Proclamation by the King for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition

Audience

The Proclamation by the King for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition was authored with three particular audiences in mind: the members of Great Britain's political elite, the general population of Great Britain, and the American colonists. For each of these groups the intent of the document differed. For his political allies and his opposition, the work contained an explanation of the course of action that George III and his ministers intended to pursue. He hoped to appear strong and decisive to his critics—primarily the Whigs—and to provide his supporters—the Tories—with a ground that they could defend. George III intended that the British public read his message as a patriotic rallying cry. He wanted and needed their support to suppress the rebellion. They provided the funding and men to pursue the conflict. By stating that the colonists' actions were treasonous, he anticipated deflecting their growing frustrations over Britain's economic problems toward the American colonists. Georges III's edict had a twofold purpose for his American audience. He wished to identify what construed treason and who engaged in those activities. The work put those individuals and groups on notice: If one persists, he or she will be hunted and punished. To those remaining loyal to the Crown and to those wavering in their allegiances, his meaning was clear: If one cooperates and acts in defense of the Crown, he or she has nothing to fear.

In the proclamation, George III also made a statement in reference to its style and language. Both were weighty and serious and both carried the force of law. While twenty-first-century readers might find the language and style obtuse and obscure, George III's eighteenth-century audiences would have clearly understood the language and style. The format of the statement was a commonly accepted one; George III addresses his audiences, states the problem, and defines its solution. North American colonists were familiar with this constitutional construct and adopted it as their own. The Declaration of Independence offers a prime example of their adaptation.