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<v Speaker 1>Chapter one of Common Sense. This is a LibriVox recording.

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<v Speaker 1>All librevox recordings are in the public domain. For more

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<v Speaker 1>information nor to volunteer, please visit librevox dot org. Recording

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<v Speaker 1>by Phil Shinevert. Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Introduction. Perhaps

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<v Speaker 1>the sentiments contained in the following pages are not yet

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<v Speaker 1>sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor. A long habit

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<v Speaker 1>of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial

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<v Speaker 1>appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable

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<v Speaker 1>outcry in defense of custom, But the tumult soon subsides

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<v Speaker 1>time makes more converts than reason. As a long and

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<v Speaker 1>violent abuse of power is generally the means of calling

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<v Speaker 1>the right of it in question, and in matters to

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<v Speaker 1>which might never have been thought of had not the

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<v Speaker 1>sufferers been aggravated into the inquiry. And as the King

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<v Speaker 1>of England hath undertaken in his own right to support

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<v Speaker 1>the Parliament in what he calls theirs, and as the

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<v Speaker 1>good people of this country are grievously oppressed by the combination,

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<v Speaker 1>they have an undoubted privilege to inquire into the pretensions

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<v Speaker 1>of both, and equally to reject the usurpation of either

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<v Speaker 1>in the following sheets. The author has studiously avoided everything

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<v Speaker 1>which is personal among ourselves. Compliments, as well as censure

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<v Speaker 1>to individuals, make no part thereof. The wise and the

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<v Speaker 1>worthy need not the triumph of a pamphlet, and those

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<v Speaker 1>whose sentiments are injudicious or unfriendly will cease of themselves

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<v Speaker 1>unless too much pains are bestowed upon their conversion. The

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<v Speaker 1>cause of America is, in a great measure the cause

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<v Speaker 1>of all mankind. Many circumstances hath and will arise which

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<v Speaker 1>are not local but universal, and through which the principles

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<v Speaker 1>of all lovers of mankind are affected, and in the

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<v Speaker 1>event of which their affections are interested. The laying of

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<v Speaker 1>a country desolate with fire and sword, declaring war against

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<v Speaker 1>the natural rights of all mankind, and extirpating the defenders

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<v Speaker 1>thereof from the face of the earth is the concern

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<v Speaker 1>of every man, to whom nature hath given the power

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<v Speaker 1>of feeling, of which class, regardless of party censure is

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<v Speaker 1>the author p s. The publication of this new edition

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<v Speaker 1>hath been delayed with a view of taking notice had

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<v Speaker 1>it been necessary of any attempt to refute the doctrine

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<v Speaker 1>of independence. As no answer hath yet appeared. It is

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<v Speaker 1>now presumed that none will the time needful for getting

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<v Speaker 1>such a performance ready, for the public being considerably passed.

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<v Speaker 1>Who the author of this production is is wholly unnecessary

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<v Speaker 1>to the public, as the object for attention is the

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<v Speaker 1>doctrine itself, not the man. Yet it may not be

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<v Speaker 1>unnecessary to say that he is unconnected with any party,

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<v Speaker 1>and under no sort of influence public or private, but

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<v Speaker 1>the influence of reason and principle, Philadelphia, February fourteenth, seventeen

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<v Speaker 1>seventy six, end of the introduction