Sunday, May 17, 2015

What measures does Henry says the colonists have already tried in their dealings with England?

Patrick Henry is specific about what the colonies have tried to do to negotiate with Britain.  He points out that the negotiations have dragged on for ten years with no discernible improvement.  He goes on to say that the colonies "have petitioned; [we have] remonstrated; [we have] supplicated; [we have] prostrated ourselves before the throne."  In other words, the colonies have tried to submit signed petitions that demonstrate the will of the people to the ministers of Parliament, they have made forceful protests, begged humbly, and more or less made every gesture of submission to try to effect change in their relationship--all to no avail.  He also implies that the colonies have not shown that they are unwilling to be satisfied; it is Britain who has been behaving unreasonably despite the honest and peaceful efforts of the colonies to work out their differences. 

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