common sense-第5章

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king　of　England；　of　the　present　line　（William　the　Conqueror）

was　a　Frenchman；　and　half　the　Peers　of　England　are　descendants

from　the　same　country；　therefore；　by　the　same　method　of　reasoning；

England　ought　to　be　governed　by　France。



Much　hath　been　said　of　the　united　strength　of　Britain　and　the　colonies；

that　in　conjunction　they　might　bid　defiance　to　the　world。　　But　this

is　mere　presumption；　the　fate　of　war　is　uncertain；　neither　do

the　expressions　mean　any　thing；　for　this　continent　would　never　suffer

itself　to　be　drained　of　inhabitants；　to　support　the　British　arms

in　either　Asia；　Africa；　or　Europe。



Besides　what　have　we　to　do　with　setting　the　world　at　defiance？

Our　plan　is　commerce；　and　that；　well　attended　to；　will　secure　us

the　peace　and　friendship　of　all　Europe；　because；　it　is　the

interest　of　all　Europe　to　have　America　a　FREE　PORT。　　Her　trade

will　always　be　a　protection；　and　her　barrenness　of　gold　and　silver

secure　her　from　invaders。



I　challenge　the　warmest　advocate　for　reconciliation；　to　shew；

a　single　advantage　that　this　continent　can　reap；　by　being　connected

with　Great　Britain。　　I　repeat　the　challenge；　not　a　single　advantage

is　derived。　　Our　corn　will　fetch　its　price　in　any　market　in　Europe；

and　our　imported　goods　must　be　paid　for；　buy　them　where　we　will。



But　the　injuries　and　disadvantages　we　sustain　by　that　connection；

are　without　number；　and　our　duty　to　mankind　at　large；

as　well　as　to　ourselves；　instruct　us　to　renounce　the　alliance：

Because；　any　submission　to；　or　dependence　on　Great　Britain；

tends　directly　to　involve　this　continent　in　European　wars　and　quarrels；

and　sets　us　at　variance　with　nations；　who　would　otherwise　seek　our　friendship；

and　against　whom；　we　have　neither　anger　nor　complaint。　　As　Europe　is　our　market

for　trade；　we　ought　to　form　no　partial　connection　with　any　part　of　it。

It　is　the　true　interest　of　America　to　steer　clear　of　European　contentions；

which　she　never　can　do；　while　by　her　dependence　on　Britain；

she　is　made　the　make…weight　in　the　scale　of　British　politics。



Europe　is　too　thickly　planted　with　kingdoms　to　be　long　at　peace；

and　whenever　a　war　breaks　out　between　England　and　any　foreign　power；

the　trade　of　America　goes　to　ruin；　BECAUSE　OF　HER　CONNECTION　WITH　ENGLAND。

The　next　war　may　not　turn　out　like　the　last；　and　should　it　not；

the　advocates　for　reconciliation　now；　will　be　wishing　for　separation　then；

because；　neutrality　in　that　case；　would　be　a　safer　convoy　than　a　man　of　war。

Every　thing　that　is　right　or　natural　pleads　for　separation。　　The　blood

of　the　slain；　the　weeping　voice　of　nature　cries；　'TIS　TIME　TO　PART。

Even　the　distance　at　which　the　Almighty　hath　placed　England　and　America；

is　a　strong　and　natural　proof；　that　the　authority　of　the　one；　over　the　other；

was　never　the　design　of　Heaven。　　The　time　likewise　at　which　the　continent

was　discovered；　adds　weight　to　the　argument；　and　the　manner　in　which　it

was　peopled　increases　the　force　of　it。　　The　reformation　was　preceded

by　the　discovery　of　America；　as　if　the　Almighty　graciously　meant

to　open　a　sanctuary　to　the　Persecuted　in　future　years；

when　home　should　afford　neither　friendship　nor　safety。



The　authority　of　Great　Britain　over　this　continent；

is　a　form　of　government；　which　sooner　or　later　must　have　an　end：

And　a　serious　mind　can　draw　no　true　pleasure　by　looking　forward

under　the　painful　and　positive　conviction；　that　what　he　calls

〃the　present　constitution〃　is　merely　temporary。　　As　parents；

we　can　have　no　joy；　knowing　that　THIS　GOVERNMENT　is　not　sufficiently

lasting　to　ensure　any　thing　which　we　may　bequeath　to　posterity：

