It is by the ſale of thoſe lands, that the debt may be ſunk, without burthen to any, and the quit-rent reſerved thereon will always leſſen, and in time will wholly ſupport the yearly expence of government. It matters not how long the debt is in paying, ſo that the lands, when ſold, be applied to the diſcharge of it, and for the execution of which, the Congreſs for the time being will be the Continental truſtees.
I proceed now to the ſecond head, viz. which is the eaſieſt and moſt practicable plan, Reconciliation or Independence; with ſome occaſional remarks.
He who takes nature for his guide is not eaſily beaten out of his argument, and on that ground, I anſwer generally—That independence being a ſingle ſimple line, contained within ourſelves; and reconciliation a matter exceedingly perplexed and complicated and in which a treacherous capricious court is to interfere, gives the anſwer without a doubt.
The preſent ſtate of America is truly alarming to every man who is capable of reflection. Without law, without government, without any other mode of power than what is founded on, and granted by courteſy. Held together by an unexampled concurrence of ſentiment, which is nevertheleſs ſubject to change, and which every ſecret enemy is endeavouring to diſſolve. Our preſent condition is, legiſlation without law; wiſdom without a plan; a conſtitution without a name; and, what is ſtrangely aſtoniſhing, perfect independence contending for dependence. The inſtance is without a precedent; the caſe never exiſted before; and who can tell what may be the event? The property of no man is ſecure in the preſent unbraced ſyſtem of things. The mind of the multitude is left at random, and ſeeing no fixed object before them, they purſue ſuch as fancy or opinion ſtarts. Nothing is criminal; there is no ſuch thing as reaſon; wherefore every one thinks himſelf at liberty to act as he pleaſes. The Tories would not have dared to aſſemble offenſively, had they known that their lives, by that act, were forfeited to the laws of the ſtate. A line of diſtinction ſhould be drawn, between Enpliſh ſoldiers taken in battle, and inhabitants of America taken in arms. The firſt are priſoners, but the latter traitors. The one forfeits his liberty, the other his head.
Notwithſtanding our wiſdom, there is a viſible feebleneſs in ſome of our proceedings, which gives encouragement to diſſentions. The Continental Belt is too looſely buckled. And if ſomething is not done in time, it will be too late to do any thing, and we ſhall fall into a ſtate, in which neither Reconciliation nor Independence will be practicable. The King and his worthleſs adherents are got at the old game of dividing the Continent, and there are not wanting among us, Printers, who will be buſy in ſpreading ſpecious falſhoods. The artful and hypocritical letter, which appeared a few months ago in two of the New-York papers, and likewiſe in two others, is an evidence, that there are men who want either judgment or honeſty.
