The British Response to the Declaration of Independence
posted by Gerard Magliocca
I’ve always thought that a great book is waiting to be written about the British perspective on the American Revolution. For example, have you ever seen the official response to the Declaration by King George III? I hadn’t until recently. Here it is.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————–
His Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech to Both Houses of Parliament on Thursday, October 31, 1776
My Lords, and Gentlemen,
Nothing could have afforded Me so much Satisfaction as to have been able to inform you, at the Opening of this Session, that the Troubles, which have so long distracted My Colonies in North America, were at an End; and that My unhappy People, recovered from their Delusion, had delivered themselves from the Oppression of their Leaders, and returned to their Duty. But so daring and desperate is the Spirit of those Leaders, whose Object has always been Dominion and Power, that they have now openly renounced all Allegiance to the Crown, and all political Connection with this Country. They have rejected, with Circumstances of Indignity and Insult, the Means of Conciliation held out to them under the Authority of Our Commission: and have presumed to set up their rebellious Confederacies for Independent States. If their Treason be suffered to take Root, much Mischief must grow from it, to the Safety of My loyal Colonies, to the Commerce of My Kingdoms, and indeed to the present System of all Europe. One great Advantage, however, will be derived from the Object of the Rebels being openly avowed, and clearly understood. We shall have Unanimity at Home, founded in the general Conviction of the Justice and Necessity of Our Measures.
. . .
My Lords, and Gentlemen, in this arduous Contest I can have no other Object but to promote the true Interests of all My Subjects. No people ever enjoyed more Happiness, or lived under a milder Government, than those now revolted Provinces: the Improvements in every Art, of which they boast, declare it: their Numbers, their Wealth, their Strength by Sea and Land, which they think sufficient to enable them to make Head against the whole Power of the Mother Country, are irrefragable Proofs of it. My Desire is to restore to them the Blessings of Law and Liberty, equally enjoyed by every British Subject, which they have fatally and desperately exchanged for all the Calamities of War, and the arbitrary Tyranny of their Chiefs.
October 19, 2012 at 8:59 am
Posted in: History of Law
Print This Post
Responses (4)
Kent - October 19, 2012 at 9:29 am
That last paragraph is excellent. Someone needs to get that speech writer on the phone…
Bruce Boyden - October 19, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Alas, it’s been done — although I don’t know whether any of these are “great” books: Stanley Weintraub, Iron Tears: America’s Battle for Freedom, Britain’s Quagmire: 1775-1783 (2005); Christopher Hibbert, Redcoats and Rebels: The American Revolution Through British Eyes (2002); Piers Mackesy, The War for America, 1775-1783 (1993); Michael Pearson, Those Damned Rebels: The American Revolution As Seen Through British Eyes (2000); Don Cook, The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies 1760-1785 (1996).
prometheefeu - October 19, 2012 at 8:14 pm
I do love the way the king justifies his actions using virtually the same words as the rebels. I don’t suppose we’ll ever read a speech talking about the need to preserve tyranny and abolish liberty.
uyjt - March 22, 2013 at 10:28 am
DFYHTFUJHFYIK
Leave a Reply