The Works of John Witherspoon, Volume 8

An Essay on Money was a presentation before the American Continental Congress in 1786. It has been one John Witherspoon’s most studied documents.

Reflections on the Present State of Public Affairs (1776) was written when he was sent to the Continental Congress for the purpose of voting for independence from England.

Witherspoon’s Thoughts on American Liberty (1774) gives his opinion of what Congress should be and do.

On the Controversy About Independence and On Conducting the American Controversy was published in 1776. He concluded in this controversy that the barbarity toward the colonies was caused by ignorance and prejudice.

Witherspoon also wrote several articles under the pseudonym of Aristides for the New Jersey Gazette.

His Speeches in Congress where speeches given when he was an elected representative of the state of New Jersey (1776-1782)

The Address to General Washington was a congratulatory address written when Washington came to Princeton to meet with Congress.

The Memorial and Manifesto the United States of North America (1781) was written to the mediating powers of the Conferences for Peace and other powers in Europe.

On the Affairs of the United States was a letter written in 1780 to a friend in Scotland.

Observations on the Improvement of America was a short piece written to facilitate or slow down certain directions that the new country was taken.

The Supplication of J. R. and The Recantation of Benjamin Towne was an appeal for a Tory printers for the protection of Congress.

A Description of the State of New Jersey is an introduction by Witherspoon to his state of New Jersey.

In A Few Reflections on the Federal City, Witherspoon declared the reason he opposed having a Federal City with all the expenses of constructing special and elaborate buildings.

On the Georgia Constitution was Witherspoon’s confrontation of a concept that made ministers second class citizens.

The Druid was a series of Witherspoon’s papers published for the Pennsylvania Magazine in 1776.

There is an Appendix added to this final volume. The appendix contains some of Witherspoon’s letters.

Table of Contents:

An Essay on Money

Reflections on the Present State of Public Affairs

Thoughts on American Liberty

On the Controversy About Independence

On Conducting the American Controversy

Aristides

Speech in Congress on the Conference Proposed by Lord Howe

Speech in Congress on the Convention with General Burgoyne

Speech in Congress on a Motion for Paying the Interest of Loan-Office Certificates

Speech in Congress on Finances

Speech in Congress upon the Confederation

Speech in Congress on the Appointment of Plenipotentiaries

Speech in Congress on the Right of Soil or Vacant Lands

On the Proposed Market in General Washington’s Camp

Address to General Washington

Memorial and Manifesto of the United States of North America

On the Contest between Great Britain and America

On the Affairs of the United States

Observations on the Improvement of America

Supplication of J. R.

Recantation of Benjamin Towne

A Description of the State of New Jersey

A Few Reflections on the Federal City

On the Georgia Constitution

The Druid

Appendix Letters of Witherspoon

Richard Stockton

David Witherspoon

Benjamin Harrison

Horatio Gates

William Livingston

Benjamin Rush

Jonathan Trumbull, Sr.

Robert Donald

Richard Henry Lee

Benjamin Franklin

Samuel Huntington

George Washington

Nathanael Green

Author

John Witherspoon (February 5, 1723 – November 15, 1794) was a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister and a Founding Father of the United States.