Taxation, Government Pensions, Morality…. Liberty!

The Modern Day Comparison

Historical reference: The encroachments by the constitutionally established government in England continued to foster indignation among the general Citizenry.  The Colonial Patriots well knew the risk, hardships and blood spilt by their forefathers to secure the original Charters that allowed for self-governance and not allow the changes occurring in the late 1760’s and early 1770’s; that being the central government appointing governors, judges and taxing the colonies in a manner that was not accordance to even the English Constitution.  In comparison internationally, the Founders were also aware that the Parliament was exercising the same regulatory and taxing policies that were imposed on India via the East India Trading Company, which enslaved the people of India, destroyed their commerce and made many in Parliament wealthy.  This was the design for the Colonies, subjugation and pillaging of resources, labor and property while destroying religious liberty and instituting debauchery that then removes overall Liberty.  Remember, Lord North, who administered the government for England, “would never acquiesce in the absurd opinion “that all men are equal.””[1]  What was the moral perspective of that government in England in 1772 and how has the morality of the elected representatives in the present US degenerated to masters over economics for the modern “East India Trading” companies instead of preserving Liberty that fosters innovation, commerce and economy?

In reviewing the 20^th and now the early 21^st Centuries, it can be seen that the Citizenry lost their perspective as to who is the governing authority.  By the trickery and manipulation of education and media communication, the federal entities have, as did Parliament in my day, usurped the governing authority of We The People.  Instead of every individual participating in self-governance, the “princes” – the career politicians, instituted a centralized government by telling the people what they would do for them instead of the Citizenry telling the elect what to accomplish for the purposes of the States and then the nation in maintaining Principled Constitutional governance.  By this inverse of governance, the Citizenry have allowed elected Tyrants, as de Tocqueville said would happen, to revise the Constitution by amendment, bureaucratic regulation and now through the court decision – unlimited taxation.  Where is the moral character of the politician that would impose slavery on the Citizenry for the sake of the imagined “General Welfare”?  How is this reconciled today even as these ploys were questioned in 1772? Is not the modern Congress and Administrations the plunderers of the Citizenry?

What of modern mega-corporations, the Merchants of the present? As the small and medium businesses in the U.S. suffer the increase of regulations that are in all measures another form of taxation, the large internationalist corporations and global banking conglomerates have explicit relationships with the government to the detriment of private property and therefore Liberty.  The largeness of federal departments, not originated in the Constitution, are constitutors of rules that then increase the indebtedness of posterity by chaining this generation’s ability to be productive to controls over every aspect of life and livelihood.  Not only that, the organizing (unionization) of public employees is forcing local governments and therefore the people of the communities, into bankruptcy from the pensions that have in these modern centuries “multiplying like the Locusts in Egypt” devouring every green dollar of the Citizenry.  How long will We The People tolerate the Bondage of over-bloated government that is not preserving Liberty but continues to burden Citizens, especially the next generation, into slaves of debt?

Are not the Citizenry of these modern centuries calling, writing, and communicating with elected representatives and the administrations for deliverance of over-burdensome government?  Instead of a deaf Royal Ear or Heart, there is now the deaf and cold politicians who are easily corrupted by lobbyists and globalist concerns!  What must this modern population of 300 million now do to have their Remonstrance’s and Supplications heard and the elected adhere to First Principles of a limited Federal Constitution?

Where the very essence of the American Citizenry has Patriotism genetically imbued, the actuality of what Patriotism is happens to be manipulated by those who hold to a philosophy completely contrary to that of foundational truths.  Instead, the elite educators, industrialists, globalists and politicians have cajoled “We the People” into thinking that nationalism and patriotism is not loyalty and that we must become subservient to the greater needs of the global citizenry.  Yet our Loyalty is to our Rights given by our Creator through our Forefathers, bought with their very being and blood, that secured for us the Liberty in a uniting of the States in a Republican form of self-governance through the rule of law, and which is expressly founded on Judea-Christian principles.  We the People, now as in 1772, feel the indignity of excessive Revenues established by those who have “limited” authority to establish them but yet, “extorted from the People in a Manner most Odious, insulting and oppressive.”  And now with Nationalized healthcare, “Is Life, Property and every Thing dear and sacred, to be now submitted to the Decisions of PENSION’D JUDGES?”  Yes, under this Republic, it is We the People that are suppose to be the final arbiters of governance by out suffrage (vote).  Yet As then, even NOW, “To what a State of Infamy, Wretchedness and Misery shall we be reduced if our Judges shall be prevail upon to be thus degraded to Hirelings, and the Body of the People shall suffer their free Constitution to be overturned and ruined.”

