If This Be Treason, Make The Most

We Should Transmit To Posterity Our Abhorrence Of Slavery.

You Are Not To Inquire How Your Trade May Be Increased, Nor How You Are To Become A Great And Powerful People, But How Your Liberties Can Be Secured; For Liberty Ought To Be The Direct End Of Your Government.

Show Me That Age And Country Where The Rights And Liberties Of The People Were Placed On The Sole Chance Of Their Rulers Being Good Men, Without A Consequent Loss Of Liberty?

Suffer Not Yourselves To Be Betrayed With A Kiss. Ask Yourselves How This Gracious Reception Of Our Petition Comports With Those Warlike Preparations Which Cover Our Waters And Darken Our Land. Are Fleets And Armies Necessary To A Work Of Love And Reconciliation? Have We Shown Ourselves So Unwilling To Be Reconciled, That Force Must Be Called In To Win Back Our Love? Let Us Not Deceive Ourselves, Sir. These Are The Implements Of War And Subjugationthe Last Arguments To Which Kings Resort.

I Believe A Time Will Come When An Opportunity Will Be Offered To Abolish This Lamentable Evil. Everything We Do Is To Improve It, If It Happens In Our Day; If Not, Let Us Transmit To Our Descendants, Together With Our Slaves, A Pity For Their Unhappy Lot And An Abhorrence Of Slavery.