Edmund Burke: "That celebrated pamphlet which prepared the minds of the
people for Independence."
Egerton Ryerson, LL. D.: "The sudden and marvelous revolution in the
American mind was produced chiefly by a pamphlet."
George Bancroft: "Franklin encouraged Thomas Paine,... who was the
master of a singularly lucid and fascinating style, to write an appeal
to the people of America."
"With a soul kindled into one steady blaze, he plies that fast-moving
quill. That quill puts down words on paper, words that shall burn
into the brains of kings like arrows winged with fire and pointed with
vitriol. Go on, brave author, sitting in your garret alone at this dead
hour, go on, on through the silent hours, on and God's blessings fall
like breezes of June upon your damp brow, on and on, for you are writing
the thoughts of a nation into birth."--_George Lippard_.
Pennsylvania Journal (January 10, 1776): "This day was published and
is now selling by Robert Bell, in Third street, price two shillings,
'Common Sense addressed to the inhabitants of North America.'"
From this book came the world's first and greatest republic, the first
realization of a government of the people, by the people, and for the
people. Eloquently he pleads for separation and independence:
"The birthday of a new world is at hand."
"Everything that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of
the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'Tis time to part."
"The independence of America should have been considered as dating its
era from, and published by, the first musket that was fired against
her."
"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."