In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense; and have no other Preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudice and prepossession, and suffer his resason and his feelings to determine for themselves; that he will put ON, or rather he will not put OFF the true character of a man, and generously enlarge his views beyond the present day. "Based on the text, what was Paine’s purpose?"

Thomas Paine implies that to disagree would make you prejudice or wrong .It also indicates that he  has no stake in the matter, he is simply stating facts and uses manipulation to make the readers considerate about the ideas

Explanation:

The indication of this idea is evident from the following lines.

The following line indicates that the author is stating facts.

The following line indicates that the author has no other stakes.

The following line indicates the indication that whenever the reader is disagreeing it is because of the readers prejudice and prepossession.

The following line indicates the use of manipulation.

you   can   protest   and   boicot   and   have   marches