I ... [rely] Upon The Merits Of

It Is Always Dangerous To The Liberties Of The People To Have An Army Stationed Among Them, Over Which They Have No Control ... The Militia Is Composed Of Free Citizens. There Is Therefore No Danger Of Their Making Use Of Their Power To The Destruction Of Their Own Rights, Or Suffering Others To Invade Them.

Is It Not High Time For The People Of This Country Explicitly To Declare, Whether They Will Be Freemen Or Slaves? It Is An Important Question Which Ought To Be Decided. It Concerns Us More Than Any Thing In This Life. The Salvation Of Our Souls Is Interested In The Event: For Wherever Tyranny Is Establish'd, Immorality Of Every Kind Comes In Like A Torrent. It Is In The Interest Of Tyrants To Reduce The People To Ignorance And Vice.

We Cannot Make Events. Our Business Is Wisely To Improve Them.

The Next Step May Be Fatal To Us. Let Us Then Act Like Wise Men, Calmly Look Around Us And Consider What Is Best To Be Done...let Associations And Combinations Be Everywhere Set Up To Consult And Recover Our Just Rights.

In A State Of Tranquility, Wealth, And Luxury, Our Descendants Would Forget The Arts Of War And The Noble Activity And Zeal Which Made Their Ancestors Invincible. Every Art Of Corruption Would Be Employed To Loosen The Bond Of Union Which Renders Our Resistance Formidable. When The Spirit Of Liberty Which Now Animates Our Hearts And Gives Success To Our Arms Is Extinct, Our Numbers Will Accelerate Our Ruin And Render Us Easier Victims To Tyranny.