WE the PEOPLE, must return to the coalescence that the “First Great Awakening” brought across the various congregations and denominations is such a way that all understood that Our Rights are God given, not man or government given.  To that the plea must be to the Eternal Sovereign, Oh Merciful God, inspire We the People with Wisdom and Fortitude, directing us to Your gracious Ends.  It was reality that the majority of the people had a clear understanding of morality and justice based on Biblical Principles that included the complete context of the Whole Bible, Old and New testaments, Not the humanist/Marxist concept of social justice that is predominant in modern religion.  It is the reality that God is Sovereign and that He takes an Active role in culture, world events, economy and politics that can only return the modern age to the Fundamental Principles of the Nations Founding.

As with the foundation, internationalists were raping the economy, the colonies experienced loss of trade, loss of industry and total economic distress. The 20^th century moved from industrialization to the “modern mercantilism” with globalization rendering American core businesses impoverished as seen in 1772. Yet, the True leaders of that day understood that it was not the economy but Liberty that would revive the nation in every manner.  It was also clear that “wherever Tyranny is established, Immorality of every Kind comes in like a Torrent. It is in the Interest of Tyrants to reduce the People to Ignorance and Vice.”  This is being exemplified in every area that has decimated the American Culture: abortion, homosexuality, drugs and cultural degradation from other immoralities.

At this place in the comparison, as in 1772, the original words of Samuel Adams can only hold true and call all the Citizenry to Action!  The truths of the last paragraph in the article stand in completeness now as they did when published in October 5^th 1772.

Remember the full affect of these words and Calls To Action:

“We are at this moment upon a precipice.  The next step may be fatal to us. Let us then act like wise Men; calmly look around us and consider what is best to be done. Let us converse together upon this most interesting Subject and open our minds freely to each other. Let it be the topic of conversation in every social Club. Let every Town assemble. Let Associations & Combinations be everywhere set up to consult and recover our just Rights.”

“Candidus”

The Original Letter

    (Emphasis added for moderns to show attention to Mr. Adams words & intents.)

ARTICLE SIGNED “VALERIUS POPLICOLA.”¹

[Boston Gazette, October 5, 1772.]

Messieurs EDES & GILL,

“Is there a Prince on Earth, who has power to lay a single Penny upon his subjects, without the Grant and Consent of those who are to pay it, otherwise than by Tyranny and Violence? No Prince can levy it unless through Tyranny and under Penalty of Excommunication. But there are those who are Bruitish enough not to know what they can do or omit in this Affair.

Such is the language of a great and good Historian and Statesman, a Subject of France. Had the English Politicians and Ministers been either half as honest or half as wise as he, they would never have driven the American Revenue without the Grant or Consent of those who pay it, to such a length, as to cause an Alienation of affection which perhaps may not easily if ever be recovered. By this kind of politics, says the worthy Frenchman, Charles the seventh brought a heavy Sin upon his own Soul and upon that of his Successors, and gave his Kingdom a Wound which would continue long to bleed. The British Ministers, possibly, may entertain different Ideas of Morals from those of the French Historian, if indeed they have any such kind of ideas at all. However, the Nation, I fear, will have Occasion to rue the day, when they suffer’d their Politics so far to prevail, as to gain such an Influence in their Parliament as they certainly did in the last, to say nothing of the present. The Impositions upon the French, says Mr. Gordon,² grew monstrous almost as soon as they grew arbitrary. Charles the seventh, who began them, never rais’d annually more than one hundred and eighty thousand Pounds. His Son Lewis the eleventh almost trebled the Revenue; and since then, all that the Kingdom and People had, even to their Skins, has hardly been thought sufficient for their Kings.” An awakening Caution to Americans! Lest by tamely submitting to be plundered, they encourage their Plunderers to grasp at all they have.

