Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of IndependenceMoody, Joel
History
Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of Independence
Moody, Joel
Francis, Philip, 1740-1818; Junius, active 18th century; Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809; United States. Declaration of Independence
This is the first sentence. In it he has put the Introduction, the Bill
of Rights, the Indictment, a proposition to Congress to go a begging
before his Majesty, and several other particulars. But let us continue
with the next sentence:
SECOND PERIOD.
12. To represent to his Majesty.
13. That his states.
14. Humble application.
15. To Imperial Throne.
16. To get redress of injured rights.
17. No answer.
Here there is no relation between the _beginning_ of the sentence and
the conclusion.
THIRD PERIOD.
18. Humbly to hope.
19. By joint address.
_a._ Penned in truth.
_b._ Divested of terms of servility.
20. Would persuade his Majesty.
21. That we ask no favors.
22. But rights.
23. Shall obtain a respectful acceptance.
24. His Majesty will think.
25. We have reason to expect.
26. When he reflects.
_a._ That he is only the chief officer.
_b._ Appointed by law.
_c._ Circumscribed with powers.
_d._ To assist in working the great machine of government.
_e._ Erected for their use.
_f._ Are therefore subject to their superintendence.
27. And that these our rights.
28. As well as invasions.
29. May be laid before his Majesty.
_a._ To take a view of them.
_b._ From their origin.
_c._ And first settlement of these countries.
It is only necessary to remark on the above, that thirty or forty
subjects can hardly be handled successfully in three periods. How
different is this from the Declaration, or, in fact, from any production
of Mr. Paine's.
In the three great requisites of style, _Precision_, _Unity_, and
_Strength_, where Mr. Paine is so perfect, we see great defects in
Jefferson; and in the fourth, _Harmony_, a complete failure.
If we now take the "Summary View," and submit it to the same critical
analysis as I have the Declaration of Independence, we will find the
same defects in it, as a whole, that we find in the first paragraph,
which I have just analyzed. There is a complete mixture of all subjects.
But this I leave to the reader, should he question the truth of my
assertion.
If we now turn to the synopsis of the Declaration, we will find an
exhibition of the most perfect _order._ The Introduction is short, to
the point, and complete. The Bill of Rights contains the _first
principles_. These apply to mankind universally. It then proceeds as a
specialty. The Indictment is divided into three grand divisions,
Usurpation, Abdication, and War, and the separate counts are stated,
clearly containing but one subject. Nowhere do we find a mixing up of
different subjects. We do not find a count of war under the head of
usurpation, nor one of usurpation under the head of war.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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