Proposed Program of George Grenville Analysis Essay

Introduction

The Grenville program as it was known was outlined by George Grenville, who at that time was the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Treasury) in Britain. This oppressive and mistimed document had been put together with no thought of the people who would suffer greatly by its implementation, but merely to swell Britain’s coffers that had been depleted by The Seven Years War. The Stamp Act of 1765 was the fourth Stamp Act passed by the British parliament, but this was the first time that it directly attempted to impose a direct tax on the colonies.

Britain maintained an army of significant proportions in North America, as they were conscious about the threat from the Native Americans who were displaced by their acquisition of their vast territories. The British felt justified in imposing this tax because they reasoned that since the colonies were the prime beneficiaries of this military protection, they might as well pay for this privilege. At that time, George Grenville framed the controversial Sugar Act as a means of raising funds towards the British Exchequer to pay for the maintenance of its troops in the colonies.

To summarize this Act

1. The Act primarily placed a duty on sugar and molasses and other products, which had to be sourced fro outside the British Empire.
2. Halifax became the site of a Vice –Admiralty court where cases were tried without the benefit of a jury. Tax evaders were normally treated quite sympathetically by local colonial courts.
3. Traders were required to deposit a heavy bond (surety money) so that in the event of being found guilty of tax evasion, the money for the fine was immediately subtracted from this bind.
4. Tax collectors used to previously reside in England and carry out their duties through deputies appointed for this purpose in the colonies, but after this Act, the local deputies were replaced by tax officials fro England.
5. Once the new tax officials arrived in America, suddenly the military presence swelled.Atleast ten thousand more soldiers came to supposedly defend the Colonies against the Native Indians. The colonists realized however that since these troops were mostly stationed in large towns and cities, it was more about protecting the tax collectors rather than the Colonists from the natives.
6. Tax officials were allowed to issue writs of assistance, which translated as blanket search warrants for contraband.

Stamps were supposed to be fixed to about fifty items including legal documents, insurance policies, playing cards, newspapers, pamphlets and licences.These stamps were available ranging from half a penny to two pounds.

James Otis was the key figure who persuaded the Massachusetts legislature to call a protest meeting. Although opposition to this tax was expected, the British did not expect it to escalate the way that it did. These rumbles of discontent graduated to great resistance in the Colonies. The colonists formed a loose coalition and petitioned Parliament and the King. Although the Act was repealed, the British parliament was clear that it would tax the colonies in all cases whatsoever, by passing the Declaratory Act. The colonists concerns about their position added fuel to the movement that became the American Revolution.