Olive Branch Petition written by John Dickinson (PA) adopted by the Continental Congress - July 5, 1775 (250 years ago today)

Battlefields.org ^ | John Dickinson (Pennsylvania)

[DFG]

The Olive Branch Petition was adopted by Congress on July 5, 1775, to be sent to the King as a last attempt to prevent formal war from being declared. The Petition emphasized their loyalty to the British crown and emphasized their rights as British citizens.

The Congress met according to adjournment. The Petition to the King being engrossed, was compared, and signed by the several members. To the king's most excellent Majesty: Most gracious sovereign,

We, your Majesty's faithful subjects of the colonies of new Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in behalf of ourselves, and the inhabitants of these colonies, who have deputed us to represent them in general Congress, entreat your Majesty's gracious attention to this our humble petition.

The union between our Mother country and these colonies, and the energy of mild and just government, produced benefits so remarkably important, and afforded such an assurance of their permanency and increase, that the wonder and envy of other Nations were excited, while they beheld Great Britain rising to a power the most extraordinary the world had ever known.

Her rivals, observing that there was no probability of this happy connexion being broken by civil dissensions, and apprehending its future effects, if left any longer undisturbed, resolved to prevent her receiving such continual and formidable accessions of wealth and strength, by checking the growth of these settlements from which they were to be derived.

In the prosecution of this attempt, events so unfavourable to the design took place, that every friend to the interests of Great Britain and these colonies, entertained pleasing and reasonable expectations of seeing an additional force and extention immediately given to the operations of the union hitherto experienced, by an enlargement of the dominions of the Crown, and the removal of ancient and warlike enemies to a greater distance.

At the conclusion, therefore, of the late war, the most glorious and advantageous that ever had been carried on by British arms, your loyal colonists having contributed to its success, by such repeated and strenuous exertions, as frequently procured them the distinguished approbation of your Majesty, of the late king, and of parliament, doubted not but that they should be permitted, with the rest of the empire, to share in the blessings of peace, and the emoluments of victory and conquest. While these recent and honorable acknowledgments of their merits remained on record in the journals and acts of that august legislature, the Parliament, undefaced by the imputation or even the suspicion of any offence, they were alarmed by a new system of statutes and regulations adopted for the administration of the colonies, that filled their minds with the most painful fears and jealousies; and, to their inexpressible astonishment, perceived the dangers of a foreign quarrel quickly succeeded by domestic dangers, in their judgment, of a more dreadful kind.

Nor were their anxieties alleviated by any tendency in this system to promote the welfare of the Mother country. For tho' its effects were more immediately felt by them, yet its influence appeared to be injurious to the commerce and prosperity of Great Britain.

We shall decline the ungrateful task of describing the irksome variety of artifices, practised by many of your Majesty's Ministers, the delusive pretences, fruitless terrors, and unavailing severities, that have, from time to time, been dealt out by them, in their attempts to execute this impolitic plan, or of traceing, thro' a series of years past, the progress of the unhappy differences between Great Britain and these colonies, which have flowed from this fatal source.

Your Majesty's Ministers, persevering in their measures, and proceeding to open hostilities for enforcing them, have compelled us to arm in our own defence, and have engaged us in a controversy so peculiarly abhorrent to the affections of your still faithful colonists, that when we consider whom we must oppose in this contest, and if it continues, what may be the consequences, our own particular misfortunes are accounted by us only as parts of our distress.

Knowing to what violent resentments and incurable animosities, civil discords are apt to exasperate and inflame the contending parties, we think ourselves required by indispensable obligations to Almighty God, to your Majesty, to our fellow subjects, and to ourselves, immediately to use all the means in our power, not incompatible with our safety, for stopping the further effusion of blood, and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British Empire.

Thus called upon to address your Majesty on affairs of such moment to America, and probably to all your dominions, we are earnestly desirous of performing this office, with the utmost deference for your Majesty; and we therefore pray, that your royal magnanimity and benevolence may make the most favourable construction of our expressions on so uncommon an occasion. Could we represent in their full force, the sentiments that agitate the minds of us your dutiful subjects, we are persuaded your Majesty would ascribe any seeming deviation from reverence in our language, and even in our conduct, not to any reprehensible intention, but to the impossibility of reconciling the usual appearances of respect, with a just attention to our own preservation against those artful and cruel enemies, who abuse your royal confidence and authority, for the purpose of effecting our destruction.

