Well, here we are. And there HE is. It’s difficult for me to constrain my thoughts and express them cogently. In truth, as these last few years have yielded up to history, with all their lost potential and frightening realities – I found myself variously proud, hopeful, forlorn and ashamed as concerns my Country. And now these tumultuous feelings have yielded to depression, sadness, and not a little fear about the potentials of our future history. Yet I am determined to find hope…

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The Liberty Tree

A Celebration of Independence Day

It was a cold grey day in December 1773 when about one hundred fifty Sons of Liberty dressed up as Native Americans and dumped a few crates of tea into the frigid Boston harbor. They were indignant about Great Britain’s decision to impose a tax on most everything, including documents and tea. Britain, trying to pay off debts incurred during the French and Indian war, was desperate for cash. England pointed out quite reasonably that much of the war in North America was fought on behalf of the colonists, so the Colonies should bear the cost. Parliament resorted to requiring a stamp of approval (and proof of paid taxes) on playing cards, marriage certificates, newspapers, etc. The colonists were not particularly cooperative, and the aforementioned Sons, egged on by one Samuel Adams were theatrical in their discontent.

Tax collectors had not just been unpopular in the colonies, but despised for at least a decade. In August of 1765 a particularly notorious tax collector for the British crown, one Andrew Oliver was hung in effigy from the stout branches of an elm tree in the front yard of Deacon Jacob Elliott of that unctuous town – Boston. Poor Mr. Oliver had recently made the unwise choice of agreeing to collect stamp-act taxes for the Crown. Bostonians were piqued, and whipped into a near frenzy by Sam Adams. The elm tree from which Oliver’s mock-up was hanged became thence something of a symbol itself as people started placing all sorts of symbolic tokens and messages on and around the tree. The leavings were as random as notes, banners, boots and dolls, but they were all about freedom, political voice and liberty. Occasionally, particularly reviled agents of the Crown were stripped, tarred and feathered under the tree. The shade of the tree also served as a gathering place for folk to discuss their discontent and toss around ideas for tossing out the oppressive British. Soon, other towns throughout the Colonies took up the practice of designating and decorating their own trees, and the icon known as the Liberty Tree was born.

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