Chapter 35 Part Two

[Samuel Moyer]

Thanks to everyone posting on the Christ & History section, lots of great
stuff...

"'Twas a more tranquil time, before the war, when people moved more
slowly.." 352:28

This opening to a section where Rev C. will be catch a lift on a coach that
"bears us along so relentlessly - We go rattling thro' another Day, -
Another year, ..." 361.

Apparently RC has been back in America for a little while, among the wilder
Presbyterians in the country where he was completely rejected.  "A spirit of
rebellion was then flickering across the countryside... directed at Britain
and all things British, including, ineluctably, your miserable servernt.
What we now style "The Stamp Act Crisis" was in full Flower." 353:10

The Stamp Act Crisis was a result of the Sugar Act, passed April 20, 1764 -
known in America by early May.  Rumors existed that such an act was coming,
but the tax was expected to be 1d. or 2d. per gallon, bad enough, but the
3d. tax made the duty prohibitive.  This took place soon after restrictions
had been placed on the export of lumber, another major industry at the time.
Other duties and restrictions had also been placed on the colonies.  To make
things worse, the colonies were experiencing a post war depression.

There are many theories on what happened in the British -American Colonies
that would lead to revolution.  Many agree the significant years of change
took place during the French-Indian war (1754-1763) and the two years that
followed it.  The way we were taught in school (70's, early 80's) was that
the Stamp Act, as well as other taxes and restrictions on trade created an
economic rift between Britain and her colonies.  Thus the "No Taxation
without Representation" bit and the Tea Party, etc.

Another Theory argues that Country Farmers were trained to fight during the
French - Indian War...  Regulars had always fought previous conflicts, but
during this war, many colonial divisions were established and though they
were untrained and undisciplined at the beginning, by the end of the war,
many leaders had emerged, logistics and so forth had been learned...  Often
conflicts or dislike between the Colonials and the Regulars took place
(Yankee Doodle Dandy) ---- I think I recall Terrence posting Washington's
letter to his mother after the massacre near Pittsburgh in which Braddock
was killed.  Another example of an event in which the colonialists came to
see the regulars as cowards...  Whatever theory, the numbers of colonialists
who were beginning to see themselves as "American" rather than "British" was
growing by the day in the 1760's.

In this part of the book, I believe we are in very early 1765 (Mason went to
Lancaster on Jan 10, 1765)

Not quite sure what is meant by "Wilder Presbyterian's" but Rev C. finds
himself heading back over the Susquehanna towards Philadelphia.

Sam