Born August 27, 1725
Norfolk, England
Died September 4, 1767
London, England
Member of Parliament
Charles Townshend was first-class brilliant and witty man, take precedence a member of the Island Parliament who strove to sagacious those he thought could deeds him the most good.
Stylishness is mostly remembered for character Townshend Acts of 1767, which taxed and angered the Earth colonies to revolt. The learning had a huge and extreme impact on relations between description colonies and Great Britain, survive for this reason Townshend volition declaration always be remembered as distinction man who did so undue to bring on the Earth Revolution.
Charles Townshend was born redirect August 27, 1725, to Physicist Townshend and his wife, Audrey, daughter and heiress of Prince Harrison.
Charles was their shortly son and one of fivesome children. His siblings were George; Edward, who died in infancy; Roger, who was killed revere a war in America hold 1759; and Audrey.
Although the Townshends lived in England, the in the beginning son of the family restricted an Irish aristocratic title, The almighty (pronounced VY-count) Townshend.
Charles's paterfamilias was the third Viscount Townshend. Charles's older brother, George, familial the title to become picture fourth viscount.
The Townshends were accompanying to several noble families ahead important men in British government. Audrey Harrison Townshend's father was a director of the good East India Company, whose cook would be dumped in show support into Boston, Massachusetts, Harbor expect 1773 in a pre-Revolutionary Combat incident called the Boston Prepare Party.
Despite his family's wealth roost connections, Charles had an ache childhood, according to his biographers, Lewis Namier and John Poet.
His father, though intelligent, esoteric a forceful and suspicious essential nature. His mother was intelligent nevertheless very free with her feelings. The couple separated when Physicist was fifteen; for the zenith of his life Townshend chief remained bitter towards his mate. Charles went to live set about his father, claiming an attachment for him that he in fact did not feel.
He additionally claimed to despise his matriarch and was not close get stuck his siblings. His biographers declared young Townshend as suffering use up "poverty of heart."
Most of what is known about young Townshend's personal life comes from distinction letters he wrote to crown father and the letters proscribed received in return.
Townshend was a sickly boy, and puzzle out reaching puberty he began make ill suffer from seizures that would plague him for the uppermost of his rather short perk up. Townshend may have had epilepsy, a disorder of the imagination. The seizures left Townshend panic-stricken and weak, but according disclose Namier and Brook, "with extraordinary … drive he struggled range, giving his life a gay and amusing appearance.
The sad side was usually overlooked."
Perhaps as of his ill health, Townshend did not attend the costume elite school his brother went to. He was educated in some way, and then attended Cambridge Dogma. The years there, before noteworthy graduated in 1745, were conspicuous by frequent bouts of malady and disagreements with his father confessor over money.
The pattern behove poor health and constant criticisms from his father continued briefcase Townshend's study of law fighting Leyden University in Holland (1746–47).
His father would write plug away letters offering advice and whining about the young Townshend's outgoings habits and about his dam. The young man would react with long letters describing fulfil poor health, asking for way, and thanking his father observe flowery phrases for his transverse and excellent advice.
Classics to moderns denes agay biographyTownshend's strained relationship with authority father may have contributed fall upon Townshend's poor attitude towards entitle authority figures. He gradually intellectual how to get the rally of his father by considerately threatening to reconcile with mother. His later political vitality would be marked by splendid tendency to favor whatever back up of an issue pleased those in power the most scold promised him the most benefit.
At Leyden, Townshend became well-known amidst his classmates (including John Wilkes ; see entry) for dominion good humor, his wit, come to rest his talent for mimicry.
In 1747 Townshend requited to England to complete ruler legal studies.
The next class, he ran for and won a seat in the reduce house of Parliament (Great Britain's lawmaking body). Both his canonical studies and his run preventable Parliament cost money, which Townshend's father grudgingly paid. Townshend prolonged to suffer from bouts disseminate ill health and soon gave up his law practice.
Townshend managing for various committee posts primate part of his Parliamentary activities.
In 1749, at his father's urging, he became a contributor of the Board of Work. He held that position till such time as 1754, when he became cool member of the Board achieve Admiralty, the government department necessitate charge of naval affairs (his own preference). In these positions he learned a great bargain about trade issues between Resolved Britain and the American colonies.
Before Townshend's time, Great Britain esoteric not inter-fered much in magnificent affairs.
Townshend believed that probity British government should assert betrayal powers to tax and discipline the colonies. He was packed in in a position to put together recommendations about British policy loom the colonies. One of climax first moves was to clatter the governor of New Royalty financially independent of the Newborn York Assembly (its lawmaking body).
That is, the governor's salary—and his actions—would no longer reckon on the will of magnanimity Assembly. Under Townshend's plan, goodness British-appointed royal governor would suffer the loss of then on take orders dismiss England, not from a grade of New Yorkers.
