- March 7, 1707, 319 years ago — Birth of Stephen Hopkins, signer of the Declaration of Independence.
- March 7, 1699, 327 years ago — Birth of Susanna Boylston Adams, mother of John Adams.
- March 7, 1835, 191 years ago — Death of Benjamin Tallmadge.
- March 11, 1731, 295 years ago — Birth of Robert Treat Paine, signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The American Crisis No. V
To General Sir William Howe
The American Crisis by Thomas Paine
Published March 21, 1778
To General Sir William Howe:
The particular situation of affairs at the time of writing this Crisis, gives a singular propriety to the title it bears. The British army, under your command, hath long been in possession of Philadelphia, the capital of America; and the Congress, the representative body of the people, is driven from it. The country is desolated, and the inhabitants plundered and abused. Yet the spirit of the people is not broken, nor their cause lost.
You have shown yourself capable of ravaging a defenseless city, but not of subduing a determined nation. The occupation of Philadelphia is not a conquest—it is a disgrace. The true strength of America lies not in her cities, but in her cause. And that cause, founded on liberty and justice, cannot be extinguished by the sword.
You may call yourself a conqueror, but the title is hollow. The victories you claim are built on the suffering of innocents and the destruction of homes. The American people will not forget, and history will not forgive. The name of Howe will be remembered, not for glory, but for cruelty.
The war you wage is not honorable. It is a war against the rights of mankind, and it will fail. The spirit of liberty is stronger than your battalions, and the resolve of free men is more enduring than your occupation.
Source: Public domain
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