Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following
pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to
procure them general favour; a long habit of not thinking
a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance
of being right, and raises at first a formidable
outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult
soon subsides. Time makes more converts than
reason.
As a long and violent abuse of power, is generally
the Means of calling the right of it in question (and
in Matters too which might never have been thought
of, had not the Sufferers been aggravated into the
inquiry) and as the King of England hath undertaken
in his own right, to support the Parliament
in what he calls theirs, and as the good people
of this country are grievously oppressed by the combination,
they have an undoubted privilege to inquire into the
pretensions of both, and equally to reject the usurpation
of either.
In the following sheets, the author hath studiously
avoided every thing which is personal among ourselves.
Compliments as well as censure to individuals make
no part thereof. The wise, and the worthy, need
not the triumph of a pamphlet; and those whose sentiments
are injudicious, or unfriendly, will cease of themselves
unless too much pains are bestowed upon their conversion.
The cause of America is in a great measure the cause
of all mankind. Many circumstances hath, and
will arise, which are not local, but universal, and
through which the principles of all Lovers of Mankind
are affected, and in the Event of which, their Affections
are interested. The laying a Country desolate
with Fire and Sword, declaring War against the natural
rights of all Mankind, and extirpating the Defenders
thereof from the Face of the Earth, is the Concern
of every Man to whom Nature hath given the Power of
feeling; of which Class, regardless of Party Censure,
is the author.
P.S. The Publication of this new Edition hath
been delayed, with a View of taking notice (had it
been necessary) of any Attempt to refute the Doctrine
of Independance: As no Answer hath yet appeared,
it is now presumed that none will, the Time needful
for getting such a Performance ready for the Public
being considerably past.
Who the Author of this Production is, is wholly unnecessary
to the Public, as the Object for Attention is the
doctrine itself, not the man.
Yet it may not be unnecessary to say, That he is unconnected
with any Party, and under no sort of Influence public
or private, but the influence of reason and principle.
Philadelphia, February 14, 1776
Some writers have so confounded society with government,
as to leave little or no distinction between them;
whereas they are not only different, but have different
origins. Society is produced by our wants, and
government by our wickedness; the former promotes
our positively by uniting our affections, the
latter negatively by restraining our vices.
The one encourages intercourse, the other creates
distinctions. The first a patron, the last a
punisher.
