common sense-第10章

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And　he　who　can　calmly　hear；　and　digest　such　doctrine；

hath　forfeited　his　claim　to　rationality　an　apostate

from　the　order　of　manhood；　and　ought　to　be　considered　as　one；

who　hath　not　only　given　up　the　proper　dignity　of　man；

but　sunk　himself　beneath　the　rank　of　animals；

and　contemptibly　crawl　through　the　world　like　a　worm。



However；　it　matters　very　little　now；　what　the　king　of　England

either　says　or　does；　he　hath　wickedly　broken　through　every

moral　and　human　obligation；　trampled　nature　and　conscience

beneath　his　feet；　and　by　a　steady　and　constitutional　spirit

of　insolence　and　cruelty；　procured　for　himself　an　universal

hatred。　　It　is　NOW　the　interest　of　America　to　provide　for　herself。

She　hath　already　a　large　and　young　family；　whom　it　is　more　her

duty　to　take　care　of；　than　to　be　granting　away　her　property；

to　support　a　power　who　is　become　a　reproach　to　the　names

of　men　and　christiansYE；　whose　office　it　is　to　watch　over

the　morals　of　a　nation；　of　whatsoever　sect　or　denomination

ye　are　of；　as　well　as　ye；　who；　are　more　immediately　the　guardians

of　the　public　liberty；　if　ye　wish　to　preserve　your　native　country

uncontaminated　by　European　corruption；　ye　must　in　secret　wish

a　separationBut　leaving　the　moral　part　to　private　reflection；

I　shall　chiefly　confine　my　farther　remarks　to　the　following　heads。



First。　　That　it　is　the　interest　of　America　to　be　separated　from　Britain。



Secondly。　　Which　is　the　easiest　and　most　practicable　plan；

RECONCILIATION　OR　INDEPENDANCE？　With　some　occasional　remarks。



In　support　of　the　first；　I　could；　if　I　judged　it　proper；

produce　the　opinion　of　some　of　the　ablest　and　most　experienced　men

on　this　continent；　and　whose　sentiments；　on　that　head；　are　not　yet

publicly　known。　　It　is　in　reality　a　self…evident　position：

For　no　nation　in　a　state　of　foreign　dependance；　limited　in　its　commerce；

and　cramped　and　fettered　in　its　legislative　powers；　can　ever　arrive

at　any　material　eminence。　　America　doth　not　yet　know　what　opulence　is；

and　although　the　progress　which　she　hath　made　stands　unparalleled

in　the　history　of　other　nations；　it　is　but　childhood；

compared　with　what　she　would　be　capable　of　arriving　at；

had　she；　as　she　ought　to　have；　the　legislative　powers　in　her　own　hands。

England　is；　at　this　time；　proudly　coveting　what　would　do　her　no　good；

were　she　to　accomplish　it；　and　the　Continent　hesitating　on　a　matter；

which　will　be　her　final　ruin　if　neglected。　　It　is　the　commerce

and　not　the　conquest　of　America；　by　which　England　is　to　he　benefited；

and　that　would　in　a　great　measure　continue；　were　the　countries

as　independant　of　each　other　as　France　and　Spain；　because　in　many　articles；

neither　can　go　to　a　better　market。　　But　it　is　the　independance　of　this　country

on　Britain　or　any　other；　which　is　now　the　main　and　only　object　worthy

of　contention；　and　which；　like　all　other　truths　discovered　by　necessity；

will　appear　clearer　and　stronger　every　day。



First。　　Because　it　will　come　to　that　one　time　or　other。



Secondly。　　Because；　the　longer　it　is　delayed　the　harder

it　will　be　to　accomplish。



I　have　frequently　amused　myself　both　in　public　and　private

companies；　with　silently　remarking；　the　specious　errors

of　those　who　speak　without　reflecting。　　And　among　the　many

which　I　have　heard；　the　following　seems　the　most　general；　viz。

that　had　this　rupture　happened　forty　or　fifty　years　hence；

instead　of　NOW；　the　Continent　would　have　been　more　able

to　have　shaken　off　the　dependance。　　To　which　I　reply；　that　our

military　ability；　AT　THIS　TIME；　arises　from　the　experience

gained　in　the　last　war；　and　which　in　forty　or　fifty　years　time；

would　have　been　totally　extinct。　　The　Continent；　would　not；

by　that　time；　have　had　a　General；　or　even　a　military　officer　left；

and　we；　or　those　who　may　succeed　us；　would　have　been　as　ignorant

of　martial　matters　as　the　ancient　Indians：　　And　this　single　position；

closely　attended　to；　will　unanswerably　prove；　that　the　present　time

is　preferable　to　all　others。　　The　argument　turns　thusat　the　conclusion

of　the　last　war；　we　had　experience；　but　wanted　numbers；

and　forty　or　fifty　years　hence；　we　should　have　numbers；

without　experience；　wherefore；　the　proper　point　of　time；

must　be　some　particular　point　between　the　two　extremes；

in　which　a　sufficiency　of　the　former　remains；　and　a　proper

increase　of　the　latter　is　obtained：　　And　that　point　of　time

is　the　present　time。



The　reader　will　pardon　this　digression；　as　it　does　not　properly

come　under　the　head　I　first　set　out　with；　and　to　which　I　again　return

by　the　following　position；　viz。



Should　affairs　he　patched　up　with　Britain；　and　she　to　remain　the　governing

and　sovereign　power　of　America；　（which；　as　matters　are　now　circumstanced；

is　giving　up　the　point　entirely）　we　shall　deprive　ourselves　of　the　very　means

of　sinking　the　debt　we　have；　or　may　contract。　　The　value　of　the　back　lands

which　some　of　the　provinces　are　clandestinely　deprived　of；　by　the　unjust

extension　of　the　limits　of　Canada；　valued　only　at　five　pounds　sterling

per　hundred　acres；　amount　to　upwards　of　twenty…five　millions；

Pennsylvania　currency；　and　the　quit…rents　at　one　penny　sterling　per　acre；

to　two　millions　yearly。



It　is　by　the　sale　of　those　lands　that　the　debt　may　be　sunk；

without　burthen　to　any；　and　the　quit…rent　reserved　thereon；

will　always　lessen；　and　in　time；　will　wholly　support　the　yearly

expence　of　government。　　It　matters　not　how　long　the　debt　is　in

paying；　so　that　the　lands　when　sold　be　applied　to　the　discharge

of　it；　and　for　the　execution　of　which；　the　Congress　for　the　time

being；　will　be　the　continental　trustees。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。



