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amconcernedtotracetheeffectsofmyallegiance。Infact，I
quietlydeclarewarwiththeState，aftermyfashion，thoughIwillstillmakewhatuseandgetwhatadvantageofherIcan，asisusualinsuchcases。
Ifotherspaythetaxwhichisdemandedofme，fromasympathywiththeState，theydobutwhattheyhavealreadydoneintheirowncase，orrathertheyabetinjusticetoagreaterextentthantheStaterequires。Iftheypaythetaxfromamistakeninterestintheindividualtaxed，tosavehisproperty，orpreventhisgoingtojail，itisbecausetheyhavenotconsideredwiselyhowfartheylettheirprivatefeelingsinterferewiththepublicgood。
This，then，ismypositionatpresent。Butonecannotbetoomuchonhisguardinsuchacase，lesthisactionbebiasedbyobstinacyoranundueregardfortheopinionsofmen。Lethimseethathedoesonlywhatbelongstohimselfandtothehour。
Ithinksometimes，Why，thispeoplemeanwell；theyareonlyignorant；theywoulddobetteriftheyknewhow:whygiveyourneighborsthispaintotreatyouastheyarenotinclinedto？ButI
think，again，ThisisnoreasonwhyIshoulddoastheydo，orpermitotherstosuffermuchgreaterpainofadifferentkind。
Again，Isometimessaytomyself，Whenmanymillionsofmen，withoutheat，withoutill-will，withoutpersonalfeelingofanykind，demandofyouafewshillingsonly，withoutthepossibility，suchistheirconstitution，ofretractingoralteringtheirpresentdemand，andwithoutthepossibility，onyourside，ofappealtoanyothermillions，whyexposeyourselftothisoverwhelmingbruteforce？Youdonotresistcoldandhunger，thewindsandthewaves，thusobstinately；youquietlysubmittoathousandsimilarnecessities。
Youdonotputyourheadintothefire。ButjustinproportionasI
regardthisasnotwhollyabruteforce，butpartlyahumanforce，andconsiderthatIhaverelationstothosemillionsastosomanymillionsofmen，andnotofmerebruteorinanimatethings，Iseethatappealispossible，firstandinstantaneously，fromthemtotheMakerofthem，and，secondly，fromthemtothemselves。But，ifI
putmyheaddeliberatelyintothefire，thereisnoappealtofireortotheMakeroffire，andIhaveonlymyselftoblame。IfI
couldconvincemyselfthatIhaveanyrighttobesatisfiedwithmenastheyare，andtotreatthemaccordingly，andnotaccording，insomerespects，tomyrequisitionsandexpectationsofwhattheyandIoughttobe，then，likeagoodMussulmanandfatalist，Ishouldendeavortobesatisfiedwiththingsastheyare，andsayitisthewillofGod。And，aboveall，thereisthisdifferencebetweenresistingthisandapurelybruteornaturalforce，thatIcanresistthiswithsomeeffect；butIcannotexpect，likeOrpheus，tochangethenatureoftherocksandtreesandbeasts。
Idonotwishtoquarrelwithanymanornation。Idonotwishtosplithairs，tomakefinedistinctions，orsetmyselfupasbetterthanmyneighbors。Iseekrather，Imaysay，evenanexcuseforconformingtothelawsoftheland。Iambuttooreadytoconformtothem。Indeed，Ihavereasontosuspectmyselfonthishead；andeachyear，asthetax-gatherercomesround，IfindmyselfdisposedtoreviewtheactsandpositionofthegeneralandStategovernments，andthespiritofthepeople，todiscoverapretextforconformity。
“Wemustaffectourcountryasourparents，AndifatanytimewealienateOurloveorindustryfromdoingithonor，WemustrespecteffectsandteachthesoulMatterofconscienceandreligion，Andnotdesireofruleorbenefit。“
IbelievethattheStatewil
