Page:Common sense - addressed to the inhabitants of America.djvu/11



the entiments contained in the following pages, are not yet ufficiently fahionable to procure them general favour; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a uperficial appearance of being right, and raies at firt a formidable outcry in defence of cutom. But the tumult oon ubides.—Time makes more converts than reaon.

As a long and violent abue of power is generally the means of calling the right of it in quetion (and in matters too which might never have been thought of, had not the ufferers been aggravated into the enquiry) and as the King of England hath undertaken, in his own right, to upport the Parliament in what he calls theirs; and as the good people of this country are grievouly oppreed by the Combination, they have an undoubted privilege to enquire into the pretenions of both, and equally to reject the Uurpation of either.

In the following heets, the author hath tudiouly avoided every thing which is peronal among ourelves. Compliments as well as cenure to individuals make no part thereof. The wie, and the worthy, need not the triumph of a pamphlet; and thoe whoe entiments are injudicious, or unfriendly, will ceae of themelves, unles too much pains are betowed upon their converion.

The caue of America is in a great meaure the caue of all mankind. Many circumtances hath, and will arie, which are not local, but univeral, and through which the principles of all lovers of mankind are affected, and in the event of which their affections are intereted. The laying a country deolate with fire and word, declaring war againt the natural rights of all mankind, and extirpating the defenders thereof from the face of the earth, is the concern of every man to whom nature hath given the power of feeling; of which clas, regardles of party cenure, is the

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