common sense-第6章

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

worthy　the　acceptance　of　the　continent；　or　any　ways　equal

to　the　expense　of　blood　and　treasure　we　have　been　already　put　to。



The　object；　contended　for；　ought　always　to　bear　some　just　proportion

to　the　expense。　　The　removal　of　North；　or　the　whole　detestable　junto；

is　a　matter　unworthy　the　millions　we　have　expended。　　A　temporary　stoppage

of　trade；　was　an　inconvenience；　which　would　have　sufficiently　balanced

the　repeal　of　all　the　acts　complained　of；　had　such　repeals　been　obtained；

hut　if　the　whole　continent　must　take　up　arms；　if　every　man　must　be　a　soldier；

it　is　scarcely　worth　our　while　to　fight　against　a　contemptible　ministry　only。

Dearly；　dearly；　do　we　pay　for　the　repeal　of　the　acts；　if　that　is　all

we　fight　for；　for　in　a　just　estimation；　it　is　as　great　a　folly　to　pay

a　Bunker…hill　price　for　law；　as　for　land。　　As　I　have　always　considered

the　independancy　of　this　continent；　as　an　event；　which　sooner　or　later

must　arrive；　so　from　the　late　rapid　progress　of　the　continent　to　maturity；

the　event　could　not　be　far　off。　　Wherefore；　on　the　breaking　out　of　hostilities；

it　was　not　worth　while　to　have　disputed　a　matter；　which　time　would　have

finally　redressed；　unless　we　meant　to　be　in　earnest；　otherwise；　it　is　like

wasting　an　estate　on　a　suit　at　law；　to　regulate　the　trespasses　of　a　tenant；

whose　lease　is　just　expiring。　　No　man　was　a　warmer　wisher　for　reconciliation

than　myself；　before　the　fatal　nineteenth　of　April　1775；　but　the　moment

the　event　of　that　day　was　made　known；　I　rejected　the　hardened；

sullen　tempered　Pharaoh　of　England　for　ever；　and　disdain　the　wretch；

that　with　the　pretended　title　of　FATHER　OF　HIS　PEOPLE　can　unfeelingly　hear

of　their　slaughter；　and　composedly　sleep　with　their　blood　upon　his　soul。



But　admitting　that　matters　were　now　made　up；　what　would　be　the　event？

I　answer；　the　ruin　of　the　continent。　　And　that　for　several　reasons。



FIRST。　　The　powers　of　governing　still　remaining　in　the　hands

of　the　king；　he　will　have　a　negative　over　the　whole　legislation

of　this　continent。　　And　as　he　hath　shewn　himself　such　an

inveterate　enemy　to　liberty。　　and　discovered　such　a　thirst

for　arbitrary　power；　is　he；　or　is　he　not；　a　proper　man　to　say　to

these　colonies；　〃YOU　SHALL　MAKE　NO　LAWS　BUT　WHAT　I　PLEASE。'

