Historical voices

With us, you have forfeited all pretensions to reputation, and it is only by holding you like a wild beast, afraid of your keepers, that you can be made manageable.

But, let the world and Britain know, that we are neither to be bought nor sold; that our mind is great and fixed; our prospect clear; and that we will support our character as firmly as our independence.

There is nothing which sets the character of a nation in a higher or lower light with others, than the faithfully fulfilling, or perfidiously breaking, of treaties.

We are a young nation, just stepping upon the stage of public life, and the eye of the world is upon us to see how we act.

Character is to us, in our present circumstances, of more importance than interest.

Our pride is always hurt by the same propositions which offend our principles; for when we are shocked at the crime, we are wounded by the suspicion of our compliance.

The machinery of the body seems too little for the mind, and we look about for helps to show our thoughts by.

Our feelings, imprisoned by their magnitude, find no way out--and, in the struggle of expression, every finger tries to be a tongue.

The conception is too bulky to be born alive, and in the torture of thinking, we stand dumb.

We sometimes experience sensations to which language is not equal.

From this convulsion, in the entrails of their politics, it is more than probable, that the mountain groaning in labor, will bring forth a mouse, as to its size, and a monster in its make.

Beaten, but not humble; condemned, but not penitent; they act like men trembling at fate and catching at a straw.

Every day seems to have a storm of its own, and they are scudding under the bare poles of hope.

Filled with these high ideas, nothing could be more insolent towards America than the language of the British court on the proposed mediation.

It is a thing very extraordinary and even ridiculous, that the court of London, who treats the colonies as independent, not only in acting, but of right, during the war, should have a repugnance to treat them as such only in acting during…

I wish it may not; for that which is a disgrace to human nature, throws something of a shade over all the human character, and each individual feels his share of the wound that is given to the whole.

And so convinced am I of their wrong ideas of America, that I shall not wonder, if, in their last stage of political frenzy, they propose to her to break her alliance with France, and enter into one with them.

Think not then to tamper with our feelings by an insidious contrivance, nor suffocate our humanity by seducing us to dishonor.

But they are engraven where no amusement can conceal them, and of a kind for which there is no recompense.

Could our affections forgive, or humanity forget the wounds of an injured country--we might, under the influence of a momentary oblivion, stand still and laugh.

Every campaign has added to their loss, and every year to their disgrace; till unable to go on, and ashamed to go back, their politics have come to a halt, and all their fine prospects to a halter.

Forever changing and forever wrong; too distant from America to improve in circumstances, and too unwise to foresee them; scheming without principle, and executing without probability, their whole line of management has hitherto been…

On our part, in order to know, at any time, what the British government will do, we have only to find out what they ought not to do, and this last will be their conduct.

In this view, our taxes are properly our insurance money; they are what we pay to be made safe, and, in strict policy, are the best money we can lay out.