《Common Sense》第17章

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　of　a　world。
should　we　neglect　the　present　favourable　and　inviting　period；　and　an　independance　be　hereafter　effected　by　any　other　means；　we　must　charge　the　consequence　to　ourselves；　or　to　those　rather；　whose　narrow　and　prejudiced　souls；　are　habitually　opposing　the　measure；　without　either　inquiring　or　reflecting。 there　are　reasons　to　be　given　in　support　of　independance；　which　men　should　rather　privately　think　of；　than　be　publicly　told　of。 we　ought　not　now　to　be　debating　whether　we　shall　be　independant　or　not；　but；　anxious　to　acplish　it　on　a　firm；　secure；　and　honorable　basis；　and　uneasy　rather　that　it　is　not　yet　began　upon。
every　day　convinces　us　of　its　necessity。 even　the　tories　（if　such　beings　yet　remain　among　us）　should；　of　all　men；　be　the　most　solicitous　to　promote　it；　for；　as　the　appointment　of　mittees　at　first；　protected　them　from　popular　rage；　so；　a　wise　and　well　established　form　of　government；　will　be　the　only　certain　means　of　continuing　it　securely　to　them。
wherefore；　if　they　have　not　virtue　enough　to　be　whigs；　they　ought　to　have　prudence　enough　to　wish　for　independance。
in　short；　independance　is　the　only　bond　that　can　tye　and　keep　us　together。 we　shall　then　see　our　object；　and　our　ears　will　be　legally　shut　against　the　schemes　of　an　intriguing；　as　well；　as　a　cruel　enemy。 we　shall　then　too；　be　on　a　proper　footing；　to　treat　with　britain；　for　there　is　reason　to　conclude；　that　the　pride　of　that　court；　will　be　less　hurt　by　treating　with　the　american　states　for　terms　of　peace；　than　with　those；　whom　she　denominates；　〃rebellious　subjects；〃　for　terms　of　acmodation。
it　is　our　delaying　it　that　encourages　her　to　hope　for　conquest；　and　our　backwardness　tends　only　to　prolong　the　war。 as　we　have；　without　any　good　effect　therefrom；　withheld　our　trade　to　obtain　a　redress　of　our　grievances；　let　us　now　try　the　alternative；　by　independantly　redressing　them　ourselves；　and　then　offering　to　open　the　trade。 the　mercantile　and　reasonable　part　in　england；　will　be　still　with　us；　because；　peace　with　trade；　is　preferable　to　war　without　it。 and　if　this　offer　be　not　accepted；　other　courts　may　be　applied　to。
on　these　grounds　i　rest　the　matter。 and　as　no　offer　hath　yet　been　made　to　refute　the　doctrine　contained　in　the　former　editions　of　this　pamphlet；　it　is　a　negative　proof；　that　either　the　doctrine　cannot　be　refuted；　or；　that　the　party　in　favour　of　it　are　too　numerous　to　be　opposed。 wherefore；　instead　of　gazing　at　each　other　with　suspicious　or　doubtful　curiosity；　let　each　of　us；　hold　out　to　his　neighbour　the　hearty　hand　of　friendship；　and　unite　in　drawing　a　line；　which；　like　an　act　of　oblivion　shall　bury　in　forgetfulness　every　former　dissension。
let　the　names　of　whig　and　tory　be　extinct；　and　let　none　other　be　heard　among　us；　than　those　of　a　good　citizen；　an　open　and　resolute　friend；　and　a　virtuous　supporter　of　the　rights　of　mankind　and　of　the　_free　and　independant　states　of　america_。
to　the　representatives　of　the　religious　society　of　the　people　called　quakers；　or　to　so　many　of　them　as　were　concerned　in　publishing　the　late　piece；　entitled　〃the　ancient　testimony　and　prlnciples　of　the　people　called　quakers　renewed；　with　respect　to　the　king　and　government；　and　touching　the　motions　now　prevailing　in　these　and　other　parts　of　america　addressed　to　the　people　in　general。〃 the　writer　of　this；　is　one　of　those　few；　who　never　dishonours　religion　either　by　ridiculing；　or　cavilling　at　any　denomination　whatsoever。
to　god；　and　not　to　man；　are　all　men　accountable　on　the　score　of　religion。
wherefore；　this　epistle　is　not　so　properly　addressed　to　you　as　a　religious；　but　as　a　political　body；　dabbling　in　matters；　which　the　professed　quietude　of　your　principles　instruct　you　not　to　meddle　with。 as　you　have；　without　a　proper　authority　for　so　doing；　put　yourselves　in　the　place　of　the　whole　body　of　the　quakers；　so；　the　writer　of　this；　in　order　to　be　on　an　equal　rank　with　yourselves；　is　under　the　necessity；　of　putting　himself　in　the　place　of　all　those；　who；　approve　the　very　writings　and　principles；　against　which；　your　testimony　is　directed： and　he　hath　chosen　this　singular　situation；　in　order；　that　you　might　discover　in　him　that　presumption　of　character　which　you　cannot　see　in　yourselves。 for　neither　he　nor　you　can　have　any　claim　or　title　to　political　representation。
when　men　have　departed　from　the　right　way；　it　is　no　wonder　that　they　stumble　and　fall。 and　it　is　evident　from　the　manner　in　which　ye　have　managed　your　testimony；　that　politics；　（as　a　religious　body　of　men）　is　not　your　proper　walk；　for　however　well　adapted　it　might　appear　to　you；　it　is；　nevertheless；　a　jumble　of　good　and　bad　put　unwisely　together；　and　the　conclusion　drawn　therefrom；　both　unnatural　and　unjust。
the　two　first　pages；　（and　the　whole　doth　not　make　four）　we　give　you　credit　for；　and　expect　the　same　civility　from　you；　because　the　love　and　desire　of　peace　is　not　confined　to　quakerism；　it　is　the　natural；　as　well　the　religious　wish　of　all　denominations　of　men。 and　on　this　ground；　as　men　labouring　to　establish　an　independant　constitution　of　our　own；　do　we　exceed　all　others　in　our　hope；　end；　and　aim。 our　plan　is　peace　for　ever。
we　are　tired　of　contention　with　britain；　and　can　see　no　real　end　to　it　but　in　a　final　separation。 we　act　consistently；　because　for　the　sake　of　introducing　an　endless　and　uninterrupted　peace；　do　we　bear　the　evils　and　burthens　of　the　present　day。 we　are　endeavoring；　and　will　steadily　continue　to　endeavour；　to　separate　and　dissolve　a　connexion　which　hath　already　filled　our　land　with　blood；　and　which；　while　the　name　of　it　remains；　will　he　the　fatal　cause　of　future　mischiefs　to　both　countries。
we　fight　neither　for　revenge　nor　conquest；　neither　from　pride　nor　passion；　we　are　not　insulting　the　world　with　our　fleets　and　armies；　nor　ravaging　the　globe　for　plunder。 beneath　the　shade　of　our　own　vines　are　we　attacked；　in　our　own　houses；　and　on　our　own　lands；　is　the　violence　mitted　against　us。 we　view　our　enemies　in　the　character　of　highwaymen　and　housebre