They could not but perceive, that there must necessarily be a controlling power existing somewhere, and they placed this power in the discretion of the persons exercising the government, instead of placing it in a constitution formed by the nation.
In "Rights of Man," Paine critiques the error of placing ultimate controlling power in the government rather than in a constitution established by the nation.
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Man cannot, properly speaking, make circumstances for his purpose, but he always has it in his power to improve them when they occur, and this was the case in France.
They had a cause at stake, on which depended their freedom or their slavery.
A knowledge of the practice was then joined to the theory; and all that was wanting to give it real existence was opportunity.