Avoid Trifling Conversation
“The Time is past.”
Benjamin Franklin let the words sink in. In a moment he would complete the rest of the letter to his friend, Vice Admiral Lord Richard Howe, one of the King’s Commissioners for Restoring Peace. Perhaps sensing how Howe might react to such a sentence, Franklin chose prudence and decided not to send this letter.
Not enough Americans realize the actions taken by the signers of the Declaration of Independence and how the entire history and identity of the nation stems from the principles enshrined in that sacred document. The Declaration of Independence is clearly important: its very creation marks the birth of the United States.
But how did Great Britain react to this pivotal statement?
As Americans, we might assume that Jefferson’s words acted as a wakeup call to Britain.
Think about the power of these words(!):
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