And　by　a　plain　method　of　argument；　as　we　are　running　the　next　generation

into　debt；　we　ought　to　do　the　work　of　it；　otherwise　we　use　them　meanly

and　pitifully。　　In　order　to　discover　the　line　of　our　duty　rightly；

we　should　take　our　children　in　our　hand；　and　fix　our　station　a　few　years

farther　into　life；　that　eminence　will　present　a　prospect；　which　a　few

present　fears　and　prejudices　conceal　from　our　sight。



Though　I　would　carefully　avoid　giving　unnecessary　offense；

yet　I　am　inclined　to　believe；　that　all　those　who　espouse　the　doctrine

of　reconciliation；　may　be　included　within　the　following　descriptions。

Interested　men；　who　are　not　to　be　trusted；　weak　men；　who　CANNOT　see；

prejudiced　men；　who　WILL　NOT　see；　and　a　certain　set　of　moderate　men；

who　think　better　of　the　European　world　than　it　deserves；

and　this　last　class；　by　an　ill…judged　deliberation；　will　be

the　cause　of　more　calamities　to　this　continent；　than　all　the　other　three。



It　is　the　good　fortune　of　many　to　live　distant　from　the　scene　of　sorrow；

the　evil　is　not　sufficient　brought　to　their　doors　to　make　THEM

feel　the　precariousness　with　which　all　American　property　is　possessed。

But　let　our　imaginations　transport　us　far　a　few　moments　to　Boston；

that　seat　of　wretchedness　will　teach　us　wisdom；　and　instruct　us

for　ever　to　renounce　a　power　in　whom　we　can　have　no　trust。

The　inhabitants　of　that　unfortunate　city；　who　but　a　few　months　ago

were　in　ease　and　affluence；　have　now；　no　other　alternative　than

to　stay　and　starve；　or　turn　and　beg。　　Endangered　by　the　fire

of　their　friends　if　they　continue　within　the　city；　and　plundered

by　the　soldiery　if　they　leave　it。　　In　their　present　condition

they　are　prisoners　without　the　hope　of　redemption；　and　in

a　general　attack　for　their　relief；　they　would　be　exposed

to　the　fury　of　both　armies。



Men　of　passive　tempers　look　somewhat　lightly　over　the　offenses

of　Britain；　and；　still　hoping　for　the　best；　are　apt　to　call　out；

〃COME；　COME；　WE　SHALL　BE　FRIENDS　AGAIN；　FOR　ALL　THIS。〃

But　examine　the　passions　and　feelings　of　mankind；

Bring　the　doctrine　of　reconciliation　to　the　touchstone　of　nature；

and　then　tell　me；　whether　you　can　hereafter　love；　honor；

and　faithfully　serve　the　power　that　hath　carried

fire　and　sword　into　your　land？　　If　yon　cannot　do　all　these；

then　are　you　only　deceiving　yourselves；　and　by　your　delay

bringing　ruin　upon　posterity。　　Your　future　connection　with　Britain；

whom　you　can　neither　love　nor　honor　will　be　forced　and　unnatural；

and　being　formed　only　on　the　plan　of　present　convenience；

will　in　a　little　time　fall　into　a　relapse　more　wretched　than　the　first。

But　if　you　say；　you　can　still　pass　the　violations　over；　then　I　ask；

Hath　your　house　been　burnt？　Hath　your　property　been　destroyed　before

your　face！　Are　your　wife　and　children　destitute　of　a　bed　to　lie　on；

or　bread　to　live　on？　Have　you　lost　a　parent　or　a　child　by　their　hands；

and　yourself　the　ruined　and　wretched　survivor！　　If　you　have　not；

then　are　you　not　a　judge　of　those　who　have。　　But　if　you　have；

and　still　can　shake　hands　with　the　murderers；　then　are　you　unworthy

the　name　of　husband；　father；　friend；　or　lover；　and　whatever

may　be　your　rank　or　title　in　life；　you　have　the　heart　of　a　coward；

and　the　spirit　of　a　sycophant。



This　is　not　inflaming　or　exaggerating　matters；　but　trying

them　by　those　feelings　and　affections　which　nature　justifies；

and　without　which；　we　should　be　incapable　of　discharging

the　social　duties　of　life；　or　enjoying　the　felicities　of　it。

I　mean　not　to　exhibit　horror　for　the　purpose　of　provoking　revenge；

but　to　awaken　us　from　fatal　and　unmanly　slumbers；　that　we