I　proceed　now　to　the　second　head；　viz。　　Which　is　the　easiest

and　most　practicable　plan；　RECONCILIATION　or　lNDEPENDANCE；

With　some　occasional　remarks。



He　who　takes　nature　for　his　guide　is　not　easily　beaten　out　of　his　argument；

and　on　that　ground；　I　answer　GENERALLYTHAT　_INDEPENDANCE_

BEING　A　_SINGLE　SIMPLE　LINE；_　CONTAINED　WITHIN　OURSELVES；

AND　RECONCILIATION；　A　MATTER　EXCEEDINGLY　PERPLEXED　AND　COMPLICATED；

AND　IN　WHICH；　A　TREACHEROUS　CAPRICIOUS　COURT　IS　TO　INTERFERE；

GIVES　THE　ANSWER　WITHOUT　A　DOUBT。



The　present　state　of　America　is　truly　alarming　to　every　man　who　is

capable　of　reflexion。　　Without　law；　without　government；　without　any

other　mode　of　power　than　what　is　founded　on；　and　granted　by　courtesy。

Held　together　by　an　unexampled　concurrence　of　sentiment；　which；

is　nevertheless　subject　to　change；　and　which；　every　secret　enemy　is

endeavouring　to　dissolve。　　Our　present　condition；　is；　Legislation

without　law；　wisdom　without　a　plan；　a　constitution　without　a　name；

and；　what　is　strangely　astonishing；　perfect　Independance　contending

for　dependance。　　The　instance　is　without　a　precedent；　the　case　never

existed　before；　and　who　can　tell　what　may　be　the　event？　　The　property

of　no　man　is　secure　in　the　present　unbraced　system　of　things。　　The　mind

of　the　multitude　is　left　at　random；　and　seeing　no　fixed　object　before

them；　they　pursue　such　as　fancy　or　opinion　starts。　　Nothing　is　criminal；

there　is　no　such　thing　as　treason；　wherefore；　every　one　thinks　himself

at　liberty　to　act　as　he　pleases。　　The　Tories　dared　not　have　assembled

offensively；　had　they　known　that　their　lives；　by　that　act；　were　forfeited

to　the　laws　of　the　state。　　A　line　of　distinction　should　be　drawn；　between；

English　soldiers　taken　in　battle；　and　inhabitants　of　America　taken　in　arms。

The　first　are　prisoners；　but　the　latter　traitors。

The　one　forfeits　his　liberty；　the　other　his　head。



Notwithstanding　our　wisdom；　there　is　a　visible　feebleness　in　some

of　our　proceedings　which　gives　encouragement　to　dissensions。

The　Continental　Belt　is　too　loosely　buckled。　　And　if　something

is　not　done　in　time；　it　will　be　too　late　to　do　any　thing；

and　we　shall　fall　into　a　state；　in　which；　neither　RECONCILIATION

nor　INDEPENDANCE　will　be　practicable。　　The　king　and　his　worthless

adherents　are　got　at　their　old　game　of　dividing　the　Continent；

and　there　are　not　wanting　among　us；　Printers；　who　will　be　busy

in　spreading　specious　falsehoods。　　The　artful　and　hypocritical　letter

which　appeared　a　few　months　ago　in　two　of　the　New　York　papers；

and　likewise　in　two　others；　is　an　evidence　that　there　are　men

who　want　either　judgment　or　honesty。



