Olive Branch Petition written by John Dickinson (PA) adopted by the Continental Congress

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

The HBO Adams series is extremely well done, both dramatically and factually in large part. Setting the development of Adams from once defending British soldiers vs. the Boston Massacre then moving along into the Sons of Liberty and association with John Hancock (and others of course in the course of business and the reality of Britain’s stranglehold on the Colonies).

The reply to the so called Olive Branch Petition is here:
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Rebellion

It was delivered to Congress and read to Congress by Hancock who was in the chair for the session. The HBO version of this event,correctly dated October 1775 from the King that the Congress and those actuating revolt, are to be reported and subject to Crown declarations, without any due process. Called “condigning”. It meant all Brit Officers were empowered to carry out judgements, and in this case it meant death. Nicely said in nicely nicely language.

HBO series accelerates the the date of receipt as July 6,1775 when in fact the King made it in August 23, 1775 when King George responded to the Battle of Bunker Hill after that date.

The HBO scene is of a later dispatch, drawn up by Lord North’s cabinet which expanded on King George’s speech to Parliament sent by North on October 1775 and contains the language of “those in treason” to face “death by hanging”. The scene is fairly correct in timeline likely being later in 1775 or earlier in 1776.The June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee (VA) Resolution was in reaction to King George’s cabinet’s dispatch, and resulted in the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies’ independence from Great Britain.

Congress approved Lee’s Resolution with a motion assigning a committee of Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Adams,Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman (Committee of Five) to draft and present the Declaration of Independence. The Lee Resolution was passed by Congress 2 days prior to adoption of the Declaration on July 4, 1776. Publication in the Pennsylvania Evening Post was on July 6,1776. And thus— it all began.

Incidentally, despite the ravings of a KGB slug who ran a part of the (GDR) East German KGB, one Putin- the Russian Empire did not “aid” our Revolution, other than trying not to antagonize Great Britain. Certainly the Communist/Bolshevik USSR had nothing to do with the later success of our Constitutional Republic. Not one damn thing except to try to destroy it whenever possible. 70 years of new slavery of the Soviet Union is proof enough (along with millions murdered by their “government”. See: Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn and Robert Conquest for a start on the Red Terror). Stalin’s rude awakening to Hitler got him millions in US made trucks, other vehicles and supplies- they could not have beaten the Nazis without the US serious aid— they seem to gloss over this in their school history classes. The new oligarchs still lie as well or better than the Bolshies and their descendant fakirs.

Dear Friends: July 4th

July 4th marks the 249th birthday of the United States of America. In terms of world history, we are still young. This republic was founded in 1776 by some very brave, courageous and wise men. As it turns out, about three-quarters of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were affiliated with the Episcopal Church, and over a quarter of all Presidents of the United States have been Episcopalians. While the founding fathers deservedly get the credit for creating this experiment in democracy, we know that behind the scenes they had support from friends and family, spouses and associates, and mostly importantly they were inspired by God.

It is this divine inspiration that continues to drive this nation through all its trials and tribulations. We make mistakes, and we don’t always get it right, but if we continue to look at the guiding principles laid down before us those many years ago, that being that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”, we can see the principles that define us. These are the principles that Americans call their own, that makes them cry out when these rights are impinged on or threatened. It is these principles that has driven so many young men and women to swear an oath to our constitution. That oath includes their willingness to write a check payable to the United States government for an amount up to and including their very life.

This nation and all that we believe in should never be taken for granted. For the most part, we gather every Sunday without threat of violence or oppression. We are free to gather in worship, and worship how we are inspired by God. This God is available for everyone. This God transcends denomination, faith tradition, or human understanding. This God teaches us peace, caring, empathy and compassion. We understand this about God through the teachings of Jesus. Amongst the freedoms of this nation is the ability for someone to worship God through a different faith tradition or understanding. As Americans, we celebrate many freedoms. Among the most important is the freedom of religion. This was important to the founders of our nation, so important that it became the first amendment to our constitution.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

It is no mistake that the first amendment includes these freedoms. Our forefathers demanded it.

For this holiday, as we enjoy spending time with family and friends at parades, cook outs and fireworks displays, let’s pause and remember the gift of this nation. Created with blood, sweat and tears inspired by a divine creator. This nation is worth the hard work; the sacrifice and wisdom it takes to keep it going. In troubling times, it can seem hard to remember, but we are and continue to be one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for ALL!

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