy the well disposed Subjects of this Colony. To defeat such unreasonable Purposes, and that all such Traitors, and their Abetters, may be brought to Justice, and that the Peace, and good Order of this Colony may be again restored, which the ordinary Course of the Civil Law is unable to effect; I have thought fit to issue this my Proclamation, hereby declaring, that until the aforesaid good Purposes can be obtained, I do in Virtue of the Power and Authority to ME given, by His MAJESTY, determine to execute Martial Law, and cause the same to be executed throughout this Colony: and to the end that Peace and good Order may the sooner be restored, I do require every Person capable of bearing Arms, to resort to His MAJESTY'S STANDARD, or be looked upon as Traitors to His MAJESTY'S Crown and Government, and thereby become liable to the Penalty the Law inflicts upon such Offences; such as forfeiture of Life, confiscation of Lands, &c. &c. And I do hereby further declare all indentured Servants, Negroes, or others, (appertaining to Rebels,) free that are able and willing to bear Arms, they joining His MAJESTY'S Troops as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper Sense of their Duty, to His MAJESTY'S Crown and Dignity. I do further order, and require, all His MAJESTY'S Leige Subjects, to retain their Quitrents, or any other Taxes due or that may become due, in their own Custody, till such Time as Peace may be again restored to this at present most unhappy Country, or demanded of them for their former salutary Purposes, by Officers properly authorised to receive the same.

GIVEN under my Hand on board the ship WILLIAM, off Norfolk the 7th Day of November, in the sixteenth Year of His MAJESTY'S Reign.

DUNMORE.

(GOD save the KING.)



When the 1619 Project declared that the Patriots in America were fighting to defend slavery, this is what the authors were referring to. One question stands out:
Considering all the events up to Nov. 7, 1775 , was the war well and truly begun before Dunmore's proclamation? (Can an event that occured after the start of the war be described as a cause of the war?)