common sense-第11章

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as　dating　its　aera　from；　and　published　by；　THE　FIRST　MUSKET　THAT　WAS　FIRED

AGAINST　HER。　　This　line　is　a　line　of　consistency；　neither　drawn　by　caprice；

nor　extended　by　ambition；　but　produced　by　a　chain　of　events；

of　which　the　colonies　were　not　the　authors。



I　shall　conclude　these　remarks　with　the　following　timely

and　well　intended　hints。　　We　ought　to　reflect；　that　there　are

three　different　ways　by　which　an　independancy　may　hereafter

be　effected；　and　that　ONE　of　those　THREE；　will　one　day　or　other；

be　the　fate　of　America；　viz。　　By　the　legal　voice　of　the　people

in　Congress；　by　a　military　power；　or　by　a　mobIt　may　not　always

happen　that　OUR　soldiers　are　citizens；　and　the　multitude

a　body　of　reasonable　men；　virtue；　as　I　have　already　remarked；

is　not　hereditary；　neither　is　it　perpetual。　　Should　an　independancy

be　brought　about　by　the　first　of　those　means；　we　have　every

opportunity　and　every　encouragement　before　us；　to　form　the

noblest　purest　constitution　on　the　face　of　the　earth。　　We　have

it　in　our　power　to　begin　the　world　over　again。　　A　situation；

similar　to　the　present；　hath　not　happened　since　the　days

of　Noah　until　now。　　The　birthday　of　a　new　world　is　at　hand；

and　a　race　of　men；　perhaps　as　numerous　as　all　Europe　contains；

are　to　receive　their　portion　of　freedom　from　the　event　of　a　few　months。

The　Reflexion　is　awfuland　in　this　point　of　view；　How　trifling；

how　ridiculous；　do　the　little；　paltry　cavillings；　of　a　few　weak

or　interested　men　appear；　when　weighed　against　the　business　of　a　world。



Should　we　neglect　the　present　favourable　and　inviting　period；

and　an　Independance　be　hereafter　effected　by　any　other　means；

we　must　charge　the　consequence　to　ourselves；　or　to　those　rather；

whose　narrow　and　prejudiced　souls；　are　habitually　opposing　the　measure；

without　either　inquiring　or　reflecting。　　There　are　reasons　to　be　given

in　support　of　Independance；　which　men　should　rather　privately　think　of；

than　be　publicly　told　of。　　We　ought　not　now　to　be　debating　whether

we　shall　be　independant　or　not；　but；　anxious　to　accomplish　it　on　a　firm；

secure；　and　honorable　basis；　and　uneasy　rather　that　it　is　not　yet　began　upon。

Every　day　convinces　us　of　its　necessity。　　Even　the　Tories　（if　such　beings

yet　remain　among　us）　should；　of　all　men；　be　the　most　solicitous　to　promote　it；

for；　as　the　appointment　of　committees　at　first；　protected　them　from

popular　rage；　so；　a　wise　and　well　established　form　of　government；

will　be　the　only　certain　means　of　continuing　it　securely　to　them。

WHEREFORE；　if　they　have　not　virtue　enough　to　be　WHIGS；

they　ought　to　have　prudence　enough　to　wish　for　Independance。



In　short；　Independance　is　the　only　BOND　that　can　tye　and　keep

us　together。　　We　shall　then　see　our　object；　and　our　ears　will

be　legally　shut　against　the　schemes　of　an　intriguing；　as　well；

as　a　cruel　enemy。　　We　shall　then　too；　be　on　a　proper　footing；

to　treat　with　Britain；　for　there　is　reason　to　conclude；

that　the　pride　of　that　court；　will　be　less　hurt　by　treating

with　the　American　states　for　terms　of　peace；　than　with　those；

whom　she　denominates；　〃rebellious　subjects；〃　for　terms　of　accommodation。

It　is　our　delaying　it　that　encourages　her　to　hope　for　conquest；　and　our

backwardness　tends　only　to　prolong　the　war。　　As　we　have；　without　any　good

effect　therefrom；　withheld　our　trade　to　obtain　a　redress　of　our　grievances；

let　us　now　try　the　alternative；　by　independantly　redressing　them　ourselves；

and　then　offering　to　open　the　trade。　　The　mercantile　and　reasonable　part

in　England；　will　be　still　with　us；　because；　peace　with　trade；　is　preferable

