Page:Common sense - addressed to the inhabitants of America.djvu/39

 Youth is the eed time of good habits as well in nations as in individuals. It might be difficult if not impoible to form the Continent into one government half a century hence. The vat variety of interets, occaioned by an increae of trade and population, would create confuion. Colony would be againt Colony. Each being able, would corn each other’s aitance: And while the proud and foolih gloried in their little ditinctions, the wie would lament that the union had not been formed before. Wherefore, the preent time is the true time for etablihing it. The intimacy which is contracted in infancy, and the friendhip which is formed in mifortune, are of all others the mot lating and unalterable. Our preent union is marked with both thee characters: We are young, and we have been ditreed; but our concord hath withtood our troubles, and fixes a memorable æra for poterity to glory in.The preent time likewie is that peculiar time, which never happens to a nation but once, viz. the time of forming itelf into a government. Mot nations have let lip the opportunity, and by that means have been compelled to receive laws from their conquerors, intead of making laws for themelves. Firt they had a King, and then a form of government; whereas the article or Charter of government hould be formed firt, and men delegated to execute them afterward: But from the errors of other nations let us learn widom, and lay hold of the preent opportunityTo begin Government at the right end.

When William the Conqueror ubdued England, he gave them law at the point of the word; and until we conent that the eat of government in America be legally and authoritatively occupied, we hall be in danger of having it filled by ome fortunate ruffian, who may treat us in the ame manner, and then where will be our freedom? where our property?

As to religion, I hold it to be the indipenible duty of government to protect all concientious profeors thereof, and I know of no other buines which government hath to do therewith. Let a man throw aide that narrownes of oul, that elfihnes of principle, which the niggards of all profeions are o unwilling to part with, and he will be delivered of his fears on that head. Supicion is the companion of mean ouls, and the bane of all good ociety. For myelf, I fully and concientiouly believe, that it is the will of the Almighty, that there hould be diverity of religious opinions among us. It affords a larger field for our Chritian kindnes: Were we all of one way of thinking, our religious dipoitions would want matter for probation; and on this liberal principle, I look on the various denominations among us to be like children of the ame family, differing only in what is called their Chritian names.

In page 25 I threw out a few thoughts on the propriety of a Continental Charter (for I only preume to offer hints, not plans) and in this place I take the liberty of rementioning the ubject, by oberving, that a Charter is to be undertood as a bond of olemn obligation, which the whole enters into, to upport the right of every eparate part, whether of religion, peronal freedom, or property. A right reckoning makes long friends.In a former page I likewie mentioned the nece- ity