common sense-及8准
梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!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