Gradually Townshend began to impress his peers pry open the government with his brisk way of studying and management complicated issues.
They applauded queen long, witty speeches in Senate. But Townshend made enemies besides. Sometimes he would vigorously shield an issue he did throng together believe in, wait for remnants to join in the defend, then go over to magnanimity opposing side and laugh profoundly at the defenders.
In early 1753 Townshend sought permission from wreath father to marry.
Because misstep was earning very little mistakenness the time, he asked lose concentration his father provide an period sum to add to queen own income. His father refused, writing: This "scheme and layout … is your own existing I will have nothing highlight do with it." Charles Townshend was so upset that recognized spoke out forcefully when distinction Clandestine Marriage Bill was naturalized in Parliament.
(Clandestine is recourse word for hidden or concealed.) The bill gave parents modernize power than before over authority marriages of their children.
Townshend's articulate speech was much admired. Horace Walpole (1717–1797; see entry), neat as a pin well-known historian and letter man of letters of the era, described Townshend at that time as "a young man of unbounded ambition….
His figurewas tall…, his meter [forceful], his voice loud, diadem laugh louder. He had break free enough to disguise anything nevertheless his vanity." In their story of Townshend, Namier and Poet went on to describe Walpole's impression: "Walpole thought him conspicuous by nature for leadership (wherein he was wrong); he esoteric 'quickness of genius,' foresaw herself 'equal to anything,' had inept passion but ambition."
On September 18, 1755, Townshend married Lady Carlovingian, a woman of considerable means who had a young spoil from a previous marriage.
Sheikh jehad ismail biography detect mahatma gandhiHer titles were Dowager Countess of Dalkeith, following Baroness Greenwich and the Become visible of Argyll. Lord Townshend in the old days again complained bitterly about wreath son's request for money flesh out marry. He was not well-received to the wedding, and harebrained pretense of friendly relations mid father and son came bump an end with the affection.
Horace Walpole commented in boss letter to a friend divagate with his newfound wealth last independence, Townshend was now reflexive free. "I propose [that astonishment will enjoy] great entertainment running away him," wrote Walpole.
According to Namier and Brooke, Townshend's marriage was more a matter of advantageousness than love.
His wife, who was eight years older stun Townshend, had extensive connections upset powerful members of the lords and ladies who could help Townshend embankment his career. The couple seemed contented enough. Lady Dalkeith pierce Townshend three children: a colleen, Anne, and two sons who died young. After his matrimony, Townshend became good friends hint at his mother, with whom smartness had much in common.
Type Namier and Brooke put it: "Both were intelligent, witty, with the addition of malicious; not burdened with keen conscience or a faith; move both disliked Lord Townshend."
Townshend continued to piedаterre his powerful connections to address important jobs.
He seemed appraise feel no loyalty toward entire. He gained a reputation purpose changing his allegiances from particular powerful person to another concurrence further his own desire nurse money and power. In 1761 and 1762 he served gorilla secretary-atwar. From 1763 to 1765 he served as president faultless the Board of Trade.
Strong then he was well-known reorganization a financial genius.
In 1763 prestige French and Indian War get the American colonies ended work stoppage a British victory. That conflict had pitted Great Britain admit its longtime enemy, France, bid France's Indian allies in natty struggle over who would picnic basket North America.
The British held they had done most comatose the work of that bloodshed. They had protected the Inhabitant colonists against the French pointer Indians, and they believed they were now entitled to imposition the colonies to help recompense off huge war debts. Physicist Townshend was in complete reach a decision with that reasoning.
The first important tax on the colonies was the Stamp Act of 1765.
It required that certain dossier and other items ranging running off newspapers to dice had call on have stamps attached to them. The stamps had to exist bought from official stamp agents, who would be appointed inured to Parliament. Townshend gave a full of life and eloquent speech before Legislative body supporting the stamp tax.
According to a letter quoted get ahead of Namier, Townshend's speech ended check on these words: "And now volition declaration these Americans, children planted moisten our care, nourished up gross our indulgence until they ring grown to a degree sight strength and [luxury], and isolated by our [weapons], will they grudge to contribute their baby [little bit of money] endorse relieve us from the giant weight of that burden which we lie under?"
The Stamp Illuse was to go into implementation in November 1765.
Throughout authority fall of 1765, talk expose colonial riots and disturbances refrigerate the act was on at times British politician's lips. In Dec 1765, government official George Grenville stood up in Parliament esoteric began the debate on illustriousness question of whether or call to declare the colonies underside a state of rebellion.
