Olive Branch Petition

The Olive Branch Petition

The Olive Branch Petition, drafted on July 5th, 1775, was a letter to King George III, who received it on July 8th, 1775 from members of the Second Continental Congress who — for the final time —appealed to their king to redress colonial grievances in order to avoid more bloodshed. The Olive Branch Petition has been called different names over the years, the most popular of which include The Second Petition to the King and The Humble Petition.

When the Congress convened in May 1775, the delegates were deeply divided over how to deal with the ongoing crisis with Great Britain. Most Delegates followed John Dickinson in his quest to reconcile with the King. However a smaller group of delegates led by John Adams believed that war was inevitable. During the course of the Second Continental Congress, Adams and his group of radicals decided the wisest course of action was to remain quiet and wait for the opportune time to rally the people. This decision allowed John Dickinson and his followers to pursue what ever means of reconciliation they wanted. It was during this time that the idea of the Olive Branch Petition was approved.^[1]

The Olive Branch Petition was first drafted by Thomas Jefferson, but John Dickinson found Jefferson’s language too offensive. Dickinson rewrote most of the document although some of the conclusion remained Jefferson’s. ^[2][3] Dickinson claimed that the colonies did not want independence but they merely wanted to negotiate trade and tax regulations with Great Britain. Dickinson suggested the King draw up a final plan or agreement to settle trade disputes. To help the King with his plan Dickinson also suggested that either the colonists were given free trade and taxes equal to those levied on the people in Great Britain or no taxes and strict trade regulations. The letter was signed and sent to London on July 8th 1775.^[2] Dickinson had hoped that word of the bloodshed at Lexington and Concord combined with the “Humble Petition” would inspire the King to at least negotiate with the colonists.^[1]

Unfortunately his petition was undermined by a confiscated letter of John Adams. John Adams had written a letter to a friend expressing his discontent with the Olive Branch Petition. In his letter he wrote that the war was inevitable and that he thought the Colonies should have already raised a navy and captured British officials. This confiscated letter arrived in Great Britain at about the same time as the Olive Branch petition. The British used Adams's letter to claim that the Olive Branch Petition was insincere.^[2]

Even though the King discarded the petition it still served a very important purpose in American independence. The King’s rejection of the petition gave Adams and his radicals the opportunity they needed to push for independence. The Olive Branch Petition actually served as a turning point in the American Independence movement. After the King rejected the “olive branch” it polarized the issue in the minds of colonists. It showed them that they could either submit unconditionally or gain complete independence.^[2]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Ferling, John E; A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic; Oxford [England]; New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Brown, Weldon A.; Empire or independence; A Study in the Failure of Reconciliation, 1774-1783; Port Washington, N. Y., Kennikat Press; 1966, c1941.
3. ^ Christie, Ian R; Labaree, Benjamin W; Empire or Independence, 1760-1776: A British-American Dialogue on the Coming of the American Revolution; New York : Norton, c1976.

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