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Benjamin Franklin was one of the key reformers in American history. He served in
England as a representative of colonies where he testified against the implementation of the
Stamp Act. In his testimony, Franklin stated that the people were against direct taxes instead of
duties on imported goods. Franklin blames the government of the Crown for imposing numerous
forms of taxes on the people. At the moment, Americans were paying taxes on all estates, offices,
trade, polls, slaves, and goods among others. In this way, the people were heavily taxed, which
made them impoverished. In addition, enemy attacks made Americans poor making it difficult to
pay the heavy taxes. The British government claimed that the taxes would support military and
civil institutions in the country. However, the services and protection from these institution was
minimal. As a result, the Crown government had failed to deliver its duties to the people.
Franklin further states that the people are not in a position to pay the existing taxes leave
alone the newly introduced Stamp Duty. The wealth in the colonies was not enough to support
the increasing taxes. In addition, the colonies paying the taxes did not benefit from them. For
instance, the Crown uses the taxes to support soldiers in the new colonies and pay war debt. In
this way, the people paying the taxes do not benefit and are unwilling to pay the Stamp Duty. In
his statement, the Crown is solely to blame for the taxation burden in the country. Franklin also
projects the future by stating that the people can only embrace the Stamp Act after a military
intervention. However, sending the armies to force the people to purchase stamps will erode the
respect the Americans have for England. Further, the people have no use for the stamps and
forcing them to embrace the Act will be futile.
Parliament had presented resolution to moderate the Stamp Act and their right to tax

Americans. Franklin considers these resolutions unjust and unconstitutional since they are
oppressive to the people. In his argument, the government is allowed to impose duties to regulate
commerce. However, internal taxes are not supposed to be controlled by parliament since the
Americans are not represented in England. In this way, they have no contribution to the proposed
changes or rules made on their behalf by the Crown government. Franklin also states that
Americans are not against commerce regulation, but will not pay stamp duty even if the military
is deployed. Instead, the situation will be detrimental to England since their exports to America
will not be needed anymore. In this statement, Franklin is telling parliament that England has
more to lose by forcing the Stamp Act than the Americans. The loss of respect for the country
will also affect commerce by reducing the amount of manufactured products consumed in
America. Franklin argues that the country can produce small amounts of necessities such as cloth
and go without luxuries until they can establish their industries. Therefore, implementing the
resolutions has negative consequences on both America and England.