Gentlemen, all of you are here for one purpose. Independence. Independence from Britain, which has put taxes when they told us that the crown would bear all costs of the war. Do you all want to be under control of Britain? Do you want to teach your children of British ideals not of your own ideals? Why pay taxes to a country which neglected us? Why do we stand here and not fight the British, the men in Boston are suffering as we speak and idle here.

John is a 55 year old white man who lives in Charleston, South Carolina. He’s married to Lynn Byrnes of North Carolina whose father is a infamous slave trader. He unfortunately has only one son due to Lynns infertility. They own a 100 acre plantation. They have many tobacco fields that they make their biggest profit off of. John has a raging Sciatica nerve that makes him immobile most of the day. He grew up in England with a middle class family and bargained his way on a ship to the new colonies. He met Lynn on the ship as he cleaned her quarters, he knew if he were to have any chance at surviving in the new world, he had to marry her. When he heard of the new world he made it his mission to participate in the founding of the grounds. He needed a way out of England and away from the troubling times. When Patrick Henry made his stand in the convention against England, he knew he needed to help fight. 

Response:

Patrick Henry spoke at the convention today. Out of the many speeches I heard, Patrick Henry’s was the most moving. Prior to the convention in Richmond, I knew that I wanted to get away from the rule of Great Britain. The independent council has had ideas against England for the past 5 years. When we finally got on the boat to leave England, we knew that it was going to be our only goal to separate completely from the king’s rule. I was most moved when Patrick Henry said, “For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate.” I agree with this point because I do not appreciate England making me feel like I am a slave of their nation. I risked my relationship, my family and my job in england to come to the new world and start a new life. I understand what everyone has been through and am fed up with the taxes and the exports to help England keep its rich way of life. We need to stand up for what we believe in and take what is rightfully ours. I am just like all of you and I am willing to make the change for my family and for this new world. Patrick Henry has spoken nothing but the truth.The word of revolution as travelled overseas, and they plan to intimidate us until they take further action. For no other reason would they waste the resources and time to send armies and war ships to the new world. I say “STAND UP FOR OUR COLONIES.” We who had the ultimate courage to journey to a desolate land are more braver than the English government that sends fleets to scare us into submission. They have entirely underestimated the colonies. Now that we are on our own we have a growing need for independence, and we plan to take action. 

But aside from the foolishness of your words, I see your perspective as comprehensible. These soldiers, in lines of bloody red, have proven to vastly outnumber you. Their training has demonstrated an authoritative expertise over your impromptu ranks. 

But nevertheless, you are matched with the “cunning fox” and have proven your worth in grisly battle.  The British underestimate your resilience, your passion, your fervor! They do not see a vision of unity within these colonies; they only see you as slaves to their selfish needs.

The British have brandished their weapons against brethren. They have dampened their swords with your blood; they have violated your homes; they have slaughtered your livestock; they have stolen your very being! They lust over your life and covet it, and yet you still cower for fear of becoming possessed!

My outlook has been challenged; my soul was in conflict for many ‘a day. But nonetheless, my yearning for justice overshadows the pleasure of faultlessness. In my heart, those who wish to “bind you in all cases whatsoever,” to seize your very being and steal your will, have proven themselves to be culpable of tyranny.

You proclaim a sense of failure, yet have you not considered the fact that I too am oppressed, yet in a different sense? Your voice can echo throughout worlds, and I suggest that you exercise this privilege, for some, like I, are compelled to stay mute. 

It will be a cold day in 🤬 before we kneel in submission before the Crown and beg for our blood not to drench his sword!

We have constantly been mistreated by the British government; high taxes, harsh rules, and brutal attacks have become the new normal for this new world supposedly full of hope. What some of you may not realize is that we have a fighting chance against the British, and although many of our fellow troops have given up their fight, I will not, for having only one soldier fighting against the British would be better than none at all. I ask you men to stand with me and our General Washington: keep pushing through the hardships and don’t forget what we are here fighting for. 

  I miss my family as much as the next man, but I know that I am fighting not only for this country, but for them as well. I want my son to live in a free country; free of worry, free of unfair taxes, free to live as an independent man. Do you want your children to grow up in these same conditions as we are in right now? Being treated like some lower class citizen, privacy always being invaded, afraid to even speak one’s self opinion? As a parent myself, I can imagine this is certainly the opposite of what you all want for your next family generation. Yes, you could throw in the towel and go home and spend time with your loved ones, but we are the ones who have the capability of bringing this new hope and better life to them. It is us who have to fight and push through because if we don’t, who will? 

So once again, I ask you men to stand with me: with General Washington: with Thomas Paine: with everyone who came to the new world for a new life. The fight is not over, we are not defeated yet. With every man in this room rebelling and fighting we can win. We can overthrow the Tories, and America can be the land of the free once and for all. To stand with me, or to not stand with me, I will continue fighting for my family, for my beliefs, and for my country. It is now every individual’s decision to let a few men go out and fight by themselves and die on the battlefield, or to stand tall and strong as an united group and overthrow the cruelty of the King. The future of this country lies in your hands.