Description:

Revolutionary War

Rev. War New Jersey Patriots Twice Signed 1768 Doc: Declaration Signer John Hart, and Joseph Borden, 1765 Stamp Act Protester

 

Signed manuscript document, 7.25" x 11", appearing to be the last page of the document with the word "Cont" along the top left corner. Dated "April 27, 1768", and signed by "Jos Borden', "Tho Rodman", and "John Hart". Page toned, verso has supportive backing along the fold lines. Red staining to right edge, not affecting signatures. Lovely strong vibrant ink.

 

A wonderful document signed in 1768 by two important New Jersey patriots leading up to the Revolution, John Hart and Joseph Borden.

 

Colonel Joseph Borden represented New Jersey in the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, vocal in protesting the pending “taxation without representation.” (The Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765 as a tax imposed on all American colonists requiring them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed.). But the underlying concern was foremost “taxation without representation", an early nail in the coffin that started  the Colonialist's separation from Britain. Borden as the New Jersey Rep had the responsibility to draft a set of formal petitions stating why Parliament had no right to tax them. Among the Stamp Act Congress delegates were many important men in the colonies. Historian John Miller observes, "The composition of this Stamp Act Congress ought to have been convincing proof to the British government that resistance to parliamentary taxation was by no means confined to the riffraff of colonial seaports." Ten of the delegates were lawyers, ten were merchants, and seven were planters or land-owning farmers; all had served in some type of elective office, and all but three were born in the colonies. Four died before the colonies declared independence, and four signed the Declaration of Independence; nine attended the first and second Continental Congresses, and three were Loyalists during the Revolution.

 

Patriot John Hart was elected to the New Jersey revolutionary assembly (or provincial congress) in 1776, and served as its Vice President. Prior to June 1776, the New Jersey delegation in the First Continental Congress was opposed to independence. As a result, the entire delegation was replaced, and Hart was one of those selected for the Second Continental Congress. He joined in time to vote for and sign the Declaration of Independence. He served until August of that year, then was elected Speaker of the newly formed New Jersey Assembly. He would later take on additional duties as Treasurer of the Council of Safety (which was given "extraordinary and summary powers" to carry out affairs of the state during emergencies), President of the Joint Meetings of the New Jersey Congress, and Commissioner of the State Loan Office. In December 1776, the British advance into New Jersey reached Hunterdon County. A marked man due to his status as Speaker of the Assembly, Hart was obliged to escape and hide for a short time in the nearby Sourland Mountains. His farm was raided by British and Hessian troops, who damaged but did not destroy the property. The Continentals' capture of Trenton on December 26 allowed Hart to return home. Prior to the Battle of Monmouth, Hart invited George Washington and the Continental Army to make camp on his farm, and his offer was accepted. From June 22–24, 1778, 12,000 men occupied his fields, and on at least one occasion Gen. Washington dined with their host.



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