Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23
STAMPS WITH A HISTORY.
Reminders of the Stormy Days Pre-
ceding the Revolution.

There have lately come into the posses
sion of the National Museum two articles
which are of great interest to every Amer
ican, and of particular value to every stu
dent of American history. These arc
nothing more nor less than two of the
original stamps engraved in England fol
use in the American colonies in accord.
ance with the provisions of the stamp act
of February, 1865. This was the act
which caused such an uproar among tho
colonies, and which was one of the main
causes of all the trouble Immediately pre-
ceding and leading up to the Revolution.
1t was intended that the revenue to be
raised by the Stamp Act should come
from the sale of stamped paper and
stamps which were required to be placed
upon all paper used in commercial trans.
actions, suits at law, publications, trans
fers of real estate, inheritances, and mar
riage licenses.
Thus tax was placed upon the colon.
les without their consent, and the money
derived from this tax was to be used fol-
the support of standing army, which in
turn was expected to enforce the payment
of the tax. Apparently no Englishman
dreamed of any resistance to the act, and
it is said that Grenville, the minister un-
der whom the act was passed, afterwards
made the statement that he would have
staked his life on the obedience of the
colonies to the measure. Of course, how
ever, there was a decided resistance, as
every American knows, which led to the
repeal of the act in March, 1865, under
the Rockingham ministry. The stamps
themselves were handsomely engraved,
and ran in value from a half-penny up to
several pounds. The two stamps now in
the museum are of the value of half
penny and penny. They are uncancel-
led and are two of eight which were pre-
served by the heirs of the Hon. Welbore
Ellis, who was Commissioner of Internal
Revenue for Great Britain in the year
1865. After his death they came into the
possession of his son, Welbore Ellis, jr.,
who was partner in the famous banking
house of Walker, Maltby, Everett & Ellis,
which failed in the great financial panic
OF 1897. These two stamps remained in
the Ellis family up to a few years ago,
when they were given to Mr.. E. j. Walker
of Newcastle-on-Tyne, by his grandfa-
ther, the senior member Of the above
mentioned banking firm, who was inter
ested in antiques and curiosities. A short
time ago the two stamps were given by
Mr.. E. j. Walker to Mr.. John A. Brill, Of
Philadelphia. Very soon after the stamps
came into his possession, Mr., Brill re-
ceived an offer of e10 from an English
collector for the two, but declined it at
once, whereupon the Englishman cabled
him an offer several times as large, which
was also declined Mr.. Brill came to the
conclusion that if the stamps were of that
much value to an Englishman, they would
be of much more interest to an American
museum of historical relics, and he
pomptly presented them to the National
Museum here, where they will be apprec-
lated and properly preserved. They will
be installed in handsome frame, which
will have pictures and proper legends
that will help to tell the story Of the
causes that led to the American Revolu-
tion.- Washington Star.