Historical voices

Government, on the old system, is an assumption of power, for the aggrandisement of itself; on the new, a delegation of power for the common benefit of society.

Nothing can appear more contradictory than the principles on which the old governments began, and the condition to which society, civilisation and commerce are capable of carrying mankind.

Are not conquest and defeat each of the same price, and taxes the never-failing consequence?--Though this reasoning may be good to a nation, it is not so to a government.

What inducement has the farmer, while following the plough, to lay aside his peaceful pursuit, and go to war with the farmer of another country? or what inducement has the manufacturer?

Can we possibly suppose that if governments had originated in a right principle, and had not an interest in pursuing a wrong one, the world could have been in the wretched and quarrelsome condition we have seen it?

If we would delineate human nature with a baseness of heart and hypocrisy of countenance that reflection would shudder at and humanity disown, it is kings, courts and cabinets that must sit for the portrait.

There does not exist within such governments sufficient stamina whereon to engraft reformation; and the shortest and most effectual remedy is to begin anew on the ground of the nation.

From such beginning of governments, what could be expected but a continued system of war and extortion?

What at first was plunder, assumed the softer name of revenue; and the power originally usurped, they affected to inherit.

The conqueror considered the conquered, not as his prisoner, but his property.

They alternately invaded the dominions which each had assigned to himself, and the brutality with which they treated each other explains the original character of monarchy.

Though not a courtier will talk of the curfew-bell, not a village in England has forgotten it.

The hatred which the Norman invasion and tyranny begat, must have been deeply rooted in the nation, to have outlived the contrivance to obliterate it.

The origin of the present government of America and France will ever be remembered, because it is honourable to record it; but with respect to the rest, even Flattery has consigned them to the tomb of time, without an inscription.

The obscurity in which the origin of all the present old governments is buried, implies the iniquity and disgrace with which they began.

It is impossible that such governments as have hitherto existed in the world, could have commenced by any other means than a total violation of every principle sacred and moral.

In all cases they took care to represent government as a thing made up of mysteries, which only themselves understood; and they hid from the understanding of the nation the only thing that was beneficial to know, namely, That government is…

The parties were always of the class of courtiers; and whatever was their rage for reformation, they carefully preserved the fraud of the profession.

All the revolutions till then had been worked within the atmosphere of a court, and never on the grand floor of a nation.

One of the great advantages of the American Revolution has been, that it led to a discovery of the principles, and laid open the imposition, of governments.

Their taxes are few, because their government is just: and as there is nothing to render them wretched, there is nothing to engender riots and tumults.

Industry is not mortified by the splendid extravagance of a court rioting at its expense.

There the poor are not oppressed, the rich are not privileged.

It shows that something is wrong in the system of government that injures the felicity by which society is to be preserved.