Show and Lincoln Speak to Their Fellow Americans Today is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be Free Free- Freemen Freemen men or Slaves whether they are to have any property they can call their own own whether their Houses and Farms are to be pillaged and de- de destroyed destroyed and they consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will probably de- de deliver deliver liver them The fate of unknown millions will now depend under God on the Courage and Conduct of this Army Our cruel and unrelenting Enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance or the most Abject Submission this is all we can expect We have therefore to resolve conquer or to Gen die George Washington in an order to the Con Con- Continental Continental Army on July 2 1776 God knows there is not a difficulty ty that you very justly complain of which I have not in an eminent degree experienced that I am no noo every day experiencing but we must bear up against them and make the best of mankind as they are since we cannot have them as we wish Let me therefore conjure you to lay aside such thoughts re resigning signing from rom the thoughts army injurious to you and excessively st sc to your country which calls for a gentleman of your Gen George Washington in a letter lettel to Gen Philip Schuyler ler 24 1775 |