And　is　there　any　inhabitant　in　America　so　ignorant　as　not　to　know；

that　according　to　what　is　called　the　PRESENT　CONSTITUTION；

that　this　continent　can　make　no　laws　but　what　the　king　gives　leave　to；

and　is　there　any　man　so　unwise；　as　not　to　see；　that　（considering　what

has　happened）　he　will　suffer　no　law　to　be　made　here；　but　such　as　suit

HIS　purpose。　　We　may　be　as　effectually　enslaved　by　the　want

of　laws　in　America；　as　by　submitting　to　laws　made　for　us　in　England。

After　matters　are　made　up　（as　it　is　called）　can　there　be　any　doubt；

but　the　whole　power　of　the　crown　will　be　exerted；　to　keep　this　continent

as　low　and　humble　as　possible？　　Instead　of　going　forward　we　shall

go　backward；　or　be　perpetually　quarrelling　or　ridiculously　petitioning。

WE　are　already　greater　than　the　king　wishes　us　to　be；　and　will　he　not

hereafter　endeavour　to　make　us　less？　　To　bring　the　matter　to　one　point。

Is　the　power　who　is　jealous　of　our　prosperity；　a　proper　power　to　govern　us？

Whoever　says　No　to　this　question；　is　an　INDEPENDANT；　for　independancy

means　no　more；　than；　whether　we　shall　make　our　own　laws；

or　whether　the　king；　the　greatest　enemy　this　continent　hath；

or　can　have；　shall　tell　us　〃THERE　SHALL　BE　NO　LAWS　BUT　SUCH　AS　I　LIKE。〃



But　the　king　you　will　say　has　a　negative　in　England；　the　people　there

can　make　no　laws　without　his　consent。　　In　point　of　right　and　good　order；

there　is　something　very　ridiculous；　that　a　youth　of　twenty…one

（which　hath　often　happened）　shall　say　to　several　millions　of　people；

older　and　wiser　than　himself；　I　forbid　this　or　that　act　of　yours　to　be　law。

But　in　this　place　I　decline　this　sort　of　reply；　though　I　will　never　cease

to　expose　the　absurdity　of　it；　and　only　answer；　that　England　being　the　King's

residence；　and　America　not　so；　makes　quite　another　case。　　The　king's　negative

HERE　is　ten　times　more　dangerous　and　fatal　than　it　can　be　in　England；

for　THERE　he　will　scarcely　refuse　his　consent　to　a　bill　for　putting　England

into　as　strong　a　state　of　defense　as　possible；　and　in　America　he　would　never

suffer　such　a　bill　to　be　passed。



America　is　only　a　secondary　object　in　the　system　of　British　politics；

England　consults　the　good　of　THIS　country；　no　farther　than　it　answers

her　OWN　purpose。　　Wherefore；　her　own　interest　leads　her　to　suppress

the　growth　of　OURS　in　every　case　which　doth　not　promote　her　advantage；

or　in　the　least　interferes　with　it。　　A　pretty　state　we　should　soon　be　in

under　such　a　secondhand　government；　considering　what　has　happened！

Men　do　not　change　from　enemies　to　friends　by　the　alteration　of　a　name：

And　in　order　to　shew　that　reconciliation　now　is　a　dangerous　doctrine；

I　affirm；　THAT　IT　WOULD　BE　POLICY　IN　THE　KING　AT　THIS　TIME；　TO　REPEAL

THE　ACTS　FOR　THE　SAKE　OF　REINSTATING　HIMSELF　IN　THE　GOVERNMENT

OF　THE　PROVINCES；　in　order；　that　HE　MAY　ACCOMPLISH　BY　CRAFT　AND　SUBTLETY；

IN　THE　LONG　RUN；　WHAT　HE　CANNOT　DO　BY　FORCE　AND　VIOLENCE　IN　THE　SHORT　ONE。

Reconciliation　and　ruin　are　nearly　related。



SECONDLY。　　That　as　even　the　best　terms；　which　we　can　expect　to　obtain；

can　amount　to　no　more　than　a　temporary　expedient；　or　a　kind　of　government

by　guardianship；　which　can　last　no　longer　than　till　the　colonies　come　of　age；

so　the　general　face　and　state　of　things；　in　the　interim；　will　be　unsettled

and　unpromising。　　Emigrants　of　property　will　not　choose　to　come　to　a　country

whose　form　of　government　hangs　but　by　a　thread；　and　who　is　every　day　tottering

on　the　brink　of　commotion　and　disturbance；　and　numbers　of　the　present

inhabitants　would　lay　hold　of　the　interval；　to　dispense　of　their　effects；

and　quit　the　continent。



But　the　most　powerful　of　all　arguments；　is；　that　nothing　but　independence；

i。e。　　a　continental　form　of　government；　can　keep　the　peace　of　the　continent

and　preserve　it　inviolate　from　civil　wars。　　I　dread　the　event　of　a

reconciliation　with　Britain　now；　as　it　is　more　than　probable；

that　it　will　be　followed　by　a　revolt　somewhere　or　other；　the　consequences

of　which　may　be　far　more　fatal　than　all　the　malice　of　Britain。



Thousands　are　already　ruined　by　British　barbarity；　（thousands　more　will

probably　suffer　the　same　fate）　Those　men　have　other　feelings　than　us　who

have　nothing　suffered。　　All　they　NOW　possess　is　liberty；　what　they　before

enjoyed　is　sacrificed　to　its　service；　and　having　nothing　more　to　lose；