Attached to your Majesty's person, family, and government, with all devotion that principle and affection can inspire, connected with Great Britain by the strongest ties that can unite societies, and deploring every event that tends in any degree to weaken them, we solemnly assure your Majesty, that we not only most ardently desire the former harmony between her and these colonies may be restored, but that a concord may be established between them upon so firm a basis as to perpetuate its blessings, uninterrupted by any future dissentions, to succeeding generations in both countries, and to transmit your Majesty's Name to posterity, adorned with that signal and lasting glory, that has attended the memory of those illustrious personages, whose virtues and abilities have extricated states from dangerous convulsions, and, by securing happiness to others, have erected the most noble and durable monuments to their own fame.

We beg leave further to assure your Majesty, that notwithstanding the sufferings of your loyal colonists, during the course of the present controversy, our breasts retain too tender a regard for the kingdom from which we derive our origin, to request such a reconciliation as might in any manner be inconsistent with her dignity or her welfare. These, related as we are to her, honor and duty, as well as inclination, induce us to support and advance; and the apprehensions that now oppress our hearts with unspeakable grief, being once removed. your Majesty will find your faithful subjects on this continent ready and willing at all times, as they ever have been, with their lives and fortunes, to assert and maintain the rights and interests of your Majesty, and of our Mother country.

We, therefore, beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of your dominions, with all humility submitting to your Majesty's wise consideration whether it may not be expedient for facilitating those important purposes, that your Majesty be pleased to direct some mode, by which the united applications of your faithful colonists to the throne, in pursuance of their common councils, may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that, in the mean time, measures may be taken for preventing the further destruction of the lives of your Majesty's subjects; and that such statutes as more immediately distress any of your Majesty's colonies may be repealed.

For by such arrangements as your Majesty's wisdom can form, for collecting the united sense of your American people, we are convinced your Majesty would receive such satisfactory proofs of the disposition of the colonists towards their sovereign and parent state, that the wished for opportunity would soon be restored to them, of evincing the sincerity of their professions, by every testimony of devotion becoming the most dutiful subjects, and the most affectionate colonists.

That your Majesty may enjoy a long and prosperous reign, and that your descendants may govern your dominions with honor to them selves and happiness to their subjects, is our sincere and fervent prayer. John Hancock

colony of New hampshire

John Langdon colony of Massachusetts bay

Thomas Cushing

Saml Adams

John Adams

Robt Treat Paine colony of Rhode island and providence plantations

Step Hopkins

Sam: Ward colony of Connecticut

Elipht Dyer

Roger Sherman

Silas Deane Pennsylvania

John Dickinson

B Franklin

Geo: Ross

James Wilson

Chas Humphreys

Edwd Biddle counties of New Castle Kent and Sussex on delawar

Caesar Rodney

Thos Mc Kean

Geo: Read Maryland

Mat. Tilghman

Ths Johnson Junr

Wm Paca

Samuel Chase

Thos Stone colony of New York

Phil. Livingston

Jas Duane

John Alsop

Frans Lewis

John Jay

Robt R Livingston junr

Lewis Morris

Wm Floyd

Henry Wisner New Jersey

Wil: Livingston

John De Hart

Richd Smith colony of Virginia

P. Henry Jr

Richard Henry Lee

Edmund Pendleton

Benja Harrison

Th: Jefferson North Carolina

Will Hooper

Joseph Hewes South Carolina

Henry Middleton

Tho Lynch

Christ Gadsden

J. Rutledge

Edward Rutledge

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TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: 17750705; continentalcongress; georgeiii; godsgravesglyphs; johndickinson; olivebranchpetition; pennsylvania; theframers; therevolution

[Racketeer]

People just do not realize, less than a few generations we were subject to a man. Then a government was created to be subject to us, the citizenry.

Never, ever, be subject to another human being. Ever. Our servants work for us in government.

[BenLurkin]

Can’t help but think that Franklin signed it because he knew it would be ignored.

[hoosierham]

Good Lord!

What a tedious document.

