common sense-第6部分

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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　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；