It　is　easy　getting　into　holes　and　corners　and　talking　of　reconciliation：

But　do　such　men　seriously　consider；　how　difficult　the　task　is；　and　how

dangerous　it　may　prove；　should　the　Continent　divide　thereon。　　Do　they

take　within　their　view；　all　the　various　orders　of　men　whose　situation

and　circumstances；　as　well　as　their　own；　are　to　be　considered　therein。

Do　they　put　themselves　in　the　place　of　the　sufferer　whose　ALL

is　ALREADY　gone；　and　of　the　soldier；　who　hath　quitted　ALL　for　the　defence

of　his　country。　　If　their　ill　judged　moderation　be　suited　to　their　own

private　situations　only；　regardless　of　others；　the　event　will　convince　them；

that　〃they　are　reckoning　without　their　Host。〃



Put　us；　says　some；　on　the　footing　we　were　on　in　sixty…three：

To　which　I　answer；　the　request　is　not　now　in　the　power　of　Britain

to　comply　with；　neither　will　she　propose　it；　but　if　it　were；

and　even　should　be　granted；　I　ask；　as　a　reasonable　question；

By　what　means　is　such　a　corrupt　and　faithless　court　to　be　kept

to　its　engagements？　　Another　parliament；　nay；　even　the　present；

may　hereafter　repeal　the　obligation；　on　the　pretense；

of　its　being　violently　obtained；　or　unwisely　granted；

and　in　that　case；　Where　is　our　redress？No　going　to　law

with　nations；　cannon　are　the　barristers　of　Crowns；

and　the　sword；　not　of　justice；　but　of　war；　decides　the　suit。

To　be　on　the　footing　of　sixty…three；　it　is　not　sufficient；

that　the　laws　only　be　put　on　the　same　state；　but；　that　our　circumstances；

likewise；　be　put　on　the　same　state；　Our　burnt　and　destroyed　towns　repaired

or　built　up；　our　private　losses　made　good；　our　public　debts

（contracted　for　defence）　discharged；　otherwise；　we　shall　be　millions

worse　than　we　were　at　that　enviable　period。　　Such　a　request；

had　it　been　complied　with　a　year　ago；　would　have　won　the　heart

and　soul　of　the　Continent　…　but　now　it　is　too　late；　〃The　Rubicon　is　passed。〃



Besides；　the　taking　up　arms；　merely　to　enforce　the　repeal

of　a　pecuniary　law；　seems　as　unwarrantable　by　the　divine　law；

and　as　repugnant　to　human　feelings；　as　the　taking　up　arms

to　enforce　obedience　thereto。　　The　object；　on　either　side；　doth　not

justify　the　means；　for　the　lives　of　men　are　too　valuable

to　be　cast　away　on　such　trifles。　　It　is　the　violence　which　is　done

and　threatened　to　our　persons；　the　destruction　of　our　property

by　an　armed　force；　the　invasion　of　our　country　by　fire　and　sword；

which　conscientiously　qualifies　the　use　of　arms：　And　the　instant；　in　which

such　a　mode　of　defence　became　necessary；　all　subjection　to　Britain　ought

to　have　ceased；　and　the　independancy　of　America；　should　have　been　considered；

as　dating　its　aera　from；　and　published　by