Chapter 17 Death to Taxes

After providing the drawings and diagrams for the twins to work on as well as a few pounds as a budget, an amount that surprised them but was more than willing to accept, the weekend came rather quickly.

While the family did go to church it was usually a small chapel near their estate but this Sunday was special. His grandfather had been asked to speak to a crowd in Philadelphia by a new organization, the Sons of Liberty. 

As their carriage rode into town John saw a distinct poster plastered over many of the city's walls. It was the "Join or Die" political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin promoting a unified colonial government. While this image and idea were popular it became ever more common after the passage of the Stamp Act as many viewed solidarity in the colonies as the only to combat this breach of their freedoms. 

As they reached their townhome it was close to the evening and an hour until the church meeting. As the family disembarked from the carriage they made their way into the family home to rest for a short while.

When the clock struck six the family of three struck out for the church. They were all dressed in simple but high-quality clothes because to wear the most expensive of European fashion to a house of god was seen as garish. As they rode their carriage from the house they approached Christ's Church, a common meeting place and the house of worship for the thinkers and wealthy families of Pennsylvania and Delaware. 

As they went in they walked to the front rows there was an area reserved for speakers and their families. Sitting down John quickly realized that he was the only person, man or woman, younger than sixteen sitting in the chapel that he could see. While a few people did give him glances they saw who he was with and quickly deduced his identity.

Even at his age, he had garnered a small reputation in Philadelphia and the rest of the colonies to a lesser degree. To those who knew of him well, he was a genius with ideas for many things. And for those who didn't know much of him, he was the heir to the largest fortune north of Florida.

The night progressed with a priest giving a short sermon, everyone at the church knew that this wouldn't be just a religious meeting. Once the minister sat down a man just to the right of Grandpa stood up. Walking forward all eyes were on him as he reached the pulpit.

"Good evening men and women of Philadelphia, to those who do not know me my name is Charles Thomson and I am here to speak to you about the most recent taxes placed upon these colonies by the crown and parliament of Britain." 

Mr. Thomson continued to talk for a while, and it was interesting John began to tune it out after a few minutes as while riveting it was getting tedious. Once he finished the chapel was filled with applause that woke John out of his stupor.

"Now, with words on how to combat these taxes and tariffs, Mr. William Carpenter," He said with Grandpa standing up from next to him and walking up to the pulpit.

Giving a small cough he began, "Thank you, Charles, now as you all know these taxes are strangling our city and the colonies as a whole."

This was met with a murmur of approvals, "If this continues for too long I will have to lay off workers and that is something that I don't want to happen. These taxes were made without our consent or approval. So, if the British won't respect our liberties, then I say we don't respect their business. I call for a total boycott of all British-made goods, and let them know that if they tax our imports then we will simply stop importing from them. Let their industry and business suffer while we reinvest in ourselves and grow to be stronger apart from them."

This was met with a large applause and a few shouts of encouragement before Mr Thomas came up to the pulpit again

"If anyone would like to speak on the matter to put forward policy or to say the words on their mind please come up and do so."

At that moment John didn't know what he was doing, he blinked and there he was, walking up toward the lectern that seemed to impose over him as he approached like an impassable mountain stopping a traveler. But not knowing what possessed him he kept walking, once he reached the top he stood on the tips of his toes and looked over the crowd assembled before him.

The world swirled and shook as his eyes glanced over the crowd before he steeled himself. Thinking of what to say words seemed to flow into his mind filling it as if it were a glass with water being poured into it. 

"We are at the precipice between peace and conflict, but let's set the record straight. There is no argument over the choice between peace and war, but there is only one guaranteed way you can have peace--and you can have it in the next second--surrender."

The way he spoke seemed to shock the crowd as his voice carried and the people before him hushed as they listened in. 

"Admittedly there is a risk in any course we follow other than this, but every lesson in history tells us that the greater risk lies in appeasement, and this is the specter our well-meaning royalist friends refuse to face--that their policy of accommodation is appeasement, and it gives no choice between peace and war, only between fight and surrender"

"If we continue to accommodate, continue to back and retreat, eventually we have to face the final demand--the ultimatum. And what then? When King George has told his people he knows what our answer will be. He has told them that we are retreating under the pressure of these new taxes and will graciously submit ourselves before him, and someday when the time comes to deliver the ultimatum, our surrender will be voluntary because by that time we will have weakened from within spiritually, morally, and economically. "

"He believes this because from our side he has heard voices pleading for "peace at any price" And therein lies the road to conflict because those voices don't speak for the rest of us. You and I know and do not believe that life is so dear and peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery. If nothing in life is worth dying for, when did this begin--just in the face of this enemy? Or should Moses have told the children of Israel to live in slavery under the pharaohs? "

Taking a moment to catch his breath he points to the cross on the wall behind him, "Should Christ have refused the cross? Should the men who defended our homes on their own this past war have surrendered? Where, then, is the road to peace? Well, it's a simple answer after all"

"You and I dare to say to our enemies, There is a price we will not pay. There is a point beyond which they must not advance"

He took one last moment to make his point as he heard the crowd teetering on his words, "You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our families, futures, and fortunes. Thank you very much."

As he finished and began to walk down toward the seats the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. While some seemed surprised at his words most had their spirits roused. His mother looked on with awe at her little boy who just did something that only the most wizened men do. His grandfather had a much different but familiar face, he was radiating with pride in what his grandson had just accomplished and felt like he was looking not at a young boy but a man. 

The meeting ended with a quick hymn by the pastor and everyone began to depart from the church his family was stopped by Mr Thomson.

"William, I had no idea that your grandson was such a good speaker," he said with a look of giddy intrigue. 

"Neither did I Charles, but he is a young man of many surprises. I truly don't know what he will come up with next, it makes my life truly exciting," he said still smiling.

"Would he be interested in attending a meeting of that club I told you about, with those words he spoke today he would be more than welcome."

"No, I don't think so. While I don't deny he spoke well, you must admit that many in that club wouldn't be the best of influences on a 13-year-old boy."

"Only thirteen, truly. He looks to be at least fifteen, maybe even sixteen. Well no matter then, it would be for the best." Turning to John and looking down, "I do not doubt that you will do great things in your life, if you are ever in the area stop at my home in Bryn Mawr, I would be delighted to have you."

Charles walked away down the street William turned to John, "That was incredible, where did you learn to speak like that, I could not be pro…" suddenly his words cut off as his eyes drifted into the crowd and put on a face the looked like he just sucked a lemon.

"We should head home, it is getting late." He said pulling both him and Martha down the road to the carriage waiting for them.

As they arrived William seemed spooked and told the family that they would leave at first light as he wanted to be back at the house as soon as possible.

This was strange, as while his grandfather was an eccentric man the cause of all his actions was usually understandable. As he drifted into bed he wondered, 'What would cause Grandpa to get startled so easily.' These thoughts however faded away as he drifted into sleep