Thoreau only spent ONE night in jail -- why does he make such a big deal out of such a minor incident?

Thoreau declined to pay the tax and so, in July 1846, he was arrested and jailed. He refused to pay his taxes but his relatives settled the debt. Thoreau actually did not solicit his relatives to do anything. I think Thoreau takes his night in jail as a symbolic example of government tyranny rather than just a bad momentary experience.