Is it time to reopen the economy? Has the threat diminished enough to make that a viable option? Do we have enough reliable information on which to base a sound decision? What might be the repercussions if we make the wrong call; could all the good that has been achieved through months of self-discipline be negated? We’re asking these tough questions today, but so were people in Annapolis 250 years ago.
Some aspects of the economy had been shut down since mid-1769 due to widespread colonial boycotts of taxed imported goods. But now in May 1770, it looked like Parliament might have repealed the hated Townshend Duties, or at least most of them. Could the boycott be ended entirely or perhaps just loosened up a bit, or must it be enforced rigorously until every last British tax was dropped?
As I’ve mentioned before, it took time for news to move throughout the 18th-century world. The readers of the Maryland Gazette had to consider not only the geographic origin, reporting source, and actual content of each item in the paper, but also its age. What was the useful shelf life of hopeful rumors or dire predictions? Was a weeks- or months-old report confirmed or contradicted by more recent accounts? If a story seemed to be trending in one direction, could a reasonable connect-the-dots sort of person deduce what might have already happened in England with some degree of accuracy, or must one wait for official word that things had indeed transpired as anticipated? And even when the news appeared trustworthy, people could still interpret and respond to it differently based on their personal circumstances, economic positions, political leanings, or any of a number of other factors.
The May 3, 1770 issue of the Maryland Gazette included a number of February reports from London concerning the effects of the American boycotts in the mother country and the possibility that Parliament might revoke the Townshend Duties.
The author of one piece dated February 7 wrote that, despite assertions by one colonial governor, “that the Resolution of the Americans not to import British Manufactures ’til the Repeal of the Act for imposing Duties on Tea, Paint, Paper, and Glass, is a mere Rope of Sand that will break of itself,” there was ample evidence that the colonists weren’t budging: “considerable Quantities of Goods, which were sent out last Autumn to New-York and Philadelphia, are actually returned, and now in the River.” The writer thought “there cannot be a stronger Proof at once of the Perseverance of the Americans in the Resolutions they have entered into, and of the implacable Enmity of the above titled Incendiary, in endeavoring to keep up that Misunderstanding which he had so great a Hand in creating.” So the American strategy was working…or, at least, it was working three months ago.
Another London piece dated February 16 was optimistic that “a certain august Assembly” would bring about a “final Conclusion of the American affairs” in a manner “we sincerely hope will terminate in favour of all Parties concerned.” As soon as Parliament repealed the taxes and the colonists dropped their boycotts, more than “Three Hundred Thousand Pounds worth of Goods [which] are now ready to ship for North America” could be on their way across the Atlantic. Surely everything would be sorted out soon and Americans could start buying things again!
A February 20th letter from a London gentleman to his friend in Maryland presented a more pessimistic view. In Parliament, Lord North had delayed consideration of a repeal petition from American merchants until at least March 5th, and several MPs had let on in private that “they do not intend to give up the Duty on Tea.” North wanted King George III to provide the House of Commons with “the several Associations with the Names of the Subscribers, that had been entered into in America against the Importation of British Goods.” This could only mean that some sort of “diabolical scheme” to exact retribution was planned. There were no “Friends to America” among the king’s ministers, so if the colonists “expect Relief, you must find it in your own Virtue, Firmness, Unanimity, Frugality, and Attention to Manufactures.” The bottom line: don’t look for quick action or a full repeal of the Townshend Duties, and expect the empire to strike back (sorry…couldn’t resist… and a belated May the 4th be with you!).
All in all, a pretty mixed bag of news and opinions out of London. But each of the pieces was more than two months old, and a lot might (or might not) have happened since February.
Fortunately, there was also some breaking news to report. It wasn’t 100% certain yet, but the Gazette’s publisher, Anne Catharine Green, was “credibly informed, that a few Days ago a Ship arrived in Patowmack, and brings certain Advices that a total Repeal of the American Revenue-Act had passed the House of Commons on the 7th of March, after having been very warmly debated in the House for Two Days.” Maybe Lord North hadn’t been able to delay or limit the repeal vote on the Townshend Duties as much as he would have liked.
Was it time to celebrate a complete American victory over a vanquished British policy? Could the boycott be ended and the economy opened up again? Some might be tempted to do so on the basis of this one promising report, while others wanted official confirmation and more details before they declared a win and got back to business as usual. Perhaps the coming weeks would provide more clarity.
You can read this issue of the Maryland Gazette starting here: https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc4800/sc4872/001281/html/m1281-1014.html
Glenn E. Campbell
Senior Historian
#history #annapolis #annapolishistory #news #annapolisnews #1770news #colonialnews #colonialhistory #marylandgazette
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