
THE REPEAL. Or the Funeral Procession of MISS
AMERIC-STAMP
Artist: Anonymous. 1766.
Text from left side to right:
[Above the vault]Within this Family Vault, Lie Interred, it is to be hoped
never to rise again, The Star Chamber Court Ship Money Excise Money & all
Imposts without Parliament. The Act de Haeritico Comburendo Hearth Mon Gener
Warrants And which tended to alienate the Affections of Englishmen to their
Country.
Over the Vault are placed two Skeleton Heads. Their elevation on Poles, and
the dates of the two Rebellion Years, sufficiently shew what Party they
espoused, and in what cause they suffered an ignominious Exit.
The reverend Mr.Anti-Sejanus (who under that signature hackney'd his pen in
support of the Stamps) leads the procession as officiating Priest, with the
burial service and funeral sermon in his hands.
Next follow two eminent Pillars of the Law, supporting two black flags, on
which are delineated the Stamps with the White Rose and Thistle interwoved,
an expressive design, supposed to have been originally contrived on the 10
of June. The significative motto Semper Eadem is preserved, but the Price of
the Stamp is changed to three farthings, an important sum taken from the
Budget. The numbers 122 and 71 declare the minority which fought under these
Banners.
Next appears the honourable Mr. George Stamp, full of Grief and dispair,
carrying his favourite Childs Coffin, Miss Americ Stamp, who was born in
1763 and died hard in 1766.
Immediately after, follows the chief Mourner Sejanus.
Then his Grace of Spital Fields, and Lord Gawkee.
After these Jemmy Twitcher, with a Catch, by way of funeral anthem, & by his
side his friend and partner Mr. Falconer Donaldson of Halifax.
The rear is brought up by two right reverend Fathers of the Church.
These few mourners are seperated from the joyful scene which appears on the
River Thames, where three first rate ships are riding. VIZ. the Conway,
Rockingham, and Grafton. Along the opposite Shore, stand open Warehouses,
for the several goods of different manufactoring towns from which Cargoes
are now shipping for America. Among these is a large Case containing the
Statue of Mr. Pitt, which is heaving on board a Boat No. 250, there is
another boat taking in goods nearer the first Rates, which is No. 105. These
Numbers will ever be held in esteem by the true SONS of LIBERTY.
The cartoon is subtitled "The Funeral Procession of Miss Americ-Stamp" and
shows warehouses aling the Thames, empty for lack of trade with the American
Colonies, and three ships in the harbor representing the Rockingham
Ministry, with Lord Conway and Lord Grafton, the Secretaries of State, on
either side of Rockingham. "George Stamp", in the foreground holding the
coffin, represents George Grenville, ardent supporter of the Stamp Act; and
in the right corner of the cartoon, directly behind the bale of stamps, is a
crate containing a statue of William Pitt, Grenville's archenemy in the
Stamp Act controversy. Behind "George Stamp" are two figures which appeared
in the "The Tombstone" of 1765, Lord Bute and "His
Grace of Spital Fields", a figure portrayed in both cartoons with weavers '
petition in his pocket.
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