Text Analysis Olive branch P.D.

Austin Gibbs

Who is writing?

All four journals are written by the Continental Congress. This is prominent by the list of names signed at the bottom of the first journal entry and the constant usage of “your faithful subjects”

Who is the audience?

The audience the first journal is the king, evidence if this is the beginning sentence, “To the King's most excellent Majesty: MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN”
The audience of the second journal is “the inhabitants of Great Brittan.” Evidence of this is found in the beginning of the entry, “FRIENDS, COUNTRYMEN, AND BRETHREN!”
The audience of the third journal the lord Mayor of London sir Richard Penn, evidence in the title, lol
The audience of the forth journal is the committee and colony agents.

Who do the writers represent?

The many writers of the Continental Congress are representing the colonists’ of the English colonies, such evidence I pulled from the text to support this claim is “We, your Majesty's faithful subjects of the colonies new Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in behalf of ourselves, and the inhabitants of these colonies, who have deputed us to represent them in general Congress”(journal #1) “The Inhabitants of this Country” (J #2) and ect.

What is being said, argued and/or requested?

What is being said in the journals is that they have had enough of Brittan’s tyranny, misconduct, and murders on the colonists. “That filled their minds with the most painful fears and jealousies; and, to their inexpressible astonishment, perceived the dangers of a foreign quarrel quickly succeeded by domestic dangers, in their judgment, of a more dreadful kind.”

How is it being said argued and/or requested?

The tone of the first journal is a respectful firmness with humility to which they will start “brown nosing” in the last sentence… ha-ha
The second journal is more accusing Brittan of all the misdeeds they have committed, so I would say an accusatory tone, and they want to stop fighting with the British. Then tappers off into a humble request to stop fighting with the colonists
The tone of the third journal is more sarcastic, “the just tribute of gratitude and thanks, for the virtuous and unsolicited resentment you have strewn to the violated rights of a free people.”
The tone of the forth journal is “pushy”, “You will oblige us, Gentlemen, by giving the most early information to the Congress”

What proof and/or justification is being used to legitimize the request?

The proof to justifying their request for Brittan to stop hassling the English colonies is as such:
• “Knowing to what violent resentments and incurable animosities, civil discords are apt to exasperate and inflame the contending parties, we think ourselves required by indispensable obligations to Almighty God, to your Majesty, to our fellow subjects, and to ourselves, immediately to use all the means in our power, not incompatible with our safety, for stopping the further effusion of blood, and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British Empire.”

• “In a former Address we asserted our Rights, and stated the Injuries we had then received. We hoped, that the mention of our Wrongs would have roused that honest Indignation which has slept too long for your Honor, or the Welfare of the Empire. But we have not been permitted to entertain this pleasing expectation. Every Day brought an accumulation of Injuries, and the Invention of the Ministry has been constantly exercised, in adding to the Calamities of your American Brethren”

• “Yet, we cannot but observe, that a British Fleet (unjustified even by Acts of your Legislature) are daily employed in ruining our Commerce, seizing our Ships, and depriving whole Communities of their daily Bread. Nor will a Regard for your Honour permit us to be silent, while British Troops sully your Glory, by Actions, which the most inveterate Enmity will not palliate among civilized Nations, the wanton and unnecessary Destruction of Charlestown, a large, ancient, and once populous Town, just before deserted by its Inhabitants, who had fled to avoid the Fury of your Soldiery.”

• “A cruel war has at length been opened age us, and whilst we prepare to defend ourselves like the descendants of Britons, we still hope that the mediation of wise and good citizens, will at length prevail over despotism, and restore harmony and peace, on permanent principles, to an oppressed and divided empire”