A Matter of Principal vs Going Along

Location:?Dorchester County, Maryland

Date:?1778

Scenario:?Matthias Travers named Captain of Dorchester County Militia

The Travers’ were one of the original settler families of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and had been on Hooper’s Island since the mid to late 1600s.?They were vast landowners and plied their fishing trade up and down the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay.?Things were going well for them under the rule of the Crown and the tight knit communities of Dorchester County grew and flourished.?As well as life was for the Travers’, there was no escaping news of trouble on the horizon, as cries of “no taxation without representation” began to spread throughout the colonies.?

Though the Stamp Act was repealed, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act in 1766, stating the colonies were subordinate to Parliament and subject to British Law.

On March 22, 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act, the first direct tax imposed on colonial Americans. To Parliament’s great surprise, outraged Americans responded angrily with legislative protests and street violence. Taken aback by the colonial reaction, and succumbing to pressure from British merchants who were suffering financially from American boycotts, Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Act on March 18, 1766. On the same day, however, Parliament enacted the Declaratory Act, affirming its dominion over the American colonies. The Declaratory Act stated that Parliament “had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America…in all cases whatsoever.” The uncompromising nature and intent of the Declaratory Act created a schism between Great Britain and the American colonies that would prove to be irreparable.?(https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/declaratory-act/)

At this point, the clamor for freedom could not be quelled and protests spread throughout the colonies.?Having breathed the fresh air of freedom for many decades, the continual overreach by Parliament incensed many, even those in remote locations such as Dorchester County.?By 1775, ??Independence was on the minds of many colonists and the Declaration was made shortly thereafter.

Having a small group of people, far removed from the everyday life and activities of the citizens, decide and dictate what is best for said citizens did not sit well with many of the free-spirited colonists.?Nor did it sit well with the folks of Dorchester County.??It would have been easy for these families to “go along to get along” and remain loyal to the Crown.?After all, the odds of a successful Revolution were slim, and many of their peers were playing both sides of the conflict to ensure they landed on their feet when it was all over.?They were putting their own selfish interests ahead of the greater good.?In fact, that sentiment has played a large role throughout our history.??Dictators and strongmen have persecuted, murdered, and enslaved millions of people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds while “good” people have looked the other way.???

The United States of America has a long history of defiance. “Don’t Tread on Me”, Don’t Give Up the Ship”, “Come and Take It”, “Nuts”, and many other famous quotes of defiance are emblazoned on bumper stickers, flags and t-shirts, many of them misunderstood or mis-used.??It is said that “we are the descendants of men who refused to be ruled”.

Fortunately for the young nation, my 5th great grandfather Matthias Travers and many Patriots refused to be ruled and did not go along to get along. Captain Travers and the Dorchester County folks answered the bell and helped score a stunning victory over the powerful military of Great Britain.?Thus a new nation was born, imperfect, but with the means to improve set forth in its’ Constitution.?

Professional Engineers are not allowed to look the other way or “go along to get along”.?They are bound by their professional codes or canons of conduct and behavior to hold paramount the safety and well being of the public.?Not only does this apply in project design and material selection, but also to professional conduct and behavior within professional societies and amongst our peers.?Ignoring or enabling unethical conduct is equally as egregious as behaving unethically.?Engineers must continually be alert to and avoid situations in which he or she might place themselves in a position that is either a conflict of interest or a violation of the code of ethics.?We do not get second chances when it comes to public perception.?The engineering community must absolutely police itself in order to maintain the high regard in which the public holds us.?

Doing the right thing was critical 250 years ago, and it is critical today.??

22 veterans a day lose their battles with the demons brought home from combat zones. Please reach out to and check up on those that you know, and consider our veterans and first responders when choosing charities to support. Here are some ideas:

Camp Hope

Mighty Oaks Foundation

wheelchairsforwarriors.org

Tunnels to Towers

www.heroesonthewater.org

www.veteranoutdoors.com

A Hero's Promise

Ron Reichert attended Drexel University where he earned a BS in Civil Engineering. Ron was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Infrastructure Advancement Institute, IAI, and has been heavily involved with ASCE committees and events at the local, state and national level. He also supports and participates in APWA, SAME, and numerous other professional societies. Ron has over 24 years of experience in specification and selection of infrastructure materials.