Pennsylvania Signers of Declaration of Independence

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin to Humphry Marshall (May 23, 1775) I, 395.
“...It is a true saying, that make yourselves sheep and the wolves will eat you: to which I add another, God helps them that help themselves.”

Benjamin Franklin to Nathaniel Seidel [Moravian] (June 2, 1775) I, .
advises Moravians to at least train their people to use Arms.

Benjamin Franklin’s Vindication (June-July, 1775) I, 563.
“...Our own arms, with our poverty, and the care of a kind Providence, were all this time our only protection;”

Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Shipley (July 7, 1775) I, 606.
Franklin talks about British plans to use Slaves and Indians against the colonists.

Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley? (October 3, 1775) II, 103.
“I am persuaded that the body of the British people are our friends; but they are changeable, and by your lying gazettes may soon be made our enemies. Our respect for them will proportionally diminish, and I see clearly we are on the high road to mutual family hatred and detestation. A separation of course will be inevitable. It is a million of pities so fair a plan as we have hitherto been engaged in, for increasing strength and empire with public felicity, should be destroyed by the mangling hands of a few blundering ministers. It will not be destroyed; God will protect and prosper it, you will only exclude yourselves from any share in it. We hear, that more ships and troops are coming out. We know, that you may do us a great deal of mischief, and are determined to bear it patiently as long as we can. But if you flatter yourselves with beating us into submission, you know neither the people nor the country.”

Benjamin Franklin to Charles Lee (February 11, 1776) III, 229.
“...God give you success.”

Benjamin Franklin to Charles Lee (February 19, 1776)III, 281.
“...God prosper all your Undertakings, and return you with Health, Honour & Happiness.”

Benjamin Franklin to Anthony Todd [Secretary of the British Post Office] (March 29, 1776) III, 462.
“...And now I venture to tell you, that tho’ this War may be a long one (and I think it will probably last beyond my Time) we shall withGod’s Help finally get the better of you; The Consequences I leave to your imagination. Britain without us can grow no stronger. Without her we shall become a tenfold greater and mightier people.”



Benjamin Franklin to the Commissioners to Canada (May 27, 1776) IV, 85.
“...God bless you & prosper your Councils; and bring you safe again to your Friends & Families.”

Benjamin Franklin to Horatio Gates (August 28, 1776) V, 77.
“...God grant success.”

Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Cooper (October 25, 1776) V, 385.
“...As to our publick affairs, I hope our people will keep up their courage. I haveno doubt of their final succeeding by the blessing of God, nor have I any doubt that so good a cause will fail of that blessing.”


Benjamin Rush

Benjamin Rush to Patrick Henry (July 15, 1776) IV, 474.
“Providence has frowned upon our Arms in Canada. I sometimes think that country has been earned by the March of Col. Arnold, & the heroic Achievements & death of the gallant Montgomery, and that the banner of liberty will be planted on some future day by the States of America upon the walls of Quebec. Perhaps this opinion is nothing but the effect of a Veneration bordering upon idolatry for the Services & merit of thsoe illustrious heroes.
Have you not violated a fundamental principle of liberty in excluding the clergy from your Legislature? I know their danger in a free government but I would rahter see them excluded from civil power by custom than by law. They have property, wives & children & of course are citizens of a community. Why therfore Should they be Abridged of any one priviledge which Other citizens enjoy? Is it not a fact that by investing any men with more, or confining them to fewer priviledges than members of a community enjoy in general we render those men the enemies of that community? Perhaps all the mischief which the clergy have done in all countries has arisen from the first of the above causes. Will not the clause in your Charter which excludes Clergymen from your Legislature hand down to posterity as well as hold up to the World an idea that you looked down upon the Christian religion as well as its Ministers as unfriendlu to good government? I wish our governments would treat religion of all kinds, & ministers of all denominations as if no such things or beings existed in the world. They mutually destroy each Other when any Attempt are made by either to support each other.”

Benjamin Rush to Julia Rush (July 23, 1776) IV, 529.
“...God bless you! How I long to tell you how much I love you.”

Benjamin Franklin to Julia Rush (September 18-25,1776), V, .
“...You witness for me that I have for a long time not only expected, but wished that Genl. Howe might gain possession of New York. I have seen molasses wasted on a board on purpose to collect together & destroy all the flies of a house. In like manner I believe Genl. Howe will attract all the tories of New York & the adjacent states to his army where they will ripen as the Tories of Boston did for banishment & destruction. The continent in the mean while will be purged of those rascals whose idleness or perfidy have brought most of our present calamities upon us. But further, I think we stood in need of a frown from heaven. I should have suspected that our cause had not been owned as a divine one, if we had prospered without it. It is, you know, thro difficulties & tryals that states as well as individuals are trained up to glory & happiness. My faith is now stronger than ever. I begin to hear with pleasure an outcry among some people that there is to be no dependence to be had upon the arm of the flesh. But the worst is not over. We must be bro’t lower. I predict a defeat or another disgraceful retreat. We stand in need of it. We must all be taught that ‘Salvation is not to be hoped from the hills, nor from the multitude of the Mountains,’ before we can prevail over our enemies.”


