necessity,
of putting himself in the place of all those, who, approve the very
writings and principles, against which, your testimony is directed:
And he hath chosen this singular situation, in order, that you might
discover in him that presumption of character which you cannot see in
yourselves. For neither he nor you can have any claim or title to
POLITICAL REPRESENTATION.

When men have departed from the right way, it is no wonder that they
stumble and fall. And it is evident from the manner in which ye have
managed your testimony, that politics, (as a religious body of men) is
not your proper Walk; for however well adapted it might appear to you,
it is, nevertheless, a jumble of good and bad put unwisely together,
and the conclusion drawn therefrom, both unnatural and unjust.

The two first pages, (and the whole doth not make four) we give you
credit for, and expect the same civility from you, because the love and
desire of peace is not confined to Quakerism, it is the natural, as
well the religious wish of all denominations of men. And on this
ground, as men labouring to establish an Independant Constitution of
our own, do we exceed all others in our hope, end, and aim. OUR PLAN
IS PEACE FOR EVER. We are tired of contention with Britain, and can
see no real end to it but in a final separation. We act consistently,
because for the sake of introducing an endless and uninterrupted peace,
do we bear the evils and burthens of the present day. We are
endeavoring, and will steadily continue to endeavour, to separate and
dissolve a connexion which hath already filled our land with blood; and
which, while the name of it remains, will be the fatal cause of future
mischiefs to both countries.

We fight neither for revenge nor conquest; neither from pride nor
passion; we are not insulting the world with our fleets and armies, nor
ravaging the globe for plunder. Beneath the shade of our own vines are
we attacked; in our own houses, and on our own lands, is the violence
committed against us. We view our enemies in the character of
Highwaymen and Housebreakers, and having no defence for ourselves in
the civil law, are obliged to punish them by the military one, and
apply the sword, in the very case, where you have before now, applied
the halter-- Perhaps we feel for the ruined and insulted sufferers in
all and every part of the continent, with a degree of tenderness which
hath not yet made its way into some of your b