《Common Sense》第16章

er　without　a　doubt。
the　present　state　of　america　is　truly　alarming　to　every　man　who　is　capable　of　reflexion。 without　law；　without　government；　without　any　other　mode　of　power　than　what　is　founded　on；　and　granted　by　courtesy。
held　together　by　an　unexampled　concurrence　of　sentiment；　which；　is　nevertheless　subject　to　change；　and　which；　every　secret　enemy　is　endeavouring　to　dissolve。 our　present　condition；　is；　legislation　without　law；　wisdom　without　a　plan；　a　constitution　without　a　name；　and；　what　is　strangely　astonishing；　perfect　independance　contending　for　dependance。 the　instance　is　without　a　precedent；　the　case　never　existed　before；　and　who　can　tell　what　may　be　the　event？ the　property　of　no　man　is　secure　in　the　present　unbraced　system　of　things。 the　mind　of　the　multitude　is　left　at　random；　and　seeing　no　fixed　object　before　them；　they　pursue　such　as　fancy　or　opinion　starts。 nothing　is　criminal；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　treason；　wherefore；　every　one　thinks　himself　at　liberty　to　act　as　he　pleases。 the　tories　dared　not　have　assembled　offensively；　had　they　known　that　their　lives；　by　that　act；　were　forfeited　to　the　laws　of　the　state。 a　line　of　distinction　should　be　drawn；　between；　english　soldiers　taken　in　battle；　and　inhabitants　of　america　taken　in　arms。
the　first　are　prisoners；　but　the　latter　traitors。
the　one　forfeits　his　liberty；　the　other　his　head。
notwithstanding　our　wisdom；　there　is　a　visible　feebleness　in　some　of　our　proceedings　which　gives　encouragement　to　dissensions。
the　continental　belt　is　too　loosely　buckled。 and　if　something　is　not　done　in　time；　it　will　be　too　late　to　do　any　thing；　and　we　shall　fall　into　a　state；　in　which；　neither　reconciliation　nor　independance　will　be　practicable。 the　king　and　his　worthless　adherents　are　got　at　their　old　game　of　dividing　the　continent；　and　there　are　not　wanting　among　us；　printers；　who　will　be　busy　in　spreading　specious　falsehoods。 the　artful　and　hypocritical　letter　which　appeared　a　few　months　ago　in　two　of　the　new　york　papers；　and　likewise　in　two　others；　is　an　evidence　that　there　are　men　who　want　either　judgment　or　honesty。
it　is　easy　getting　into　holes　and　corners　and　talking　of　reconciliation：　but　do　such　men　seriously　consider；　how　difficult　the　task　is；　and　how　dangerous　it　may　prove；　should　the　continent　divide　thereon。 do　they　take　within　their　view；　all　the　various　orders　of　men　whose　situation　and　circumstances；　as　well　as　their　own；　are　to　be　considered　therein。
do　they　put　themselves　in　the　place　of　the　sufferer　whose　all　is　already　gone；　and　of　the　soldier；　who　hath　quitted　all　for　the　defence　of　his　country。 if　their　ill　judged　moderation　be　suited　to　their　own　private　situations　only；　regardless　of　others；　the　event　will　convince　them；　that　〃they　are　reckoning　without　their　host。〃 put　us；　says　some；　on　the　footing　we　were　on　in　sixty…three：　to　which　i　answer；　the　request　is　not　now　in　the　power　of　britain　to　ply　with；　neither　will　she　propose　it；　but　if　it　were；　and　even　should　be　granted；　i　ask；　as　a　reasonable　question；　by　what　means　is　such　a　corrupt　and　faithless　court　to　be　kept　to　its　engagements？ another　parliament；　nay；　even　the　present；　may　hereafter　repeal　the　obligation；　on　the　pretense；　of　its　being　violently　obtained；　or　unwisely　granted；　and　in　that　case；　where　is　our　redress？……no　going　to　law　with　nations；　cannon　are　the　barristers　of　crowns；　and　the　sword；　not　of　justice；　but　of　war；　decides　the　suit。
to　be　on　the　footing　of　sixty…three；　it　is　not　sufficient；　that　the　laws　only　be　put　on　the　same　state；　but；　that　our　circumstances；　likewise；　be　put　on　the　same　state；　our　burnt　and　destroyed　towns　repaired　or　built　up；　our　private　losses　made　good；　our　public　debts　（contracted　for　defence）　discharged；　otherwise；　we　shall　be　millions　worse　than　we　were　at　that　enviable　period。 such　a　request；　had　it　been　plied　with　a　year　ago；　would　have　won　the　heart　and　soul　of　the　continent　…　but　now　it　is　too　late；　〃the　rubicon　is　passed。〃 besides；　the　taking　up　arms；　merely　to　enforce　the　repeal　of　a　pecuniary　law；　seems　as　unwarrantable　by　the　divine　law；　and　as　repugnant　to　human　feelings；　as　the　taking　up　arms　to　enforce　obedience　thereto。 the　object；　on　either　side；　doth　not　justify　the　means；　for　the　lives　of　men　are　too　valuable　to　be　cast　away　on　such　trifles。 it　is　the　violence　which　is　done　and　threatened　to　our　persons；　the　destruction　of　our　property　by　an　armed　force；　the　invasion　of　our　country　by　fire　and　sword；　which　conscientiously　qualifies　the　use　of　arms：　and　the　instant；　in　which　such　a　mode　of　defence　became　necessary；　all　subjection　to　britain　ought　to　have　ceased；　and　the　independancy　of　america；　should　have　been　considered；　as　dating　its　aera　from；　and　published　by；　the　first　musket　that　was　fired　against　her。 this　line　is　a　line　of　consistency；　neither　drawn　by　caprice；　nor　extended　by　ambition；　but　produced　by　a　chain　of　events；　of　which　the　colonies　were　not　the　authors。
i　shall　conclude　these　remarks　with　the　following　timely　and　well　intended　hints。 we　ought　to　reflect；　that　there　are　three　different　ways　by　which　an　independancy　may　hereafter　be　effected；　and　that　one　of　those　three；　will　one　day　or　other；　be　the　fate　of　america；　viz。 by　the　legal　voice　of　the　people　in　congress；　by　a　military　power；　or　by　a　mob……it　may　not　always　happen　that　our　soldiers　are　citizens；　and　the　multitude　a　body　of　reasonable　men；　virtue；　as　i　have　already　remarked；　is　not　hereditary；　neither　is　it　perpetual。 should　an　independancy　be　brought　about　by　the　first　of　those　means；　we　have　every　opportunity　and　every　encouragement　before　us；　to　form　the　noblest　purest　constitution　on　the　face　of　the　earth。 we　have　it　in　our　power　to　begin　the　world　over　again。 a　situation；　similar　to　the　present；　hath　not　happened　since　the　days　of　noah　until　now。 the　birthday　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　reflexion　is　awful……and　in　this　point　of　view；　how　trifling；　how　ridiculous；　do　the　little；　paltry　cavillings；　of　a　few　weak　or　interested　men　appear；　when　weighed　against　the　business