Page:Common sense - addressed to the inhabitants of America.djvu/48

40 Congres; by a military power; or by a mob: It may not always happen that our oldiers are citizens, and the multitude a body of reaonable men; virtue, as I have already remarked, is not hereditary, neither is it perpetual. Should an independency be brought about by the firt of thoe means, we have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblet, puret contitution on the face of the earth. We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A ituation imilar to the preent hath not happened ince the days of Noah until now. The birth-day of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months. The reflection is awful, and in this point of view, how trifling, how ridiculous, do the little paltry cavillings of a few weak or intereted men appear, when weighed againt the buines of a World?

Should we neglect the preent favourable and inviting period, and an independence be hereafter effected by any other means, we mut charge the conequence to ourelves, or to thoe rather, whoe narrow and prejudiced ouls are habitually oppoing the meaure, without either enquiring or reflecting. There are reaons to be given in upport of independence, which men hould rather privately think of, than be publicly told of. We ought not now to be debating whether we hall be independent or not, but anxious to accomplih it on a firm, ecure and honorable bais, and uneay rather that it is not yet began upon. Every day convinces us of its neceity. Even the Tories (if uch beings yet remain among us) hould, of all men, be the mot olicitous to promote it; for as the appointment of Committees at firt protected them from popular rage, o a wie and well etablihed form of government will be the only certain means of continuing it ecurely to them. Wherefore, if they have not virtue enough to be, they ought to have prudence enough to wih for independence.

In hort, Independence is the only that can tye and keep us together. We hall then ee our object, and our ears will be legally hut againt the chemes of an intriguing, as well as a cruel enemy. We hall then too be on a proper footing to treat with Britain; for there is reaon to conclude, that the pride of that court will be les hurt by treating with the American States for terms of peace, than with thoe whom he denominates "rebellious ubjects," for terms of accommodation. It is our delaying it, that encourages her to hope for conquet, and our backwardnes tends only to prolong the war. As we have, without any good effect therefrom, withheld our trade to obtain a redres of our grievances; let us now try the alternative, by independently redreing them ourelves, and then offering to open the trade. The mercantile and reaonable part in England will be till with us; becaue, peace with trade is preferable to war without it. And if this offer be not accepted, other courts may be applied to. On