Thomas Paine: Reconciliation or Independence?
Apr 16, 2010 3:14:05 GMT -5
Post by 2ncrca on Apr 16, 2010 3:14:05 GMT -5
In the early days of the Revolution there were a significant number of individuals who were pressing for reconciliation, or making peace with Great Britain, after defeats suffered against the British. The following is a paragraph from "Common Sense" which may have very relevant parallels with our own predicament.
The powers of governing still remaining in the hands of the king, he will have a negative over the whole legislation of this continent. And as he hath shown himself such an inveterate enemy to liberty, and discovered such a thirst for arbitrary power; is he, or is he not, a proper person to say to these colonies, "you shall make no laws but what I please!" And is there any inhabitant of America so ignorant as not to know, that according to what is called the present constitution, this continent can make no laws but what the king give leave to? and is there any man so unwise as not to see, that (considering what has happened) he will suffer no law to be made here, but such as suits his purpose? We may be as effectually enslaved by the want of laws in America, as by submitting to laws made for us in England. After matters are made up (as it is called) can there be any doubt, but the whole power of the crown will be exerted, to keep this continent as low and humble as possible? Instead of going forward we shall go backward, or be perpetually quarreling, or ridiculously petitioning. We are already greater than the king wishes us to be, and will he not hereafter endeavor to make us less? To bring the matter to one point, is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, the proper power to govern us? Whoever says No to this question is an independent, for independency means no more than this, whether we shall make our own laws, or, whether the king, the greatest enemy which this continent hath, shall tell us, "there will be no laws but such as I like."
The powers of governing still remaining in the hands of the king, he will have a negative over the whole legislation of this continent. And as he hath shown himself such an inveterate enemy to liberty, and discovered such a thirst for arbitrary power; is he, or is he not, a proper person to say to these colonies, "you shall make no laws but what I please!" And is there any inhabitant of America so ignorant as not to know, that according to what is called the present constitution, this continent can make no laws but what the king give leave to? and is there any man so unwise as not to see, that (considering what has happened) he will suffer no law to be made here, but such as suits his purpose? We may be as effectually enslaved by the want of laws in America, as by submitting to laws made for us in England. After matters are made up (as it is called) can there be any doubt, but the whole power of the crown will be exerted, to keep this continent as low and humble as possible? Instead of going forward we shall go backward, or be perpetually quarreling, or ridiculously petitioning. We are already greater than the king wishes us to be, and will he not hereafter endeavor to make us less? To bring the matter to one point, is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, the proper power to govern us? Whoever says No to this question is an independent, for independency means no more than this, whether we shall make our own laws, or, whether the king, the greatest enemy which this continent hath, shall tell us, "there will be no laws but such as I like."