Benjamin Rush to Anthony Wayne (September 24, 1776) V, 236.
“...God bless you!”

Benjamin Rush to Thomas Morris (October 22, 1776) V, 365.
“...God grant us success equal to the justice of our cause!”

Benjamin Rush to Julia Rush (January 31, 1777) VI, 183.
“...There are a number of boarders in the family. One of them is a young French Officer. His history in one particular is very remarkable. He is one of one & twenty children, 18 boys & three girls. They were all born of the same father & mother, and are all now living. Happy family! I shall be better satisfied if the same can be said [of ] me as was said of the prophet of old ‘That I walked in the fear of the Lord, and begat sons & daughters,’ than if it were inscribed upon my tombstone that I governed the counsels, or commanded the arms of the whole continent of America.”

Benjamin Rush’s Notes of Debates (February 19, 1777) VI, 325.
“...I have been distressed to see some members of this house disposed to idolise an image which their own hands have molten. I speak here of the superstitious veneration that is sometimes paid to Genl. Washington. Altho’ I honour him for his good qualities, yet in this house I feel myself his Superior. In private life I shall always acknowledge that he is mine. It becomes us to attend early to the restraining our army.”

George Ross

George Ross to James Wilson (November 17, 1775) II, 357.
“...I can’t help saying Heaven seems to Smile on & favour the great cause of Liberty.”

Gouvernour Morris

Gouvernour Morris to John Jay (Feb. 1, 1778) IX, 3.
“...The Continental Congress & Currency have both depreciated but in the Hands of the almighty Architect of Empires the Stone which the Builders have rejected may easily become Head of the Corner.”

Gouvernour Morris to Sarah Morris(Apr. 16, 1778) IX, 424.
“...Let me earnestly recommend to you as much of either Religion or Philosophy as to bear inevitable Evils with resignation.”

Gouvernour Morris to George Clinton (May 21, 1778) IX, 727.
“...The plot thickens in Europe every day; what will be the event of the different movements, God only knows. I am Sorry Jay is under a necessity of hanging So many.”

Gouvernour Morris to Anthony Wayne (May 21, 1778) IX, 729.
“...Your good Morals in the Army give me sincere Pleasure as it hath long been my fixed Opinion that Virtue and Religion are the great sources of human Happiness. More especially is it necessary in your Profession frimly to rely upon the God of Battles, for his Guardianship and Protection in the dreadful Hour of Trial. But of all these Things you will and I hope in the merciful Lord you have been made fully acquainted by that pious young Man Friend Hutchinson.”

Gouvernour Morris to John Jay (May 23, 1778) IX, 736.
asking John to try to find land and or whereabouts of a Lutheran minister Johannes Christopher

Gouvernour Morris to the Carlisle Commissioners (June 20, 1778) X, 125.
“...We again make our solemn appeal to the God of Heaven to decide between you and us. And we pray that in the doubtful scale of battle we may be successful, as we have justice on our side, and that the merciful Saviour of the world may forgive our oppressors.”

Gouvernour Morris to George Clinton (June 23, 1778) X, 185.
“...God knows when the great Business of this Continent will be compleated or rather arranged. Until it is in some good Train I shall think it my Duty to exert the little share of Abilities which Providence hath entrusted to me for the Use of my Country.”

Gouvernour Morris to George Clinton (Sept. 6, 1778) X, 590-1.
“...I am of no Party but that of my Country and as I always have, so I trust I always shall, consult her Interests according to that measure of abilities which it hath pleased Heaven to dispense to me.”



Gouvernour Morris to Peter Van Schaack (Sept. 8, 1778) X, 605.
“...It was always my opinion, that matters of conscience and faith, whether political or religious, are as much out of the province, as they are beyond the ken of human legislatures. In the question of punishment for acts, it hath been my constant axiom, that the object is example, and therfore the only thing justifiable from the necessity and the effect. I implore the Omnipotent on all occassions to direct my conduct by this great, and I trust just principle.”

Gouvernour Morris to the Pennsylvania Packet (Feb. 27?, 1779) XII, 114.
“...That it is the will of Heaven, mankind should be free, is evidence by the wealth, the vigor, the virtue and consequent happiness of free States. And the idea that providence will establish such governments as he shall deem most fit for his creatures without their efforts is palpably absurd. Did he overturn the walls of Jerusalem by the mere breath of his mouth, or did he stir up the Romans to add Judea to their other provinces? In short, is not his moral government of the earth always performed by the intervention of second causes? How then can you expect that he should miraculously destroy our enemies, merely to convince you that he favors our cause? Sufficient notifications of his will are always given, and those who will not then believe, neither would they believe though one should rise from the dead to inform them. Trace the progress and mark the incidents of the war, and you will see evident tokens of providential favor. For whether our success be owing to the folly of our opponents or to any other immediate cause, we are equally indebted for it to the bounty of Heaven...
“Convinced as you must be of these things, what ought your conduct to be? You cannot pretend to plead conscience on this occasion, because the success of our measures being apparent, it is on your own principles the will of God, to which you are conscientiously bound to conform. If you oppose your countrymen you may indeed incourage the enemy, and thereby lenghten out the contest, in which case you yourselves shall determine, whether you will not in some degree be answerable for the consequences. You have sense enough to perceive that you can live happily under those governments which you wished in vain to prevent. You ought to fear that if the enemy perform their threats of wasting our country, your persons may become obnoxious to the vengeance of your fellow-citizens, and your estates be applied to compensate the ravages commited on theirs. Take then the cousel which I again declare to you is deictated by humanity. I wish sincerely the prosperity and glory of the United States. And as sincerely I wish for peace. May heaven grant it to us, to you and to all.”