may　pursue　determinately　some　fixed　object。　　It　is　not　in　the

power　of　Britain　or　of　Europe　to　conquer　America；　if　she　do

not　conquer　herself　by　DELAY　and　TIMIDITY。　　The　present　winter

is　worth　an　age　if　rightly　employed；　but　if　lost　or　neglected；

the　whole　continent　will　partake　of　the　misfortune；

and　there　is　no　punishment　which　that　man　will　not　deserve；

be　he　who；　or　what；　or　where　he　will；　that　may　be　the　means

of　sacrificing　a　season　so　precious　and　useful。



It　is　repugnant　to　reason；　to　the　universal　order　of　things；

to　all　examples　from　former　ages；　to　suppose；　that　this

continent　can　longer　remain　subject　to　any　external　power。

The　most　sanguine　in　Britain　does　not　think　so。　　The　utmost

stretch　of　human　wisdom　cannot；　at　this　time；　compass　a　plan

short　of　separation；　which　can　promise　the　continent　even

a　year's　security。　　Reconciliation　is　NOW　a　fallacious　dream。

Nature　hath　deserted　the　connection；　and　Art　cannot　supply

her　place。　　For；　as　Milton　wisely　expresses；　〃never　can　true

reconcilement　grow；　where　wounds　of　deadly　hate　have　pierced　so　deep。〃



Every　quiet　method　for　peace　hath　been　ineffectual。　　Our　prayers

have　been　rejected　with　disdain；　and　only　tended　to　convince　us；

that　nothing　Batters　vanity；　or　confirms　obstinacy　in　Kings

more　than　repeated　petitioning…and　nothing　hath　contributed

more　than　that　very　measure　to　make　the　Kings　of　Europe　absolute：

Witness　Denmark　and　Sweden。　　Wherefore；　since　nothing　but　blows　will　do；

for　God's　sake；　let　us　come　to　a　final　separation；　and　not　leave

the　next　generation　to　be　cutting　throats；　under　the　violated

unmeaning　names　of　parent　and　child。



To　say；　they　will　never　attempt　it　again　is　idle　and　visionary；

we　thought　so　at　the　repeal　of　the　stamp…act；　yet　a　year

or　two　undeceived　us；　as　well　may　we　suppose　that　nations；

which　have　been　once　defeated；　will　never　renew　the　quarrel。



As　to　government　matters；　it　is　not　in　the　power　of　Britain

to　do　this　continent　justice：　　The　business　of　it　will　soon

be　too　weighty；　and　intricate；　to　be　managed　with　any　tolerable

degree　of　convenience；　by　a　power　so　distant　from　us；　and　so

very　ignorant　of　us；　for　if　they　cannot　conquer　us；　they　cannot

govern　us。　　To　be　always　running　three　or　four　thousand　miles

with　a　tale　or　a　petition；　waiting　four　or　five　months

for　an　answer；　which　when　obtained　requires　five　or　six　more

to　explain　it　in；　will　in　a　few　years　be　looked　upon　as　folly

and　childishnessThere　was　a　time　when　it　was　proper；

and　there　is　a　proper　time　for　it　to　cease。



Small　islands　not　capable　of　protecting　themselves；

are　the　proper　objects　for　kingdoms　to　take　under　their　care；

but　there　is　something　very　absurd；　in　supposing　a　continent

to　be　perpetually　governed　by　an　island。　　In　no　instance　hath

nature　made　the　satellite　larger　than　its　primary　planet；

and　as　England　and　America；　with　respect　to　each　other；

reverses　the　common　order　of　nature；　it　is　evident　they　belong

to　different　systems；　England　to　Europe；　America　to　itself。



I　am　not　induced　by　motives　of　pride；　party；　or　resentment

to　espouse　the　doctrine　of　separation　and　independance；

I　am　clearly；　positively；　and　conscientiously　persuaded

that　it　is　the　true　interest　of　this　continent　to　be　so；

that　every　thing　short　of　THAT　is　mere　patchwork；

that　it　can　afford　no　lasting　felicity；

that　it　is　leaving　the　sword　to　our　children；

and　shrinking　back　at　a　time；　when；　a　little　more；

a　little　farther；　would　have　rendered　this　continent

the　glory　of　the　earth。



As　Britain　hath　not　manifested　the　least　inclination　towards

a　compromise；　we　may　be　assured　that　no　terms　can　be　obtained

worthy　the　acceptance　of　the　cont