《Common Sense》第9章

kind　of　government　by　guardianship；　which　can　last　no　longer　than　till　the　colonies　e　of　age；　so　the　general　face　and　state　of　things；　in　the　interim；　will　be　unsettled　and　unpromising。 emigrants　of　property　will　not　choose　to　e　to　a　country　whose　form　of　government　hangs　but　by　a　thread；　and　who　is　every　day　tottering　on　the　brink　of　motion　and　disturbance；　and　numbers　of　the　present　inhabitants　would　lay　hold　of　the　interval；　to　dispense　of　their　effects；　and　quit　the　continent。
but　the　most　powerful　of　all　arguments；　is；　that　nothing　but　independence；　i。e。 a　continental　form　of　government；　can　keep　the　peace　of　the　continent　and　preserve　it　inviolate　from　civil　wars。 i　dread　the　event　of　a　reconciliation　with　britain　now；　as　it　is　more　than　probable；　that　it　will　be　followed　by　a　revolt　somewhere　or　other；　the　consequences　of　which　may　be　far　more　fatal　than　all　the　malice　of　britain。
thousands　are　already　ruined　by　british　barbarity；　（thousands　more　will　probably　suffer　the　same　fate）　those　men　have　other　feelings　than　us　who　have　nothing　suffered。 all　they　now　possess　is　liberty；　what　they　before　enjoyed　is　sacrificed　to　its　service；　and　having　nothing　more　to　lose；　they　disdain　submission。 besides；　the　general　temper　of　the　colonies；　towards　a　british　government；　will　be　like　that　of　a　youth；　who　is　nearly　out　of　his　time；　they　will　care　very　little　about　her。
and　a　government　which　cannot　preserve　the　peace；　is　no　government　at　all；　and　in　that　case　we　pay　our　money　for　nothing；　and　pray　what　is　it　that　britain　can　do；　whose　power　will　he　wholly　on　paper。 should　a　civil　tumult　break　out　the　very　day　after　reconciliation！ i　have　heard　some　men　say；　many　of　whom　i　believe　spoke　without　thinking；　that　they　dreaded　an　independence；　fearing　that　it　would　produce　civil　wars。
it　is　but　seldom　that　our　first　thoughts　are　truly　correct；　and　that　is　the　case　here；　for　there　are　ten　times　more　to　dread　from　a　patched　up　connection　than　from　independence。 i　make　the　sufferers　case　my　own；　and　i　protest；　that　were　i　driven　from　house　and　home；　my　property　destroyed；　and　my　circumstances　ruined；　that　as　man；　sensible　of　injuries；　i　could　never　relish　the　doctrine　of　reconciliation；　or　consider　myself　bound　thereby。
the　colonies　have　manifested　such　a　spirit　of　good　order　and　obedience　to　continental　government；　as　is　sufficient　to　make　every　reasonable　person　easy　and　happy　on　that　head。 no　man　can　assign　the　least　pretence　for　his　fears；　on　any　other　grounds；　than　such　as　are　truly　childish　and　ridiculous；　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；　foreign　or　domestic： monarchical　governments；　it　is　true；　are　never　long　at　rest；　the　crown　itself　is　a　temptation　to　enterprising　ruffians　at　home；　and　that　degree　of　pride　and　insolence　ever　attendant　on　regal　authority；　swells　into　a　rupture　with　foreign　powers；　in　instances；　where　a　republican　government；　by　being　formed　on　more　natural　principles；　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；　as　an　opening　into　that　business；　i　offer　the　following　hints；　at　the　same　time　modestly　affirming；　that　i　have　no　other　opinion　of　them　myself；　than　that　they　may　be　the　means　of　giving　rise　to　something　better。 could　the　straggling　thoughts　of　individuals　be　collected；　they　would　frequently　form　materials　for　wise　and　able　men　to　improve　into　useful　matter。
let　the　assemblies　be　annual；　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；　eight；　or　ten；　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；　let　a　colony　be　taken　from　the　whole　thirteen　colonies　by　lot；　after　which；　let　the　whole　congress　choose　（by　ballot）　a　president　from　out　of　the　delegates　of　that　province。
in　the　next　congress；　let　a　colony　be　taken　by　lot　from　twelve　only；　omitting　that　colony　from　which　the　president　was　taken　in　the　former　congress；　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；　under　a　government　so　equally　formed　as　this；　would　have　joined　lucifer　in　his　revolt。
but　as　there　is　a　peculiar　delicacy；　from　whom；　or　in　what　manner；　this　business　must　first　arise；　and　as　it　seems　most　agreeable　and　consistent；　that　it　should　e　from　some　intermediate　body　between　the　governed　and　the　governors；　that　is；　between　the　congress　and　the　people。 let　a　continental　conference　be　held；　in　the　following　manner；　and　for　the　following　purpose。
a　mittee　of　twenty…six　members　of　congress；　viz。 two　for　each　colony。
two　members　from　each　house　of　assembly；　or　provincial　convention；　and　five　representatives　of　the　people　at　large；　to　be　chosen　in　the　capital　city　or　town　of　each　province；　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；　or；　if　more　convenient；　the　representatives　may　be　chosen　in　two　or　three　of　the　most　populous　parts　thereof。 in　this　conference；　thus　assembled；　will　be　united；　the　two　grand　principles　of　business　knowledge　and　power。 the　members　of　congress；　assemblies；　or　conventions；　by　having　had　experience　in　national　concerns；　will　be　able　and　useful　counsellors；　and　the　whole；　being　empowered　by　the　people；　will　have　a　truly　legal　authority。
the　conferring　members　being　met；　let　their　business　be　to　frame　a　continental　charte