GERRY SAYS COLONIES' PRINCIPLE OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE MANUFACTURE OF ARMS, LEAD & CLOTHING
Philadelphia (JFK+50) On May 31, 1776, Elbridge Gerry*, in a letter to Joseph Palmer, wrote...
"I think the Colonies cannot long remain an independent depending people but they will declare themselves...entirely separated from the prostituted Government of G Britain."
Gerry went on to say that "the principle objective of attention" should be the manufacture of arms, lead and clothing along with the obtaining of flints.
JFK+50 NOTE
The practice of gerrymandering, currently a topic of debate, is named after Elbridge Gerry. It is the practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to the advantage of one political party over the other.
*Elbridge Thomas Gerry (1744-1814) was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts & earned his BA & MA at Harvard College. ETG was a member of the 2nd Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence & Articles of Confederation. He served as VPOTUS 1813-1814.
SOURCE
"Second Continental Congress: May 31, 1776," Journal of the Continental Congress, www.americanfounding.org/
