Favorite Stories about the Founding

Alex Adrianson / July 02, 2010

In this second installment of our series highlighting the thoughts of conservative and libertarian leaders on the American Founding, we asked: Do you have a favorite story about America’s Founding? (This series will continue until July 4.)
Eric O’Keefe, Chairman of the Sam Adams Alliance: The Boston Tea Party happened during a time of very low taxes, and the tea in the harbor had the lowest price of any tea from Britain for years, because the British government sharply lowered the duties on the tea, while retaining a modest tax. The duty and the tax both went to the British government, but the patriots had drawn a line that did not define duties as taxes. So the British imposed that tax not to raise revenue, but to exercise their claimed authority to be able to impose whatever taxes they wanted. The Boston Tea Party was conducted entirely based on a principle; taxes were low, not high. But the patriots viewed their local control of government and taxes as an essential anchor for their liberty, so they rebelled at a violation of a basic principle.

Gary Palmer, President of the Alabama Policy Institute: One of my favorite stories about America’s founding also involves my favorite Founding Father—George Washington. Perhaps Washington’s greatest test occurred in March, 1783 in response to the Newburgh Conspiracy. Joseph Ellis, in his biography entitled His Excellency George Washington, called this the “The Last Temptation of Washington.” During the War for Independence in 1780, the Continental Congress enacted a resolution to give veteran officers a pension of half pay for life. However, by the winter of 1782-83, it was evident that Congress did not have the revenues to fund their promise nor did they have any real prospects for raising the money. Congress then passed a resolution cutting the pension to full pay for five years which they could not pay either. (more…)