Armerican Revolutionary War (Constitutional Arguments) - Essay Example

American Revolutionary War (Constitutional Arguments) It has become fashionable to support the present attempts of the American Colonies to separatethemselves quite completely from their previous attachment to the British state. While there may be many tempting reasons to pursue this line of action, not least the benefit of keeping all the riches of this wonderful continent for the benefit of our small colonial societies, there are significant reasons why these moves are ill judged and doomed to fail.

The proposal to set up a fully independent American confederation, with separate laws and no allegiance to the British crown should be opposed on three main grounds: it is legally wrong, it is morally wrong, and it is bound to be a complete failure, with disastrous consequences on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. Any man of good sense will recognize immediately that there is absolutely no legal basis for a unilateral secession from Britain. The drawing up of a declaration and the devising of a constitution may well satisfy those hotheads who want to make a name for themselves in this province, but these documents have no basis whatsoever in law.

The authority to govern and to make any changes in the terms under which any people is governed lies solely with the sovereign and the parliament. Acting together they have the power to debate all issues and decree what is to happen, and who is to be responsible for carrying out important decisions. The American states already have an extremely competent and diligent system of government. The best political minds of Britain are working on our international standing, not just in terms of our relations with the British mother country, but also in terms of our position in relation to many other countries.

They do this in London, and they also work here with our local leaders to ensure that the interests of colony and mother land are fairly represented. The laws of the land are there for a good reason: to prevent anarchy and to protect the interests of all the citizens. It would be a fine state of affairs if the law allowed breakaway groups to split off from their ruling constitution at the drop of a hat. Chaos would ensue, and no country could ever be able to defend itself or create a sustainable economy and infrastructure.

The law does not allow what is being proposed in this revolutionary war, and we should not be surprised if the full force of the British government is deployed on our shores to prove this point. A state which came into being through revolt would for ever fear its undoing by the same means at some time in the future. The moral justification for a war of independence is just as ridiculous as the legal case. The first settlers who arrived on this magnificent continent owe everything to their European homeland, from the education that made them to the very ships that carried them across the sea.

King George is ordained by God to carry the burden of ruling over us, and it is not permitted for good Christian people to throw off this natural order of things. As it says in the Bible: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21). The disciples questioned the right of rulers to make taxes and rule over them, but the Bible teaches that God puts rulers in place, and permits them to rule by the sword. To challenge this natural order is to set ourselves against God himself, and to betray our King.

There has been much talk about “liberty” and “freedom” lately, but this reminds us of the school child who longs to play in the sun rather than learn in school. The American states are still in their infancy, and while they show great promise of future glory, they are hardly able to sustain the basic needs of the growing population. There may come a day when leaders of this fine continent grow to full maturity and negotiate a greater measure of separation from the mother state. This is natural but the time for such move lies far in the future.

This is a time for hard work and long preparation, and not a time for biting the hand that has fed us with sustenance from the very earliest days. The truth is we need the protection of the British state is, for while the French may be at peace with us now, they are not to be trusted, and may at any time rise up against us and take away all that we have worked so hard to build. The native peoples of this land, too, are a constant danger to us. Who can protect us against these things if we forfeit the protection of British troops and expertise?

In summary, therefore, it is clear that there is no justification for an independent constitution, on legal or moral grounds, and there is every reason why we must take our differences to the King in peace and in a spirit of loyalty and devotion, as befits a Christian nation. References Holy Bible, King James Version.