NEWEST ESSAY ON JERSEY

Freedom is all in the eye of the beholder. A man, who burns a government building due to supposed unjust causes, is one man's freedom fighter and another man's terrorist. Difference of opinion is inevitable, in future, present, and past. In present times of the revolution, freedom has become a complicated thought, placing my colony of New Jersey and the remaining 12 colonies in conflicting groups of loyalists and patriots. "We have it in our power to begin the world over again ... 'Tis time to part" ( Cook A12). A speech given by Thomas Pain , making evident the Patriots hope for a new beginning. This is something identical to what I, as loyalists hope for. It’s my belief that the best way to commence this new beginning is with sturdy support, with Britain by our side . My view is that a common belief of the patriots is that the loyalists are in it for the money, or even view us as cowards, giving up and retreating to the supposed strongest power. Truth be told yes, benefits are relevant as would be by choosing any side, this I do not deny, but we still have much to lose in the same. I believe by staying loyal to Great Britain, what the patriots and loyalists both wish to achieve will fall into place. To have economic freedom, which the colonies are striving for, you must have an economy first. Without Britain's economy, ours would be nonexistent due to their economic support. By observing influences within my colony of New Jersey and neighboring ones, and witnessing the irrationality shown by the patriots, I choose to remain loyal to Great Britain.
By living in colony of New Jersey, my loyalist standing is well supported. “British domination of the trade outlets in the southern part of Bergen County by strongholds of Paulus Hook and Staten Island provided practical reasons for supporting the royal cause”(Keesey 560 ), the colonists of New Jersey,as do I, prefer “to sell their produce for British gold rather than or the nearly worthless provincial and Continental currency” ( Keesey 560) New jersey was strongly dominated by British, and the loyalists view is especially dominant in my county of Bergen and it shows in the powers that be such as governor William Franklin who believed in adhering to Strahahn advice of “ Looking upon England as our home” (Fennelly 363). The men of the New Jersey Provincial Congress delivered resolves to the continental congress stating “ That it is our duty to render true and faithful allegiance to George the Third, King of Great Britain, and to support and maintain the just dependence of his colonies upon the Crown of Great Britain.” (Burgess 18). Trade with Britain as been good to us, and in return , we have “the largest number of proportion of active loyalists in the state… slightly less than 20 per 1,000 white citizens , as compared with just under 7 per 1,000”( Keesey 559)
Economically they have done wonders for us, 55% of our exports from here go to great Britain.(The American Promise 159) . Great Britain is one half of our trading economy not to mention their large amount of imports that keep us going. The results of British trade being taken out is already showing in colonies from the Boston ports being shut down and its rough! What if all trading ceased, this situation would only worsen. England is an key partner in the foundation of our economy. And King George being such a good provider, our land technically being his, I believe he reserves the right to do as he wishes with the land and the people who he so kindly let migrate an live here.
“King George III's offenses were countless: cutting trade, declaring war against his own subjects, imposing taxes without consent”(1 Cook), comments like these are numerous in this time, twisted to the most dramatic affect. When one requests land from a noble, it was never without a price, you have a debt to pay, or work off. Nothing has been free not in Britain nor here, and I believe it’s a small misconception that has been formed. The King has the right, the land being lived on being his property and such. The Patriots have acted disrespectful and even as traders, throwing their fellow colonists into the streets along with other numerous brutal acts. If freedom is what they preach then the must learn to tolerate it, their immaturity and lack or preparation they have shown for what they wish to take on, has turned me away from their cause. Along with the Patriots issue of taxing being the main underlying disagreement they have with the throne and government, and me finding no good reasoning in them , I have continued to keep my loyalist views .
My most persistent view that I hope will not be overlooked is, "[T]hat the rebels sought the Whig ends of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness; "( 82 Reid ). I, a loyalists, want the same thing! The patriots, showing their lack of readiness to control a government, have triggered a process that should have been in the form collaboration due to that we are working for the same thing, into a sparing match. Yes, money, protection, and authority within the colony had an affect on the loyalists group within our colony. This is in every way true, but a view overlooked is that this revolution and division of the people was simply and naturally a difference in opinion. Yes, it's a well known fact that many loyalists were wealthy and of a good ranking within their communities. They were happy with where they were at, so an automatic assumption by the patriots is that therefore they saw no need for the change that the less fortunate, mainly patriots ,did. The truth is, those who remained loyal did so with the possibility of their house being ransacked, torched, and torn to bits and pieces. They had more to loose than most. Numerous family friends, such as, the Bayards, Doremus, Dr. Abraham L. Van Buskirk, Zabriskie , were wealthy and by choosing to stand up for what they felt to be the way to freedom, they gave up more than most had. They choose where to stand "not for the government but for the right and freedom is represents" ( 3 Burgess). When you see all those who claim "Freedom" as the reason they spur into action, destroy homes and put families onto streets, I am pushed away from them towards the opposing side from what I’m seeing done by those who claim us the “Tories”. I will not willingly place my future into their hands but into the ones whose empire has lasted, remained sturdy and shown their accuracy.







BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1:Title: Economic Burden: Spark to the American Revolution?Author(s): Joseph D. Reid, Jr.Source: The Journal of Economic History, Vol. 38, No. 1, The Tasks of Economic History (Mar., 1978), pp. 81-100Publisher(s): Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Economic History AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2119317
2:Record: 1
Title:Tyranny to terrorism
Authors:Jane Hampton Cook
Source:Washington Times, The (DC); 09/11/2008
ISSN:0732-8494
Accession Number:4KB520080911031459000
Persistent link to this record (Permalink):
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3: EBRARY BOOK

4:Title: Loyalism in Bergen County, New JerseyAuthor(s): Ruth M. KeeseySource: The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Oct., 1961), pp. 558-576Publisher(s): Omohundro Institute of Early American History and CultureStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1921101

5: Title: William Franklin of New JerseyAuthor(s): Catherine FennellySource: The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Jul., 1949), pp. 361-382Publisher(s): Omohundro Institute of Early American History and CultureStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1919982

6: Title: Economic Burden: Spark to the American Revolution?Author(s): Joseph D. Reid, Jr.Source: The Journal of Economic History, Vol. 38, No. 1, The Tasks of Economic History (Mar., 1978), pp. 81-100Publisher(s): Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Economic History AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2119317