sovbooks Chapter 152 The Great British Father and the North American Rebellious Son
Chapter 152 The Great British Father and the North American Rebellious Son
Chapter 152 The Great British Father and the North American Rebellious Son
After finishing their business, it was already 1 p.m., so everyone left the library to have lunch at the sanatorium's club.
As the home of New England's wealthiest people, Black Rock Valley Sanatorium naturally boasts some of the best chefs and ingredients in all of North America.
The chefs in charge of French and Italian cuisine were all chefs who had served European nobility. In order to take care of the stomachs of some elderly people, there are also special light and nutritious meals with low oil and low salt.
As for alcoholic beverages, they are incredibly diverse, ranging from ordinary rum and German beer to fine French and Italian wines.
When Sir Charles Chan was in France, he bought a winery in Bordeaux from Prince Conti and specially shipped a portion of his stock of red wine to North America.
Today's lunch was a relaxed buffet style. After taking a bath and sauna, everyone sat on the sofa in the lobby wearing loose bathrobes, eating and drinking while chatting. They could even receive professional foot baths and massages.
This is the modern bathhouse model, which allows people to fully relax. Once you've experienced it, you'll want to come back again and again. In the 18th century, it was a game-changer!
As for whether such bathing and enjoyment will cause panic and suppression by conservative forces in the church—that's completely overthinking it.
Not to mention that Dr. Chen is the most authoritative doctor in North America, if he says that bathing and sauna are good for health, these local tyrants in North America will believe him because Dr. Chen's track record is verifiable.
But will enjoyment lead to decadence? — Who says this is enjoyment? It's clearly a health retreat, isn't it?
Foot baths and massages are also forms of therapy!
The services offered by Black Rock Valley Sanatorium had already become well-known throughout the upper echelons of New England and even North America. Most of the people present today had already experienced them, so after their baths, they naturally sat in the lobby eating and chatting.
Only a few young people who were there for the first time ordered the foot massage service, grimacing and shouting loudly on the side.
Near the west window in the hall, Governor Chen ate roast meat and drank French red wine, introducing the origins of the wines to his guests. Adam Winthrop and the others listened with great interest.
Especially when he heard about the Parisian cultural salons and those French ladies, even the most reserved John Quincy Jr. became curious and inquired about them.
France and Paris were also cultural centers that the North American tyrants longed for!
Adam Winthrop, dressed in a yellow silk bathrobe, looked at Chen Wenbin, who was speaking eloquently across from him, and seemed to sigh from the bottom of his heart: "—Robin, to be honest, I really envy you! Not only were you made a baronet by the King, but you also gained the favor of the French royal family and received the title of French court baron—unlike us North Americans, even if we make the same contributions as the British, it's difficult to become a knight of Britain!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than James Otis, who was eating roast meat next to him, complained in the same way: "London has never treated us as real Englishmen."
Except for a very few people like Robin and Franklin, whose opinions the King and Downing Street were willing to listen to, the opinions and interests of the vast majority of North Americans were completely ignored by Parliament and the King!
They won't let us send representatives to parliament, yet they want to increase our taxes—as if we were Indians!
Old Samuel Ward put down his lemonade and nodded, saying, "James is right! If you want us to pay taxes, then give us seats in Parliament!"
Otherwise, why should we accept the London tax collectors?
The others sitting nearby chimed in.
"That's right! Without parliamentary representatives, we won't pay taxes to London!"
"We are British too! This is our natural right!"
"We must protest to the King and Parliament! Let the Whigs be back in power!"
Chen Wenbin watched coldly from the sidelines as these North American tyrants resisted taxes. He knew very well that these people were actually still in the stage of "begging" London.
It's fine for them to complain and protest to their British father, but if you ask them to actually fight their British father, eight out of ten will back down!
Objectively speaking, Britain's treatment of its North American colonies was an extremely rare case of treating them like its own children!
Before the Seven Years' War, the North American colonies paid virtually no taxes to Britain. Instead, London continuously provided troops and funds to maintain the stability and security of the colonies. London would not even easily interfere in the internal affairs and autonomy of the colonies, but would only symbolically appoint governors.
