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It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.

Thomas Paine

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
THOMAS PAINE

Ignorance Obedience Reason
An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.
THOMAS PAINE

Army Principle Soldier
A constitution defines and limits the powers of the government it creates. It therefore follows, as a natural and also a logical result, that the governmental exercise of any power not authorized by the constitution is an assumed power, and therefore illegal.
THOMAS PAINE

Constitution Exercise Government Illegal Limitation Logic Natural Power Result
A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.
THOMAS PAINE

Accountable Body Hold Man Trust
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Reason Time Wrong
The slavery of fear had made men afraid to think.
THOMAS PAINE

Afraid Fear Man One Liner Slave Thinking
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.
THOMAS PAINE

Enemy Establishment Himself Liberty Oppression Reach Security Violate
It is easy to see that when republican virtue fails, slavery ensues.
THOMAS PAINE

Easy Politics See Slave Virtue
Government is best which governs least.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Politics Rule
We repose an unwise confidence in any government, or in any men, when we invest them officially with too much, or an unnecessary quantity of, discretionary power.
THOMAS PAINE

Confidence Government Man Necessary Power
It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.
THOMAS PAINE

Errors Mistake Philosophy Truth Wisdom
It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Important Lose People Sight
If those to whom power is delegated do well, they will be respected; if not, they will be despised.
THOMAS PAINE

Hate Power Respect
To take away voting is to reduce a man to slavery.
THOMAS PAINE

Man Slave Vote
Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
THOMAS PAINE

Angry Principle Vice Virtue
To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.
THOMAS PAINE

Administration Argument Atheist Authority Humanity Man Medicine Philosophy Reason Scripture

It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.

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It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.

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