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CHAPTER 0 INTRODUCTION
PERHAPS the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not YET sufficiently
fashionable to procure them general favor; 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 defence 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 usurpations 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 have, 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 of 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
POSTSCRIPT TO PREFACE IN THE THIRD EDITION
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.