As Thomas Jefferson sings at one point in the musical Hamilton, “Can we get back to politics?”
When we last looked at the British taxation and American boycott story of 1770, colonial Annapolitans were reading preliminary reports that Parliament had repealed all of the hated Townshend Duties except for one, the tax on tea, in early May issues of the Maryland Gazette. In the weeks since then, newspaper articles provided more details about the parliamentary debate and the final vote taken on the partial repeal.
But how would Americans react to this mostly good news? Would they end their boycotts and get back to business as usual, or would they keep their nonimportation associations in effect until the tea tax was also consigned to oblivion?
Articles in the May 31, 1770 issue of the Maryland Gazette indicated that many colonists were holding firm to their patriotic political principles despite the temptation to resume regular economic activity. A report from Boston assured readers that, despite letters to the contrary from New York and Philadelphia, its local merchants were NOT “determined to break through their Agreement and import Fall Goods, notwithstanding the continuance of the Tea Duty.” Goods imported in violation of the boycott were sitting in the hold of Capt. Scott’s Lydia, awaiting shipment back to England. The Boston correspondent was confident “that our Trade with Great-Britain will not be open ’til the whole of the late Revenue-Acts are repealed.”
Closer to home, nonimportation inspectors in Prince George’s County met on May 26 and “determined to adhere firmly to the Association, … notwithstanding the Repeal of the Duty on Paper, Glass, and Painters Colours, as the Principle and Duty on Tea still remain’d in Force.” The committeemen called for a meeting of county residents to reaffirm their hardline stance on “the above Subject, which is of so great Importance to the Rights and Liberties of this Province, and of all America.”
In Annapolis itself, political and economic temptation appeared in the form of a ship “just arrived from Rhode-Island,” a colony whose inhabitants were reported to “have broke through the Association entered into by the Provinces in general.” Lest any local merchants or consumers be seduced into purchasing illicit cargo, the newspaper’s publishers ran this notice “in order that the Public may be Cautious.”
Forewarned is forearmed when it comes to facing down temptation.
Glenn E. Campbell
HA Senior Historian