The Merchants of this Continent have passively submitted to the Indignity of a Tribute; and the Landholders, tho’ Sharers in the Indignity, have been perhaps too unconcern’d Spectators of the humiliating Scene. Posterity, who will no doubt revenge their Fathers Wrongs, may also be ashamed, when in the Page of History they are informed of their tame Subjection. Had the Body of this People shown a proper Resentment, at the time when the proud Taskmasters first made their appearance, we should never have seen Pensioners multiplying like the Locusts in Egypt, which devoured every green Thing. I speak with Assurance; because it seldom has happened if ever, that even a small People has been kept long in Bondage, when they have unitedly and perseveringly resolv’d to be Free.

At that critical Period, we hearkened to what we then took to be, the Dictates of sound policy and Prudence. We were led to place a Confidence in those, whose Protection we had a right to claim, and we hoped for Deliverance in dry Remonstrances and humble Supplication. We have petition’d, repeatedly petition’d, and our Petitions have been heard, barely heard! The Grievances of this Continent have no doubt “reached the Royal Ear”; I wish I could see reason to say they had touch’d the Royal Heart. No – They yet remain altogether unredress’d. Such has been the baneful Influence of corrupt and infamous Ministers and Servants of the Crown; that the Complaints of three Millions of loyal Subjects have not yet penetrated the Royal Breast, to move it even to pity.

Have not our humble Petitions, breathing a true Spirit of rational Loyalty, and expressive of a just Sense of those Liberties the Restoration of which we implored, been followed with Grievance upon Grievance, as fast as the cruel Heart and Hand of a most execrable Paricide could invent and fabricate them? I will not at present enumerate Grievances; they are known, sufficiently known, felt and understood. Is it not enough, to have a Governor, an avowed Advocate for ministerial Measures, and a most assiduous Instrument in carrying them on – moddel’d, shaped, controul’d, and directed-totally independant of the people over whom he is commissioned to govern, and yet absolutely dependent upon the Crown – pensioned by those on whom his existence depends, and paid out of a Revenue establish’d by those who have no Authority to establish it, and extorted from the People in a Manner most Odious, insulting and oppressive. Is not this, Indignity enough to be felt by those who have any feeling? Are we still threatned with more? Is Life, Property and every Thing dear and sacred, to be now submitted to the Decisions of PENSION’D JUDGES, holding their places during the pleasure of such a Governor, and a Council perhaps overawed! To what a State of Infamy, Wretchedness and Misery shall we be reduc’d if our Judges shall be prevail’d upon to be thus degraded to Hirelings, and the Body of the People shall suffer their free Constitution to be overturn’d and ruin’d.

Merciful GOD! Inspire Thy People with Wisdom and Fortitude, and direct them to gracious Ends. In this extreme Distress, when the Plan of Slavery seems nearly compleated, O save our Country from impending Ruin – Let not the iron Hand of Tyranny ravish our Laws and seize the Badge of Freedom, nor avow’d Corruption and the murderous Rage of lawless Power be ever seen on the sacred Seat of Justice!

Is it not High Time for the People of this Country explicitly to declare, whether they will be Freemen or Slaves? It is an important Question which ought to be decided. It concerns us more than any Thing in this Life. The Salvation of our Souls is interested in the Event: For wherever Tyranny is establish’d, Immorality of every Kind comes in like a Torrent. It is in the Interest of Tyrants to reduce the People to Ignorance and Vice.

For they cannot live in any Country where Virtue and Knowledge prevail. The Religion and public Liberty of a People are intimately connected; their Interests are interwoven, they cannot subsist separately; and therefore they rise and fall together. For this Reason, it is always observable, that those who are combin’d to destroy the People’s Liberties, practice every Art to poison their Morals. How greatly then does it concern us, at all Events, to put a Stop to the Progress of Tyranny. It is advanced already by far too many Strides. We are at this moment upon a precipice.  The next step may be fatal to us. Let us then act like wise Men; calmly look around us and consider what is best to be done. Let us converse together upon this most interesting Subject and open our minds freely to each other. Let it be the topic of conversation in every social Club. Let every Town assemble. Let Associations & Combinations be everywhere set up to consult and recover our just Rights.

” The Country claims our active Aid.

That let us roam; & where we find a Spark

Of public Virtue, blow it into Flame.”

VALERIUS POPLIC0LA.

1. Attributed to Adams by W. V. Wells.

2. Rev. William Gordon, of Roxbury, author of The History of the Rise, Progress, and Establishment, of the Independence of the United States of America.