ENTRY+2

**Entry #2: 1764 Who rules?**  Your character has caught wind of the debate about ** parliamentary sovereignty ** and ** virtual representation ** either directly or indirectly through his or her station in life. In a diary entry of ** 300-400 words, ** you must weigh in on this debate in the voice of your character. Also, try to add in other tidbits of your daily life and who you are to help develop your character more. To help inspire you with a voice from this era, please read James Otis Jr.'s "Rights of the Colonies Asserted and Proved" in the primary source packet you were given in class. Somehow in your entry, please refer to Otis's argument directly or indirectly and ** outline the text in bold ** so that I can judge whether you have done so effectively or not. 

I woke today at dawn, a bit before sunrise, as usual. I commenced my normal routine of coffee and papers before breakfast. In it, I saw published a most unnerving article; it was by ** a man named James Otis, a lawyer graduated from Harvard, who challenged the right of British Parliament over the colonies **…Well, we may be far away by distance, but we are still British subjects and Parliament has a right to enforce laws on people of Britain. However, I’m not entirely happy with what I’ve been seeing in the papers these days. The newspapers are having a field day every time another act or tax is passed or any other news concerning it- calling it ”inconvenient” and “preposterous”… I, myself, am dissatisfied with the economic policies that Britain seems to be enforcing in America… The taxes regarding imports and exports will affect my business significantly- my profession being a merchant. ** In addition (and this was mentioned in Otis’ article), I believe that a man in American and a man in Britain are equal—why should a man in America be taxed for his location? ** Nevertheless, I am British and will not resort to harassing my own mother-nation (like him). These taxes have set up patterns where once the parliament has passed an act or tax, and we colonists hear of it (for communication is not always an easy task), people start arguing with the Parliament for their economic and “divine” rights. ** I, for one, believe that Parliament has a right to tax the colonists in this case. ** The French and Indian War has cost Britain an immense sum; their debt has increased by more than 75% **- it is justifiable, though not agreeable, that we are being taxed. However, I am angered that certain Brits don’t consider us their // equals // just for the reason that we do not // live // in Britain. // We // speak English, // we // read and write, // we // pay our taxes, and // we // support the crown as // they // do—that makes // us // British! Anyhow, all the taxing has led the colonists to request “ **//** real representation **//** ” instead of “ **//** virtual representation **//** ”—we have not elected members to parliament, but we are somehow represented by them (the Parliament need to get money to pay back the debt), ** it is understandable. ** A myriad of colonists are arguing that they have no voice in Parliament and that they are being taxed without proper representation—which is promised in the British Constitution. ** All the while, Parliament claims that they have power over the colonies and that they are superior…it is a dreadful mess to have to ponder on…

Later I went down to breakfast where my family were already seated and waiting for me; we had a wonderful meal. I went to work; my wife, to her household chores and caring for the children; and my children, to studying what is necessary for them—the boys studied math and language while my daughter practiced her stitching and sewing. Then at sunset I returned home, had dinner, and went to sleep earlier than usual.