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On
January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called
Common Sense.
In
the pamphlet, he spoke openly of independence from Britain
and urged a government in which the people ruled through their
elected representatives.
The booklet was widely circulated and was very influential.
More
Common Sense
Common
Sense
by Thomas Paine |
| "O
ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny,
but the tyrant, stand forth! Every spot of the old world is
overrun with oppression. Freedom hath been hunted round the
globe. Asia, and Africa, have long expelled her. Europe regards
her like a stranger, and England hath given her warning to
depart. O! receive the fugitive, and prepare in time an asylum
for mankind." |
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| One
Loyalist response to Thomas Paine's Common Sense was
Plain Truth by "Candidus" (his
real identity was probably James Chalmers)
He
challenged the idea that democracy is the best form of government:
- "The
demagogues to seduce the people into their criminal designs
ever hold up democracy to them.... If we examine the republics
of Greece and Rome, we ever find them in a state of war
domestic or foreign.... Apian's history of the civil wars
of Rome, contains the most frightful picture of massacres....
that ever were presented to the world."
And
he reminded readers of all that Britain had done for
them:
"The
people of England, encouraged by the extension of their
laws and commerce to those colonies, powerfully assisted
our merchants and planters, insomuch, that our settlements
increased rapidly.... It may be affirmed, that from this
period, until the present unhappy hour; no part of human
kind, ever experienced more perfect felicity. Voltaire indeed
says, that if ever the Golden Age existed, it was in Pennsylvania."
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