The Rights of Great Britain Asserted Against the...

“When Independent States take up arms, they endeavor to impress the World with a favorable opinion of their own cause, and to lay the blame of hostilities on the injustice of their Opponents. But if Nations, accountable to none for their conduct, deem it necessary to reconcile others to their proceedings, the necessity is still more urgent with regard to those who, breaking through every political duty, draw their swords against that State of which they own themselves the subjects. The opinions of mankind are invariably opposed to such men. Their assertions are heard with distrust, their arguments weighed with caution; and, therefore, it is as necessary for them to adhere to truth, in the former, as it is prudent to avoid sophistry in the latter.

This consideration however obvious it may appear to others, seems to have totally escaped the attention of the body of men who lately sat at Philadelphia under the name of “The general American Congress.”

View Rights of Great Britain asserted against the claims of America : being an answer to the Declaration of the general Congress in the Rare Books Collection in the Digital Library

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