Why does Henry David Thoreau use ethos in resistance to civil government

Ethos is the name given to a rhetorical device that makes an appeal to credibility. When an author employs ethos in a text, he usually makes a moral argument that appeals to his credibility on the subject. This is a strategy that Henry David Thoreau uses in "Resistance to Civil Government." In this text, Thoreau defends the need for people to act in accordance to their moral compass, whether this is against the law or not. He supports this claim by talking about his own experiences. Thoreau decided to commit a crime and go to jail in order to act according to his moral values. This act makes his appeal to credibility effective.

He wanted to build an argument that a government should represent the desire of the people