Political Quotes

“I thank Senator Boxer. Commemorating Gaspee Days Mr. President, my time in this Chamber often gives me cause to reflect on our history and on the brave patriots who went before us, many of whom risked or even gave their lives to create this great Republic. Today, I would like to talk about a group of men who, 239 years ago tonight, engaged in a daring act of defiance against the British Crown. For many, the Boston Tea Party is one of the first events on the road to our revolution. Growing up, we were taught the story of painted-up Bostonians dumping shipments of tea into Boston Harbor, to defend the principle: ``no taxation without representation.'' Conspicuously missing from history books is the story of the brave Rhode Islanders who challenged the British Crown far more aggressively more than a year before Bostonians dumped those teabags into Boston harbor. Today, on its anniversary, I would like to take us back to an earlier milestone in America's fight for independence, to share with you the story of a British vessel, the HMS Gaspee, and to introduce you to some little-known heroes now lost in the footnotes of history. In 1772, amidst growing tensions with American colonies, King George III stationed his revenue cutter, the HMS Gaspee, in Rhode Island. The Gaspee's task was to prevent smuggling and enforce the payment of taxes. But to Rhode Islanders, the vessel was a symbol of oppression.…”