common sense-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



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　large；　to　be　chosen　in　the　capital

city　or　town　of　each　province；　for　and　in　behalf　of　the　whole　province；

by　as　many　qualified　voters　as　shall　think　proper　to　attend　from

all　parts　of　the　province　for　that　purpose；　or；　if　more　convenient；

the　representatives　may　be　chosen　in　two　or　three　of　the　most　populous

parts　thereof。　　In　this　conference；　thus　assembled；　will　be　united；

the　two　grand　principles　of　business　KNOWLEDGE　and　POWER。　　The　members

of　Congress；　Assemblies；　or　Conventions；　by　having　had　experience　in

national　concerns；　will　be　able　and　useful　counsellors；　and　the　whole；

being　empowered　by　the　people；　will　have　a　truly　legal　authority。



The　conferring　members　being　met；　let　their　business　be　to　frame

a　CONTINENTAL　CHARTER；　Or　Charter　of　the　United　Colonies；

（answering　to　what　is　called　the　Magna　Carta　of　England）　fixing

the　number　and　manner　of　choosing　members　of　Congress；　members　of　Assembly；

with　their　date　of　sitting；　and　drawing　the　line　of　business　and　jurisdiction

between　them：　　（Always　remembering；　that　our　strength　is　continental；

not　provincial：）　　Securing　freedom　and　property　to　all　men；　and　above

all　things；　the　free　exercise　of　religion；　according　to　the　dictates

of　conscience；　with　such　other　matter　as　is　necessary　for　a　charter

to　contain。　　Immediately　after　which；　the　said　Conference　to　dissolve；

and　the　bodies　which　shall　be　chosen　comformable　to　the　said　charter；

to　be　the　legislators　and　governors　of　this　continent　for　the　time　being：

Whose　peace　and　happiness　may　God　preserve；　Amen。



Should　any　body　of　men　be　hereafter　delegated　for　this

or　some　similar　purpose；　I　offer　them　the　following　extracts

or　that　wise　observer　on　governments　DRAGONETTI。

〃The　science〃　says　he　〃of　the　politician　consists

in　fixing　the　true　point　of　happiness　and　freedom。

Those　men　would　deserve　the　gratitude　of　ages；

who　should　discover　a　mode　of　government　that　contained

the　greatest　sum　of　individual　happiness；　with　the　least

national　expense。　　＇Dragonetti　on　virtue　and　rewards＇



But　where；　says　some；　is　the　King　of　America？　I'll　tell　you。

Friend；　he　reigns　above；　and　doth　not　make　havoc　of　mankind

like　the　Royal　Brute　of　Britain。　　Yet　that　we　may　not　appear

to　be　defective　even　in　earthly　honors；　let　a　day　be　solemnly

set　apart　for　proclaiming　the　charter；　let　it　be　brought　forth

placed　on　the　divine　law；　the　word　of　God；　let　a　crown　be　placed　thereon；

by　which　the　world　may　know；　that　so　far　we　approve　of　monarchy；

that　in　America　THE　LAW　IS　KING。　　For　as　in　absolute　governments

the　King　is　law；　so　in　free　countries　the　law　OUGHT　to　be　King；

and　there　ought　to　be　no　other。　　But　lest　any　ill　use　should

afterwards　arise；　let　the　crown　at　the　conclusion　of　the　ceremony；

be　demolished；　and　scattered　among　the　people　whose　right　it　is。



A　government　of　our　own　is　our　natural　right：　　And　when　a　man　seriously

reacts　on　the　precariousness　of　human　affairs；　he　will　become　convinced；

that　it　is　infinitely　wiser　and　safer；　to　form　a　constitution

of　our　own　in　a　cool　deliberate　manner；　while　we　have　it　in　our　power；

than　to　trust　such　an　interesting　event　to　time　and　chance。

If　we　omit　it　now；　some　＇Thomas　Anello　otherwise　Massanello

a　fisherman　of　Naples；　who　after　spiriting　up　his　countrymen

in　the　public　marketplace；　against　the　oppressions　of　the　Spaniards；

to　whom　the　place　was　then　subject　prompted　them　to　revolt；

and　in　the　space　of　a　day　became　king。＇　　Massanello　may　hereafter　arise；

who　laying　hold　of　popular　disquietudes；　may　collect　together　the　desperate

and　the　discontented；　and　by　assuming　to　themselves　the　powers　of　government；

may　sweep　away　the　liberties　of　the　continent　like　a　deluge。　　Should　the

government　of　America　return　again　into　the　hands　of　Britain；　the　tottering

situation　of　things　will　be　a　temptation　for　some　desperate　adventurer

to　try　his　fortune；　and　in　such　a　case；　that　relief　can　Britain　give？

Ere　she　could　hear　the　news；　th