The people of America have for years accustomed themselves to think and speak so freely and contemptuously of English authority, and the inveteracy is so deeply rooted, that a person invested with any authority from that country, and attempting to exercise it here, would have the life of a toad under a harrow.
From "The American Crisis," this passage describes the deep-seated contempt Americans held for English authority, predicting a harsh reception for any British official.
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