"New England Times: The Rift: Loyalist or Patriot?" by Brady McConnell and Johan Horton

-- This Article is written by the royal governor of Connecticut, Terrance Gladstone, during the time when he was living in the loyalist area of New York before he left for Nova Scotia. His views are directed towards the loyalist side of this situation. Here is some background information before we post his argument: Terrance Gladstone was born in Norfolk, Connecticut, he attended Northern Charles University, and he became married to Elliot Granton, who bore him two children, one of which died while in the process of labor. He became a prominent figure in the colonial trade with Britain as a successful merchant and fought in the French and Indian War under a British commander. Afterwards he ran for the position, Royal Governor of Connecticut, and won. During his reign in office, he was constantly pushing the significance of the bond between Britain and the colonies and always enforced loyalty as the highest policy. When the split began, he frantically worked to hold back the rebellion in Connecticut, but the people were becoming angry and discontent as his British loyalty, so he fled to New York. The following letter he wrote was meant to be published by the papers in order to warn the colonists of the danger in their actions and ideals.






By: Terrance Gladstone
-- I feel that as a royal governor that I must bring forth my opinion of this ever-growing political split as a way to revive the sense of loyalty and sanity to the British Colonies. There seems to be a collection of colonists, most of which are located in Boston, who believe that the British government is unfairly taking advantage of its colonies. These rebellious men are ignoring the fact that they are not being suppressed, but asked, to help. Not only are they ignorant of this, but they are also unaware of how their actions affect the rest of us. Their boycotts and unreasonable actions are diminishing our economy by preventing trade. Not only that, but Parliament has to come down more forcefully, not just on these rebels, but everyone. Loyalty in Trade and loyalty in obedience are the only actions that Britain requires in return for its aid. These Patriots are taking away the only thing allowing us to survive: loyalty to Britain.
-- First off, these Patriots have attacked our loyalty of trade by committing such offensive actions as the Boston tea party. The tax on Tea was a necessity for the British Empire due to its noble actions during the French and Indian war. These “patriots” are just being ignorant of the fact that Britain is our main lifeline and we would not be in our current position of such success if it were not for the British Empire and the power and energies they have spent to maintain these collective Colonies. Such acts as these are attempts to revive what used to be contained in the holes that are currently residing in Britain’s national treasury due to the war that was recently fought on our behalf. Of all things, we should be grateful that we are not all dead, or worse, controlled by the French, whose king is not concerned with the needs of his Nation, but more with the needs and wants of himself and his nobles. The Tea Act, and others like it, are only duties we should be fulfilling since we are British citizens.
-- The next action that I am lamenting about is the outrageous happening of the riot in Boston that is currently dubbed the Boston Massacre, which shows the absolute disrespect for the protection of the British. I cannot say this enough, we should be grateful for what the British are providing us, especially their protection, since it has been shown recently in the war with France. We should not bite the hand that feeds us, or in this case, shields us. The rioting and actions that occurred on this day were deserving of discipline, and although I do not give my consent to the deaths of those people, I do believe that punishment was in order for such outrageous behavior to Britain’s own military force that is here to protect us, no less! Rioting and throwing objects at the military who risk their lives for us is not at all acceptable behavior in any circumstance. Any repercussions from those actions were brought on for that reason, not for the intent of a tyrannical massacre!
-- Another series of actions have come to my attention, and that is the
frequency of meetings, consisting of those who wish to oppose the government, which is a direct violation of our loyal obedience to Britain. These people, who so thoroughly oppose the government set in place by the British, are even further betraying our strong relationship with Britain. All we have to give Britain in return for its superior support is loyalty, and betraying this gift with meetings and conferences, with the sole purpose of opposing laws set in place by the government, is breaking apart our side of the bond with Britain.
-- The actions of the Patriots will not bring its members liberty, but death. All of this talk of freedom from the tyrants is the sure way to receive a quick separation from the nation that protects, trades, and supports us, which will lead to a complete annihilation of these colonies. The British have showed their willingness to sustain us and our needs time and again, through wars, trades, and influence. All that they require from us is to honor our side of the bargain, and provide our loyalty. When we deny them that part of the agreement, they will leave us to rot without any security, permanent trade partner, or increasing economy.








-- THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO THE LETTER BY THE ROYAL GOVERNER, TERRANCE GLADSTONE. IT WAS WRITTEN BY LAWRANCE CODWELL, A WELL KNOWN MERCHANT FROM MASSACHUSETTS. HE HAS BEEN A MERCHANT MOST OF HIS LIFE AND HAS ALWAYS RESIDED IN MASSACHUSETTS ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER CHRISTOPHER AND HIS TWO SISTERS SUSANE AND MARGRET; LAWRANCE IS ALSO THE HUSBAND OF ELIZABETH CODWELL AND THEY HAVE FIVE CHILDREN TOGETHER. LAWRANCE SHARES AN OPENLY PATRIOTIC VIEW AND WAS VERY UPSET WHEN HE READ GLADSTONE’S LETTER IN THE NEW YORK PAPER. IN THIS LETTER, HE ADDRESSES AND CONTRADICTS GOVERNOR GLADSTONE’S ARGUMENTS AS WRITTEN IN HIS LETTER FROM NEW YORK.



By Lawrance Codwell
-- NOBODY HAS BEEN MORE OF A WITNESS TO THE OFFENSES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE ON THE COLONIES THEN THE MERCHANTS OF NEW ENGLAND. EVERY DAY WE SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE EXTREME AND UNNECESARY TAXATIONS ON THE PEOPLES OF THESE COLONIES OF AMERICA. THEY HAVE BEEN TAXED TO THE LIMITS OF WHAT THEY CAN HANDLE AND AFFORD AND HAVE HAD THEIR RIGHTS VIOLATED, AND YET THE BRITISH AND THE LOYALISTS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO FIGHT BACK FOR OUR OWN RIGHTS; THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES AGAINST THE MIGHTY BRITISH SEEMS UBSURD TO THEM. YET WHEN WE TRY TO REASON WITH PARLIAMENT THEY IGNORE OUR WORDS, AND WHEN VIOLENCE IS IN OUR STREETS AND THE THREAT OF WAR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORS, THEY INACT MORE ACTS THAT FURTHER DEFILE OUR RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES AS CITIZENS OF GREAT BRITIAN. THESE ACTS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLAMENTED ON THESE COLONIES BY THE BRITISH EMPIRE, SUCH AS THE STAMP ACT AND THE COERCIVE ACTS, OR OTHERWISE NAMED THE INTOLERABLE ACTS, DEMINISH OUR RIGHTS AS BRITISH CITIZENS AND HAVE DRIVEN US TO REBEL AGAINST OUR HOME COUNTRY OF GREAT BRITAIN.
-- THE BOSTON TEA PARTY WAS SEEN BY THE LOYALISTS AS, AS TERRANCE GLADSTONE PUTS IT, AN “OFFENSIVE ACT”, ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A DIPLAY OF BRAVERY, NOT OF “IGNORANCE”. THE BOSTON TEA PARTY WAS A NECESSARY ACT, A GATHERING OF COURAGEOUS MEN STANDING UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE COLONIES; THE RIGHTS THAT BRITAIN HAS TRAMPLED UPON IN THEIR SELFISH PURSUIT OF TAXATION. THE TEA ACT THAT THESE MEN REBELLED AGAINST WAS NOT ESSENTIAL TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THE CITIZENS OF GREAT BRITAIN ARE NOT SUBJECT TO SUCH A TAX ON TEA. ARE THEY TO SAY THAT WE ARE NOT TO BE CONSIDERED BRITISH CITIZENS; ARE WE OF LESS VALUE TO THE KING IN OUR DISTANT COLONIES THEN THE PEOPLE RESIDING IN GREAT BRITAIN. WE, AS CITIZENS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, DESERVE AND HAVE THE RIGHT TO EQUAL LIBERTIES AS THOSE IN GREAT BRITAIN. IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE BRAVE MEN RESPONISIBLE FOR THE BOSTEN TEA PARTY, THERE WOULD MOST LIKLEY BE MANY MORE TAXES AND ACTS PASSED THAT WOULD FURTHER EXPLOIT THE COLONISTS.
