The rhetorical appeal most clearly used in the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence is D. Pathos.
Here's why:
1. Pathos appeals to the audience's emotions, aiming to evoke feelings such as sympathy, anger, or outrage. In the excerpt, the language used ("harrass our people" and "eat out their substance") conveys a sense of hardship and injustice, appealing to the emotions of the readers.
2. The reference to the oppressive actions of the British government, such as sending swarms of officers to harass the people, is meant to elicit a strong emotional response from the readers, emphasizing the suffering and injustice endured by the American colonists.
3. By highlighting the negative impact of these actions on the colonists, the excerpt aims to generate a sense of empathy and solidarity among the readers, strengthening their support for the colonists' cause for independence.
In summary, the use of emotional language to evoke sympathy and outrage in the audience indicates that the rhetorical appeal of Pathos is most clearly employed in this excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.
