2.3 THOUGHTS ON THE PRESENT STATE OF AMERI AFFAIRS
In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and on sense; and have no other Prelimio settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudid prepossession, and suffer his reason and his feelings to determine for themselves; that he will put ON, or rather that he will not put OFF the true character of a man, and generously enlarge his views beyond the present day.
Volumes have been written on the subject of the struggle between England and America. Men of all ranks have embarked in the troversy, from different motives, and with various designs; but all have been iual, and the period of debate is closed. Arms, as the last resource, decide this test; the appeal was the choice of the king, and the ti hath accepted the challenge.
It hath beeed of the late Mr. Pelham (who tho an able minister was not without his faults) that on his being attacked in the house of ons, on the score, that his measures were only of a temporary kind, replied "THEY WILL LAST MY TIME." Should a thought so fatal and unmanly possess the ies in the present test, the name of aors will be remembered by future geions with detestation.
The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth. Tis not the affair of a city, a ty, a province, or a kingdom, but of a ti - of at least oh part of the habitable globe.
Tis not the of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the test, and will be more or less affected, even to the end of time, by the proceedings now.
Now is the seed-time of tial union, faith and honour.
The least fracture now will be like a name engraved with the point of a pin oender rind of a young oak; the wound will enlarge with the tree, and posterity read it in full grown characters.
By referring the matter frument to arms, a new aera for politics is struck; a new method of thinking hath arisen.
All plans, proposals, &c. prior to the eenth of April, i. e. to the e of hostilities, are like the almanacs of the last year; which, though proper then are superseded and useless now. Whatever was advanced by the advocates oher side of the questioerminated in one and the same point. viz. a union with Great-Britain: the only differeween the parties was the method of effeg it; the one proposing force, the other friendship; but it hath so far happehat the first hath failed, and the sed hath withdrawn her influence.
As much hath been said of the advantages of reciliation which, like an agreeable dream, hath passed away a us as we were, it is but right, that we should examihe trary side of the argument, and inquire into some of the many material injuries which these ies sustain, and always will sustain, by being ected with, and depe o Britain: To examihat e and dependence, on the principles of nature and on seo see what we have to trust to, if separated, and what we are to expect, if dependant.
I have heard it asserted by some, that as America hath flourished under her former e with Great Britain that the same e is necessary towards her future happiness, and will always have the same effect.
Nothing be more fallacious than this kind ument.
We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk that it is o have meat, or that the first twenty years of our lives is to bee a pret for the wenty.
But even this is admitting more than is true, for I answer round