In last night's reading, our Brinkley's textbook mentioned Lord North's answer to the Continental Congress' issues, the 'Conciliatory Propositions' pg. (110-111). These propositions were supposed to resolve the conflicts between Britain and the colonists. However, this offer never reached America. During its voyage to the colonies, the "shot heard 'round' the world" was fired, signaling the birth of war. Being denied by the beginnings of war, the Conciliatory Propositions were never enable to act. However, what if these new resolutions beat the start of the war and were introduced to the colonists? I believe that the propositions would have been an accepted and an effective resolution at first, but would not be the ultimate solution to the apprehension between the colonies and Britain.
The Conciliatory Proposition's main goal was to soothe the tension between the colonies and Britain. To do this, Parliament would allow the colonies tax themselves, but only at Parliament's orders. Continental Congress would most definitely settle with this law. It would prevent further gratuitous taxes; one of the colonists's most pressing issues. Even though extraneous taxes that were just profit schemes for Britain would be eradicated, the colonies would still be under British power. If the colonists accepted this proposal, Lord North hoped it would, "Separate the American moderates, whom he believed represented the views of the majority from the extremist minority," Brinkley pg. (111). Lord North felt that if it was quintessential to get the majority of the colonial population to accept the proposition. If they did, then the colonies would be content with British rule, and would out weigh the rebellious minority. Since the Conciliatory Propositions would have been appealing to the majority, then most likely British authority would remain in control.
Though it would have been a great resolution, the Conciliatory Propositions would have only been a quick but momentary answer. Eventually, as discussed in Ed's post, the colonists would feel denied of freedom and revolt would be inevitable. The propositions would have only fixed a small space of time, and only delay the anticipated revolution, rather than stop it. Do you think that Britain could have made any set of laws, at the colonists' consent, that would eliminate total rebellion? What could the British have done to find mutual ground with the colonies? Also, do you agree that the Conciliatory Propositions would have only been a momentary solution?
How would you fit Franklin's letter on the Conciliatory Propositions into your argument? Does it confirm what you're saying, or go against it?
ReplyDeleteThe entire letter go against what I am saying. In the beginning of the letter Franklin refers to a previous attempt at uniting the colonies, and then the Congress finds it foolish and rejects it. He says, "[The British] are coupling and binding together the dead and the living." He means that the British are trying to resolve something that cannot be put together. Once something is dead, it cannot come back to life. Then, when Franklin talks about the Conciliatory Propositions, he himself finds it absurd. He refers to Parliament's idea to allow the colonies to tax themselves, but under British authority with, "I cannot conceive that any Colony will undertake to grant a Revenue, to a Government that holds a Sword over their Heads." It is foolish for a colony to make their own taxes, when the British have power and can just as easily deny it. Franklin thinks that it is inconceivable for the colonies to accept a British resolution.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the point that Benjamin Franklin makes when he said "[where is] the Right to judge of our own Ability to give?" He is encapsulating the entire problem with the Conciliatory Propositions. They would not have changed the fundamental principle of taxation without representation. Parliament would have mandated the colonies to pay a certain amount of taxes, ergo nulling the entire concept that the colonists can represent themselves in their taxes. I believe that the colonists would have seen right through Lord North's scheme. This might have made them even more infuriated, considering that the Conciliatory Propositions could be taken as a mockery. In essence, the colonies could have voted for the laws about taxes, but the vote on how much and how often they would be taxed would be fixed and unchanging.
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