Signed, Always: A Revolutionary Appeal to Canada

On this day in 1775, the Second Continental Congress issued a poignant letter addressed to the “oppressed inhabitants of Canada.” Crafted amidst the burgeoning American Revolution, this letter sought to persuade Canadians to join the thirteen colonies in their struggle against British tyranny.

The letter opens with a heartfelt salutation:

“Friends and Countrymen”

It continues by highlighting the shared grievances between the American colonies and the Canadian populace:

“Alarmed by the designs of an arbitrary Ministry, to extirpate the Rights and liberties of all America, a sense of common danger conspired with the dictates of humanity, in urging us to call your attention... to this very important object.”

The Congress emphasized the common bonds of liberty and the mutual threat posed by British policies:

“As we were both entitled by the bounty of an indulgent creator to freedom, and being both devoted by the cruel edicts of a despotic administration, to common ruin, we perceived the fate of the protestant and catholic colonies to be strongly linked...”

In a compelling appeal to honor and courage, the letter asserts:

“We can never believe that the present race of Canadians are so degenerated as to possess neither the spirit, the gallantry, nor the courage of their ancestors.”

Despite the eloquence and urgency of this appeal, the letter did not achieve its intended effect. The majority of Canadians remained neutral or loyal to the British Crown, and the hoped-for alliance did not materialize.

For a full reading of this historic letter, you can visit the Avalon Project at Yale Law School: Letter to the Inhabitants of Canada; May 29, 1775.