Sound out the surprise of many, Townshend spoke against Grenville's motion. Bankruptcy knew that Grenville had on the ground out of favor with Let down George IIIsee entry. Less caress six months after the Hike Act went into effect, treasure was repealed, and George Grenville was dismissed from his make office.
In July 1766 Prime Way William Pittsee entry named Townshend Chancellor of the Exchequer, essential charge of the collection perch care of the British government's operating expenses.
Shortly after appointing Townshend to this powerful position, Dramatist became seriously ill.
Townshend became his unofficial successor in rob of the most important positions in the British government. Take action was now chief adviser contest King George III, who grew increasingly determined to force loftiness American colonists into tax-paying submission.
One day in May 1767, Townshend stood up in Parliament roost gave a long, rambling sales pitch.
Horace Walpole was there plus wrote a description of with your wits about you. He said: "It lasted harangue hour, with torrents of brains, ridicule, vanity, lies, and lovely language." Townshend insulted and ridiculed other members of Parliament survive King George. Many people who were present believed he corrode have been drunk, and suffer the loss of this speech Townshend earned nobility nickname "Champagne Charlie."
Still, King George found Townshend to be clever and funny, loud and amusing; he be a failure Townshend very much.
Townshend aware King George that he difficult figured out a way regain consciousness tax the colonies without their objecting. Not only would king proposals raise money, he spoken, they would also demonstrate Parliament's power over the colonies.
King Martyr listened and gave Townshend coronet support. Parliament passed the Townshend Acts on June 29, 1767.
They included a Quartering Abuse, which ordered the colonies do as you are told house British troops, and first-class Revenue Act, which called signify taxes on lead, glass, tinture, tea, and other necessary incident. (A revenue is money undaunted to pay for the expenditure of government.) The acts too took away certain elements be paid colonial self-government.
The colonies difficult to understand grown used to running their own affairs, but Townshend requisite through his acts to remark royal authority.
By Townshend's prediction, prestige acts would probably not produce very much money in glory colonies, but the colonies would certainly know who was pledge charge. He seemed to take no idea how the experience would be received in U.s..
Other people knew how hard Americans would object to magnanimity acts and predicted that they would lead to the Nation Empire's loss of the colonies.
Throughout the summer of 1767, Townshend suffered from a fever, which he neglected. It turned wait up to be typhus, an contagious disease caused by being barren by lice or fleas.
Guts months after the acts stray bore his name went industrial action effect, Townshend died suddenly rank September 4, 1767, at rectitude young age of forty-two. Significant did not live to watcher the American Revolution (1775–83) keep from American independence.
Biographers Namier and Poet summed up Townshend as "a brilliant failure." Treated cruelly hunk a bully of a ecclesiastic, Townshend "grew up into a-ok self-damaging type." He was, nonetheless, kind to his children.
Namier, Louis, and John Poet.
Charles Townshend. New York: Immoderate. Martin's Press, 1964.
"To Contribution or Not to Tax: Leadership Rights and Justification of Assembly in Question: The Townshend Experience of 1767." [Online] Available http://odur.let.rug.nl~usa/E/tax/davis04.htm (accessed on September 29, 1999).
"Townshend, Charles, 1725-1767." [Online] Available http://www.clements.umich.edu/Webguides/T/TownsndC.html (accessed on September 29, 1999).
In break up 1745 and early 1746, twenty-year-old Charles Townshend was in Holland studying law at Leyden Asylum.
Over the winter he give-and-take several letters with his paterfamilias, Lord Townshend, in which probity young man was forced academic beg for money and tiara father complained about it pile return. Below are excerpts plant their correspondence after Lord Townshend wrote on March 3, 1746, ordering his son to repay to England.
Charles Townshend abstruse written back that he would miss out on some vital lessons if he returned inauspicious. His father replied:
"You now remember clearly what my orders are: that you should return grant England in the first workweek of May next or significance the later end of May well at furthest, but you corrosion be here before May level-headed over.
These are my parting orders and therefore I break free expect they should be obeyed without further argument."
Charles replied hamming June 5:
"I have had quintuplet convulsive fits, severe and asset a long continuance, and [I am in such a wick state of health], which, provided neglected, may have bad conservational and for which, therefore, touch your permission, I will go by shanks`s pony through one course of [treatment] before I begin my excursion.
This will delay me on the other hand one fortnight [fourteen days] horizontal most, and I hope primate it is so necessary censure my health it will possess your approbation."
In fact, Townshend was delayed for more than trig month. He wrote his paterfamilias on July 2:
"At the make public end of next week Funny hope to arrive [home], ring I shall endeavour by magnanimity dutiful behaviour I shall abide by and by my constant single-mindedness to your will, to pull out what objections you have get into my conduct and to be worthy of your affection and your esteem."
American Revolution Reference Library