1 47 1 https://explorecommonsense.com/files/original/1f11be54c12d7656b93b44d88ed0b38b.jpg cbc730d1654a68bebcd209bd39f34ad4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource British Edition of Common Sense Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Paine Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright Loyola University Chicago Archives and Special Collections Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available London: J. Almon Subject The topic of the resource Rare Book Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Book Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Original: 1776 Digital: 2017-03-29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Language A language of the resource English Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document 24                   COMMON SENSE. I rejected the hardened, sullen tempered Pharoah of   England forever; and disdain the wretch, that with the pretended title of FATHER OF HIS PEOPLE can unfeelingly hear of their slaughter, and composedly sleep with their blood upon his soul. But admitting that matters were now made up, what would be the event? I answer, the ruin of the continent.--- And that for several reasons. First, The powers of governing still remaining in the hands of the king, he will have a negative over the whole legislation of this continent. And as he hath shewn himself such an inveterate enemy to liberty, and discovered such a thirst for abritrary power, is he, or is he not, a proper man to say to these colonies, “You shall make no laws but what I please?” And is there any inhabitant in American so igno- rant, as not to know, that according to what is called the present constitution, that this continent can make no laws but what the king gives leave to? and is there any man so un- wise as not to see, that (considering what has happened) he will suffer no law to be made here, but such as suits his purpose?  We may be effectually enslaved by the want of laws in America, as by submitting to laws made for us in England.  After matters are made up (as it is called) can there be any doubt, but the whole power of the crown will be exerted to keep this continent as low and as humble as possible?  Instead of going forward, we shall go backward, or be perpetually quarrelling or ridiculously petitioning.— We are already greater than the King wishes us to be, and will he not hereafter endeavour to make us less. To bring the matter to one point. Is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, a proper power to govern us? Whoever says No to this question, is an independent ; for independency means no more, than whether we shall make our own laws, or whether the King, the greatest enemy this Continent hath,  or can have, shall tell us, "there shall be no laws but such "as I like."  But the king, you will say, has a negative in England; the people there can make no laws without his consent. In point of right and good order, there is something very ridi- culous, that a youth of twenty-one (which hath often hap- pened) shall say to several millions of people, older and wiser than himself, I forbid this or that act of yours to be law. But in this place I decline this sort of reply, though I will never cease to expose the absurdity of it, and only an- <div style="text-align: right;">swer,</div> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Common Sense, British Edition Subject The topic of the resource Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs Description An account of the resource Page 24 additions censored text King George III slavery