Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-08-16
TWO CURIOUS RELICS.
Couple of the Orlginsl English stamp
Engraved for America.

Engraved for America.
There have lately come into the pos
session Of the National Museum two ar
ticies which are of great interest Il
every American and of particular value
TO every student Of American history
These are nothing more or less than TIVE
of the original stamps engraved in En-.
gland for use in the American colonies
In accordance with tho provisions OF ths
Stamp act of February, l765. This wac
the act which caused such an uproal
among the colonies and which was one
OF the main causes of all the trouble im.
mediately preceding and leading 10 the
revolution. IL 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 transactions, suits at law.
publications, transfers OF real estate,
inheritances and marriage licenses.
Thus tax was placed upon the col.
onies without their consent and the
money derived from this tax was to be
used for the support of standing army,
which in turn was expected to enforce
the payment of the tax. Apparently no
Engiishman dreamed OF any resistance
10 the act, and II Is said that Grenyille,
the minister under whom the act was
passed, afteFward made the statement
that he would have staked his life on
the obedience OF the colonies to the
measure. OF course, however, there
was decided resistance, as every
81
peal of the ast in March, 1906, under
the Rockingham ministry. The stamps
themselves were handsomely engraved
and ran in value from half penny up
TO several pounds. The two stamps now
in the museum are Of the value of q hall
penny and penny. They are uncan.
celed, and are two of eight which we're
preserved by the heirs of Hon. Welbore
Ellis, who was Commissioner of Inter
mai Revenue for Great Britain in the
year 1865. After his death they came
into the possession of his son Welbore
Ellis, Jr., who was q partner in the
famous banking house OF Walker, Malt
by, Everett Il Ellis. which failed In the
great financial panic OF 1897. These
two stamps remained in the Ellis family
up TO few years ago, when they were
given to Mr.. +. J. Walker, OF Newcastle
on-Tyne, by his grandfather. the senior
member OF the aforementioned bank
Ing firm, who was interested in antiqui-
ties and curiosities. A short time ago
the two stamps were given by Mr.. Z. J.
Walker to John A. Brill, OF Philadel-
phia. Very soon after the stamps came
into his possession MIR. Brill received
an offer of el0 from an English collector
for the two, but declined at once, where
upon the Englishman cabled him an
offer several times as large, which was
also declined. Mr.. Brill came TO the
conclusion that IL 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 promptly presented them to the
National museum here. where they will
be appreciated and properly preserved.
They will be installed in a handsome
frame, which will have pictures and
proper legends that will help to tell the
story of the causes that led to the Amer
lean revolution -BostOn Herald