-- IF SUCH AN EVENT AS THE BOSTON MASSACRE WERE TO HAPPEN IN GREAT BRITAIN, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN AUTROCITY, BUT IN THE COLONIES IT HAS BEEN DOWNPLAYED CONSIDARABLY BY LOYALIST OFFICAILS SUCH AS TERRANCE GLADSTONE. HE SPEAKS AS IF THE MEN WHOSE LIVES WERE TAKEN DESERVED TO DIE IN COLD BLOODED MURDER; BUT I ASSURE YOU, THE MURDERS OF THESE FIVE INNOCENT MEN IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, ESPECIALY WHEN THE SOLDEIRS ARE “ HERE TO PROTECT US” AND ORDERS WERE GIVEN TO THE SOLDIERS NOT TO FIRE ON THE CROUD. THE THROWING OF SNOWBALLS DID NOT GIVE SOLDIERS THE RIGHT TO SHOOT INTO A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND TAKE AWAY OTHERS LIVES. THE FACT THAT SOLDEIRS ARE EVEN PRESENT IN THE COLONIES IS A VIOLATION OF OUR RIGHTS AS BRITISH CITIZENS. WE DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK THROUGH THE STREETS WITHOUT THE THREAT OF SOLDIERS SHOOTING US.
-- ANOTHER “PROBLEM” THAT GOVERNER GLADSTONE ADDRESSES IN HIS LETTER IS THE PATRIOT MEETINGS BEING HELD BY THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS WHICH GREAT BRITAIN HAS CRUSHED. HE SAYS THAT THE PEOPLE HOLDING AND ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS ARE “BETRAYING OUR STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH BRITAIN”; THAT ALL BRITAIN WANTS FROM US IS “LOYALTY”. WELL I SAY THAT’S COMPLETE RUBBISH! BRITAIN IS ONLY WORRIED ABOUT MONEY AND POWER, NOT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COLONIES. IF PARLIAMENT REALLY CARED ABOUT THE “STRONG RELATIONSHIP” BETWEEN THE TWO THEN OUR RIGHTS WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN VIOLATED AND WE WOULD HAVE NO NEED TO HOLD SUCH MEETINGS. THESE MEETINGS DID NOT TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE RIGHTS OF THE COLONISTS WERE TAKEN AWAY BY THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND THE NUMEROUS ACTS EMPOSED BY THEM. THEY ARE A RESULT OF BRITAIN’S PURSUIT OF POWER AND MONEY, AND ARE AIMED TOWARD ABOLISHING THE ACTS PLACED ON THE COLONIES AND RESTORING A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
-- GOVERNER GLADSTONE’S VEIWS OF THE RECENT INCEDENTS BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE COLONIES GREATLY SHOWS HIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION. HE IS BLINDLY FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A NATION INTENT ON CAPATALIZING THEMSELVES AS MUCH AS POSIBLE, NOMATTER WHAT RELATIONSHIPS THEY BREAK OR HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY ANGER. MANY MEN HAVE TRIED TO REASON WITH PARLIAMENT. MANY DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TOWARDS CHANGING AND ABOLISHING UNFAIR ACTS AND TAXES, WHICH WERE THE CAUSES OF UPRISINGS SUCH AS THE BOSTON TEA PARTY AND THE PROTEST IN BOSTON THAT SPARKED THE BOSTON MASSACRE. NONE OF THESE THINGS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THEIR DIM-WITTED DECISIONS AFTER THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. IF GREAT BRITAIN DID NOT BLATENTLY DISREGARD THE RIGHTS OF AMERICAN COLONISTS, THEN THERE WOULD NOT BE A NEED FOR CHANGE OR REBELLION AS THERE IS NOW.
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Loyalist Sources:
For Introduction and Character Background:
The American Promise, pg. 227, map
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0028-4866%28193806%2911%3A2%3C308%3ATROLIC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P&size=LARGE&origin=JSTOR-enlargePage
For Main Article:
The American Promise, pg. 212, 2nd paragraph.

Patriot Sources:
Virginia Resolves on the Stamp Act ( 30 May 1765)
Petition of the Virginia House of Burgesses to the House of Commons: December 18, 1764
Circular Letter of the Boston Committee of Correspondence; May 13, 1774
The American Promise: Chapter 6



(The poat-class posts (its a pun!) are on Johan's blog and the sources are located on the respective wiki's)