, 1890-01-15
STAMPS WITH A HISTORY.
They Help to Tell the Story That Led to
the American Revolution.

the American Revolution
There have lately come into the pos
session of the National museum two
articles which are of great interest to
every American, and of particular
value to every student of American
history. These are nothing more nor
less than two of the original stamps
engraved in England for use in the
American colonies in accordance with
the provisions of the stamp act of
February, 1865. This was the act which
caused such an uproar among the col
onies, and was one of the main causes
of all the trouble Immediately preced-
ing 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 papers used in com
mercial transactions, suits at law, pub
locations, transfers of real estate, in
heritances and marriage licenses.
Thus a tax was placed upon the colo
MES without their consent, and the
money derived from this tax was 10 be
used for the support of a standing
army, which in turn wa expected to
enforce the payment of the tax. APP
parently no Englishman dreamed of
any resistance to the act, and it is said
that Granville, the minister under
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,
however, there was a decided resist
ance, as every American knows, which
led to the repeal of the act in March,
1866, under the Rockingham minis
try.
The stamps themselves were hand
somely 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 a half
penny and a penny. They are uncan-
celled and are two of eight which were
preserved by the heirs of Hon. We'll
bore Ellis, who was commissioner of
internal revenue for Great Britain in
the year 1765. After his death they
came into the possession of his son,
Welbore Ellis, jr., who was a partner
in the famous banking house of Walk
err, Maltby, Everett & Ellis, which
failed in the great financial panic of
1927.
These two stamps remained in the
Ellis family up to a few years ago,
when they We're given to Mr.. E. j.
Walker, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, by his
grandfather, the senior member of the
above mentioned banking firm, who
was interested in antiques and curl
osities. A short time ago the two
stamps were given by Mr.. E. j. Walk
er to Mr.. John A. Brill of Philadel-
phia. Very soon after the stamps came
into his possession, Mr.. Brill received
an offer of f10 from an English col
lector for the two, but declined it at
once, whereupon the Englishman
cabled him an offer several times rs
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 value to an American mu-
scum of historical relics, and he
promptly presented them to the Ma
tional 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
American Revolution. -Washington
Star.