Pros And Cons Of The Continental Congress

The first Continental Congress assembled in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 5, 1774. One of the leading delegates was Joseph Galloway, a wealthy lawyer and member of the Pennsylvania Assembly. He was speaker of that colonial legislature from 1766 to 1775. Galloway was a chief exponent of a moderate position toward Great Britain, and he was opposed to the more radical and in flammatory pronouncements of people such as Samuel Adams of Massachusetts. At the Continental Congress he argued that the delegates were facing two break choices: restoring British-colonial relations to the way they were prior to 1763, which he argued was not possible, and total independence from Britain, which he did not support. There are

The American colonies were unhappily involved in a scene of confusion and discord. The bands of civil society were broken; the authority of government weakened, and in some instances taken away: individuals are deprived of their liberty; their property is frequently invaded by violence, and not a single Magistrate had the courage or virtue enough to interpose. From this distressed situation it was hoped, that the wisdom and prudence of the Congress lately assembled at Philadelphia, would have helped them. But it did not help, and they did not even try to step up so no peace came. It may go on from bad to worse, and Congress may either ignorantly misunderstand, carelessly neglect, or basely betray the interests of all the

Because the colonies will bring harm to themselves. The colonies will feel it more than all the others Majesty’s dominions; and it will affect them the longest. The fleets of Great- Britain command respect throughout the globe. Great-Britain has influence that extends to every part of the earth. The manufacturers are equal to any, superior to most in the world. Great- Britain’s wealth is great. The people enterprising, and preserving in their attempts to extend and enlarge and protect their trade. The case is very different for the colonies. They have no trade but under the protection of Great-Britain. Also, they cannot trade nowhere but where Great-Britain pleases. They have no influence abroad, no ambassadors, no consuls, etc. Should their mad schemes take place, their sailors, ship- carpenters, carmen, sail markers, riggers, miners, etc. are immediately out of employ; and they have twenty mobs and riots in our own country, before happened in Britain or Ireland. Want of food will make the people mad, and they will come in troops upon the farms, and take by force the produce they can not afford to