America would be equally as foolish as Britain, were she to suffer so great a degradation on her flag, and such a stroke on the freedom of her commerce, to pass without a balance.
Paine warns that America would be foolish to allow its national dignity and commercial freedom to be undermined without retaliation.
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It was become evident, that no constitution, worthy of being called by that name, could be established on anything less than a national ground.
Many of the facts were in themselves principles; such as the declaration of American Independence, and the treaty of alliance between France and America, which recognised the natural rights of man, and justified resistance to oppression.
The man who is in the receipt of a million a year is the last person to promote a spirit of reform, lest, in the event, it should reach to himself.