Now had come, however, the hour for political separation.By reluctant but inevitable steps America made up its mind to declare for independence.At first continued loyalty to the King was urged on the plea that he was in the hands of evil-minded ministers, inspired by diabolical rage, or in those of an "infernal villain" such as the soldier, General Gage, a second Pharaoh; though it must be admitted that even then the King was "the tyrant of Great Britain." After Bunker Hill spasmodic declarations of independence were made here and there by local bodies.When Congress organized an army, invaded Canada, and besieged Boston, it was hard to protest loyalty to a King whose forces were those of an enemy.Moreover independence would, in the eyes at least of foreign governments, give the colonies the rights of belligerents and enable them to claim for their fighting forces the treatment due to a regular army and the exchange of prisoners with the British.They could, too, make alliances with other nations.Some clamored for independence for a reason more sinister--that they might punish those who held to the King and seize their property.There were thirteen colonies in arms and each of them had to form some kind of government which would work without a king as part of its mechanism.One by one such governments were formed.King George, as we have seen, helped the colonies to make up their minds.They were in no mood to be called erring children who must implore undeserved mercy and not force a loving parent to take unwilling vengeance."Our plantations" and "our subjects in the colonies" would simply not learn obedience.If George III would not reply to their petitions until they laid down their arms, they could manage to get on without a king.If England, as Horace Walpole admitted, would not take them seriously and speakers in Parliament called them obscure ruffians and cowards, so much the worse for England.
It was an Englishman, Thomas Paine, who fanned the fire into unquenchable flames.He had recently been dismissed from a post in the excise in England and was at this time earning in Philadelphia a precarious living by his pen.Paine said it was the interest of America to break the tie with Europe.Was a whole continent in America to be governed by an island a thousand leagues away? Of what advantage was it to remain connected with Great Britain? It was said that a united British Empire could defy the world, but why should America defy the world?
"Everything that is right or natural pleads for separation."Interested men, weak men, prejudiced men, moderate men who do not really know Europe, may urge reconciliation, but nature is against it.Paine broke loose in that denunciation of kings with which ever since the world has been familiar.The wretched Briton, said Paine, is under a king and where there was a king there was no security for liberty.Kings were crowned ruffians and George III in particular was a sceptered savage, a royal brute, and other evil things.He had inflicted on America injuries not to be forgiven.The blood of the slain, not less than the true interests of posterity, demanded separation.Paine called his pamphlet "Common Sense".It was published on January 9, 1776.More than a hundred thousand copies were quickly sold and it brought decision to many wavering minds.
