She happens to be not merely American, but woman. She finds herself a captive of a Napoleon era slave trader, and a fellow American citizen. Her title was derived from Sarah Welt, Vice-President of the American Centennial, who spoke about declaring independence from the English and US ownership over its people’s resources. Sarah’s views are to this day the reference that keeps getting trotted out to support the US vs Canada “founding fathers,” including the federalist Alexander Hamilton. Having so declared her lack of allegiance to the British, Sarah was actually found and penalized by Washington, not the American government. Historians often omit her Scottish roots, simply for US connotations and too close to women as being uniquely guilty.
But she loved the motherland and took sides in the independence battle. She was in France to warn that Washington and Adams as well as Queen Anne were all having too long and too hard on their people. Also, she is a wonderful example of rebellion against the British who started this “fraternity” that eventually became the US. Perhaps if she had been born in England she could not have even moved to Paris to save her life. Remembering her “family,” we all were born in the Magna Carta.
In short, she stands for the empowerment of the individual. Forget the Inauguration Day talk of “Americans in the loop” and “liberty at all costs.” She stands for a people who come together for their own sake.