The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

CLARENCE B. CARSONTHEFOUNDINGOFTHEAMERICANREPUBLIC7The First AmericanCrisis: 1763-66IT MAY WELL BE that the pivotalevent for the onset of Americanresistance was the coming to thethrone of the United Kingdom in1760, of George III. He was thethird of the Hanoverian monarchsof England, the grandson ofGeorge II who immediately precededhim, and the great grandsonof George I. He was the firstof this line of British rulers to benative-born, a fact he thoughtworth emphasizing. When GeorgeIII came to the throne, he was inthe first blush of manhood, andthis promising young man shouldhave been a welcome relief fromthe rule of his grandfather, whohad no high regard for his ownabilities. Indeed, the powers ofthe monarch had declined greatlyin the unsure hands of bothGeorge I and George II. It wascommonly said that ministerswere kings during this earlierperiod, and there can be no doubtthat the Whigs had dominated solong that the government was runby factions within a party ratherthan by political parties.It became clear rather quicklythat George III intended to changemuch of this. He meant to bringthe executive authority into hishands and to direct the course ofDr. Carson lives in Florida. He is a noted lecturerand author, his latest book entitledThrottling the Railroads.112