It is, however, easy to see, that as the nation proceeds in contemplating the nature and principles of government, and to understand taxes, and make comparisons between those of America, France, and England, it will be next to impossible to keep it in the same torpid state it has hitherto been.
From "Rights of Man," Paine observes that increased public understanding of government and taxes will make it impossible to maintain the existing political inertia.
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The more it is struck the more sparks it will emit; and the fear is it will not be struck enough.
When it becomes necessary to do anything, the whole heart and soul should go into the measure, or not attempt it.
But the spirit of the nation was not to be overcome, and it was so fully sensible of the strong ground it had taken--that of withholding taxes--that it contented itself with keeping up a sort of quiet resistance, which effectually…
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