The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1876-08-30
a Letter From Paradise.
PARADISE, KY, Aug. %, 1876.
Editor Herald:

Editor HeTutd:
1t is with much timidity that | at
tempt to advance a few ideas of my
own regarding the actions of our fore
fathers in the days of rs. but having
heard the justice of their cause called
into question, in not having sufficient
civil cause to justify them in the course
they pursued, 1 deem it not wrong
that my views, however Insignificant,
should appear along with the rest.
In listening to a discourse on CEN
tennial subjects sometime since, was
somewhat surprised to hear the actions
of the people regarding the stamp act
and tea tax denominated as acts of
rowdyism, aud unworthy to be classed
among the patriotic acts Of men, and
the clamoring of the people for the
repeal of the same, merely the cry of
lawless mob. The actions of the
Boston tea party were also severely
criticised, inasmuch as their anger was
not being vented on the government
of England, but on an innocent trader
who had brought his goods for barter
to an American port, and by this
means destroying the fortunes of an
innocent man. We would like to ask
here if it is common in the affairs of
nation for the fortunes Of an individual
to be considered We will say by
way of answer that it is not often the
case, but on the contrary the destruc-
ton is indiscriminate. Of course this
tea party was only demonstration, an
act to declare the voice of the people;
and they hoped by this means to have
the obnoxious law repealed without
resorting to other means.
The speaker, among other things,
asserted that they (the people of the
colonies) had no more right to raise
the arm of rebellion against the acts of
the British Parliament than we of the
present day have to put down the iniq-
uitous laws that curse our land, and
are daily put in force around us. Up
on this point We beg leave to differ for
two reasons. First, the law-making
body that sought to govern the people
here was one composed of jewellers in
foreign land, of people that could
be expected to know but little of the
wants of a people that dwelt on con-
tinent situated thousands of miles from
the land of their own nativity. Sec
ond, that while the colonists had no
voice whatever in the making of laws,
no representation with the interest of
the people at heart to plead for their
welfare in the halls of legislation, we
of this republican age are virtually our
: own Lawmakers, the people from time
having the right, as we'll as oppOrtuni.
! ty, to elect and place in the stead Of
} such as have proved false to the trust
reposed in them, by the enacting Of
, laws contrary to the interests Of theil
constituency, men honest and capable
1 who will work for the public good, and
not solely for the advancement of theil
e own individual ends. And when the
people fail of their duty in the re-elect
D ing of those who have proved them
+ selves enemies to liberty, they them
5 selves are to blame, and therefor,
l should not murmur; and the minol
> party in such cases being compelled Il
submit to the msjority with or without
D a struggle, as the case may be. e..
The speaker above referred to die
{; not deny that the people had not suffi
e cient cause for war, but that the chic
l cause was the oppression under which
v the people groaned in church affairs
Now that this idea is erroneous is ap
parent from the fact that if the peopl'
0 were oppressed religiously (of which
there Is no doubt they were their owl
! oppressors. seemingly by the speaker
o own consent, for said he, "The peopl
! in fleeing from religious persecution
in their native land enacted laws 70
g far more rigorous and oppressive thai
r those for which they had forsakel
Is home and the land of their birth.
a Now as it is well-knowu that it Away
requires majority Of any law-makinl
body to make law that is valid,
:, can be seen at a glance that this coul
not have been the moving cause of tn
;. peoples rebellion, for of course had
been, as the oppressors were in tn
,f majority the cause of liberty wOul
"a have been nipped in the bud withou
D. the aid of British authority.
Ia The aforesaid speaker said that tn
\. various taxes that were imposed on tn
American people were to pay expense
incurred by the English government
in war for the protection of the peopl