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!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響




for his fears察on any other grounds察than such as are truly childish

and ridiculous察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察foreign or domestic此 Monarchical governments

it is true察are never long at rest察the crown itself is a temptation

to enterprising ruffians at HOME察and that degree of pride and insolence

ever attendant on regal authority察swells into a rupture with foreign powers

in instances察where a republican government察by being formed on more

natural principles察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察as an opening into that business察I offer the following hints

at the same time modestly affirming察that I have no other opinion

of them myself察than that they may be the means of giving rise to

something better。  Could the straggling thoughts of individuals

be collected察they would frequently form materials for wise

and able men to improve into useful matter。



LET the assemblies be annual察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察eight察or ten察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察let a colony be taken

from the whole thirteen colonies by lot察after which察let the whole Congress

choose by ballot a president from out of the delegates of that province。

In the next Congress察let a colony be taken by lot from twelve only察omitting

that colony from which the president was taken in the former Congress察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察under a government so equally formed as this

would have joined Lucifer in his revolt。



But as there is a peculiar delicacy察from whom察or in what manner

this business must first arise察and as it seems most agreeable

and consistent察that it should come from some intermediate body

between the governed and the governors察that is察between the Congress

and the people。  let a CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE be held察in the following manner

and for the following purpose。



A committee of twenty´six members of Congress察viz。  two for each colony。

Two Members from each House of Assembly察or Provincial Convention

and five representatives of the people at large察to be chosen in the capital

city or town of each province察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察or察if more convenient

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

a CONTINENTAL CHARTER察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察members of Assembly

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

between them此 。Always remembering察that our strength is continental

not provincial今  Securing freedom and property to all men察and above

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

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

to contain。  Immediately after which察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察Amen。



Should any body of men be hereafter delegated for this

or some similar purpose察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察with the least

national expense。  Dragonetti on virtue and rewards



But where察says some察is the King of America拭I'll tell you。

Friend察he reigns above察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察let a day be solemnly

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

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

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

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

the King is law察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察let the crown at the conclusion of the ceremony

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



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

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

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

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

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

If we omit it now察some Thomas Anello otherwise Massanello

a fisherman of Naples察who after spiriting up his countrymen

in the public marketplace察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。А Massanello may hereafter arise

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

and the discontented察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察the tottering

situation of things will be a temptation for some desperate adventurer

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

Ere she could hear the news察the fatal business might be done

and ourselves suffering like the wretched Britons under

the oppression of the Conqueror。  Ye that oppose independence now

ye know not what ye do察ye are opening a door to eternal tyranny

by keeping vacant the seat of government。  There are thousands

and tens of thousands察who would think it glorious

to expel from the continent that barbarous and hellish power

which hath stirred up the Indians and Negroes to destroy us

the cruelty hath a double guilt察it is dealing brutally by us

and treacherously by them。



To talk of friendship with those in whom our reason forbids us

to have faith察and our affections wounded through a thousand pores

instruct us to detest察is madness and folly。  Every day wears out

the little remains of kindred between us and them察and can there

be any reason to hope察that as the relationship expires

the affection will increase察or that we shall agree better

when we have ten times more and greater concerns to quarrel over than ever



Ye that tell us of harmony and reconciliation察can ye restore to us the

time that is past拭 Can ye give to prostitution its former innocence

Neither can ye reconcile Britain and America。  The last cord

now is broken察the people of England are presenting addresses against us。

There are injuries which nature cannot forgive察she would cease to be nature

if she did。  As well can the lover forgive the ravisher of his mistress

as the continent forgive the murders of Britain。  The Almighty hath

implanted in us these unextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes。

They are the guardians of his image in our hearts。  They distinguish us

from the herd of common animals。  The social compact would dissolve

and justice be extirpated the earth察or have only a casual existence

were we callous to the touches of affection。  The robber察and the murderer

would often escape unpunished察did not the injuries which our tempers sustain

provoke us i

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