#at

Those who want to reap the benefits of this great nation must bear the fatigue of supporting it. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#benefits #fatigue #great #great nation #must

Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#blessing #even #every #evil #government

There are matters in the Bible, said to be done by the express commandment of God, that are shocking to humanity and to every idea we have of moral justice. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#commandment #done #every #express #god

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#character #god #know #men #men and women

To say that any people are not fit for freedom, is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather be loaded with taxes than not. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#choice #fit #freedom #had #loaded

It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#battle #cause #consequences #defeat #defending

He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#bleeds #contagion #death #hell #lets

'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#approves #business #conduct #conscience #death

War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#certain #circumstances #end #human #human wisdom

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#moderation #principle #temper #vice #virtue