The conquest of the Hessians at Trenton, by the remains of a retreating army, which but a few days before you affected to despise, is an instance of their heroic perseverance very seldom to be met with.
Paine celebrates the American victory at Trenton as a testament to the extraordinary perseverance of a previously beleaguered army.
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But as religion is very improperly made a political machine, and the reality of it is thereby destroyed, I will conclude this work with stating in what light religion appears to me.
But where genuine principles of liberty pervade a people, every thing is restored to order; and the soldier civilly treated, returns the civility.
Where these can have the opportunity of acting, opposition dies with fear, or crumbles away by conviction.
Discussion and the general will arbitrates the question, and to this, private opinion yields with a good grace, and order is preserved uninterrupted.