to　war　without　it。　　And　if　this　offer　be　not　accepted；　other　courts

may　be　applied　to。



On　these　grounds　I　rest　the　matter。　　And　as　no　offer　hath

yet　been　made　to　refute　the　doctrine　contained　in　the　former

editions　of　this　pamphlet；　it　is　a　negative　proof；　that　either

the　doctrine　cannot　be　refuted；　or；　that　the　party　in　favour

of　it　are　too　numerous　to　be　opposed。　　WHEREFORE；　instead

of　gazing　at　each　other　with　suspicious　or　doubtful　curiosity；

let　each　of　us；　hold　out　to　his　neighbour　the　hearty　hand　of

friendship；　and　unite　in　drawing　a　line；　which；　like　an　act　of

oblivion　shall　bury　in　forgetfulness　every　former　dissension。

Let　the　names　of　Whig　and　Tory　be　extinct；　and　let　none　other

be　heard　among　us；　than　those　of　A　GOOD　CITIZEN；

AN　OPEN　AND　RESOLUTE　FRIEND；　AND　A　VIRTUOUS　SUPPORTER

OF　THE　RIGHTS　OF　MANKIND　AND　OF　THE　_FREE　AND　INDEPENDANT　STATES　OF　AMERICA_。



To　the　Representatives　of　the　Religious　Society　of　the　People　called　Quakers；

or　to　so　many　of　them　as　were　concerned　in　publishing　the　late　piece；

entitled　〃THE　ANCIENT　TESTIMONY　and　PRlNCIPLES　of　the　People　called　QUAKERS

renewed；　with　Respect　to　the　KING　and　GOVERNMENT；　and　touching　the　COMMOTIONS

now　prevailing　in　these　and　other　parts　of　AMERICA　addressed　to　the

PEOPLE　IN　GENERAL。〃



The　Writer　of　this；　is　one　of　those　few；　who　never　dishonours　religion

either　by　ridiculing；　or　cavilling　at　any　denomination　whatsoever。

To　God；　and　not　to　man；　are　all　men　accountable　on　the　score　of　religion。

Wherefore；　this　epistle　is　not　so　properly　addressed　to　you　as　a　religious；

but　as　a　political　body；　dabbling　in　matters；　which　the　professed　Quietude

of　your　Principles　instruct　you　not　to　meddle　with。　　As　you　have；　without

a　proper　authority　for　so　doing；　put　yourselves　in　the　place　of　the　whole　body

of　the　Quakers；　so；　the　writer　of　this；　in　order　to　be　on　an　equal　rank

with　yourselves；　is　under　the　necessity；　of　putting　himself　in　the　place

of　all　those；　who；　approve　the　very　writings　and　principles；　against　which；

your　testimony　is　directed：　　And　he　hath　chosen　this　singular　situation；

in　order；　that　you　might　discover　in　him　that　presumption　of　character

which　you　cannot　see　in　yourselves。　　For　neither　he　nor　you　can　have　any

claim　or　title　to　POLITICAL　REPRESENTATION。



When　men　have　departed　from　the　right　way；　it　is　no　wonder　that　they

stumble　and　fall。　　And　it　is　evident　from　the　manner　in　which　ye　have

managed　your　testimony；　that　politics；　（as　a　religious　body　of　men）

is　not　your　proper　Walk；　for　however　well　adapted　it　might　appear　to　you；

it　is；　nevertheless；　a　jumble　of　good　and　bad　put　unwisely　together；

and　the　conclusion　drawn　therefrom；　both　unnatural　and　unjust。



The　two　first　pages；　（and　the　whole　doth　not　make　four）　we　give　you

credit　for；　and　expect　the　same　civility　from　you；　because　the　love

and　desire　of　peace　is　not　confined　to　Quakerism；　it　is　the　natural；

as　well　the　religious　wish　of　all　denominations　of　men。　　And　on　this　ground；

as　men　labouring　to　establish　an　Independant　Constitution　of　our　own；　do　we

exceed　all　others　in　our　hope；　end；　and　aim。　　OUR　PLAN　IS　PEACE　FOR　EVER。

We　are　tired　of　contention　with　Britain；　and　can　see　no　real　end　to　it

but　in　a　final　separation。　　We　act　consistently；　because　for　the　sake

of　introducing　an　endless　and　uninterrupted　peace；　do　we　bear　the　evils

and　burthens　of　the　present　day。　　We　are　endeavoring；　and　will　steadily

continue　to　endeavour；　to　separate　and　dissolve　a　connexion　which　hath

already　filled　our　land　with　blood；　and　which；　while　the　name　of　it

remains；　will　he　the　fatal　cause　of　future　mischiefs　to　both　countries。



We　fight　neither　for　revenge　nor　conquest；　neither　from　pride　nor