I suppose that was the style then but seems it could have been MUCH shorter and still had the message.

[delchiante]

An entire govt declared war on one man, Donald J Trump.

We haven’t 1776 that govt yet..

We did elect that man to do it from within the Oval Office.

[556x45]

Yes, the ‘style’ of that day is different. They actually thought things thru and were able to carefully articulate it in writing.

[mairdie]

It’s good that they tried. It’s likely that they already knew their try was doomed. But they approached the coming storm with straight backs - unbowed, morally at peace.

Fortunes and families were at stake and they still signed their names. Patriots and Loyalists were as divided as we are today but had none of the protections that they won for us. And those are the protections that have softened us against the threats the other side holds up against us.

We were a tough people when those men came together. Militias trained in every town square. The military were still respected as the ones trained were everyone’s child. Then the liberals performed the jaw dropping feat of Re-educating our children until it wasn’t clear our military would ever recover. But those who remembered pride and strength still taught their children and I now have faith that the military forces will again recover and strong children grow into a strong peoples.

[17th Miss Regt]

Thank you for posting this! It provides a bit more perspective on the American Revolution.

[17th Miss Regt]

What, you don’t think “That’s rayciss!” and “The king is a warmongering fascist dictator” is not sufficiently erudite?

[hoosierham]

If the Declaration and Constitution had been written in like manner those documents would be cures for insomnia.

[delchiante]

:)

[556x45]

Yes, in a culture that lacks basic communication skills, logical reasoning, proper decorum and thrives off instant gratification I’m sure these documents seem alien. History has much to teach if you’ll allow it.

[556x45]

Thankfully they were better men than that. I think electronic media was invented to cover some of embarrassing nakedness.

[Joe 6-pack]

I loved the John Adams HBO miniseries, which was generally well done. That said, they made Dickinson look like a complete snidely fop, which he was not.

[Jarvis Law 2.0]

Once that effort failed, the true British Loyalists had to leave, self deport to England or a colony such as Canada. Hard to tell one White/Anglo from another back in those days, hence the “natural born” legal definition for President was required & vetted. Loyalty to a King or similar title was the way of the world except in New America. No dual citizenship would ever be desired or allowed in the New America. Subversion of that loyalty has been under constant attack from the get go, by the Usual Suspects led by the British Oligarchy and their minions.

[delchiante]

Subversion of that loyalty has been under constant attack from the get go, by the Usual Suspects led by the British Oligarchy and their minions.
.....

And that’s another reason President Trump hangs the Declaration of Independence on the wall of the Oval Office..

The likes of Christopher Steele Dossidiots and the UK’s 4 of the 5 Five EYES should be considered enemies foreign who conspire with enemies domestic.

[SunkenCiv]

https://search.brave.com/search?q=we+must+all+hang+together+or+we+will+all+hand+separately

We Must Hang Together

The phrase “We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately” is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin. It is believed that he said this in 1776, at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, emphasizing the importance of unity among the colonies during the American Revolution. The quote suggests that if the colonies did not stand together against Great Britain, they would fail individually and face the consequences of their rebellion separately and likely more severely.

However, there is some debate about whether Franklin actually said this exact phrase. Some sources suggest that the saying was already in circulation before the American Revolution, possibly dating back to the 1650s as an old Flemish proverb. Additionally, there are records indicating that the phrase was attributed to others before being linked to Franklin. For example, in a letter dated April 14, 1776, Carter Braxton wrote about a “true saying of a Wit – We must hang together or separately,” suggesting that the phrase was already known and not specifically coined by Franklin.

Despite the uncertainty around its origin, the quote has become synonymous with Franklin and is used to illustrate the importance of solidarity and collective action in the face of adversity. It has been referenced in various contexts, including political commentary, literature, and even in popular culture, such as in editorial cartoons and motivational artwork.

AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.

[Jarvis Law 2.0]

Amen to all you said! America, is more than an “Idea” as GW Bush referred to our Nation. Always good to know who the Enemies Within are by their own words. Our current POTUS says the right words, which is better than nothing. We’re in for a world of hurt in this Not Great Reset that no one really wants except the 0.1% who are hell bent to achieve.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks DFG.

[SunkenCiv]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_Branch_Petition#Reception_and_rejection