Question

“We Talk much of Liberty and property. But if we cut up the law of self-defense, we cut away the foundation of both. Place yourself in the situation of the... sentry(soldier) on guard...The people are crying out, Kill them! Kill them! Knock them (the soldiers) down! ... Heaving snowballs, oysyer shells, clubs, white birch sticks three and a half inches in diameter... Consider yourself in this situation and then judge if a reasonable man would not consider they were going to kill him.”
What's the claim in here that John Adams is trying to convince? pleaseeee helppp!!!????

Answer 1

John Adams is trying to defend the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre. He is asserting that the soldiers used a justified amount of force to protect themselves. Hopefully that helps.