passion；　we　are　not　insulting　the　world　with　our　fleets　and　armies；　nor

ravaging　the　globe　for　plunder。　　Beneath　the　shade　of　our　own　vines　are

we　attacked；　in　our　own　houses；　and　on　our　own　lands；　is　the　violence

committed　against　us。　　We　view　our　enemies　in　the　character　of　Highwaymen

and　Housebreakers；　and　having　no　defence　for　ourselves　in　the　civil　law；

are　obliged　to　punish　them　by　the　military　one；　and　apply　the　sword；

in　the　very　case；　where　you　have　before　now；　applied　the　halter

Perhaps　we　feel　for　the　ruined　and　insulted　sufferers　in　all　and　every

part　of　the　continent；　with　a　degree　of　tenderness　which　hath　not　yet

made　its　way　into　some　of　your　bosoms。　　But　be　ye　sure　that　ye　mistake　not

the　cause　and　ground　of　your　Testimony。　　Call　not　coldness　of　soul；　religion；

nor　put　the　BIGOT　in　the　place　of　the　CHRISTIAN。



O　ye　partial　ministers　of　your　own　acknowledged　principles。　　If　the

bearing　arms　be　sinful；　the　first　going　to　war　must　be　more　so；

by　all　the　difference　between　wilful　attack；　and　unavoidable　defence。

Wherefore；　if　ye　really　preach　from　conscience；　and　mean　not　to　make

a　political　hobbyhorse　of　your　　religion　convince　the　world　thereof；

by　proclaiming　your　doctrine　to　our　enemies；　FOR　THEY　LIKEWISE　BEAR　_ARMS_。

Give　us　proof　of　your　sincerity　by　publishing　it　at　St。　James's；

to　the　commanders　in　chief　at　Boston；　to　the　Admirals　and　Captains

who　are　piratically　ravaging　our　coasts；　and　to　all　the　murdering

miscreants　who　are　acting　in　authority　under　HIM　whom　ye　profess　to　serve。

Had　ye　the　honest　soul　of　BARCLAY　ye　would　preach　repentance　to　YOUR　king；

Ye　would　tell　the　Royal　Wretch　his　sins；　and　warn　him　of　eternal　ruin。

＇〃Thou　hast　tasted　of　prosperity　and　adversity；　thou　knowest　what　it　is

to　be　banished　thy　native　country；　to　be　over…ruled　as　well　as　to　rule；

and　set　upon　the　throne；　and　being　oppressed　thou　hast　reason　to　know

how　hateful　the　oppressor　is　both　to　God　and　man：　　If　after　all　these　warnings

and　advertisements；　thou　dost　not　turn　unto　the　Lord　with　all　thy　heart；

but　forget　him　who　remembered　thee　in　thy　distress；　and　give　up　thyself

to　fallow　lust　and　vanity；　surely　great　will　be　thy　condemnation。

Against　which　snare；　as　well　as　the　temptation　of　those　who　may

or　do　feed　thee；　and　prompt　thee　to　evil；　the　most　excellent　and　prevalent

remedy　will　be；　to　apply　thyself　to　that　light　of　Christ　which　shineth

in　thy　conscience；　and　which　neither　can；　nor　will　flatter　thee；

nor　suffer　thee　to　be　at　ease　in　thy　sins。〃Barclay's　address　to　Charles　II。＇

Ye　would　not　spend　your　partial　invectives　against　the　injured

and　the　insulted　only；　but；　like　faithful　ministers；　would　cry　aloud

and　SPARE　NONE。　　Say　not　that　ye　are　persecuted；　neither　endeavour　to　make

us　the　authors　of　that　reproach；　which；　ye　are　bringing　upon　yourselves；

for　we　testify　unto　all　men；　that　we　do　not　complain　against　you　because

ye　are　Quakers；　but　because　ye　pretend　to　be　and　are　NOT　Quakers。



Alas！　it　seems　by　the　particular　tendency　of　some　part　of　your　testimony；

and　other　parts　of　your　conduct；　as　if；　all　sin　was　reduced　to；

and　comprehended　in；　THE　ACT　OF　BEARING　ARMS；　and　that　by　the　people　only。

Ye　appear　to　us；　to　have　mistaken　party　for　conscience；　because；

the　general　tenor　of　your　actions　wants　uniformityAnd　it　is　exceedingly

difficult　to　us　to　give　credit　to　many　of　your　pretended　scruples；

because；　we　see　them　made　by　the　same　men；　who；　in　the　very　instant

that　they　are　exclaiming　against　the　mammon　of　this　world；　are　nevertheless；

hunting　after　it　with　a　step　as　steady　as　Time；　and　an　appetite　as　keen

as　Death。



The　quotation　which