Gouvernour Morris to George Washington (Mar, 14, 1779) XII, 194.
“...My Respects to Mrs. Washington who I am told has no Great Opinion of me as a Christian Priest and yet I am sure we are of the same Religion expressed in the one Word Benevolence.”

Gouvernour Morris to Benjamin Towne (July 9?, 1779) XIII, 176-7.
Morris suspects T. Paine of being a Carthaginian who went to Rome, got in a seat of prominence and tried to overthrow Rome.

Gouvernour Morris to Thomas Paine (July 24?, 1779) XIII, 289-292.
“...Thus you stand forth a happy instance to show, how a man may avoid a full participation in sin by being a notorious sinner.”


James Wilson

Delegates’ Certification of James Wilson’s Conduct in Congress (June 20,1776) IV, 271.
“We the Subscribers Members of Congress do therefore certify, that in a late Debate in this House upon a Proposition to declare these Colonies free and independent States, Mr. Wilson after having stated the Progress of the Dispute between Great Britain and the Colonies, declared it to be his opinion that the Colonies would stand justified before God and the World in declaring an absolute Separation from Great Britain forever.”

Robert Morris

Robert Morris to John Dorsius (December 14, 1776) V, 608.
“...I am still in doubt respecting the fate of this City. Genl. Howe finds it difficult to cross Delaware & may possibly be forced to desist. God send he may.”

Robert Morris to John Hancock (December 16, 1776) V, 610.
“...The Aid de Camp is wounded. These are the only particulars that I have heard & I do not pretend to Vouch for the truth of them but pray Heaven the whole may be a fiction. The loss of Genl. Lee at this time is in itself a sever Stroke, and the effect it will have on the Spirits of our Shattered Army will add greatly to it.”

Secret Committee to Robert Morris (December 23, 1776) V, 651.
“...God grant the enemy may fail in their scheme against your City.”

Robert Morris to John Bradford (January 5, 1777) VI, 86.
“Thank God I think our City is now perfectly safe and as I think the British Troops must soon evacuate all New Jersey, our intercourse will become free & open again.”

Robert Morris to John Jay (January 12, 1777) VI, 87-88.
“...Where it will end God only knows... What a glorious change in our prospects. Pray heaven Continue our Success and grant me an opportunity of Congratulating you on regaining the City of New York.”

Robert Morris to William Hooper (January 24, 1777) VI, 142.
“In all the Transactions of America nothing has given me more Concern than that kind of irregular Conduct on board the Am. Privateers that savours more of Moorish Piracy than Christian Forbearance...I think the Captains & owners of Privateers should give Security in very large Sums, and every State be answered to those who grant Commissions to, this wod make the latter cautious & villans wod find it difficult to deceive them, something I am sure must be done unless we wish to plunder one another & lay all the World under Contribution as a lawlessSet of Freebooters, which God forbid shd ever be the Characteristics of the country I love.”

Robert Morris to John Jay (February 4, 1777) VI, 217.
“God Bless you & grant Success to America in the present Contest, with Wisdom and Virtue to Secure Peace & happiness to her Sons in all future ages.”

Robert Morris to John Hancock (February 21, 1777) VI, 339.
“...I have really had my hands, Head & Heart full business since I saw you but thank God my Spirits never failed.”



Robert Morris to William Bingham (February 26, 1777) VI, 376.
“...You will have seen by former advices that Kind Providence gave a change to the affairs of America on Christmas Night when Genl. Washington begun and attempt to surprise Trenton which he effected the next morning & took Prisoners three Hessian Regiments.”

Robert Morris to George Washington (February 27, 1777) VI, 389.
“...Heaven (no doubt for the noblest purposes) has blessed you with a Frimness of mind, Steadiness of Countenance and patience in sufferings that give you infinite Advantages over other men.”

Robert Morris to James Duane (Sept. 8, 1778) X, 607.
“...God Bless you my Good Friend.”

John Morton

(John Morton’s Will)
“With an awful reference to the Great Almighty God, Creator of all mankind, being sick and weak in body but sound in mind and memory, thanks be given to Almighty God for the same.”

John Morton to Persifor Frazer, August, 18, 1776
“…I had almost forgot to mention the arrival of Devil Dunmore and Clinton who are both at N York and all their troops. With my best Respects to you and prayers for your health.”


George Clymer

Pennsylvania Constitution (September 28, 1776) Section 10.
“…And each member, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, viz:
I do believe in one God, the creator and governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine inspiration.”
And no further or other religious test shall hereafter be required of any civil officer or magistrate in this State.”