One Day at a Town Meeting

Gentlemen, I stand before you, a simple farmer, and no orator, as Mr. Danett is, but I come before you to refute what he has said.

He has claimed that the blood shed at Lexington was God's punishment for a great sin, the rebellion committed by those whom he called "rebel scum." He goes on to state that all measures imposed against the citizens of Massachusetts are acts of justice.

Well then, gentlemen, I plead before you to answer me: Was it justice that Boston was blockaded, thus depriving the city of much of its sustenance and wealth? Was it justice that our right to hold town meetings was revoked by those who had no authority in the matter? Was it right that soldiers were quartered in our homes against our will?

If there be any among those seated who would confirm these inquiries, I pity your blindness and your ignorance, and yea, gentlemen, I call it blindness to a tyrannical government which has, with astonishing regularity, continued to revoke our rights until we are reduced to mere slaves of the crown.

Mr. Howard, you yourself have stated that you would not tolerate that seven, and yes, I repeat, seven British officers were quartered in your home against your will, and that your wife, already supporting a family of eight, had no choice but to clean their laundry, cook for them, when all you could produce by your trade was enough food for five, and ensure that they would sleep well in your house, and in your own beds! You yourself bristled at this imposition on your liberties, and yet you did nothing!

Mr. Addicock, you were the first of those from Woburn to create support for the formation of the minutemen in your town! You yourself trained them, giving your estate for the time being to another so that it might not fall into disrepair, and paid for muskets, powder, and ammunition out of your own pocket! Such measures reduced you to the level of one destitute, and yet you still stood by our cause. Well, are you standing with us now?

All of you, whether you be farmers, tradesmen, or merchants, listen to me when I say that we can no longer stand idle when our blood has been spilt on our own soil, and as the Almighty God is my witness, that blood cries from the ground a warning, a warning that unless we prepare, unless we train, unless we act now, we will meet the same fate as our slaughtered brethren.

The slaughter at Lexington has marked the beginning of a struggle, and one that cannot be fought on paper and in a parliament. It is too late to use such measures to ensure peace. No, sirs, this is the beginning of a war, and it will be fought by our sons, our fathers, and our grandfathers who will gladly sacrifice their lives for the sake of their liberties. Upright are the men who will stand up for truth and justice. Honorable are they who will take up arms against tyranny. And blessed are those who will fight until such tyranny is no more.

If there be any in this room who are willing to follow me the encampment around Boston, then follow me. If not, remain here, idle and useless, while blood is shed for your sakes.