John Dickinson
John Dickinson was born in Maryland in 1732. After acquiring a good education he read law and had a lucrative practice in the city of Philadelphia. He was elected to the legislature at an early age and became a prominent member, an eloquent speaker and ready writer. He was a member of the General Congress in 1765 and was one to boldly expose the unwarranted conduct of crown officers. In 1767 he published a series of letters that exposed the unconstitutional features of sundry acts of Parliament.Mr. Dickinson was a member of the important preliminary Congress of 1774 and help to write a petition to the King that. Also, he was the author of the declaration published by the Congress of 1775 which ably set forth the causes that impelled the down-trodden colonists to take up arms and resolve on victory or death. The second petition to the King was from his pen and adopted by Congress. However, he felt that the Declaration of Independence was premature, and did not vote for it. Later, he sanctioned the document.
In 1779, he was again elected to Congress. The following extract from an address, adopted by Congress on the 26th of May 1779, is from his pen.
"Infatuated as your enemies have been from the beginning of this contest do you imagine they can flatter themselves with a hope of conquering you unless you are false to yourselves? When unprepared, undisciplined and unsupported; you opposed their fleets and armies in full conjoined force-then, if at any time, was conquest to be apprehended. Yet, what progress towards it have their violent and incessant efforts made? Judge from their own conduct. Having devoted you to bondage and after vainly wasting their blood and treasure in the dishonorable enterprise-they deigned at length to offer terms of accommodation with respectful addresses to that once despised body, the Congress, whose humble supplications, only for peace and safety, they had contemptuously rejected under pretence of its being an unconstitutional assembly. Nay more-desirous of seducing you into a deviation from the paths of rectitude from which they had so far and rashly wandered, they made most specious offers to tempt you into a violation of your faith given to your illustrious ally." "Foiled again and stung with rage, embittered by envy-they had no alternative but to renounce the inglorious and ruinous controversy or to resume their former modes of prosecuting it. They chose the latter. Again the savages are stimulated to horrid massacres of women and children and domestics to the murder of their masters. Again our brave and unhappy brethren are doomed to miserable deaths in jails and prison-ships. To complete the sanguinary system-all the 'extremities of war' are denounced against you by authority. * * Rouse yourselves, therefore, that this campaign may finish the great work you have so nobly carried on for several years past. What nation ever engaged in such a contest under such a complication of disadvantages so soon surmounted many of them and in so short a period of time had so certain a prospect of a speedy and happy conclusion. We will venture to pronounce that so remarkable an instance exists not in the annals of mankind. Consider how much you have done and how comparatively little remains to be done to crown you with success. Persevere and you insure peace, freedom, safety, glory, sovereignty and felicity to yourselves, your children and your children's children." "Fill up your battalions-be prepared in every part to repel the incursions of your enemies-place your several quotas in the constitutional treasury-lend money for public uses-sink the emissions of your several states-provide effectually for expediting the conveyance of supplies for your armies and fleets and for your allies-prevent the produce of your country from being monopolized-effectually superintend the behaviour of public officers (what a poser if the dear people should do this imperious duty now) diligently promote piety, virtue, brotherly love, learning, frugality and moderation and may you be approved before Almighty God-worthy of those blessings we devoutly wish you to enjoy." Mr. Dickinson became the President of Pennsylvania and subsequently removed to the state of Delaware in the same office. His political writings were collected and published in 1810 making two volumes octavo. His famous Farmer's Letters to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies were so highly prized by the astute Franklin that he had them republished in London and sent a French translation to Paris.
He resided at Wilmington, Delaware, for a long time where he closed his earthly pilgrimage on the 15th of February 1808. He was a member of the Society of Friends. His private character was without reproach.
Source: The Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution by L. Carroll Judson