Pennsylvania and South Carolina 

voted no, Delaware was undecided, and New York abstained

from the vote.

Thomas Paine’s arguments:

1. Independence is a natural right
As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be justified on the equal
rights of nature, so neither can it be defended on the authority of scripture...
2. It’s time for America to rule itself grown up enough now
a. I have heard it asserted by some, that as America has flourished under her former
connection with Great Britain, the same connection is necessary towards her future
happiness, and will always have the same effect. Nothing can be more fallacious than
this kind of argument. We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon
milk, that it is never to have meat, or that the first twenty years of our lives is to
become a precedent for the next twenty
3. America would’ve thrived as a country without Great Britain
a. America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European
power taken any notice of her. The commerce by which she hath enriched herself
are the necessaries of life and will always have a market while eating is the custom
of Europe.
4. The only reason Britain protected us was for what we could offer them
a. But she has protected us, say some. That she hath engrossed us is true, and
defended the continent at our expense as well as her own, is admitted; and she
would have defended Turkey from the same motive, viz. for the sake of trade and
dominion.
5. We must fight for freedom it is in our best interest
a. I am not induced by motives of pride, party or resentment to espouse the doctrine of
separation and independence; I am clearly, positively, and conscientiously
persuaded that it is the true interest of this continent to be so; that everything short
of that is mere patchwork, that it can afford no lasting felicity,— that it is leaving the
sword to our children, and shrinking back at a time when a little more, a little
further, would have rendered this continent the glory of the earth.

Charles Inglis argument:

1. Independence would cause America to crumble without Britain

a. The independency of
America would, in the end, deprive her of the West Indies,
shake her empire to the foundation, and reduce her to a
state of the most mortifying insignificance. Great Britain
therefore must, for her own preservation, risk everything,
and exert her whole strength to prevent such an event from taking place.

2. Even if we did gain independence someone could come conquer us when we are weak
 a. But supposing once more that we were able to cut off every regiment that Britain can
spare or hire, and to destroy every ship she can send  that we could beat off any other
European power that would presume to intrude upon this continent:

3. We need Britain for trade of goods and protection when we trade, Britain has access to all
things for trading
a. By a connection with Great Britain, our trade would still have the protection of the
greatest naval power in the world. England has the advantage in this respect of every
other state, whether of ancient or modern times. Her insular situation, her nurseries
[training] for seamen, the superiority of those seamen above others  these
circumstances, to mention no other, combine to make her the first maritime power in the
universe.
b. Whilst connected with Great Britain, we have a bounty on almost every article of
exportation, and we may be better supplied with goods by her than we could elsewhere.
c. He talks about we could get these goods, but they would be less quality and more
expensive
4. We don’t stand a chance against Britain
a. and exert her whole strength to prevent such an event from taking place. This being the
case Devastation and ruin must mark the progress of this war along the sea coast of
America. Hitherto, Britain has not exerted her power. Her number of troops and ships of
war here at present is very little more than she judged expedient in time of peace  the
former does not amount to 12,000 men  nor the latter to 40 ships, including frigates.
b.