they　disdain　submission。　　Besides；　the　general　temper　of　the　colonies；

towards　a　British　government；　will　be　like　that　of　a　youth；

who　is　nearly　out　of　his　time；　they　will　care　very　little　about　her。

And　a　government　which　cannot　preserve　the　peace；　is　no　government　at　all；

and　in　that　case　we　pay　our　money　for　nothing；　and　pray　what　is　it　that

Britain　can　do；　whose　power　will　he　wholly　on　paper。　　should　a　civil

tumult　break　out　the　very　day　after　reconciliation！　　I　have　heard

some　men　say；　many　of　whom　I　believe　spoke　without　thinking；　that　they

dreaded　an　independence；　fearing　that　it　would　produce　civil　wars。

It　is　but　seldom　that　our　first　thoughts　are　truly　correct；　and　that

is　the　case　here；　for　there　are　ten　times　more　to　dread　from　a　patched　up

connection　than　from　independence。　　I　make　the　sufferers　case　my　own；

and　I　protest；　that　were　I　driven　from　house　and　home；　my　property　destroyed；

and　my　circumstances　ruined；　that　as　man；　sensible　of　injuries；　I　could　never

relish　the　doctrine　of　reconciliation；　or　consider　myself　bound　thereby。



The　colonies　have　manifested　such　a　spirit　of　good　order　and　obedience

to　continental　government；　as　is　sufficient　to　make　every　reasonable

person　easy　and　happy　on　that　head。　　No　man　can　assign　the　least　pretence

for　his　fears；　on　any　other　grounds；　than　such　as　are　truly　childish

and　ridiculous；　viz。　　that　one　colony　will　be　striving　for　superiority

over　another。



Where　there　are　no　distinctions　there　can　be　no　superiority；

perfect　equality　affords　no　temptation。　　The　republics　of　Europe

are　all　（and　we　may　say　always）　in　peace。　　Holland　and　Switzerland

are　without　wars；　foreign　or　domestic：　　Monarchical　governments；

it　is　true；　are　never　long　at　rest；　the　crown　itself　is　a　temptation

to　enterprising　ruffians　at　HOME；　and　that　degree　of　pride　and　insolence

ever　attendant　on　regal　authority；　swells　into　a　rupture　with　foreign　powers；

in　instances；　where　a　republican　government；　by　being　formed　on　more

natural　principles；　would　negotiate　the　mistake。



If　there　is　any　true　cause　of　fear　respecting　independence；

it　is　because　no　plan　is　yet　laid　down。　　Men　do　not　see　their　way　out

Wherefore；　as　an　opening　into　that　business；　I　offer　the　following　hints；

at　the　same　time　modestly　affirming；　that　I　have　no　other　opinion

of　them　myself；　than　that　they　may　be　the　means　of　giving　rise　to

something　better。　　Could　the　straggling　thoughts　of　individuals

be　collected；　they　would　frequently　form　materials　for　wise

and　able　men　to　improve　into　useful　matter。



LET　the　assemblies　be　annual；　with　a　President　only。

The　representation　more　equal。　　Their　business　wholly　domestic；

and　subject　to　the　authority　of　a　Continental　Congress。



Let　each　colony　be　divided　into　six；　eight；　or　ten；　convenient　districts；

each　district　to　send　a　proper　number　of　delegates　to　Congress；

so　that　each　colony　send　at　least　thirty。　　The　whole　number　in　Congress

will　be　at　least　390。　　Each　Congress　to　sit　and　to　choose　a　president

by　the　following　method。　　When　the　delegates　are　met；　let　a　colony　be　taken

from　the　whole　thirteen　colonies　by　lot；　after　which；　let　the　whole　Congress

choose　（by　ballot）　a　president　from　out　of　the　delegates　of　that　province。

In　the　next　Congress；　let　a　colony　be　taken　by　lot　from　twelve　only；　omitting

that　colony　from　which　the　president　was　taken　in　the　former　Congress；　and　so

proceeding　on　till　the　whole　thirteen　shall　have　had　their　proper　rotation。

And　in　order　that　nothing　may　pass　into　a　law　but　what　is　satisfactorily

just　not　less　than　three　fifths　of　the　Congress　to　be　called　a　majority

He　that　will　promote　discord；　under　a　government　so　equally　formed　as　this；

would　have　joined　Lucifer　in　his　revolt。



But　as　there　is　a　peculiar　delicacy；　from　whom；　or　in　what　manner；

this　business　must　first　arise；　and　as　it　seems　most　agreeable

and　consistent；　that　it　should　come　from　some　intermediate　body

between　the　governed　and　the　governors；　that　is；　between　the　Congress

and　the　people。　　let　a　CONTINENTAL　CONFERENCE　be　held；　in　the　following　manner；

and　for　the　following　purpose。



A　committee　of　twenty…six　members　of　Congress；　viz。　　two　for　each　colony。

Two　Members　from　each　House　of　Assembly；　or　Provincial　Convention；

and　five　representatives　of　the　people　at