I was the Founding Father of the United States

Chapter 43, North American Land Announcements

Upon hearing Chen Wenbin's dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Paris, Henry Coates sighed: "...London wants to end the war as soon as possible to avoid accumulating more debt!"

Just two months after the treaty was signed, the Bout cabinet collapsed due to the Treaty of Paris and the cider tax.

Although I support the Whig Party, I can understand Count Butt's thoughts. He wants to end the war, restore peace, and improve the financial situation, but he has too little political experience and doesn't understand the importance of appeasing the emotions of members of parliament and the public...

"So what about the current Grenville cabinet?" Chen Wenbin thought for a moment, then asked, "Will the Grenville cabinet abandon the idea of ​​raising taxes domestically and in North America?"

Chen Wenbin only knew the general situation before and after the North American Revolutionary War, and was not very clear about the specific policies and the leaders.

After speaking with Franklin and Governor Hopkins, he learned that the British Parliament was roughly divided into two factions: the Tories, who held a conservative, monarchist stance, and the Whigs, who supported parliamentary power and sought to limit royal authority.

For the past half-century, the Whig party had been in power in Britain. After George III ascended the throne in 1760, he wanted to reclaim the royal power that had been suppressed by the Whigs. The Earl of Butt, who became Prime Minister in 1762 (this title is not actually used in Britain today, but it is a political custom), was his private tutor. However, it is clear that the King's attempt failed.

As for Grenville, who just became prime minister in April this year, he is a Whig and a member of the Butt cabinet. His stance is relatively moderate and he respects the monarchy. Chen Wenbin thinks he will most likely continue to raise taxes, otherwise why would there be the Sugar Tax Act and the Stamp Tax Act?

Sure enough, upon hearing Chen Wenbin's question, Henry Coates frowned, thought for a moment, and shook his head, saying, "The total national debt has accumulated to an excessive level. In order to maintain the operation of the government, Sir Grenville will probably adopt a more proactive fiscal and tax policy..."

He then looked at Chen Wenbin and asked, "Robin, are you worried about your own interests being harmed?"

He didn't think there was anything wrong with discussing politics and taxation with Chen Wenbin. Chen Wenbin was a colonial member of parliament and a wealthy man, so it was normal for him to pay attention to British policies and taxation.

Chen Wenbin understood this as well, and he nodded calmly: "Who wouldn't care about their own wallet? Of course, I'm willing to pay taxes for the public good, but I also hope that London can treat the North American colonies fairly..."

Charles House, who was lagging behind the two, smiled and reminded them, "Robin, when you go to England to see His Majesty the King, you must tell him about the colonies' demands. I think all the people of the North American colonies will be grateful to you for it!"

Chen Wenbin shrugged and said, "I will, but I can't guarantee the King will listen to me. Even if he did, the London councilors probably wouldn't give up raising taxes just because of my words... After all, the debt is a real issue!"

"All right!"

Charles House chuckled nonchalantly, "Then let's not dwell on this headache! Gentlemen! I've already caught six rabbits; you'd better catch up!"

Chen Wenbin and Henry Courts looked at each other, tacitly remaining silent, and began to earnestly enjoy the pleasure of the hunt.

Around noon, the three men, along with their entourage and the game they had hunted, rode back to Robin City, which was already taking shape.

On both sides of the wide cobblestone road are rows of newly built two-story wooden houses. Some houses are not yet finished, and craftsmen are painting the exterior walls of the wooden houses white.

These are houses prepared for contract workers and employees of various factories. They are considered welfare benefits provided to them by Chen Wenbin at a low price. They only need to have no more than 15% of their salary deducted each month, and after working for a certain number of years, they can obtain the property rights of the house.

This housing allocation policy further enhanced Chen Wenbin's prestige in Robin City. Therefore, when Chen Wenbin rode by, passersby, regardless of age or gender, all stopped and stood by the roadside to bow to him, expressing their heartfelt respect.

Seeing this, Charles House, sitting to Chen Wenbin's left, instinctively straightened his back and then whispered:

"Robin, you've run this place very well! I can tell they look at you like you're their king!"

Henry Coates, on horseback to the right, looked at Chen Wenbin with envy. This guy was not only handsome and charming, with a beautiful noblewoman as his fiancée, but also deeply loved by the people... Most importantly, he was a millionaire worth tens of thousands of pounds!

It's so enviable!

"I just did what a leader should do," Chen Wenbin said calmly, as if he were stating a trivial matter.

"I simply gave them basic safety, food, and shelter, as well as the freedom permitted by law and regulations, and the hope of achieving a happy life through their own efforts... It wasn't that difficult."

Isn't this difficult?

Henry Coates looked strange... If the British workshop owners and landowners had half the ability and kindness of Chen Wenbin, then a number of poor people wouldn't be starving and freezing to death in the London slums every day.

Why did so many poor British people choose to sign indentured servitude contracts to board merchant ships bound for the North American colonies?

It's precisely because if they didn't do this, they would be stuck in the slums, struggling and waiting to die from exhaustion or illness...

Thinking of all this, he withdrew his gaze from the passersby, and with a last glimmer of hope, asked, "Robin, are these people... all your contract slaves?"

"Contract slave?"

Chen Wenbin was taken aback, then shook his head and said, "Some of them were indeed contract slaves of others, but I don't treat them as slaves. They are workers and employees who have signed labor contracts with me and the company... Only those who can see hope work more diligently, right?"

Henry Courts nodded with a complicated expression. Just as he was about to say something, three mounted police officers in black woolen uniforms came rushing over from the direction of the dock.

The leader was Shelby, the sheriff of the port district of Robin City. When he saw Chen Wenbin on horseback, he immediately pulled hard on the reins, took off his leather hat and bowed to Chen Wenbin. Then he dismounted, took out a letter from the bag on his horse, and ran over to hand it to Chen Wenbin with a solemn expression.

"Shelby, what happened?" Chen Wenbin asked nervously, thinking that the British were preparing to shut down Providence United Industries.

"Your Mightiness!"

Shelby said angrily, "The latest news from Newport Harbor is that the King has issued the North American Land Proclamation, forbidding us from freely cultivating the Indian lands west of the Appalachian Mountains... all of that land belongs to the Royal Family!"

All land transactions in the west could only be conducted through the governor and land commissioner appointed by the royal family!

Governor Hopkins requests your immediate attendance at a meeting in the Providence Parliament House!

Oh!

So that's what it was about!

Chen Wenbin immediately relaxed. He had known for a long time that the British had this trick up their sleeve, but unlike Benjamin Franklin and others, he did not spend a lot of money to participate in land speculation in the West. As long as he did not touch Providence United Industries, the affairs of the West had nothing to do with him.