Prayers at the Congress

This letter is written by John to Abigail. John is telling Abigail that the congress would start off with a prayer as suggested by Samuel Adams. Mr. Duché was asked to say the prayer and he agreed. The next day he read the 35^th psalm and made a prayer after. John said he had never heard such moving thing and that it moved everyone in the congress. He asked Abigail to read through the psalm and to read it to her friends and people nearby.

Rhetorical devices found in the letter:

Appeal To Reason: “It was opposed by Mr. Jay of N York  and Mr. Rutledge of south Carolina, because we were so divided into religious Sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists so that we could not join in the same act of Worship” (John Adams 677).

This quote refers to Mr. Jay trying to stop the prayer because people had different beliefs and they would probably feel offended or would not like the start of the congress.

Persuasion: “I must beg you to read that psalm. If there was any Faith in the sortes Virgilianæ, or sortes Homericæ, or especially the Sortes biblicæ, it would be thought providential” (John Adams 678).

This quote is about John trying to persuade Abigail to read the psalm because he really believes it was an amazing psalm and that it will bring only good thigns and peace to the mind of her wife.  

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Refuting Patrick Henry

Mr. President: I believe the ideas of Patrick Henry are not thought clearly and will lead the colonist to death. Patrick Henry talks about revolution, about how the British have plundered the colonists and that they must rise and eradicate that control. Henry has the wrong idea about the British. He believes they are only looking to make the colonists suffer under their reign. I am here to tell you what would happen if you followed Patrick Henry’s ideas. Mr. Henry attacks viciously some things that the British had done with only good intentions. He will try to get you into thinking that these European men are brutal savages and will only want harm. In his speech, he demanded that the colonists should not search for a treaty or to make peace, he instead almost obliged them to go and stand in the war front as animals, which I truly know you are not. I offer you a suggestion, which I know you will like better than the one proposed by Mr. Henry. As you may know, Great Britain is a state with probably triple the population you have here at the colonies. This means that if you engage in warfare, the King will send forth all of his power because he will not take the risk to lose land. He will bring the world’s most powerful navy and army to attack the modest colonies. As you hear this, you are just thinking in death, as well as I do. He also states that peace does not exist now and that no matter who you are you must not cry for peace. How come a so called gentleman says this? No man in his sane judgments may make a cry for war knowing that all odds are against him. Why would you release yourself from British connections? British were the ones who first came here, so you are as British as they are. It seems a little stupid to call for a battle against the country from where your grandparents were from. Besides that, British soldiers have provided you with security and help. Remember a few years ago, the war where the colonists and the British attacked the French and made them leave. How could men that fought together years ago, are now about to break into war? Betrayal it seems to me. There are many other ways to solve this conflict with the British. Although I believe you would rather stay the same. In conclusion, I believe the ideas Patrick Henry came to tell you are suicidal and it will lead you to no good at all. I know that if you have lived all this years with the same rules then you may live with some new ones and live in peace. Nobody wants a war, not in Britain neither in the colonies. It is better to live with them and evolve together as a joint community. Both British and colonists can live as neighbors and even friends. As men they could create a better society and someday have power over the entire world. There is no need to be enemies or start a war.

Peaceful Earth

There are millions of people that lose their life or a relative on a war. The world would be more advanced if weapons and armies would be annihilated. Seems to be a herculean task, but with enough people participating anything is possible. Many people would think of this idea as stupid and idiotic but others might as well join the cause. Many pacifists will agree with this idea but even less will move a finger. This minority will someday become a majority. The pacifists who are able and will help this cause will be remembered as heroes. This would be the turn in the world’s history. Each country will remember that minority that changed the entire world. For those heartless people who prefer war or who find it amusing, you will be considered as the villains of the story. Remember that the true history is written by the victor. The defeated side’s truth will never be the truth for future generations. Many people are neutral, but when it comes to seeing people be brutally murdered in a battlefield knowing that he has parents and maybe siblings. He has people who care about him. He has people who will miss him, cry and mourn him for many days. Imagine how harsh it is to lose somebody, to know that someone killed your relative and that that someone is probably still alive and is being honored for his good work. How could someone sleep at night knowing that he caused a family to fall apart, that he took a father from a child, a husband from a wife, or a son from a mother. Besides, it is not for us to decide who dies or who lives, it is God’s decision. We have much less power than God. Any good Christian would not kill another one as cold-hearted as possible. It seems right to be in peace with everybody, and create only good times, not dark ones. A single bullet releases a bunch of troubles; death overcomes a family and resentment. This proposal would finish with these problems and create a better world. The ones who will not follow will be seen as blood-thirsty animals and will be hated by entire masses. The proposal would save every war enforcing country millions and millions that would be used to supply the army. The money would be used to help the needy people. It would give food to the hungry, house to the homeless, work to the unemployed, and in some time a better place to live. The idea should be a new chapter in the history of humankind, this chapter a good one. Civilizations would prosper; third world countries would cancel debts, and technology would flourish even more. These seem good things to accomplish, but the most important of all is that a mother will not have to worry for days and days for her son to come back safe and sound. A wife will not have to worry for her son never playing catch with his daddy. People would not have to worry about early funerals and mourning for their loved ones.

Proposal

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Audience

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