The thing is not within the compass of human practicability, for America is too extensive either to be fully conquered or passively defended.
Thomas Paine: “The thing is not within the compass of human practicability, for America is too extensive either to be fully conquered…”
Editor's note · Context
In "The American Crisis," Paine argues that America's vast size makes both complete conquest by an enemy and purely passive defense impractical.
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