Colonies have the right to elect their own town administrators, councilors, and governors, and they can also make and enforce their own laws—this is hardly a colony; it is clearly a feudal state that has been granted out!
Now, King George III and the British Parliament want the North American colonies to pay more taxes to help cover Britain's financial deficit. If we follow the mindset of a unified empire, this action is perfectly reasonable!
It's a transfer payment!
Since North America has enjoyed the security and order brought by Great Britain, it is perfectly reasonable for it to assume some obligations.
But North America, the beloved son of Great Britain, has long been spoiled by its father and has long taken the status quo of freedom for granted, coupled with the British parliamentary tradition.
So their attitude is that raising taxes is fine, but we need to send our own representatives to the British Parliament, we need to sit at the table and join the ruling group of Great Britain.
However, the political structure in Britain has long been stable, and it is impossible to invite the local tyrants of North America to act as their masters. After all, North America has such a large population, so who would be the father and who would be the son? Who would hold the dominant power?
Besides, no matter how close we are, North America has always been a colony. If we collect a little tax now and you throw a tantrum because it hurts, if we continue to indulge you, won't you rebel in the future?
So the two sides got stuck. On one side, the loving father turned into a strict father, wanting to get money from his eldest son to supplement the family income. On the other side, the eldest son wanted a say, saying that he would be in charge of the family from now on, otherwise he would not give any money!
The result of neither side yielding was an escalating conflict that continued until the Boston Tea Party. King George III, pushed to his limit, resorted to domestic violence. North America, fearing retribution from its father, colluded with France and Spain to launch a major offensive against Britain in North America. The fighting lasted eight years, ultimately leading to the successful separation of Britain and the United States.
While using the analogy of a family to represent a nation isn't entirely accurate, the general idea is similar.
"—Robin, what do you think of the Sugar Tax Act and the Paper Money Act?"
Seeing that Chen Wenbin remained silent, Adam Winthrop took the initiative and asked, "Can we get London to repeal these two acts?"
He didn't really care about other people's opinions. His most important task on this trip to Rhodes Island was to find out the true attitude of Chen Wenbin, the governor of the Western Territory.
Chen Wenbin could roughly guess what the other party was thinking, and stated directly: "The Sugar Tax Act has some merit, but the Paper Money Act is a completely evil law. As for whether it can be repealed—that depends on whether North America unites to resist!"
"So how do you think we should unite and fight back?" Winslop pressed.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Wenbin earnestly suggested, "Let's organize a large-scale petition and protest in London."
Franklin and his men are working on this. I am the Governor of the West appointed by the King, so it is inconvenient for me to get involved directly, but I can provide you with merchant ships and accommodation in London. I can also write to my friends in London and ask them for some assistance.
Is it just protests and petitions?
Some of those present who were watching Chen Wenbin were somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, but they did not make any demands. The other party was the Royal Governor, and his willingness to provide some support and assistance was already considered as standing on the side of North America.
Adam Winthrop breathed a quiet sigh of relief, a more relaxed smile spreading across his face. He raised his glass and said, "I understand. Thank you, Robin. I think all North Americans will appreciate your help!"
He had heard from John Adams in Boston that a conflict between North America and Britain was inevitable, and he had been worried that Chen Wenbin might do something rash, since John Adams was the other party's secretary and private lawyer. But the truth was obviously not like that.
It was probably just the Adams brothers acting on their own initiative, including the Black Rock Valley Club, which united various wealthy families in New England—Governor Chen was indeed qualified to do this, but doing so would obviously make him lose his aloof status, and as long as he hadn't lost his mind, he wouldn't do it so easily.
"—Dear Adam, I am simply fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a North American."
Chen Wenbin smiled slightly, raised his glass and clinked it with his, his eyes glancing at John Adams, who looked dejected, not far away, and he shook his head inwardly.
Is this the future Founding Father of the United States?
I'm being way too impatient!
You want to drag me down with you and make me vouch for you?
Do you even know what "concealing one's abilities and biding one's time" means?
I'm so out of my mind!
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