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This Day in Liberty
In a purported letter from Paris, dated January 17, 1769, the writer criticizes the English for viewing the French as enemies of liberty, while themselves preparing to enslave British Americans by unjust laws and oppressive governance. The letter accuses the English of valuing liberty only when it involves defying their superiors, but disregarding it when it comes to tyrannizing over their colonies. The letter condemns England's actions as hypocritical and insincere regarding the principles of liberty. This reflects growing colonial discontent leading to the American Revolution.
Relevant Quote*:
You English consider us French as Enemies to Liberty… Yet at this very Moment, while you are abusing us for attempting to reduce the Corsicans, you yourselves are about to make Slaves of a much greater Number of those British Americans; depriving them of their Property by the Authority of your Laws; taking away the Right of giving their own Money; arbitrarily dissolving their Parliaments, and dragooning their Citizens. In short, you appear to have no true Idea of Liberty, or real Desire to see it flourish and increase: All the Liberty you seem to value, is the Liberty of abusing your Superiors, and of tyrannizing over those below you.
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